Wild blue yonder

Last week, my son Erik achieved his lifelong goal of becoming an airline pilot. After 20 years of very hard work plus the volatility of the commercial aviation business, Erik was hired as a new First Officer for a major airline flying some of the most advanced aircraft in the world. Since getting the good news, a lot of people have commented to me about what a good job "I" had done...well, the credit, of course, belongs all to Erik, his wife, Laura and my grandson, Brandon. I wish them Godspeed as they embark on this new life journey together. I'm pretty proud of Erik - but I'm also proud of Laura and Brandon for perservering through the long process...and for the people they are.

Then again, the flight benefits for the old man aren't all that bad either...