You Up? What Cold? Pay Cap?
I went to bed late last night but found myself wide awake at 5:40 this morning. I got up and noticed that Rachel was still sleeping and she's usually up by 5:15. I knocked on her door and she said she'd forgotten to reset her alarm after using it last night for a short power nap. I'm glad I got up when I did. It's never fun waking up late and knowing your routine is shot. I asked her if she'd like a coffee from Starbucks to see if that could maybe add a bright spot to her morning. I had just enough time to run and get one. She liked that. One tall vanilla latte breve coming up. She's becoming her mother in so many ways and coffee is just the latest. If we have anything to say about it though, she won't follow her mother's footsteps into nursing.
I have a confession to make. My mother does our ironing for us. Neither Tammy nor I like to do it and I'm actually very poor at it but my mother loves to iron. Maybe it's the same way I enjoy working in the yard for at least the first couple months of summer. Anyway, as long as she's wanting to do it and she really does I hate to deny her that. So, after getting coffees for us I loaded up the laundry and got it over to Moms. I stopped off at Cub and got her some flowers as I hate not having something for her in return. It's such a huge job she does for us and we're very grateful.
I hung around waiting for the temp to climb a bit before my ride but it wasn't happening. The Weather Channel said -4f when I headed out. I really needed to hit
the roads. I'm not against hanging out on my rollers in front of some vintage Tour de France videos when the roads don't cooperate but when I've got dry pavement to work with, I much prefer to be outside.
Done right, riding outdoors in temps most people wouldn't consider being out in can be a lot of fun. The key is wearing the right amount of layers and not over-dressing. You don't want to be toasty warm when you leave home. You'll work into that.
I headed north into what little wind there was with plans to do a 35-mile loop through Eagan, Burnsville, Prior Lake then home. As I worked my way toward Eagan I got to thinking that there was going to be little chance of the bike path along 35W between Hwy 13 and Cliff Rd being plowed. It wasn't. I turned around and headed home the same way I came. I was just happy to be out and feeling fine. I cheated winter to the tune of 31 miles today. I'm so ready for spring!
There has been some good news on the FAA front with respect to pay issues for management. Beginning next year they too will have their pay capped the same as controllers have for the past two years. Why it took them two years to do to themselves what they did to us says all you need to know about FAA management. I really couldn't care less about much of the other bs associated with the imposed work rules (it's not a contract). The main issue for me has been the hypocrisy associated with pay. I do feel bad for my fellow controllers working at facilities with rogue management who truly are working in some very difficult conditions. I don't feel we have it nearly as bad at Minneapolis Center. I still love my job no matter what.
The one question I have is what will happen when we're finally 'allowed' to negotiate an actual contract which benefits us in the way of raises? Will management cool their heels for a couple years and abstain from raises while they watch controllers begin to once again see some extra cash? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Actually, I'll believe management is serious about capping their pay when I see it happen.
I have a confession to make. My mother does our ironing for us. Neither Tammy nor I like to do it and I'm actually very poor at it but my mother loves to iron. Maybe it's the same way I enjoy working in the yard for at least the first couple months of summer. Anyway, as long as she's wanting to do it and she really does I hate to deny her that. So, after getting coffees for us I loaded up the laundry and got it over to Moms. I stopped off at Cub and got her some flowers as I hate not having something for her in return. It's such a huge job she does for us and we're very grateful.
I hung around waiting for the temp to climb a bit before my ride but it wasn't happening. The Weather Channel said -4f when I headed out. I really needed to hit
the roads. I'm not against hanging out on my rollers in front of some vintage Tour de France videos when the roads don't cooperate but when I've got dry pavement to work with, I much prefer to be outside.Done right, riding outdoors in temps most people wouldn't consider being out in can be a lot of fun. The key is wearing the right amount of layers and not over-dressing. You don't want to be toasty warm when you leave home. You'll work into that.
I headed north into what little wind there was with plans to do a 35-mile loop through Eagan, Burnsville, Prior Lake then home. As I worked my way toward Eagan I got to thinking that there was going to be little chance of the bike path along 35W between Hwy 13 and Cliff Rd being plowed. It wasn't. I turned around and headed home the same way I came. I was just happy to be out and feeling fine. I cheated winter to the tune of 31 miles today. I'm so ready for spring!
There has been some good news on the FAA front with respect to pay issues for management. Beginning next year they too will have their pay capped the same as controllers have for the past two years. Why it took them two years to do to themselves what they did to us says all you need to know about FAA management. I really couldn't care less about much of the other bs associated with the imposed work rules (it's not a contract). The main issue for me has been the hypocrisy associated with pay. I do feel bad for my fellow controllers working at facilities with rogue management who truly are working in some very difficult conditions. I don't feel we have it nearly as bad at Minneapolis Center. I still love my job no matter what.
The one question I have is what will happen when we're finally 'allowed' to negotiate an actual contract which benefits us in the way of raises? Will management cool their heels for a couple years and abstain from raises while they watch controllers begin to once again see some extra cash? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Actually, I'll believe management is serious about capping their pay when I see it happen.
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