Catholic School made me a Sinner
I put in twelve years of Catholic school... I was released on my own recognizance but served parole under the watchful eyes of a Baptist college. You could say I…
If you watch enough daytime TV… you will get cramps
The boy is almost nine months old, and since I've been back to work after paternity leave, I've been flying weekends. Although airport Chick-fil-A is closed on Sunday, it is…
Mornings in a Hotel: “Where am I? What Time is it?”
A friend once told me that every day he wakes up in a hotel, it feels like waking up with a hangover. "I'm not sure where I am or how…
Returning from vacation – time to catch up on the news
I returned to work yesterday from a three-week vacation with the family. While at work and living on the road, I have lots of downtime that I fill with 'entertainment'…
How Indiana Jones Has Made Me a Better Father
When the baby falls asleep in my arms, I recreate this old scene in reverse as I do my best to place him in the crib and extract my arms…
Maybe cribs should come with a flight attendant call button
In the cockpit, when an alarm sounds, the first response is to “Identify and Cancel” the warning. This means acknowledging the source of the alarm, silencing the warning, and then…
I Made a Burrito and Forgot to Shave
My job as a pilot is made much easier by checklists and routines. I do the same thing - the same way - every time. Checklists are written in a…
I hate the phrase “knock on wood”
I despise the phrase "Knock on wood." It was only ever tolerable when sung by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. If you're among those in the cockpit who've said, "I've never…
My own sensory deprivation chamber… with music.
For years, I’ve used Pink Floyd's 1968 studio album "A Saucerful of Secrets" as my secret weapon for an instant nap when I wasn’t sure if my brain was up for a break or there was too much going on around me to ensure a solid sleep.
Google Voice Poetry
I started using Google Voice months back on my G1 Android phone to transcribe my voicemails. When you leave me a message, I get an email containing the text version…
My short career as Chris Winston – Overnight Disk Jockey
After college, or maybe it was during, I had a job for about a year as an overnight DJ at an adult contemporary AM radio station in Southern Virginia. Actually,…
My failed attempt at dog whispering
I was driving home today and saw a dog running around the neighborhood a few blocks from my house. Being the good neighbor and dog owner that I am, I…