It's been awhile

I promised to continue to update the blog on a daily if not every other day basis, but I've just got too much to say sometimes that I talk it out of myself and don't write it down.  I'll keep trying.

Today is the 3rd day out of a 4-day trip and is day 10 out of my 14 of 16 day work schedule.  Plans have gotten a little more solid in terms of when I plan to fly overseas to meet up one of my college friends in the Mediterranean coast.  I leave on a Saturday, arrive Sunday night and hang out for a couple of days.  We're still not sure on what exactly we're going to be doing once I get there, but I'm sure that more plans will come about closer to the dates.  (May 17 - 24th)

Flying this much isn't that bad really, but being away from the comfort of home kind of stinks.  I haven't been back to San Diego now for almost a month and am still dying to try out the new wetsuit that I bought a month prior to that. (O'Neil Mutant 4/3) Parents also moved back to San Diego so I'm really excited to get all setup again.  I probably won't bring the PS3 back to San Diego since there are more chances of me playing it while in ATL but I'll have a room close to the beach and everyone else around town.  Now, I just have to redo a lot of my permanent address stuff which is going to take a little figuring out.  Kind of stinks to keep on changing address especially with all the moves in the last 3 years. 

Just had some great Mexican food at Monterey Mexican Grill in Wichita, Kansas.  Usually can't go wrong with Carnitas, and I wasn't disappointed. 

New May Schedule: 14 out of 16

Check out the new May Schedule!  I'm on Day Four of a Four day but if you could really include tomorrow's 2-day as part of this trip, so it's day 4 of 6.  Then I have one day off, followed by another 4-day, one day off, then another 4-day.  Why am I doing this to myself?  Well, if you look at the new updated May Schedule, I'm going to have 14 days off in a row!  It's a great thing too because with all the days off, I'm still going to get paid more than I would be in months where I only have 11 days off.  I'm so far scheduled to be credited for 86.xx hours!  I definitely could use the extra $300 or so in the check that comes in on the 15th of each month. 

I'm loving the captains that I've been flying with and hope not to jinx the upcoming pairings.  The only think that is killing me though is my ongoing issues with my back.  The pilot seats don't do anything positive to improve it and flying these next few days without proper rest I'm sure isn't going to give it enough time to recover.  On top of that, carrying my bags totaling about 100lbs. I'm sure just makes it that much better. 

Time to start strengthening my core muscles.  I think that I'm going to start swimming laps.  I'm glad that the Tributary HOA finally opened the pool again!!!

The Jawbone by Aliph (part 2)

I sent out my dilapidated Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset last Saturday from a San Diego post office with hopes for a quick return.  To date, it has been about one year since the original purchase from their online store and I reviewed it as less than stellar.  Almost immediately following my 3rd or 4th inquiry to Jawbone, I received an RMA and took care of it. 

By the time I came back to Atlanta from my four day trip, I had a UPS package from Aliph with a brand new headset!  I'm not sure how many different revisions there have been in software or chipset, but this headset is blowing away my previous experience.  I'm really happy with the performance as well as the distance of the headset.  Maybe it's also because I have the Treo 755p instead of the Treo 650, but nonetheless, it's nice to be hands-free again. 

Aliph kept their promise in expediting a replacement and I cannot be more thankful.  As we all know there are more states that are following suit regarding cell phone usage while driving (California Law regarding this issue comes into effect July 1st, 2008) and I'm going to be compliant.  Cheers to Aliph. 

The Possessive Investment in My "I"

I have just finally finished Jacques Lusseyran's Collection of Selected Writings called "Against the Pollution of the I." For everyone out there that thinks that they are the shiznitz (sorry for the slang) and / or believes that they are more important that the other person ordering a tall, non fat, half-caff, 1 shot of vanilla and hazelnut, latte with an extra shot of espresso coffee drink in the local Starbucks while dangling your precious keys and purses, this is a read that should humble you. I say humbling because it talks about someone's journey that puts our plights to shame. Of course, if you are more into yourself than the average Joe, then maybe it might not. I can assure you though that coupled with his amazingly written autobiography, "And There Was Light," both these works will make have you understand that there is a lot more to life than what's inside of your head. Please read them so that we can all just love one another already and just get along. Maybe we can also meet up and have a book club. =)

Unhappiness, I saw then, comes to each of us because we think ourselves at the center of the world, because we have the miserable conviction that we alone suffer to this point of unbearable intensity.

Poetry in Buchenwald, Against the Pollution of I p.179

I will write a more thorough review at a later entry. Hope that you look forward to that.

Surefire's G2 LED Flashlight

Well, here it is. I'm not just finally able to accomplish my walk arounds, but I'm equipped with one of the best flashlights I have ever used. I leveled up a notch but definitely haven't maxed out. For a low price, and I say low only because it is one of the cheapest that Surefire has to offer (A2 Aviator sells for $195.00), it's truly the best out there. The Surefire G2 sells for $65.00 and it is worth every penny as long as I can keep on my person and not misplace it.

I had a Mag-lite mini that I modded with a Luxeon LED which was great but that was taken from me in the beginning of my career here at ASA and never returned. I replaced it shortly with a what I thought would be a good flashlight, the Coast 3-LED, but that was a big let down. Not much to say there, but I'll give the G2 my personal recommendation until I test out the G3 or the A2. This flashlight is almost overkill really, but it's just nice to carry a light saber in the cold dark mornings.

More pictures after the jump alongside the Coast 3-LED Flashlight with night and day pictures.

The Surefire G2 LED Flashlight is touted as one of the most compact, high-intensity LED flashlights that are great for tactical, outdoor and general use. I chose to use it for aviation specifically but that's just me. The beam is advertised to put out 4x the light of a larger two-D-cell flashlight attacking Maglite directly as they are still the leader in this business. I haven't tried it out yet, but Surefire also says that it is bright enough to temporarily blind and disorient a person by impairing his night-adapted vision. It's detailed specifications include a max output of 80 lumens, a runtime of 12 hours, measures 5.14" and weighs in at 4.10 ounces. "Constructed of lightweight, corrosion-proof Nitrolon® polymer and rugged aerospace-grade aluminum," this flashlight should last the test of my lifetime. The batteries are the only draw to the flashlight as they use two 123A lithium batteries would could add up in cost. ($1.75 each x 2 = $3.50 per 12 hours) My walk arounds don't take that long, but I'll post the first time I have to replace the battery.

Taking a look at these pictures, you cannot even see the beam that the Coast 3-LED light is shinning! I'm telling you that it's on as you can see on my fingertips. The Surefire G2 is a little larger but the spot light is brighter than the sun in the darkness.

There two pictures only differ in exposure, but in the normal shot to the left, you can see the faint light that the Coast 3-LED is shinning. Now, I'm not going to jump all over and say that Coast's Flashlight are inadequate, especially if one of my good friends uses them. They are cheaper, and I'm sure that his might shine a lot brighter than the one that I own because of his 1-LED fixture, but this comparison is over! Surefire wins outright. I'll update this post with another comparison between the Coast 1-LED and the Surefire G2 at a later date when I cross roads with that aforementioned flashlight.

Update: Apparently, I was naive in posting that the brand that I had compared.  Instead of Coastal, the proper name should be Coast Flashlights.  More specifically, the Coast LED Lenser V2 (3-LED) Flashlight is the one that I compare to the Surefire G2.   Thanks for the correction =)

Joey Roth's Sorapot Unboxing

It's finally here; The Simple, Modern Sorapot by Joey Roth.   Mr. Roth sold out the first 300 and with the 2nd batch, he included a pack of some of his favorite tea from The Simple Leaf; a sample 1 oz pack of Honeybee Nepal Oolong.  That to me was more than worth the wait.  He had the kindness to notify me and ask if I could wait, and I agreed.  What else could you do as a customer but accept his reward for not minding to wait?  That's customer service right from the top.  Now, for the details.  I arrived home after a long 4 day trip not expecting anything except my Surefire G2 LED Replacement Flashlight and low and behold, something else was awaiting my unwrapping! 

The first picture is of the Mr. Roth Seal on top of the outer packaging.  Not much to say here except that the package weighed in at 5 lbs.  Next, compensation for the long wait was a 1 oz. bag of tea and a coupon for my next order at The Simple Leaf which was perfect because I haven't found a great place in Atlanta to buy some fresh leaves just yet.  I faintly remember that there was a place in the Lenox Square Mall, but it's just too far to go check out.   Here's are two more pictures before you have to click on more to keep on reading.  Check out the string and the innards! 

 

Intricate but simple.  I know that's an oxymoron, but that word alone sums up the amount of detail that I believe had to of transpired in the overall package design.  Untying the box was such a joy but opening the egg crate box to reveal what was inside was that much better.  The directions wrapped around the glass pot, that was awesome.  Forget about the little small pamphlets that no one looks at!  Unrolling this paper was just too good.  Creative!

The lighted picture is the best that I could offer being that I'm still stuck using my measly 4.0 MP Sony DSC-P9.  The first picture shows the final product sitting on top of the box ready to get dismantled and injected with some tea leaves!  The final product couldn't have looked any better.  The construction is flawless, but I have to say that the spout is a little harsh in that it isn't smooth like the rest of the steel.  Doesn't seem like the finish was thorough, but either than that, nothing else was short of perfect.  More than a conversational piece, it's just an awesome pot.  The second picture shows the steel casing unscrewed and the glass taken out.  Conveniently coupled with my Zojirushi Water Boiler, I just have to put some leaves in, reassemble the device and then pour the hot water in and wait.  It was meant to be! 

There next two pictures show the Sorapot before the water ready to go with leaves inside, and the next with the tea brewing away!  The tea was a little dry and I have yet to perfect the master brew, but being my first try, I was more than happy to get going and drink away. 

This piece will definitely stay with me throughout the my travels and will always sit alongside my favorite items.  It's not just art...it's simple but wonderful at the same time.  Fulfilling if you want to call it.  I just think that everyone should get one already and help out Joey Roth because he is the man. 

If you want high quality, detailed pictures, as mine do not give the Sorapot it's well deserved recognition, head over to the official site: Sorapot - a Simple, Modern Teapot

Now if he every produces his teacups, count me in to complete my coffee table set. 

Eli Stone and New Amsterdam

Both these two shows, Eli Stone and New Amsterdam, have been part of my daily cruising the Internet for things to do.  So, I end of on fox.com or abc.com and stream away the episodes that I have missed.  It's a good streak too especially when you have fallen behind, but it takes up way too much time to catch up.  I'm just in the middle of watching Eli Stone (on the 3rd one straight) and the last episode featured singer/songwriter, George Michael.  It's pretty cool just reading about how the creator and producer is a big fan and how he incorporated the singer into his show.  (Wikipedia)

Both these shows feature a cast that is just fun to watch interact.  I'm loving the various plots that each episode has to offer and its just refreshing to me that writing like this is still out there.  I still watch How I Met Your Mother, which by the way, had a great ending to the last episode.  It featured Neil Patrick Harris blogging away at his computer like he use to do as Doogie Howser.  That was just an awesome way to end his Sweet Sixteen Womanizer Story.  Oh well, I should probably get back on the being productive track and get some sleep. 

Bored...

Well, I did a lot of personal errands today all with the idea that I was going to pick up a back pack and head out to some foreign country.  Now, I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do.  If I can make it back before the store closes tonight (which I doubt b/c I'm headed to the gym) then we'll see what tomorrow has in store for me.  Oh yeah, that's another story too, going to the gym?  I mean, you guys know me well enough that it's only every once in a blue moon that I head out.  I should have gone home and gone surfing or something.  Hopefully when the fam moves back to San Diego, it'll make commuting that much easier. 

Oh yeah, I also go to take the hardtop off Kristi today and ride around town.  It was fun!  trelijah: "Day Off"

Nuff said...for now

Flight of the Conchords - Two Free Songs / 1400 Wake-Up to Shaved Head =(

Two of the funniest songs from New Zealand's underground indie/rock band, Flight of the Conchords, are being made available for FREE. Made famous by their HBO show, get it today while you can off of CNET's Free Music MP3 Downloads website. There are actually two songs available: Ladies of the World and Business Time. Both are hilarious tunes to listen to while just relaxing and hanging out. Oh yeah, I also went to bed early last night and with little interruption didn't get out of bed till 1400. I have no idea what I was on (water and some awesome Indian food) but I passed out! I'm finally up and about, but now I'm all behind on my chores and errands. Maybe it's because of my new haircut and my subconscious thought that by getting more sleep that it would grow faster? I don't know, but just maybe huh? Of course I barely had time to write this up, so, just follow up on the top with updates from Twitter or to the side link to trelijah for instant pictorial gratification. Here is an awesome music video too to accompany the Ladies of the World MP3.

Direct Link for Flight of the Conchords

Self Importance and the Pollution of I (part 1)

I had the beauty and privilege to witness the definition of "ego" during the last few months whether it was through me and my own thoughts and actions or through others.  These observations all stemming from examples of negativity and positivity both creating a better understanding of how it is to create a life of simplicity and minimalism. 

There are just too many examples to choose from but in general there are three things that I would recommend in order to achieve a lighter heart.  1) Everyday, make sure when you get angry at someone, ask yourself if it is even logical, unselfish, and why.  It definitely adds a tremendous amount of perspective to one's argument and being upset.  I've always suggested that stepping back and looking at the scenario from some else's viewpoint is the best thing to do.  If you look stupid, then change it up...become a better person.  2) Make sure the words that you speak, actions you show and try to accomplish not necessarily just benefit you but the others around you too.  There are many reasons why we do things but at the same time, we can kill two birds in one stone.  I'm all about making others happy and still believe that making other happy first create the realm in which your personal happiness and joy can be achieved.  And lastly, 3) Stay positive.  Just on physical aspects alone, it's harder to frown and stresses more muscles to be angry than to just smile.  When you do, as my dad always told me, "Son, don't just smile with your teeth, but use your eyes too."  It's works and even spreads like wild fire.  =)  Even chemically, your body enjoys the happy side of things.  You lower your blood pressure, ease the overall stress you induce on yourself and create a happier aura.  Surround yourself with it!

I really don't like to get into examples because pointing things out just means that you have 20/20 hindsight.  Besides making people bicker more isn't what I want to accomplish.  So, this ends part 1. 

Remember, make sure you take a step back, look at yourself and observe your actions through someone else (the act of being selfless) and make sure that you don't look like...oh forget it already...as ASS you fool!  There I just said it!  Grow up and get with the program of life.  We are here to all benefit from each other and learn, so forgive, don't forget and just have fun!!!  Try surfing or something outdoorsy, but for geez sake, leave the house already and be fun!  I know that your definitely might not be the same as mine, but interacting with the outside world instead of always being engrossed in your own makes you a more diverse individual.  We make the world and grow together.  Not just you.  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

p.s. the Pollution of I is borrowed from the full title, "Against the Pollution of the I (Paperback) by Jacques Lusseyran.  Read it as it is truly "eye opening."

trelijah link and April Schedule

Two new things to the site:  1) I have received my final schedule for April and just posted the results accordingly.  (http://www.elijahnicolas.com/wp/img/08Apr.jpg) and 2) Even though I have been updating my mobile blog, I never posted a direct link to it when I migrated from Blogger to WordPress.  Why?  I left it out because I was trying to just integrate the uploading of pictures here on the main page and gave up.  So, instead of having one page, I'm forced to have two again, one with pictures from my Treo 755p which can get updated readily and one that has the rest of the story.  I'm sitting at Barnes and Nobles in Mira Mesa studying on some Federal Aviation Regulations and reading the Aeronautical Information Manual like a good pilot should do everyone now and then when I ran into a high school friend whom I haven't seen since.  Who would have thought?  =)  But she gave me a book entitled: The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.  Summarizing it in one sentence, it describes the secret of joyful giving.  (that's what the cover says anyways)  I just started reading it and will tell you how it goes in the next few logs. 

Onto tonight event:  A friend of mine and his girlfriend is coming to meet up with me, so in order to expand my table of 2, I asked a gentleman if I may borrow his chair and he straight-up said no.  At first I thought that he was kidding but then he went ahead and said "F88K off!"  I was a little dumbfounded and shocked by his response but then a kinder younger man immediately offered his.  He too was shocked as I found out later when he approached me and asked if what he heard was the same thing.  He's still sitting just one table to my left diagonal with a face as red as a tomato and an empty chair across from him.  He also denied another female asking if they can use the empty chair, but he left out the obscenity.  I hope that the guy has a good rest of night and that his troubles don't get him into any situation.  I'm just shocked at the response you know?  He's also reading a hooters magazine and some other guys magazines perusing through the pictures.  

Here he is!  It's the guy in the blue jacket.  Do you know him?

St. Patti's Day 10K!!!

Well, I'm sitting here sore as heck still, barely able to walk after once again forgoing any form of training prior to running this past weekend's 10K around Fiesta Island in San Diego.  It was even better this time around as I got to run it with my girlfriend and of course, she did a better job in preparing and it paid off...she beat me by 1.5 minutes and also beat my previous 10K first try by 8 seconds!!!

Here is a picture of Adelle and I before the race at 7:00AM just hanging out with our times.  I really suck but of course I just really haven't felt like running more than I need to especially after I touchdown in some random city and am forced to run on a treadmill.

NY, NY

 Back up here again com mi amiga Adelle with the agenda of touring the Columbia University School of Nursing.   We opted to take the M60 Bus Line for La Guardia which was only $2 followed by the subway to 42nd and Times.  We only spent $8.00 total on transportation from the airport compared to $55 the last time we came here.  It's just awesome once you get some confidence to roll around the public bus system. 

With a modestly priced hotel room, for NYC standards won on Priceline.com and tactics from BiddingForTravel.com, we had a great one night stay that the Millennium Broadway Hotel.   It was prime location for the Time Square night life being located on 145 West 44th Street.   We even got upgraded to a superior room on the 50th floor which was pretty nice.  It had a flat screen and everything but of course, we only were there to sleep.  Just like all the other hotels that I've been staying at really without the luxury tag; same bed, shower, bathroom kits but of course I had Adelle with me. 

We ventured around the city quite a bit first heading off to the reservation that I had made at the Rock Center Cafe coupled with the Skate-A-Date Promotion.  Basically for $75, a couple is entitled to two skate rentals and a two course meal.  We even met a nice filipina who waited on us and offered her assistance to Adelle in trying to find a place.  We had a good time ice skating as it was only my second time on ice and just enjoyed the ambiance.  I fell once being really aggressive and trying to skate as fast as I can.  It was a bad fall either, but I fell.  Good times here in NYC when the weather is cooperating.  Here are some pix from the night.  

 

Oh yeah, the meal at the Rock Center Cafe on a scale of 1-10 are as follows:  Appetizer - 6 [Humus and Pita with Lamb was just too salty and didn't taste that great really.  It wasn't like you could keep eating it.  Not recommend / I had the soup and it was pretty good, but not anything that I don't think I couldn't make.  That's saying a lot]  Main Course - 8 [Here is where the restaurant revitalized itself.  The Sirloin that Adelle had was great along with some steak fries.  I had a Salmon and that was just alright really.]  Bottled Water - 10 [AWESOME]  The service was great though which made up for a lot.  But, the fact that the whole package including skating which was a retailed at $18.00 per person -->  $36 for the both of us, the whole "experience" was just worth while. 

Now back to Atlanta this evening for some exciting times!