Going to the desert (again)

Tomorrow, I'll be reporting on base at 5:30pm to check in for our squadron's flight to Qatar. I'll be there for 6 weeks (the squadron's going to be gone for 4 months--I'm coming back early for special ops training) and am looking forward to flying combat missions again. I haven't been "over there" since January.

As I was on my way to work this morning to tie up some loose ends before I go, I saw the guy that sells newspapers almost literally in the middle of a busy intersection in North Charleston. He stands with a shopping cart full of papers, in a space of road between the left turn lane and the straight lanes.

This was nothing new...the guy is there every morning. This time, though, was different. He came over to my window. I was a little surprised that he was being so aggressive selling his papers today; I had never had a problem with him before. He usually allows you to flag him down if you want a paper, without coming directly up to you to get you to buy one.

He yelled something at me that I couldn't understand. As I rolled down the window, I realized he wasn't selling me a paper but thanking me. He had seen me in my flight suit. He said, "Y'all are doing a great job. A great job. Tell everyone that the paper guy at the corner of Ashley Phosphate and Dorchester thinks y'all are doing a hell of a job." I couldn't do anything but thank him. I almost felt like I should buy a paper, just out of appreciation, but I didn't want to cheapen it.



I can tell you from experience that things like this mean a lot to people in the military. A lot. I won't forget that. If you see someone you know in the military, thank them (no I'm not talking about me). This war isn't the most popular thing, and it's hard to keep focused on what we're doing sometimes, especially when we're so removed from it over here. As I get ready to go back into it, this was a great reminder of why I do what I do. We fly as much cargo and as many troops into Iraq and Afghanistan as we possibly can, to keep convoys off the road and to keep our troops on the ground safe. We fly injured troops, sometimes in critical condition, out of combat and into more advanced hospitals in Germany, and sometimes, all the way to the U.S. We literally save lives. I'm ready to get over there. I'm incredibly blessed to be able to do what I do.

I love my job.

Why NOT to be a Florida fan, Part II

Which is vastly inferior to this:

Charleston is awesome

I reckon I got tagged

By Chris Goeppner. So I hereby tag the only other 3 readers of my blog: Dad, Uncle Rick and Bryon.


What’s the most fun work you've ever done, and why?
--Flying jets. The work I'm doing now. It's been my dream job since I was like in third grade.

Name one thing you did in the past that you no longer do but wish you did.
--Fly fish.

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do but keep putting off.
--Buy a boat.

What two things would you most like to learn or be better at, and why?
--Golf--I love playing, and it's way more fun when you're not mad for four hours every time you go.
--Play the guitar--why not?

If you could take a class/workshop/apprentice from anyone in the world living or dead, who would it be and what would you hope to learn?
--It's gotta be Jesus. I mean come on. I would want to learn everything, really.

What three words might your best friends or family use to describe you?
--Laid-back, honest, determined

List two words you wish described you:
--Outgoing, organized

What are your top three passions?
--Christ, UK sports, flying

Are you ready for some football?

The spring blue/white game is today. And we're ranked 25th preseason (but 8th in the 12 team SEC...talk about a tough conference).

If you do Podcasts...

Check this one out. I'm sure some of you are already in on this one, but this is some good stuff. The Village Church, outside of Dallas, and their lead pastor, Matt Chandler, have some of the best sermons I've heard.

In the Itunes Store, just type in "Matt Chandler" in the search box..."Village Church" works too. Check out the Ecclesiastes series...it will change you. Chandler does not mess around, he does not mince words, and that's really refreshing, if you ask me. If you're not into the Podcast thing but still know how to use the Internet (you are looking at this page by the way...), then try this.

Thanks to my brother Andrew Cornell for turning me on to this, sometime last spring or summer, I think.

Pizza and Beer

You may have already seen this on SportsCenter, but here's an expanded version of the fracas in the stands at Fenway. Read the story below...hilarious.

Dude, I just wanted to know where you got the pizza.

Who are these people?

I mean, really...get a life.

Chris

A little while ago I learned what "HT" means

I reckon it means "hat tip," as in "A tip of the hat to you, sir." I will use my first HT now, and I know of no better circumstance in which to try this new morsel of Internet terminology. (I need to HT this guy too).

HT: Brant

First, there was this:

Then, there was this:

And even this

The headquarters.

I think that this may be the peak of this blog. Where can you go from here but down?

What to do when Gator fans start talking smack:

Bring it...

Read more...for April!

Our Billy...

No Billy D...NEXT! No sour grapes here, as I respect Billy Donovan and his decision to stay at Florida, in large part for the good of his family. He was truthful throughout the whole process. He was very careful not to lead anyone on. I believe that at one point, the UK job was his "dream" job, but after sitting and considering it this time around, he really felt at home in Gainesville. Good for him. Really. I like Billy Donovan.

Now it's on to our Billy. And I really think we can easily be as successful or even more so with Billy G than Billy D. Billy Gillispie eats, sleeps, breathes, lives basketball. So do UK fans. Billy G. wants to win more than anything. So do UK fans. Billy G. sees the necessity of bringing in the top recruits in the nation, first and foremost. So do UK fans. Billy G. is a good ol' country boy. So are UK fans.

Kentucky is back, people. We are back. It may not be next year, but it very well may be. If Billy could win and recruit top talent at Texas A&M (TEXAS A&M!!!), it will NOT be a problem at UK. Period. Kentucky fans are so hungry for our program to have a shot at the title every year that a press conference to announce the new coach drew more fans than Florida drew in a NCAA Tournament game in St. Louis. And it was organized and announced within about four hours. Billy said multiple times in an interview today the he realized his goal was to "cut down some nets." Mitch Barnhart, the UK Athletic Director, has continued his trends of outstanding hires. The baseball, football, and women's basketball programs have been revived as a result of Mitch's hires, and the men's basketball program is sure to follow.

"When you have 24,000 fans, I hope all of them are coaches. I hope every one of them has the unbelievable passion like I do and that they're screaming their lungs out," Gillispie said. "I don't see 24,000 fans every single game as being tough. I see the opponent that has to play in front of that as having a tough assignment. I see it as an unbelievable positive."

It's a great day to be a Kentucky fan. Watch out...the Cats are back.

The hire

This is why you coach at UK

Worst Sportscaster Ever

You gotta feel bad for this guy...