Back in School

It didn't take long to hit the ground running in academics. The past week was full of classes and the most dreaded CBTs. CBT stands for computer based training and it is how the Air Force conducts a lot of their training, especially in pilot training. You have endless slides of systems and procedures, then you go to class for a recap and for questions. I guess it saves money on instructors, but it sure is boring.

The days aren't too bad. We usually have class for 1-4 hours and then CBTs for several hours. On average I would say we are in class/computer lab about eight hours a day. I am having to get my brain back into "think" mode and "stay thinking" mode. Eight hours of academics are hard when your brain has a power save mode that kicks in after two hours of use. A guy will forget how stupid he is until he gets along side of people that aren't afraid to show him. Yes, I am once again in class with the "smart kids" and it is kind of sickening.

The class is twelve students big. Two Navy, one Marine, and one Air Force pilot are going to test pilot school. There are five Air Force guys and one international guy going to become T-38c instructors and then myself and Aaron who are "transition students." I am the youngest in rank, although there are five dudes with my rank. This week will have more academics, a couple of simulators, and possibly starting to fly. I want to get flying ASAP so I can get as ready as possible for IFF (the next class that starts in July), but I also know there is so much more I need to cram into my noggin (fighter pilots can't say head) before my first flight. It all goes back to the penguin theory and I am taking inventory and kicking a bunch off. If you don't know about the penguin theory, it basically states that your brain is an iceberg and there are only so many penguins that can fit onto the iceberg before some start falling off...and right now my iceberg feels like it is going through global warming.

On to all the other stuff. We are settled in and are making daily trips to the store to buy things that we have, but we just forgot to bring. Candi is working partial days and is day-to-day on whether her job is going to be there the next. Kind of frustrating, but she is used to being jerked around...by her work...not me!

Finally, the weather has decided to swing from being pegged on "crappy" to being pegged on "awesome." The first several days were wet and tons of rain. However, the last few days have been upper 80's and low humidity. I got sun burned and have never been happier to inch closer towards skin cancer. Below shows one of the many drainage ditches around that are typically dry, but was flowing with three feet of water and blocking off roads with all the rain lately. Kids were floating and swimming in all the run off, since it was flowing quite quickly. The best part is the kid in the top left that is stuck on a electrical box. I took the picture, waved, and left... WHAT? I am sure he knew how to swim...