the AirFrames Aerodrome

Today's FlightNotes:March 3, 2009 7:44 pm

… and that’s pretty much what my life has been reduced to at this point.  Don’t misunderstand… I don’t have any issue with doing chores; washing dishes, loading and unloading the dishwasher, running the Dyson, doing laundry, collecting and taking out the trash; whatev’s.  I don’t mind doing them at all;  in fact, I kinda enjoy it.

 

But that’s not the problem.  The problem is that doing chores around the house is about all I still have to do.  Not much has changed since my last post, as quantitative results go.  I’ve continued to apply for positions almost daily, yet the ratio of interviews to applications has been close to nadda.  The GM positions with Borders didn’t pan out, and it doesn’t look like anything on that horizon will change anytime soon.  In my desperation, I’ve applied to several places that really don’t pique my interest, but do so anyway in an attempt to at least land something.  So, naturally, one of those potential employers actually calls and I had an interview with them last Tuesday, which I left feeling fairly confident about.  Now, a week later, they still haven’t followed-up with me, and while I can remain optimistic, with each passing day it is less likely that I’ll be offered that position.

Thus, I press on.  Two or three other possibilities are on the horizon.  One is Cole Haan, who is opening a new store.  As a subsidiary of Nike, they’re likely to be a good company to work for, but to be honest, their product line doesn’t really fit my own lifestyle very well; and it’s always been pretty important for me to manage stores where I have a genuine interest in the product and the company culture.  I’ll be headed to their job fair on Monday morning to fight my way through that hot mess and see how that goes down.

Out of all the current prospects, my biggest hopes and dreams are placed with Fossil at Victoria Gardens.  I dig their company culture, am fond of their product, and certainly can appreciate their "modern vintage" style.  Also, out of all the RetailWorlds that surround me, Victoria Gardens is definitely at the top of my list as to where I’d like to work.  It’s kinda like a retail Disneyland, really.  Trolley shuttles going up and down the streets, interesting architecture with a local historic flair, celebratory music pumping through speakers along the sidewalks and planters… it’s just much more my speed.  Fingers crossed that they will actually call me for an interview.

In the meantime, my credit score continues to get crushed by my inability to pay any of my bills right now, and my condo in Denver still remains unoccupied despite my best efforts to keep it on the craigslist radar.  The fact is that people are very flakey and don’t do what they’re supposed to do.  John showed it once out of three calls this past week and that dude won’t have the ability to get into the unit before the end of the month; and that’s IF he’s still interested by then.  The other two prospective tenants bailed for one reason or another.  Bah!

I’ve placed a couple items to sell on craigslist in the hopes of at least getting myself some cash on-hand, but so far I haven’t gotten any responses from those.  It’s a tough world out there and nobody seems to be buying anything these days.

All of it, all of this negative crap, I do my psychological best to keep only in the back of my mind and not the forefront; otherwise, it would ruin me.  And one way to keep all of those negative thoughts at-bay… is to do some more chores.

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p.s. - Despite all of this negativity, I’m not really that affected by it all.  I’m still the goofy, cheery guy that everyone expects.  Yes, all of this endlessly gnaws at me, but I do my best to keep smilin’ and not let the times or the situation send me into a complete tailspin.  I’m workin’ through it.

Today's FlightNotes:January 31, 2009 2:16 pm

Never before at a time in my life have I not been working for over two months, now quickly headed toward three.  Never before have I had so many obligations and responsibilities that I have been unable to meet.  Never before have I felt quite so paralyzed, quite so unsettled, quite so unsure of myself.

You’d think I’d be freaking out by now, but I’m not - thanks to all of the support I’ve gotten from Kat, Jody, and others during this strange and extraordinary life transition.  Remarkably, I’ve remained emotionally stable and fairly sane by this odd footnote in my life.

So, I continue to plug along, doing the best I can to get employed in a suitable situation, continue to strive to get the condo rented, and continue to adjust to my surroundings.

I know it WILL become great, I just had no idea that it was going to be such a struggle, and it is a bit disconcerting to think that I really have no clue as to just how long this spell is going to last.

 

In the course of all of this, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, my 40th birthday, and the SuperBowl will have transpired, and the clock just continues to move forward.  I’ve not felt more out-of-myself that I can remember.

Fingers crossed.

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Today's FlightNotes:December 27, 2008 5:57 pm
 
As the year draws to a close and new beginnings come to the forefront of our minds, it was high-time to spend a few moments to recap what has happened over the past seven weeks or so.
 
The move to California went very smoothly, although the drive was somewhat of a harrowing experience.  Jody and I saw every sort of weather event imaginable in a short span of time over the 1,000 miles we conquered in just a day and a half.  But we made it here just fine.
 
I set out quickly to establish myself, taking care of all of the necessary evils.  New driver’s license, new plates, new bank account, etc.  All of that went fairly easily.
 
And then the job hunt began, and I was very optimistic.  I began placing applications and resumes and was hopeful that my phone would begin ringing.  But it never did, and hasn’t.  I continued paying my bills and have watched my account drain over the past several weeks.
 
And with no solid prospects at the moment, last week I applied for unemployment benefits for the first time in my life.  That’s been a humbling experience, something I never imagined myself doing.  I’ll close-out 2008 unsure if I’ll even be getting benefits, but I’ve received everything I would need to do so by the State of Colorado.  So, I’m poised to get some sort of cash flow coming in, but it won’t be enough and there will be more jockeying to do with my bills in the coming weeks.  But at least it would be something.  If my claim is completely denied, then I’ll be in a scarier situation than I originally had imagined.
 
But overall, I’m okay and things are good.  I’m in a warm, safe place and surrounded by supportive people in my life who keep encouraging me.
 
So, to recap, all of the transition has gone very smoothly with the exceptions of:
 
  • Finding gainful employment and thus creating a cash flow.
  • Renting out my condo so that my mortgage payment is covered.
Here’s hoping to things making a turn for the better very soon in 2009.  Nothing would please me more.
 
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Today's FlightNotes:November 1, 2008 4:31 am

In just one short week, I’ll be officially unemployed and sitting on the precipice of new life adventures.  So naturally, I’m both terrified and excited - at the same time.

 

It’s been a long month of both planning and getting things done, but at this point I’ve done pretty much all I can do to be prepared for the move and making a smooth transition.  I’ve attempted to anticipate whatever may arise, but I’m sure that I’ve missed some detail or two there somewhere.  Living through it will only reveal what is truly in store for me.

The house is all packed but for the most essential things, so being surrounded by boxes and blank walls only makes me want to get out of here quicker.

Emotionally, not much has hit me yet.  I realize that I do have a true fondness for Colorado, the sense of community here, the quality of life, and the surroundings.  But those are feelings that I can take with me wherever I may go, and realize with gratitude how fortunate I’ve been to spend the past fifteen years here.  In many ways it’s been a slow process of transformation that has made me the person I am today.  Colorado will eternally have a strong influence on how I conduct my life going forward.  As I’ve said on many occasion, it really is a magical place.

But for now… I’ll be really glad to see Mr. Jody’s face when he gets off that plane and to hit the road a couple days later for the beginning of a new path.  It’s time.

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Today's FlightNotes:October 4, 2008 10:56 pm

It’s simple, silly:


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Today's FlightNotes:September 29, 2008 9:18 pm

Life’s path is about to take a big, scary, fun, turn.

 

I’ve enjoyed my final Denver summer (at least for now), and we’ve now moved into the fall season.  The season where everyone gets back to their real life… vacations are over, school is back in session; we all get back to the important work of our lives.

And so, after much internal debate, I finally had to force myself into making the decision to move back to California to pursue new opportunities.  I’ve set the date; November 11th.

Work has spiraled in the past year and a half.  It has gotten much more difficult, I have much fewer resources available to get the same or more workload completed, and I’ve exhausted myself at the workplace.  This always seems to be the case.  I see the patterns that I’ve established throughout my life.  Usually every 2-4 years I have a strong notion to leave my employer for something else.  I’ve been at The Salt Mine for six years now, so I’m overdue.  I suppose lasting six years is a testament of sorts to how tolerable it has been, but I truly have come to the end of my rope at this point.  It’s time to move on to something new.  Maybe even something exciting!  Maybe something grand.

At the same time, I look inward to my life and see a person that I don’t necessarily feel reflects "me".  Since moving to Denver six years ago, I’ve become more reclusive and less social.  While the friends that I have had here and the acquaintances I’ve made along the way have had positive influences on my life, the fact is that their quality and impact on my life hasn’t been as motivating for me as I’ve grown accustomed to.  My coworkers have been great people, but because of my position I’ve always had ethical concerns with fraternizing with them.  I keep my distance between myself and coworkers and subordinates.

I’ve found that I’ve spent less time on my hobbies and interests.  In the mountains, it was really, really, easy to toss the skis in the back of the car and make some tracks or hop on the bike for a quick spin on the trails.  The summertime brought a festival every weekend which was a big community event, where you’d always see someone that you knew.  And work was always energetic during the busy seasons, with an amusement park sort of feel to it - a byproduct of being surrounded by resorts.  The shoulder-seasons provided a much needed respite from the mayhem of the peaks.  My flying activities were highlighted by great people that I became close friends with.  It was a vastly different feeling from the city, where I’m but a small fish in a much larger pond.  I’ve written about it before, this life cycle that I’ve developed over the years.  How my sense of place is paramount to my happiness, how a place and the people affect my life.  A prime example was my stint in San Diego at SDSU.

So, after a lot of self-analysis, I determined that now is the time for the next big life-altering decision.  It’s very scary in the sense that I’m leaving a place that I love, but I’ve realized that in many ways, it’s not the place, but the people that matter.  I’m headed to a place that I know, that brings back a sense of familiarity and comfort, and where there is the best support system for me.  It’s also very scary in the sense that, at this point, I don’t know where my career path will take me.  I have to learn to embrace that, in short order, and have confidence in myself that my skills and abilities have the power to take me to new places I have never been and that I’ll land surefooted.

Of course, I couldn’t do all of this by myself, and Jody and Kat have been the most supportive and wonderful friends, allowing me to make all of this happen and to propel me into the next chapter of my life.  To them, I am eternally grateful.

So, in just over a month, I’ll be headed back west, over the grandeur that is the Continental Divide, and onto new roads and new journeys ahead.  It scares the hell out of me, but I’m confident only good will come of it.

In the meantime, there is much to do.  And I’ve already begun.  Research is underway.  The job search is underway.  Finding the perfect property management company to handle the condo is underway.  Emails are being sent.  Contacts are being made.  Lists (forever, lists!) have been compiled.  The main closet has been cleaned out and things are beginning to get sorted and stacked into organized piles, ready for boxes and packing tape and thick, black markers.  The wheels have been set in motion.  There is no stopping this freight train now.

While it’s all very scary for a person who thrives on routine and loathes chaos in his life, it’s all going to be okay.  Not just okay, but better than it is now.  I’m assured of it.

On another note, John pulled back into Denver yesterday and today we unloaded the moving truck into his storage unit.  It’s great to have him back here, and I can really see the sparkle in his eye.  He’s in his place of bliss.  We spent the afternoon and early evening together catching up, and doing some of the things people do when they reestablish themselves.  We went to the DMV and got his new driver’s license and registration taken care of, went to get his emissions test, and had a nice dinner together.  I got to see the place where he’s staying with friends, and it’s a great house that will be perfect for his transition.  I see in him so much of what I hope to see in myself in just five short weeks.

I haven’t told him of my intentions.  It’s too soon, and I don’t want to trump his own new journey by announcing my own at this point.  He just got back here yesterday, and it’s an exciting time for him.  I’m looking forward to spending some time with him each week before I depart.  To build upon a strong foundation of friendship that we already enjoy.  I don’t want my decision to play into our exchanges and the time we spend together over the coming weeks.  He’ll know soon enough.

Still, I do feel a bit awkward about keeping it from him.  It’s like I’m walking around with this little secret coursing through my life.  It’s a weird feeling, but for now I just need to keep my cards close.

And, of course, work doesn’t know.  They won’t get that pleasure until we are but two weeks out.  I know they aren’t going to like the news one bit, with the upcoming holiday season coming at us very quickly, but I refuse to feel guilty about that.  They’ll make it through, somehow.  And until then, I’ve promised myself that I’ll do the best job that I can without driving myself crazy.  I’ll leave there with a clear conscience.

Denver and Colorado have left indelible impressions on me, ones that will stick for the rest of my life.  It’s a wonderful place to live, and I’ve had my share of enjoyment from this great state, its mountains, and this city.  Part of my heart will stay here when Jody and I roll out of town.  But there’s whole new adventures around the bend.  And I’m looking forward to them.

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Today's FlightNotes:September 12, 2008 10:18 pm

Yes we can.

And we shall.

Because we must.


There’s just too much at stake not to. We are only ONE Supreme Court vote away from reversing a woman’s right to choose and we are only TWO Supreme Court votes away from reversing the landmark sodomy rulings of Texas. Just those two reasons alone should make it very clear and easy as to what must transpire on November 4th.

Yes we can.

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Today's FlightNotes: 12:10 am

Umm… so.

I was just creating the title image for my latest video post and went to get the first clip of video to insert into the timeline… and it wasn’t there.  Nor was the ENTIRE FOLDER of video that remained from this summer’s adventures.

My heart has sunk to a new low.  And I only have myself to blame.

Apparently, after editing and rendering my last video from the aquarium, I accidentally deleted the wrong folder and then, as I keep my computer tidy, I promptly emptied my recycle bin.  Vanished.

So, there won’t be any more video for a while and I’ve completely lost all of the remaining footage from Kat and Jody’s trip out here.  Which is truly a cryin’ shame, because it was the very epitome of my summer and moments that I had fully intended to capture for posterity.  Grrr… I’m a bit beside myself.  I just can’t get over how idiotic this mistake is.

This is what happens when you finish rendering and posting something at 3am and then, out of sheer delirium, wind up deleting the wrong folder.  Of course, the folder I had intended to delete remains on my hard drive just to taunt me even further.

So, what you’re missing is our evening at Coors Field to watch the Rockies outplay the Pirates.  And Rockies Dogs.  And Beer.  And Brad Hawpe batting.  And a Colorado sunset behind the scoreboard.  And a really fun pedicab ride up the 16th Street Mall back to the Hyatt on a warm, starlit, and energetic downtown evening.  But of course, words can’t do what motion pictures, photographs, and music can.  But right now, it’s all I got.

Grrr…

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Today's FlightNotes:September 8, 2008 12:08 pm

One of the fun things we did while Jody and Kat were here was hike our way along the urban trails to the Downtown Aquarium, next to the South Platte River and across from Elitch Gardens.

First, we walked from the Hyatt down the 16th Street Mall to have lunch at Noodles. Then we continued west through LoDo and to Commons Park, then walked along the South Platte River to the REI Flagship Store. There, we did some shopping and Kat and Jody scored some sunglasses, shoe insoles, and a sporty new mini-backpack. Once we finished there we continued along the trail, passing the historic trolley tracks, and over to the Aquarium.



Come Along EP 03 - To The Downtown Aquarium from David Peterson on Vimeo.

Once we had finished our ocean exploration, we headed back via Confluence Park and 15th Street to catch the mall ride back to the hotel. Unfortunately, Kat was wearing the cutest sandals that weren’t exactly designed for so much walking, so she was in a great deal of pain on the way back - but she toughed it out and persevered - just like a Super Trooper.

We had a short time to rest before venturing back out for the evening’s adventures.

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Today's FlightNotes:September 6, 2008 11:44 pm

Take a peek at this pilot’s misfortune…

RC Plane versus Power Lines

Now that’s what I call an unplanned landing!

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