My path to pilothood

I have decided to complete my flight training, just as soon as I can save up the cash to pay for it. In anticipation of that, I have been reading many online flight training blogs. I have decided that I want to keep just such a blog, and what better place to start than at the beginning?

I have always thought that the journey from little kid looking to the sky to pilot flying in that same sky would make a great book, and I'm sure that it always has. I've also always had the desire to write my own book, but have never really been successful in picking a topic that interested me enough to complete a tome of my own. I think that a book following my journey would be something that I could complete. Whether anyone reads it is immaterial. The accomplishment of actually producing a work of my own will be the reward. (Of course, if it does get picked up by a publisher and becomes a multi-national best-seller, that'd be pretty cool...)

Therefore, I'll be writing my work here. And like I said, I'll start at the beginning...

My Path to Pilothood: The Beginning

Man must rise above the Earth -- to the top of the atmosphere and beyond -- for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.

--Socrates

I can't honestly say that I remember the exact moment in my childhood when I first realized that I had an overpowering desire to fly. I really wish I could put my finger on just what events in my early life led to my heart being inexplicably tied to the sky. But for as long as I remember, I have had the urge to become one with the sky, to experience what I've always been sure is the ultimate freedom -- the freedom of soaring over objects on the ground that have always towered over me.

Maybe it stems from hours upon hours of playing in the fields on the farm where I grew up, watching as everything from small private aircraft to airliners to military transports, bombers, and fighters made their way past in the skies above. My absolute favorite time of the year, however, was the summer, when I had my own personal airshow on a regular basis. Living on a farm provided me with the opportunity to study crop-dusters at work. I was amazed at these aircraft hurtling along at, what seemed to a child, close to a million miles per hour. I stood in wonder as they pulled up violently at the end of the field, just barely missing the trees. I would watch the tops of the trees whip in the wake of the airplane as it passed within feet of the branches. I studied the swirling of the spray, due to what I now understand are the wingtip vortices generated by the wintips of the airplane. It was, to a small child enamored with aviation, a real treat to watch, one which I looked forward to every summer.

Of course, it could be a product of my natural curiosity. Early on, I can remember wondering what mysterious forces kept those craft in the air. I mean, the wings didn't flap like a bird's, so what invisible hand was keeping them aloft? That natural curiosity about all things scientific led to some rather unusual books gracing the bookshelf of a five-year-old. One set of books was a series called "How Things Work", and they must have been products of the Disney Corporation, since they were filled with images of Mickey, Donald and Goofy. The one section of those books that was read and re-read until the pages fell out was the section on how airplanes work.

With the help of the Disney gang, I became familiar with the physics of flight. Of course, at that age I didn't know that I was learning physics. All I knew was that I had finally had explained to me, in terms that I could understand, just what it was that kept those mystical metal bodies from falling into the fields surrounding my house. I wanted to learn more.

Whatever the source of my devotion to the idea of aviation, it is something that has been ingrained in my soul for as long as I can remember.

I had long since determined that the best way to learn about anything is to experience it, to do it for myself. And I had every intention to do it for myself. More than once, my mission to build my own airplane was foiled by the intervention of a concerned parent or grandparent. So much to my dismay, I never actually completed my mission of getting myself into the air.

My desire was not diminished, however. In fact, I found that as I grew, and as my knowledge about such things avian grew, my desire to become a part of "that group" became stronger and stronger. Just what is "that group"? "That group" is the group of larger-than-life, ten-foot-tall, bulletproof humans who dare to trust those invisible forces of physics to hold them up in the sky. They are the group of humans who dare to face certain death in the face and laugh as they soar off into the blue. They are the group of humans who have freedom that a small portion of the population have ever experienced. They are, and have always been, heroes to me.

Fast forward to my college days, and you would have found me working part time for a family friend, who just so happened to have a friend who was a pilot. This pilot was also a friend of my father's, but much more distant than our family friend. It was through this pilot that I received my first ride in a private aircraft. And thus begins the tale...

Houston, we have a new truck!

Modern man is frantically trying to earn enough to buy things he's too busy to enjoy.

--Frank Clark

Well, I went and bought my truck this weekend. I got it from Cleve White Nissan in Statesboro. I got a good deal on it, too. I was able to step out of my Colorado and into the Frontier for just a few more dollars a month. It's worth it to be in the truck I really wanted in the first place.

And what a sweet ride it is. It's smooth, almost car-like, and the V6 with 6-speed transmission is a great combination. Great power, smooth ride, and fit and finish like I've never seen on an American-branded truck. (The Frontier is built in Smyrna, Tennessee, so I guess it's an American-built vehicle, just not by an "American" car company.)

Now I just have to fight the urge to go out and drive just for the sake of driving. The ride's so great that I got no pains from the ride back from my parents' house last night. Leila, all of 8 months pregnant, had few complaints as well, which is a miracle since she's pretty much uncomfortable all the time.

Well, I'm happy with my wheels now. Now I just have to finish getting ready for baby. The birth will probably be in the next three weeks to a month, so we have precious little time.

Another New Truck?!?

Sorry, no quote leading into this post, which will be brief.

I'm thinking of trading my truck, the one I bought in December (2005 Chevy Colorado Crew Cab Z-71 RWD) for a Nissan Frontier Crew Cab with the 265hp V6 and 6-speed transmission. Here's a picture:

{Picture lost in archiving, sorry!}

I know it's crazy to trade so soon after purchasing, but this is the truck I wanted in the first place. I know that I'll take a hit as far as trade value versus what I owe, but if I can get the payments to be about the same as they are now, I'm willing to take that hit to be in the vehicle that I wanted initially.

Turns out that the salesman who took me on a test drive is from Statesboro, and has known my dad for eons, so hopefully, I'll get a good deal from him. It was kind of strange being on a test drive and mentioning that my parents lived in Stateboro and having the salesman say "What's your mom and dad's name?" When I said "Connie and Larry Saunders", he replied "Oh, my God. I've been knowing Larry for thirty years!" The rest of the ride was a homecoming of sorts.

I'm not dissatisfied with the Colorado, but this truck has the 6-speed, which is a blast to drive, and the 265hp engine will flat-out smoke anything but a pure sports car. It's an awesome vehicle. It's also bigger than the Colorado, quieter, and smoother on the highway.

If this comes through, I'll post an update.

The beauty of implied odds: The thoughts of a fish.

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

--Albert Einstein

This is a reproduction of a post to the rec.gambling.poker newsgroup by Nick Wool. I thought it fit nicely with my post from yesterday.

This really happened at my table in VC poker, 3/6 NL cash game today. This is what the hero would have probably posted after the hand, if he posts at all.

UTG with a stack of 600 raises to 30, folds to me at button. I had 550 and held J2 spades. my hand had so many possiblities; quads, a flush, straights, 2 pairs, trips and two pairs, and with such a strong drawing hand, I can bust him if I hit. I flat called him, not wishing to scare the fish away because I wanted to suck him into the pot with my strong drawing hand, which gave me great implied odds.

Flop was Ts 2h 6c. I now have the possiblity of a runner runner quads, a runner runner boat, runner runner flush, as well as the possibility of two pairs or trips with the next card. Time to make a move. UTG checked to me, I bet 70, UTG reraise to 250. Gotta, you fish! Now I have him exactly where I want him.

I pushed all my chips to the middle. He called without hesitation and flips over AA (in VC, the cards are turned over in all ins, even in cash games). Turn was a 3 c, and river 2 h. I busted the fish with my J2 suited.

What a fish, how could he push with AA on a blank flop? I had so many outs, and for all he know, might have had hot a set! The fish was whining about my play, as fish usallu do after they lost a pot, but has he not heard of implied odds?

I kept quiet because I did not want to wise up the fish. The moral of the story? Call with any two cards, the implied odds are masssive.

BTW, the hero also busted another player with KK later in an all in preflop hand. The hero was UTG+3, raised to 30, LP and cutoff calls, KK at button reraised to 450 all in, heros calls without thinking, LP and cutoff folds. Hero flips over T8 suited. The flop? 679....

When asked why he called, hero replies 'I had strong straight and flush possiblities, and anyway, he might be have been bluffing.'

And to think with players like these playing for these stakes,. I am still down for the month.

Stupidity Abounds

You call...gonna be all over, baby.

--Scotty Nguyen

Examples of stupidity can be found every day. When you play poker online, you can pretty much count on being bombarded with high-level stupidity. Take the following hand that occurred in a special sit-n-go on Absolute Poker today...

########################################################
Stage #108507462: Holdem Multi ARP Tournament No Limit $50 [ 2005-04-13 11:58:17 ]
**** ANTE [dealer 9] ****
Seat 1 - JSAUND22 $3345 in chips
Seat 2 - GETSOME $2395 in chips
Seat 3 - HARPER420 $4390 in chips
Seat 4 - MRJACKASS $2985 in chips
Seat 5 - ACE_KILLER $1365 in chips
Seat 6 - TRAILBOSSTED $6065 in chips
Seat 7 - MERLIN_36 $5250 in chips
Seat 8 - HIGHSWR $5920 in chips
Seat 9 - ROLAND L $2505 in chips
JSAUND22 - Post small! blind $50
GETSOME - Post big blind $100
JSAUND22 - Pocket [4s,Qd]
HARPER420 - Folds
MRJACKASS - Calls $100
ACE_KILLER - Folds
TRAILBOSSTED - Calls $100
MERLIN_36 - Folds
HIGHSWR - Raises $100 to $600
ROLAND L - Folds
JSAUND22 - Folds
GETSOME - Folds
MRJACKASS - Calls $500
TRAILBOSSTED - Calls $500
**** FLOP [Jd,4d,Jh] ****
MRJACKASS - Checks
TRAILBOSSTED - Checks
HIGHSWR - Bets $1400
MRJACKASS - Calls $1400
TRAILBOSSTED - Folds
**** TURN [Jd,4d,Jh,5h] ****
MRJACKASS - Checks
HIGHSWR - Bets $1000
MRJACKASS - All-In $985
HIGHSWR - returned ($15) : not called
**** RIVER [Jd,4d,Jh,5h,8d] ****
MRJACKASS - Calls
HIGHSWR - Calls
**** RESULT ****
Total Pot($6720)
Board [Jd,4d,Jh,5h,8d]
JSAUND22 - Folded on the POCKET CARDS
GETSOME - Folded on the POCKET CARDS
HARPER420 - Folded on the POCKET CARDS
MRJACKASS - Total ($6720) All-In HI : ($6720)Flush, jack high [5d,2d - B:Jd,B:8d,P:5d,B:4d,P:2! d]
ACE_KILLER - Folded on the POCKET CARDS
TRAILBOSSTED - Folded on the FLOP
MERLIN_36 - Folded on the POCKET CARDS
HIGHSWR - HI:Two pair, queens and jacks [Qh,Qc - P:Qh,P:Qc,B:Jh,B:Jd,B:8d]
ROLAND L - Folded on the POCKET CARDS

Now, for those of you who can't read a hand history, here's what went down. MRJACKASS is to the right of HIGHSWR, who is one to the right of the button. HIGHSWR is holding pocket queens, while MRJACKASS is holding 5d2d. MRJACKASS calls the $100 big blind, as does TRAILBOSSTED. HIGHSWR raises to $600, and it folds around to MRJACKASS, who calls! TRAILBOSSTED calls also.

The flop comes Jd,4d,Jh and MRJACKASS checks. TRAILBOSSTED checks, and HIGHSWR bets $1400. MRJACKASS calls, with a baby flush draw (!!!), and TRAILBOSSTED folds.

The turn is the 5 of hearts, and MRJACKASS checks. HIGHSWR bets $1000, and MRJACKASS calls all-in for his last $985 (with nothing but a flush draw, with a possible full house on the board!).

The river is the 8 of diamonds, giving MRJACKASS a flush to beat HIGHSWR's two pair.

What's amazing is that this guy calls all the way, calls all-in, on just a flush draw where there's a possible full house. Here's a transcript of the chat that followed:

HIGHSWR: damn, shoulda known better
HIGHSWR: i managed to stay away from that river **** all game
HIGHSWR: this site just ******* lays in wait for u
MRJACKASS: i agree been beat way too many times on the river
HIGHSWR: that **** just happens here way too often to be random
HIGHSWR: vnh tho
MRJACKASS: yes it does...and ty
JSAUND22: i thought the only screwy part of that hand was that
JSAUND22: he called all the way with 5 2
JSAUND22: lol
MRJACKASS: suited
HIGHSWR: lol, the best hand in AP
JSAUND22: oh, yeah, sooted
HIGHSWR: top pocket pair wins about 10 percent of the time
MRJACKASS: otherwise i wouldn't have

The really funny part is that HIGHSWR thinks the site's rigged against him, and MRJACKASS thinks it's just fine to call all the way with a draw to what might very well be the second best hand.

But those folks are the ones that people who actually know what they're doing make their money off of.

Idiots. Gotta love them, if for nothing else than the entertainment factor.

A Good Night at the Tables

Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

--Steven Wright

Well, nobody died, but I did have a pretty late night Friday night. I was playing in the PokerSourceOnline.com $5k freeroll on Absolute. The top 54 places paid, and there were 475 people registered when the tournament started. All I can say is I'm lucky to have survived the first hour, since I didn't see a playable hand the whole time. It was basically post blinds and fold for the first hour, and then for the next half hour after the first break.

I finally started to see a few good hands, and managed to work my chip stack up. I had about an average stack going into the second hour, and with blinds at 300/600, I found myself at an extremely tight table. This made it pretty easy to steal the blinds when I was on the button or one seat to the right of the button. All it took was a minimum raise when everyone folded around to me.

I did pretty well all through the second and third hour, keeping my stack at about average. Not too far into the third hour, I was in the money. The antes had kicked in sometime around the middle of the second hour, so I had to play a few more hands to pay the antes.

I had my sights set on position 36, which was the next step up in money, when the bad beat hit. The blinds were 500/1000, and I was on the button with KQ suited. Everyone folded around to me, and raised to 2000. The small blind folded, and the big blind went all-in. I had him covered by a couple of thousand, and he had been going all-in to steal anytime someone raised because he was short-stack at the table. I called. When the cards turned up, he had pocket 9's. The first card off on the flop was a King, and I was good to go. But when the river came up a 9, I was down to just over 2 times the big blind.

I never really got anything good to play after that, so I finished in 40th place, out of 475. Not bad, and I made $17.50 for my efforts. I figure that works out to $5/hour, since I played for about 3.5 hours. I was out of the game at 1am, and was really ready for bed. I was getting pretty tired, and I think it was about to start affecting my decision making.

All told, I'm happy with my performance, because I had every chance to bust out during the first hour and a half. I had plenty of bad aces and mediocre kings that many folks would have played, but I had the discipline to lay them down. I didn't chase any long-shot draws, and didn't siphon off my chips to the competition. So I feel like I scored a victory just by surviving as long as I did.

Of course, that $1250 first place payment would have been nice. Maybe later this month. PokerSourceOnline is having another $5k freeroll on Party. I guess I'll give it another shot. It doesn't cost anything but time, and since I'm going to play for free anyway, I guess I should at least play in a game that may pay.