Hobbs Flashbacks: Amelia Earhart Comes to Town! circa 1928

Amelia Earhart was flying on her famed transcontinental flight and due to the open air cockpit, lost her map as it was blown from it's safety pinned location on the knee of her trousers. Originally headed for Pecos, TX; she lost her bearings and followed a road leading to a cluster of houses built around an oil well. This was the small boom town of Hobbs and she managed to land on Main Street. The people of Hobbs, true to their welcoming nature, took her in and gave her food and shelter. Today, if you mention the town of Hobbs to most pilots, they are familiar with it's location because there is a VOR (VHF Omni-Directional Range) located there, that aids in aircraft radio navigation. Back in the day that Amelia flew, that wasn't available and the area was mile after mile of grassland and provided a much greater challenge with a compass and dead reckoning as her primary tools. Read more about Amelia's experience in Hobbs at: www.hobbshistory.com, an active link is above this post.

If you are visiting Hobbs today, try soaring! Hobbs is a major mecca for soaring enthusiasts and the proud home of the Soaring Society of America! A modern day aviator of the soaring variety, Joann Shaw holds the women's free distance record of 344.4 miles.

Announcing: The Almost ONE RED PAPERCLIP House turned GREEN!

Unless you live under a rock, it's hard to have missed the trend that is sweeping the planet, changing the policies and practices of entire industries. Green is in and it has come to the heart of Hobbs. The house which was purchased on Ebay a couple of years ago and passed over by Kyle MacDonald of www.oneredpaperclip.com is being morphed into a concept house of green ideas and technologies. Call Demi a treehugger if you will but even if you aren't a zealot, it is difficult to argue with the potential. Demi joined the USGBC last year and has been hitting the books . She has assembled a green team and they are making it happen! Extra special kudos to her mentor Jan McAdams of The McAdams Group for her suggestions and contacts. Check her out at www.fundinggreenbuildings.com . Stay tuned for the upcoming launch of Demi's new website Askgreengirl.com which will have videos showing cost effective renovations that are also health protective and environmentally low impact.

The Art of Travel

Pictured above is a cockpit view on approach into Las Vegas of Red Rock National Park (photo by FO Wheels Bauder). There are often beautiful sights while inflight but let's get real about other parts of the experience. The conditions that surround us when traveling can be trying at best. In an airplane cabin, the only humidity present is that which comes from bodily respiration. Space is confined and our bodies are subject to forces and pressures that create added stress on even the most healthy. Add to this the fact the environment has so many factors out of our control from weather and mechanical factors to the mix of individuals that invade our personal space.

On a recent flight, I met Bert Snow who is the founder of a business called 10,000 Feet. Learn more at:www.tenthousandfeet.com The slogan on his business card says "Perspective changes everything". Profound, eh?

On the top of a mountain or when immersed in nature's surroundings of all types, we are reminded of what is important in life and that we are mere mortals. As the website mentions, when below you can not see what is above but when above you can see below and when you descend, you can remember what you saw. Those peak experiences we gain while traveling are also why we put ourselves through some of the torture!

Often a passenger myself, I use my mind to affect my experience. When I start feeling claustrophobic while stuck in a center seat, I think cozy. When the temperture is too hot and we are in the sterile cockpit stage of flight, I remember times I have paid for the spa experience of sweating in a Finnish sauna. I'll remark to my seat companions "Too bad they can't crank up the heat so we can have the full spa experience". Our minds are powerful and while we can sometimes change some conditions, when it's not possible, changing our mental outlook can be an effective tool.

Gassy is a part of Legasy

For the past year, I have flown out of the Las Vegas base for Gassy. It is a lower cost (all coach) part of the larger operation of Legacy Airlines. Flight attendants sometimes refer to the passengers  as "gassy people". I have to let you in on a secret. The passengers are no more gassy than some of the flight attendants. I flew with a guy who would pass out water but said he had to go "crop dusting."  So if you didn't have enough to worry about when aloft, add something else to your list.

I only have one trip left in the Gassy operation since I've transferred to the San Francisco domicile. This will enable me to fly International once again and fulfill my dream of actually living in Hobbs! It's a bit of a commute but not that uncommon.

(Update as of June 5, 2011...that gassy flight attendant has since retired and the entire Gassy operation no longer exists. Join me in a deep breath of relief). 

"I'm a librarian for the Santa Ana Public Library."

That is what my evil twin used to answer when asked where she worked. In her youth, she wasn't comfortable with the stereotypes and line of questioning that followed the truth. It's amazing the difference a few decades can make. She no longer cares so much about what other people think. Our mom Sparky would have asked "Who gives a rat's ****?" and she had the right idea. Years ago, that twin actually carried on this librarian hoax for 6 months with what was to become a most life changing relationship. It was a case of "when two personalities meet and there is a reaction, both are transformed". Having actually spent a lot of time in the Santa Ana Public Library, it was an easy con to pull off.  She's always been a fan of librarians who Stewart Brand referred to as subversive because they share all kinds of information. Their image is every bit as inaccurate as the one of flight attendants.

Speaking of books, I'm always hauling a few around. Since I have to hoist my own bag sometimes multiple times a day, they contribute to a heavy load. Passing through O'Hare in the concourse between terminals, I saw this ad which I had to photograph. It reminded me of that stereotype of librarians which is so wrong.  Seems like a cool product and I know Amazon makes a similar product called the Kindle which they have advertised on my blog. It is actually possible to own one of these devices and carry 200 books and still not have to check your bag! Amazing!  You know the technology will only improve. You can also subscribe to several newspapers and access all the information on this machine. I must admit I like the feel of a real newspaper or book but as these devices become closer to replicating an actual book or paper, it seems like they may change the face of publishing. 

Legacy Airlines Flight Attendants Way Hotter Than Virgin American Super Models!

Richard Branson, my dander is fired up! So you hired supermodels for an inflight fashion show. What a PR gimmick! Many non-airline bloggers are so impressed dissing the "legacy carriers" for their lack of sex appeal. I've seen your billboards in London and Sydney that compare me and my fellow flight attendants to grandmas! You would have an age discrimination lawsuit if you tried that one in this country. There are plenty of HOT babes that are actually providing service and security in our aisles. This picture is proof! What do you know? I'm sure you only fly on Virgin , a private jet or one of your hot air balloons.

HELP!!! Hollywood Calls On A Former Flight Attendant's Classroom!

Paramount Pictures is about to release a new film based on the best selling novel, "The Kiterunner" by  Khaled Hosseini.  They are holding a classroom competition which requires adding your email to join the online club.  A friend of this blog (educator, artist and former flight attendant)  is currently the team captain in the #1 spot.  The "Showgirl Demi" photo on the left sidebar is her contribution and it would be much appreciated if any of you readers would join her club and help keep her classroom in the top spot!  Click on the link at the top of this blog (just above the date Nov 17) that says "Reading Runners" and you can help out this Las Vegas classroom.   If you would like to read this outstanding novel, it is available from the Amazon link on the sidebar. 

Thank you and GO READING RUNNERS!!!

Update on 1-1-09 

My friend has a new website and her project revenues are donated to help save Orangutans. She has talent and is working to benefit a great cause. I have replaced the club website with her personal one of  http://www.rebeccareeder.com  Check it out!