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lovemesomesurveys · 4 years

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survey by nadine07

Where were you three hours ago? I was sitting in bed eating Wingstop and watching As Told by Ginger.

Were you with anyone? No.

Have you had anything alcoholic in the last 24 hours? Nope. I haven’t alcohol in almost 10 years.

Are you wearing shoes right now? Nope.

How long have you known your 1st phone contact? Since the 5th grade.

Are they a relative? No.

Would you ever consider getting back together with any of your exes? No. Those chapters are closed.

Would you ever go skinny dipping with the last person who commented you? No. I wouldn’t go skinny dipping with anyone or at all.

When was the last time you saw a movie in theaters? Beginning of March 2020 before the pandemic and lockdown hit.

When did you last talk to the last person you shared a kiss with? About 5 years ago.

Has anyone called you beautiful today? No.

Are you still friends with the last person who broke your trust? I don’t have any friends.

Does drama seem to follow you everywhere? No. Other issues do.

Do you feel like anyone is playing mind games with you right now? No.

How would you feel if your best friend hooked up with your ex? My mom would never do that.

How long did your last relationship last? I count whatever Joseph and I had and that went on for 3 years.

If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today? I’m very single and don’t want to get married, so.

Does it make you uncomfortable to talk on the phone around people? Yeah, it kind of does.

Would you rather be 10 years older or 10 years younger? I don’t want to be in my 40s, but to be 21 again... I don’t want that either. Can I just stay my age now?

Have you ever kissed someone the same night your met them? No.

Do you bite your fingernails? I don’t bite them, I pick at and use nail clippers constantly. I keep a pair of nail clippers on my bedside table and reach for them all the time. Any little thing I can find to pick or clip, I do it. Sigh.

Would you consider yourself very flexible? Not at all.

Do you embarrass easily? Yes.

Have you ever tried to talk your way out of getting a ticket? I don’t drive, so I’ve never experienced that, but not like I would even try to do that and embarrass myself. I don’t have the confidence, the wit, or the looks. I have nothing going for me, ha. Plus, I’d be so nervous. Maybe they’d see how scared I was haha and feel bad for me.

Did it work? -

Have you ever been banned from anywhere? No.

Do you have a ringtone or do you leave your phone on vibrate? I have one of the ringtones that came with the phone.

What was the last thing you drank from a mug? Coffee.

Were you born in the 90’s? No, I was born over halfway through 1989, I was so close.

When was the last time you paid less than $1 for something? Uhh, I have no idea.

Have you loaned anything out to anyone recently? Nope.

Are any of your siblings married? No.

Who was the last person to spend the night with you at your house? My aunt a couple weeks ago stayed a week with us.

How many different picture ids do you have in your wallet? Just one.

Do you have a hard time making decisions? Yes.

Has anyone kissed you when you weren’t expecting it? My first kiss was unexpected.

Did you like it? It was awkward, but most first kisses are. I was just giddy about having had my first kiss, ha.

Who was your date to senior prom? I didn’t have a date.

Does your dad smoke? No.

Is your mom over 50? She’s in her early 50s.

Do you want to get married? No.

Have kids? No.

Are there any movies coming out you wanna see? I want to see Godzilla vs Kong, though admittedly it’s because Alexander Skarsgard is in it haha.

Do you have any plans to get a new tattoo or piercing? Nope.

Do you know anyone named Christine? No.

Do you know anyone who’s biracial? Yeah.

Do you know anyone who works at Walmart? Not anymore.

Has the last person you rode in a car with seen you in your underwear? Yes.

Spell your full name without ‘C’,'I’,'R’, or 'Y’: Stephane.

Open the nearest book, turn to page 11, and type the first sentence: Nah.

Are you currently listening to anything? I’m watching a YouTube video.

Would you ever consider getting breast implants? No.

If you could spend 30 minutes with someone who’s gone, who would you pick? My grandma.

Are you on birth control? No.

Do you know anyone who is bisexual? Yeah.

Would you walk into Walmart naked for $10,000? No.

Does anyone call you babe? No.

Do you hate it when people try to play with your hair? I did when I was a kid.

Who would you tell, or who did you tell when you lost your virginity? I wouldn’t feel the need to tell anyone.

Were you in a relationship 6 months ago? Nope.

Are you still with that person? --

Are you the kind of person who has crazy mood swings? I’m a moody person.

This is question 69…so have you ;)? *eye roll*

How long is it until your birthday? 4 months away.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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itakesurveys · 4 years

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Survey 341

Where were you three hours ago? on the ouch behind me. haven’t gone far.

Were you with anyone? boyfriend. he is asleep on the couch currently.

Have you had anything alcoholic in the last 24 hours? yes, red wine.

Are you wearing shoes right now? no, socks.

How long have you known your 1st phone contact? first one. years. it’s my boyfriends sisters husband; adam.

Are they a relative? nope.

Would you ever consider getting back together with any of your exes? nope. never.

Would you ever go skinny dipping with the last person who commented you? idk who but sure! let’s go.

When was the last time you saw a movie in theaters? omg.. no idea, 2 years ago. something marvel i’m sure.

When did you last talk to the last person you shared a kiss with? i kissed my boyfriend on the forehead few minutes ago.

Has anyone called you beautiful today? everyday, & thank you zachary <3

Are you still friends with the last person who broke your trust? prob not. lol.

Does drama seem to follow you everywhere? ehhh.

Do you feel like anyone is playing mind games with you right now? i -- i can’t even keep track of my own mind.

How would you feel if your best friend hooked up with your ex? okay. go for it.

How long did your last relationship last? i’m still in it, 10+ years.

If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today? nope. i can’t anyway. can’t afford a ring...

Does it make you uncomfortable to talk on the phone around people? yes, i always go to another room.. plus, i think it’s kinda rude not to excuse yourself?

Would you rather be 10 years older or 10 years younger? younger.

Have you ever kissed someone the same night your met them? yeah.

Do you bite your fingernails? i do not, not since i was a teen.

Would you consider yourself very flexible? LOL. NO.

Do you embarrass easily? yes.

Have you ever tried to talk your way out of getting a ticket? nah -- i don’t drive.

Did it work? -

Have you ever been banned from anywhere? nope.

Do you have a ringtone or do you leave your phone on vibrate? silent, always.

What was the last thing you drank from a mug? i drink everything from a mug.

Were you born in the 90’s? 1990. baby.

When was the last time you paid less than $1 for something? um, nothing?

Have you loaned anything out to anyone recently? nope.

Are any of your siblings married? not yet, my sister is engaged to be married.

Who was the last person to spend the night with you at your house? boyfriend, for like last 10 years.

How many different picture ids do you have in your wallet? just 1.

Do you have a hard time making decisions? depends on what. important things, yes.

Has anyone kissed you when you weren’t expecting it? nah.

Did you like it? --

Who was your date to senior prom? lauren.

Does your dad smoke? nope.

Is your mom over 50? yes.

Do you want to get married? someday.

Have kids? no.

Are there any movies coming out you wanna see? nah.

Do you have any plans to get a new tattoo or piercing? nope.

Do you know anyone named Christine? i don’t think so.

Do you know anyone who’s biracial? dah. lol.

Do you know anyone who works at Walmart? not currently.

Has the last person you rode in a car with seen you in your underwear? nope.

Are black bras sexy? if you feel sexy in it, then yes.

Spell your full name without ‘C’,'I’,'R’, or 'Y’: joshua.

Open the nearest book, turn to page 11, and type the first sentence: -- lol. maybe next time.

Are you currently listening to anything? tracy chapman - change.

Would you ever consider getting breast implants? nope.

If you could spend 30 minutes with someone who’s gone, who would you pick? my papa.

Are you on birth control? no need.

Do you know anyone who is bisexual? yes.

Would you walk into Walmart naked for $10,000? maybe. money up front. going to need it for bail. lol.

Does anyone call you babe? yes.

Do you hate it when people try to play with your hair? no, i love it.

Who would you tell, or who did you tell when you lost your virginity? no one lol.

Were you in a relationship 6 months ago? nah.

Are you still with that person? yes.

Are you the kind of person who has crazy mood swings? i guess.

This is question 69…so have you ;)? yes, a lot.

How long is it until your birthday? my birthday is in 2 days.

[survey by nadine07]

#survey #surveys #personal #text #questions

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groomlakeprojects · 5 years

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Crash(test) The Ballad of Faded Wolf

(Summary)

Barry Mick is a struggling tour manager for a young US rock band in his 30's working in the rock world and mainstream pop; but also works several part time real jobs. The band he is currently managing is a young band “Faded Wolf”; full of notorious stories and behaviors including sex,drugs, and rock and roll. Will they crash and burn? Or live and learn? Probably neither.

Crash(test) The Ballad of Faded Wolf

Story written by Joe Bruno

Edited by

Max Barksdale

There’s something peaceful about waking up in a moving vehicle. The scenery moving like an old movie reel as we make our way to the next destination is the best part, I guess. From what my folks told me when I was young, you actually had to dedicate a person, with a license, to controlling the vehicle; which sounds like a terrible idea looking around my immediate company.

“Tommy Rocks”, as he’s known, is in the next bunk over; putting his genitals on one of our roadies face while he’s asleep. Classic. The band I’m currently out on the road with, (for way less money than I should’ve negotiated; had I known the shit storm I had agreed to) Faded Wolf, are one of the new growing bands in the heavy metal scene. And they are all about attention.

These guys just cost the label $600,000 in damages; leading cops on a two hour chase after stealing a old school collection car from a classic car show, then proceeding to manually drive it onto the highway.

Fucking psychos I tell you. Especially in 2044.

A human messing with with our great, automated highways? It’s crazy they’d let anyone touch a real steering wheel. Thankfully the van doesn’t have one or I’d never sleep with this band around. Not that I do much.. From what I heard growing up, people died like all the time crashing these things it was something crazy like the plague, it was in the millions of people dead all of the time, senselessly. And you’ve got to be an idiot to get out on the roads with the old cars and attempt to drive with the cars we have today. Nobody stops and goes and burns gas anymore. The road system today is cars going everywhere all automatically timed to drive without hardly stopping. Except out here, there’s some drivers still not enough automatic services out this way yet.

Suddenly, there’s a loud pop and the van comes to a stop on the side of the road. We are somewhere on I-70 near Anywhere, Kansas. The van operator broadcasts on to the intercom, “Hey fellas, we are really sorry to inform you but your ‘Bandvan’ rental has had an internal problem with it’s charge system and needs repairs. With your insurance purchase, we will be covering stay at a hotel for you guys until we can get the next van in your area. The nearest one is a day away. Really sorry about the inconvenience. We can give you two free days on your next trip. Again, so sorry. Local tow resources are on their way and should arrive in 25 minutes.”

Damn. We had one more date for tomorrow in Colorado, then I was to catch the Interstate speed train to California; where my next job starts. A pop artist, “Yuki”, is playing the VENUE on Mars’ grand opening. This is like the big stadium time too; bigger than the theaters and bars that host Faded Wolf.

I was asked to smuggle some personal belongings they had left when they took off last week. Oh, and it’s going to take two months to get there. The band managers “great joy of the music world”, is basically being the babysitter to the most irresponsible group of people in the world.

Not now.

I have to figure out what we are going to do. The tow truck is pulling up now I guess I’ll go settle up with the service and oh hey it’s the gang is already around the front. Shit. Tommy, Jim, John, and Freddy are chugging beers and flashing their private parts to oncoming traffic. I used to hear stories about bands like Motley Crüe and Guns N Roses, in my grandparents younger days, who did this kind of stuff.

It was wild.

I think that’s what they want.

Shock value.

It sounded fun at first; but after two months of living it, breathing it, and smelling it with this group, it has lost it’s appeal. I can’t wait to go Mars and get away for a bit.

But what are you gonna do?

These guys want it all.

And unfortunately, they’ll do anything for the attention.

We arrive at a local hotel. It was one of these small mom and pop ones with a kind of old “Bates Motel” vibe; except this was Conways motel. It’s almost like a slasher film; but instead of killing you in the shower, you would step back in time to what the elders would call, “the eighties baby!” The room was filled with neon colors on the walls and 80’s movie and music posters on every wall.

A short older man, maybe in his 60’s, in black pants and a faded blue vintage nascar shirt approaches us. He introduces himself as Earl Conway and asks if we are the rock band staying the night. Tommy and the gang, the kind of wild living guys they are, of course are already shotgunning beers behind me with the roadies and some local fans who are also staying at the hotel.

They have also recognized the band.

I shrug and go into “manager mode”.

We get away to settle up the insurance at the front desk.

“Well, I know it’s y’all’s misfortune, but it is just our treat to have y’all stay with us at ‘Conway’s’ tonight. We never have too many city folk stay here; especially real rockstars. Let us know if you need anything; food, beer, some coke, ‘Ya know’,” Earl brags with a grin.

Well, at least I know these guys are mostly safe to party.

“Thanks Mr. Conley. I really hope we don’t need too much. Our next van will be in town around 12 tomorrow. And then, we are back on the road to the rockies. Though, I can’t speak for the band. It looks like they are already making friends.”

I gaze out the door.

The crowd partying with the band has tripled since exchanging info at the front desk. It appears Tommy and Freddy are now signing several women’s breast and taking some suggestive photos. They probably assumed I quit paying attention, went to my room take my sleep aid, and pass out.

What the hell could go wrong? This is what they do.

That’s not managing though.

I’m thinking I got to go break this up.

“Mr. Conley, I’ll make sure we keep the crowd and noise down,” I assured him.

“Nonsense Barry! You know what; on the weekends we have a 25 Acre track, just behind the motel, where we race good old human driving cars. I saw the band’s mishap with that car out in California on the news. Compared to that footage, I’ll gladly let them rip it up tonight!” Earl responded.

Well there goes my peaceful night.

It’s not even night, and two of the old classic cars that drove by earlier have rolled up to the growing party in the parking lot. Freddy, Tommy, and the gang, are now doing what are called “donuts” in the parking lot. I’ve seen videos online where the human controlled vehicles speed and then brake during a turn, to slide across parking lots at shopping centers and apartment buildings. I suppose it’s better they can do that here; instead of the theft and driving on automated highways charges.

I head to the room to try to get some peace and quiet. Maybe I can try to go over my lists for the Mars trip; which I’m surprised about it being a whole 4 month thing and I’m not that nervous yet. I guess it’s hard to think to that far in the future when you live in “Faded Wolf’s” now.

As I’m approaching the room, I can hear sounds of giggling. Nope thats moaning.

Shit.

Someone is having sex in my room.

Again.

I can’t really count at this point how many times this has happened. But I’m not surprised really. It’s Faded Wolf. What did I expect. At least I have my bag. I can work on some things in this old chair at the end of the hall.

Luckily, I brought my headphones to tune this out.

And they are dead.

Goddamn Bluetooth!

I really miss the older devices my grandparents showed me when I was younger, the headphones may have had to be plugged in; but you weren’t left hanging.

Well, i passed out in the hallway on the floor for couple hours and awake to Earl right in my face and shaking me “buddy I got other customers rolling in soon can’t have you here like this.” I agree. I startle but get up in a haze.. I haven’t really felt this low since i turned 30. The world keeps turning though, I get up and grab my bag and computer I used as a pillow. The room was cleared out and I can finally catch a shower.

There’s clearly cocaine residue on the dresser and all of the room beers are gone. As much as I’m disappointed they didn’t leave any to share, I’m guessing Earl may have to order more for tonight.

I finish my shower, get dressed, and head out to the tracks. It’s a sunny summer day, with green trees and a field view; not that Kansas is known for its landscapes. It was a nice break from the crowded cities we usually stay in.

The guys are all hammered and driving these cars, I’d say, 90 miles an hour back and forth through a loop called a “race track.”

I’ve seen these before on the web. This used to be a popular sport, and still has a strong presence in the south to this day.

More of the local community has shown up looking for a chance to party with this band of fools.

I finally take a seat in the stands, with my own beer, and a little cigarette of ‘grass’, as they used to call it. One of the cars with Tommy driving, and yelling something obnoxious out the window, suddenly turns too quick. It goes up sideways, and flips several times in a barrel roll before stopping on it’s hood.

I drop everything and run over to help.

Tommy quickly climbs his way out, soaked in blood and yelling out in pain; which seems to be coming from the arm he’s holding. I look over inside. One of the fan girls from earlier is inside; luckily with a seatbelt on, which is holding her up. Kind of dangling, but still not awake. She looks a little cut up and I can’t tell if she’s breathing.

This right here is why they did away with letting humans drive. This is what my parents used to ramble on about when I

was young and driving had just been banned. I can’t believe they did this for over 100 years. This is a horror movie in real life. The shock and anxiety. You know, cannabis can make you very anxious without any bad shit happening; but this anxiety was something completely new.

One of my clients may have just killed someone.

As the local ambulance and fire response vehicles roll up, so do several police cars.

This is it.

We are fucked.

I am fucked.

The mars trip, is super fucked.

There is no way we are getting out of this mess by the time our next van rolls in tomorrow.

The rest of the band and I stayed back and talked to the cops about what we saw. I look over to the medical team, and see the fangirl miraculously retain consciousness; with no visible broken bones. Just a few scrapes and bruises on her faces. When her eyes finally opened and she got up and walked off with her friends quickly to the ambulance and seemed to try to keep looking over seeing Tommy at the ambulance, my anxiousness subdued a bit.

But now, we had a new set of problems. The law.

Tommy was immediately arrested and was being charged with an older charge called a “DUI”, reckless driving, and driving without a license. Apparently, this whole track operation is mostly for skilled drivers who still get a thing called a “drivers license.”

After they take him away, local news crews start rolling in to film the documentary of the end of our careers.

I had to call the label to let them know what had happened.

Well look at that. Faded Wolf news travels fast. Tim, the A&R rep, is calling me.

“Hey Tim, buddy! How are you?” I ask, trying to cool tension. “What the fuck did you let happen Barry? You’re the manager! Do you know how much this is going to cost us?” He yelled.

“Look man; you know these guys! Okay? They don’t listen to anybody! I just clean up the mess, like always! But I’m gonna go down there and get Tommy out, okay? These people are super fans; so we might get lucky,” I explained.

“Try what you will Barry; but if you can’t fix this, you’re done.” He hung up.

Earl comes up, still shaken from the event. I immediately start apologizing.

“Hey man. I’m so sorry these guys are idiots, And that poor girl”

He interrupts, “It’s ok Barry, it’s my fault. I encouraged it, and we’ve had accidents from time to time. I could’ve done more to set some ground rules. You guys being here has just been the most fun we’ve had in a while. Look. I got a lawyer buddy who helps me with my books. I’m gonna call him for us. Would you like a ride to check on Tommy?” He asks.

“Of course man! That would be amazing. I actually don’t know how to drive; really none of us from out west do.”

The rest of the crew stayed back.

The buzzkill shook everyone into retreating back to the rooms.

The parties over.

The drive was quiet.

The local radio report is already talking about the accident. I had to change the channel and the next station is, of course, a rock station ironically playing the “Faded Wolf” song “Crash”. I change it again, and finally tune into some obscure classical channel.

It was finally peaceful.

We get to the police station and go check in.

You know in jail movies, this part always sucks. Going to meet your friend or family member; locked up in the jump suit.

It is an all around shitty experience.

It also has be somewhere around 1 AM; about 12 hours away from our van departure schedule. At this point, I feel we are not gonna make it. And I’m not gonna make that Mars trip. We get to the front desk and ask for Tommy.

The desk lady grins and says, “We are hanging that mugshot up in the break lounge; as soon as we get it autographed. We’re holding him a bit longer. You know, y’all are so lucky that girl and her family likes him. He could’ve been here a while.”

I reply confused, “So he’s getting out?.”

“Well, yeah. Some lawyer came in representing that girl. Says she’s his daughter and he settled up with the judge. He will be free to go in just a bit”.

I look to Earl, “Dude, your lawyer is the girls dad?”

He looks shocked, “Shit I had no clue. I hope he doesn’t shut me down.”

The lawyer pops around the corner. “No real harm, no foul; I suppose. We live a little wild out here with these cars, and have accidents from time to time. Regardless, my kid, for some godforsaken reason, has been obsessed with this band for years now, since her high school days, and says it would be the most embarrassing thing to put you away for this. She just wants this to go away. And she really likes this “Tommy” guy, so we’ve made a hefty financial settlement that will take care of her, myself, and get some money flowing down at city hall again. Anyways, we will be in touch with the label for payment soon. And, please. Never. Ever. Let Tommy, or the rest of the band, drive. Or maybe never come here again. I’m serious. Goodnight, gents.” He leaves the station.

Well only in this rock and roll world can such scenario play out. Apparently everyone in this jail is a Faded Wolf fan even the judge. Tommy finally comes out of the back putting his shirt back on and a little bandaged up it seems. He signs a few copies of his mugshot for the station employees. Tommy then comes running at us jumping “ dudes I can’t believe it they love us here, apparently that girls dad is a lawyer, and begged him not to let me stay locked up and pay a fine instead” I reply “ so what’s the damage how much is this going to cost us?” Tommy smirks “ well let’s just say the label is not going to be happy about it and I’m sorry Barry if they blame this on you” I reply “ blame what?” Tommy deeply inhales and answers “eh it’s gonna cost about 20 million or so”. Well in my mind I was thinking a lot worse but that is still probably enough that it’s coming out of the next albums check and probably my check too. He continues “ it’s all good Barry we are getting that next advance and the last album just hit platinum”. This guy has no clue how completely fucked we could’ve been. But how could he? We let this happen and now by paying it off we encourage it.

We all get back to the hotel it’s probably close to 4 AM everyone’s passed out. Earl comes by as I’m packing things to be ready to go in the morning. “ well I’m glad it all worked out for you guys and I’m sorry about letting this happen” I interrupted “ look Earl these guys like to do crazy things and don’t think much, don’t blame yourself

We are all lucky it wasn’t worse.

And crazy lucky that the girl’s dad was lawyer; in our favor.

“You’ve been a great help to us! I’ll make sure to send you a postcard from the new venue on mars!”

He sort of gets excited, “Mars? No way! Is that the pop star everyone is going crazy for? ‘Yuki’ right?”

I replied, “Yup! That’s the one! I actually have to bring some things they forgot when they left the other day.”

Earl grabs a postcard from his folder he was carrying. “Well, could you show some love to the motel up there?”

I look at the picture of the motel which had several cars driving in the background, “You bet Earl, thanks for everything”.

I caught some sleep and woke up just in time for the “15 minute warning” for the vans arrival. We all loaded in and waved goodbye. Tommy was, of course, holding up the show and making out with the girl Alice. You know, the girl he nearly killed last night. I think that’s what her name was. Actually, I’m not really sure what her name was; but I guess it’s best we leave town on a good note.

And there we were; back on the road, heading to Colorado, cracking jokes trying to laugh off the bizarre events from the night before.

Tommy leans from his seat to me, “Barry, man, thank you for being there. We all appreciate it and I promise you that I’m never driving again! Well, unless I come back out here and see her again” he chuckles.

It had been on my mind all morning though, that maybe it was time for a career change. Possibly something with less responsibility for those least responsible. Maybe I’ll start my own band or label and just be in charge of myself. Who knows?

The Colorado show went off without a hitch; other than arriving right as soon as the band was scheduled to be on in 30 minutes. I’m glad we made it, but also just as glad to be out and not in charge of these maniacs for a long time. I left early to catch my train to the launch pad in California.

I can’t believe I made it.

Still sleepy and still taking in the events of the last two days, I figured it was a perfect time to take a sleep aid; seeing as I’ll be boarding a space shuttle to live in (which is basically a hotel lobby) for two months.

From what I’ve read, these launches can make you feel sick quickly; so it’s probably best to be passed out for that part. I get through security, get my bags checked, then board the ship. As I’m seated and buckled, I lay back with freshly charged headphones and some classics playing.

I slowly doze off.

I wake up, and I’m not in the ship anymore, but back in the port at the launchpad in a wheelchair. A flight attendant is near me, sees that I’m awake, and jumps up.

“Sir we are so sorry to inform you like this, but our ship had trouble taking off and was grounded. A second ship left later

in the day, but you have been out for about 10 hours and we could not get you into the next one passed out like that.”

I feel ambushed by the whole situation.

I’m still waking up but I take a second to process it “So when’s the next one?”

She replies, “Unfortunately, the Mars shuttle only flies three times a month, twice a day. That was the last one, and there are currently no options for two weeks. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience”

I’m still processing, but try to negotiate with her, “So what else can I get? my clients need their package.”

She responds, “Well your boss, Tim I believe, has left a package and note for you about that.”

I open the packages and letter.

“Hey, Barry. Give me a call when you get this. You’ve got a new mission. You're now taking the daily flight tomorrow to the moon for ‘Faded Wolf’s’ surprise show next week for the moon colony at the Lunar Lounge.

PS: Mars mail carrier will take the package; don’t worry. But you gotta watch these guys again!

You owe me!

And the label!”

Really? I quit.

#adult comedy #literature #short sci fi #short stories #creative writing #writers on tumblr #selfdriving #vans #cars #comedy sci fi #fiction

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true-halloween-tales · 7 years

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2017: #11-VACATION FROM HELL, PART 1: NO BULL!

Back in 1989… Ronald Reagan was replaced by George Bush Sr. as President of the United States. Voyager 2 was approaching Neptune. Salmon Rushdie’s Satanic Verses novel had a controversy including an international death threat against the author. The Dali Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The final episode of the classic series of Doctor Who aired (see 2018: #2-GUIDE TO DOCTOR WHO). Monty Python’s Graham Chapman died. Tim Burton’s classic Batman film was released in theaters. And I turned 20 years old. Time for an adventure, how about a vacation?

I had been in contact with my friend known in these tales as Fu Man Chew. He gained the nickname by chewing on a raw ginseng root for an afternoon. He was highly interested in the latest technology, and purchased a black shiny sports car he called KITT, from Night Rider. It had a removable T-top, a CD player for six cds, powerful speakers were everywhere, and it even had two type of radar detectors. Fu Man Chew was up for a journey, except for one problem. He had relocated to Sarasota, Florida two years previous. So he had to drive to Chicago, visit his relatives, then we were off. But where to go?

I performed a wee bit of research, found some places of interest, took extensive notes, collected maps, made plans, and hatched schemes. The destination was to California – or bust. Was the greatest adventure about to begin? I took a couple of weeks off work from the drug store I worked at, and we sallied forth across the country (see 2014: #3-WORKING IN HELL). We first headed to the Wisconsin Dells. We left Chicago so early that we rolled into the Dells around 1 pm. We visited the wondrous Paul Bunyan restaurant and devoured a gargantuan repast (see 2015: #2-PHANTOMS). We climbed through the narrow tunnels of a somewhat white, styrofoam house named Xanadu, and enjoyed excessive mini golf. We continued northwest then headed west across Minnesota in the dark of night, still the same day since we left Chicago. There was a wrong turn, and we fizzled out at a rest area somewhere past Rochester.

On day two we zoomed out of southern Minnesota and into South Dakota. Listening to Prince’s Batdance with the T-top off in the blazing sun, dry air, golden fields, and hills of South Dakota. We stopped for the night in Pierre, South Dakota, a town piled on hills next to the Missouri River. After visiting a Dairy Queen that only had vanilla, we saw Ghostbusters 2 at a theatre. I was horrified to see I had developed a serious sunburn with that T-top off all day. Fu Man Chew diabolically laughed at me, claiming that the sunburn made me look like the god Pan. I dyed my hair blond that night to increase the Pan effect. Driving that single day under the hot, heavy sun branded several deep wrinkles into my forehead that have never gone away to this day. The marks of Pan are permanent!

On day three we were in western South Dakota. We spent a few hours in Badlands National Park. This place was a vast area with no trees, no vegetation, a road, and an enormous expanse of brown and grey rocky, craggy ground. There were large areas containing cones of natural rock that were close together. These areas were completely impassible. It was about 90 degrees and dry in this forlorn vestibule of Hell. I attempted a Herculean feat by climbing up a craggy hill. As I descended, the rock began breaking apart under my Herculean feet. I slid down about ten feet, my knee gave out, and I fell over into the invigorating dry rock and sandy dirt. After leaving the joys of the Badlands, KITT passed a multitude of tourist attractions featuring life-sized dinosaur replicas to terrify the tiny tots. KITT sped down the hot highways and over the sparse grassy hills to Rapid City, South Dakota. Nearby possible locations to visit included Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower as seen in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. We did visit Mount Rushmore; it was primarily a bunch of large noses. I expect that in millions of years when the aliens visit, all they will find remaining of human civilization will be those noses but with the heads broken off, thinking us to be a species of nose people.

We visited some neat caves in the Black Hills with crystal hanging stalactites. I noticed that one beautiful, white, crystal stalactite-stalagmite formation formed the appearance of a hooded, hulking figure. I was deeply disconcerted why it was named the Klansman, why that was ok. If this was a horror film, this was the moment of an evil foreshadowing. There are so many other names that could have been given to that rock formation: White Death, the Ghost, or the Big Booger. It is so true that hatred is the poison in this country! We escaped the Cave of Racism and drove through the Black Hills, passing more tourist attractions of dinosaurs as Batdance replayed for the sixteenth time. There were very few cds released in 1989 since cds were a new thing then. Luckily I had The Residents Heaven? and Hell! cds to play (see 2012: #1-SPOOKY MUSIC). KITT passed the large Chief Crazy Horse Mountain that was slowly being carved by American Indians of Chief Crazy Horse riding a horse; at this rate it might be finished in 300 years. We were having a reasonably good time, but we we were getting hungry. And then we went to the Mount Rushmore Restaurant, and everything changed.

The Mount Rushmore Restaurant looked very much as it does in Hitchcock’s classic film, North by Northwest. We were rather ravenous. I placed an order and took a seat at a booth. Fu Man Chew placed his order and sat down after me, but he was inexplicably red and speechless. After the food was served, he refused to eat. Angry times ten. It was not anything I did; whatever happened was when he was separate from me in line ordering his dinner. It seemed that a waitress made a rude comment to him. He would not talk. I devoured my dainty dinner since I did not know what else to do. We soon left. Fu Man Chew was not speaking, and he seemed rigid and tense. So we headed towards the Devils Tower, hopefully to reach it before nightfall – but there was an undefined tension in the air. We tried to select a route to Devils Tower, and I rationalized that a slower, more relaxed route might be wise due to Fu Man Chew’s stress. It turned out to certainly be a scenic road in the Black Hills National Forest, but it also was a gravel road. Fu Man Chew kept it under 25 mph as we headed to Wyoming silently. I looked for more cds. He would not talk. Still red. Angry. Then it happened.

An enormous black bull was on the right side of the road, just standing there in the forest. As the red sun set, the bull glared at us with an evil hatred and a dripping snout (see 2009: #8-ATTACKED BY BATS, BULLS, AND BIRDS). The huge, horned, demonic black bull – came charging at KITT as we passed by! I alerted Fu Man Chew who was seriously shocked. He glanced at the mirror and his eyes nearly popped out cartoonishly. The bull was running at us faster than he was driving. It was about three feet away from the car and gaining on us! He pressed down the gas pedal, and we sped up to 30 mph. The bull continued chasing us – quite fast – and it placed its head down with those sharp horns of destruction heading right for us. The narrow road turned, and I informed Fu Man Chew in my Mr. Spock tone that the right side of the car was starting to go off the edge of the road into a gully. He took evasive action, too quickly and forcefully, and the car skidded sideways in the gravel. Time suddenly seemed to flow strangely.

I soon learned that skidding sideways at 30 mph on a gravel road meant that your car would start flipping upside down like in the movies. KITT proceeded to flip over very quickly and also very slowly at the same time. How many times did it flip over? I really don’t know, but at least once. Did I loose consciousness? I am not even sure. I soon found myself upside down – with the car also upside down! We were twenty miles from the nearest town without a phone, on a mountain in the Black Hills. We were in the middle of a thick forest. The sun was setting into deep, hellish reds as I heard the chilling banshee-like malevolent moans emanating from the nearby lurking bull. Luckily it was out of sight.

Fu Man Chew frantically inquired if I was ok. I had no idea how badly I was injured, and I felt numb. I climbed out of the car, and my knees gave out as soon as I stood, and I fell over. I soon found only a cut on one finger and on my knee. The windshield and windows were broken into tiny pieces. I had not been wearing a seat belt. If I had been, most likely I would have been decapitated since the roof was smashed down on the passenger side. Fu Man Chew was ok and hyper. We spent a long time salvaging items from KITT. There was a very long search for Fu Man Chew’s wallet which was finally found in the dashboard of his car. The bull from Hell bellowed in the dark forest but was not seen. I relied on my Boy Scout survival skills and made a fire (see 2016: #13-SUMMER CAMP).

About ninety minutes later, a man and his son showed up. Their first words of friendliness included that it was illegal to have a fire there. They were on fire watch at a distant mountain which they pointed at, a speck in the darkness. They saw the smoke and spent ninety minutes driving towards it. I thanked them for their rescue, and they soon left promising that help would be on the way. I put out the fire and waited in the dark as the bull surely lurked somewhere nearby with that dripping snout. The county police finally showed up. The single sheriff inexplicably interrogated us. I later learned that it was illegal to have cattle on that land; it was federal land. No bull belonged being there. A rancher was breaking the law by allowing his cattle to graze and roam in the national forest. By midnight the inquisitive sheriff left, promising the tow truck driver would arrive. After an eternity of waiting in the dark with that bull lurking and smirking in the darkness, the tow truck drove up.

The tow truck driver was a Lord of the Rings hairy dwarf covered in dirt and grease named Mr. Butterfield. He flipped the car over with his tow truck in minutes. We got into his tow truck, and I sat in the front next to his hairy self. Mr. Butterfield did not speak clearly in any way, but managed to grunt out that there were no vacancies anywhere nearby, not even at Bates Motel. He announced that he was taking us to his home to stay the evening. I looked back at Fu Man Chew to see if he thought that this was a kidnapping, but he just sat in wide-eyed silent shock. Mr. Butterfield drove at maniacal speeds down the highway forest road towing KITT. My eyes bulged as he drove really fast straight through curves down the opposite lane. He laughed that some locals do this, causing out of state people to be run off the road to their deaths. Just last year they found a couple dead in their car off the road where they drove into a canyon and were covered up by vegetation. They were pinned in their car for days and died. He laughed and cackled as we speed down the dark road at 80 mph in the dark.

That drive down the dark road lasted about forty-five minutes, and it could have been a scene from a horror film. The brown grease-covered, short, dwarf-like, aged, tow truck driver, Mr. Butterfield, drove like a maniac. It was like a David Lynch scene as he made comments only he understood as he suckled on some sort of disgusting tobacco. It was well past 1 am when he started slowing down. He uttered something that sounded like Mohelmot, the language of the Mole people, and he drove into a private road (see 2014: #4-STRANGE MONSTERS IN SONGS). We learned that all of the lodgings in the area were typically fully booked this weekend every year – because it was the July 4th weekend. He showed us into his ranch-style country home which was located on a large piece of remote property. He led us into the basement and warned of the bed. It was a semi-broken water bed in a partially finished basement with some odd wall hangings. There was a flag of sorts with a very aggressive eagle figure capturing a sad cartoonish rat with the words “Die Anarchist.” As I checked myself for any possible anarchist identifying paraphernalia, my attention became fixed on the wall. There was a shotgun. As the light went out we barely fell asleep. Were we in danger?

Little did I know that my misadventures had just begun on this vacation from hell. I was far from Route 66 in many ways… and now was much closer to Route 666… (To be continued in two days with 2017: #12-VACATION FROM HELL, PART 2: STRANDED IN THE DESERT).

#1989 #wisconsin dells #badlands #vacation from hell #true halloween tales #Halloween #south dakota #mount rushmore

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petthewolf · 6 years

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1-96

Okay, here are my answers

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? Closed, only psychopaths sleep with the door open

(2) Do You Have Freckles? A few on my shoulders

(3) Can You Whistle? Exceedingly well

(4) Last Song You Listened To. Probably something by AJR

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour? Green, hands down

(6) Relationship Status. Single my dudes

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now? 36f

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky? Surprisingly, no

(9) How Many Followers? 65

(10) Zodiac Sign. Aries

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour? Brown/green

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily? Nope

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower? All the damn time

(14) What Books Are You Reading?

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14.

(16) Favourite Anime? Don’t watch it anymore. Last one was The Magus Bride

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of? Ex boyfriend

(18) Do You Collect Anything? Unnecessary feelings count?

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch? Mac and cheese with broccoli and cauliflower

(20) Do You Dance In The Car? Sometimes. Mostly when I’m not driving

(21) Favourite Animal? Wolf

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics? Not really. Sometimes I’ll tune into the figure skating

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed? Depends. Sometimes 2 am, sometimes never

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now? Just a bit of eyeliner

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? Both have their pros. Pools when I don’t want to get stung or bit by a sea creature, ocean for when I want relaxing waves

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog? Don’t really pay that much attention. The default goes to @tiicktockwitch

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Tap, bottled tastes funny to me

(28) What Makes You Happy? Spending time with animals

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music? Without. When music is playing I tend to pay more attention to it

(31) Dogs Or Cats? Why not both? (dogs)

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be? The dark green one

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox. Don’t play either. I’m a pc gamer

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean? If the lake is clear I’d take it.

(35) Do You Believe In Magic? Yes

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing? Green

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue? Many different ways

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It? I try to save, but then end up spending

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? Yes

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now? Not really

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Yep, multiple times

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? No. If I don’t want to do something there isn’t a lot that can make me do it

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams? All the damn time

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes? Only been once (twice?) It wasn’t terrible

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry. The Perks of Being a Wallfower. And not in a good way

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Either or, i’m not picky

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? Panic! at the Disco. It was supposed to be my first concert but it got rained out

(48) Are You A Picky Eater? Not in the slightest

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Sometimes

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? It’s a phobia of mine and I hate it. I actually think thunderstorms are really cool

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write? Read more so than write. I haven’t had the motivation to write in a long time

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud? Hell yeah!!

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Both leave me bleeding, so I don’t really care

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up? Ipod isn’t charged. Probably something by Panic!

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather) It’s supposed to be spring, but it still feels like winter

(56)What Are You Craving Right Now? TacoBell

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed. Nah, that would require using moblie and I don’t want to download it again

(58) What Is Your Gender? Female

(59) Coffee Or Tea? Coffee

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About? No, I was done with school 5 years ago

(61) What Is Your Sexuality? Pansexual

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning? Not really

(63) Favourite Pokemon? Arkinine

(64) Favourite Social Media? Facebook or Tumblr

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories? What’s that? (I have never used instagram)

(66) Do You Get Homesick? In short bursts

(67) Are You A Virgin? Haven’t been for a long time

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now? Dove Garnier

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free? Sleep in my car

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life? Yep

(71) Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? Captain Marvel

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex? No

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

(74) What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest? Any eye color is sexy on the right person

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set? Yeah, swinging was one of my favorite things on the playground

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate? Chips

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone? Only two

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not?

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Not unless I’m playing a game, and even then I’ll get up for a few minutes at a time to stretch or pee

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network? Not really, I check in people every now and then, but I don’t need to know everything

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People? If it’s my choice to meet them, sure

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them. No jewelry for this gal

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed? Answered above

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today? Went to Micheal’s, saw my grandma, and read.

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed? Birthday suit most of the time. Or over sized shirts

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now. That should be a different list. I have so much of that shit.

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person? Night

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc. Pokemon go, Solitaire, Viscera, Diablo, Ark, and Skyrim

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink? Dr. Pepper

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite? Deep bassy tones. The more I can feel it in my chest, the better

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? It’s a equal mix of both

(93) How Do You Look Right Now? Loose top, loose gym shorts, and smudged eyeliner

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You. The scent of vanilla

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want? All of them. One of my next ones will be a wolf howling in the moon

(96) Favourite YouTuber? Jenna Marbels

#Answered #Nonny #You guys love to torture me by making me do them all at once

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jacewilliams1 · 4 years

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Are pilots rediscovering how to travel by light airplane?

By long standing tradition, baseball players never talk to a pitcher in the middle of a perfect game—if everything is going well, why jinx it? The same mindset applies to pilots, who are often hesitant to acknowledge good news for fear of chasing it away. I’m going to violate that unwritten rule because I think it’s worth exploring an interesting development: general aviation is doing surprisingly well during the coronavirus pandemic.

If it feels like the traffic pattern is crowded and the flight school next door is busy, you’re not alone. ForeFlight reported piston airplane flying over the July 4 weekend (as tracked by their app) was up 10% on 2019, while turboprops were up 8%. AOPA reports that, after a major decline in March and April, members’ flying hours picked up significantly in June and July. Calls about financing are up too, as some pilots have decided this is the time to buy an airplane or finish a rating. This is hardly a revolution, but some GA airports are busier than airline hubs right now.

I’ve noticed the increase in activity on some of my recent trips, from the Southeast to the Midwest. A few weeks ago, I landed at Custer County Airport in South Dakota, a beautiful but remote landing strip close to Mt. Rushmore that was buzzing with activity. As I took advantage of some cheap self-serve fuel, another pilot wandered over to chat (from a very Covid-appropriate 10 feet). He was flying home to Denver in a Cessna 172 after visiting family in the area. A scenic two-hour flight in the Skyhawk was easier than a six-hour drive and safer than flying on an airline.

Two things are worth noting here. First, a lot of the strength is in light airplanes—as the 172 pilot illustrates, this isn’t just a business jet boom for billionaires escaping the city. And secondly, a lot of the activity is because people are really going places, not just practicing landings. Both of these are encouraging developments, because I believe traveling by light airplane is one of the most rewarding things you can do in life (it is the tagline for Air Facts, after all).

Public vs. Private

Some pilots may be breaking state-mandated health rules and behaving irresponsibly, but what I’ve seen so far is the opposite—pilots are using airplanes precisely because they allow for social distancing. This is part of a larger trend, as people around the world reevaluate how they get around, comparing the tradeoffs between public and private transportation.

Customers are voting with their wallets right now and airlines aren’t winning.

Public transportation is almost universally weak right now. Uber rides have declined by 75% almost overnight, the New York City subway is unusually quiet, and TSA screenings for airline passengers are down 70% from 2019 levels (although they are up noticeably from the bottom in April). While the risk of getting sick from an commercial flight appears to be low, passengers are voting with their wallets right now and airlines aren’t winning.

Private transportation, on the other hand, has seen renewed interest. Car sales in China are up 15% over last year as more commuters decide the hassle of traffic beats the risk of a bus ride during a pandemic. In America, you can’t hardly buy a bike or an RV right now because sales are so strong. Even house prices have risen, contrary to most predictions from late March, as people invest in their quarantine locations instead of concerts and restaurant meals.

General aviation certainly falls into that private category, and has benefited from the rapidly shifting social norms. Flying club members have found new value in their 1/12th ownership in a Cherokee. Airline pilots have taken early retirement or been furloughed, and they’re getting back into general aviation airplanes either for fun or for a new career. Million-milers have started to consider private aviation instead of United. And employees working from home might have just a bit more time to pursue a new activity like learning to fly. This renewed interest in aviation is not universal and it could easily fade away, but so far it seems genuine.

You don’t know what you have until you lose it, and over the last four months many Americans have realized how much they like to travel. Sure, some business trips are a waste of time and the three-hour layover at O’Hare is nobody’s idea of fun, but travel is a defining characteristic of our country. Visiting a customer five states away or taking the kids to the beach are relatively routine experiences in the 21st century, not some exotic idea from a 1930s science fiction magazine. When that easy travel went away this spring, people noticed.

A new type of travel?

In addition to how we’re traveling, where we’re traveling has also changed. With most foreign borders closed and cruise ships parked, national parks and lake houses have become 2020’s preferred destinations. For GA pilots, these are ideal places to fly—no need for 2000-mile airplane range and passports, just a duffel bag and a quick flight.

I did a version of this in July and was thrilled with the results. I used a piston airplane to take my kids on a quick lake vacation, and with a convenient airport near my destination I could do it in a day, eliminating the need for hotel rooms and other travel logistics. I never would have tried this in a car, and the nearest airline airport was over an hour away. We never got closer than 20 feet to another person, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Many state parks still feature convenient airports.

In many ways, we’re rediscovering some great ideas from 50 years ago (heck, even drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback). While we’re mining the past, pilots should take inspiration from this time period, general aviation’s golden age. Flip through an Air Facts or Flying magazine from the 60s and 70s and you’ll see all kinds of interesting ads, some of which seem foreign in today’s world. One promoted a golf course with an airport nearby, using the catchy headline “Drop in for tee.” Oklahoma encouraged pilots to “try a flying vacation” and see their fabulous state lodges, five of which featured lighted airstrips. The message was clear: airplanes are for going places and having fun.

Some of those state park airports may be a little run down these days, but most are still around, making regional trips in the US convenient and fun. They’re part of a network of 5,000+ public airports, one of the crown jewels in America’s transportation infrastructure.

It’s even possible that technology might allow for more relaxed schedules and easier flight planning for some of these new travelers. Need to stay a day longer because of bad weather? Zoom and cell phones mean many people can work remotely while waiting for the storms to move out.

Piston airplanes might have a role to play in business travel as well. While the Fortune 500 companies are using their business jets, smaller companies might appreciate the privacy and flexibility of a Cirrus or a Cessna 310. If people really leave big cities like New York or San Francisco due to remote working policies (a popular prediction right now that I’m a little skeptical of), workers could find themselves living much closer to a general aviation airport than before. It’s easier to start flight training in Manhattan, Kansas, than Manhattan Island.

Encouraging new pilots

Of course to support real growth in general aviation flying, we’ll need to train new pilots. That will take a renewed commitment to flight training. In addition to ads about fly-in destinations, those aviation magazines from 50 years ago were also packed with encouragement for new pilots. Full page Cessna ads show the simple 150 and offer $5 intro lessons. Another one offers renters a convenient new option: “Lease-a-Plane offers America a new system in General Aviation. Now you can rent a plane as easily as you rent a car.”

Magazines from the 1960s and 70s were packed with ads for fly-in destinations.

Such ideas are unlikely to come back, but newer ones offer some hope. AOPA’s recent work to grow the number of flying clubs is starting to pay off, with over 1,000 groups in their database. These offer affordable flight training programs with a social infrastructure to keep new pilots engaged, and should be the first point of contact for many new pilots. The growth of the experimental airplane community means pilots can travel in comfort without spending $500,000 for a new airplane.

Another new technology might help pilots at the very earliest stage. Microsoft’s new Flight Simulator game, out this month, represents the first totally new simulator in years and looks simply amazing. It’s attracting a lot of attention, from the general public as well as aviation enthusiasts. I know Microsoft Flight Simulator was a critical step in my path to becoming a pilot, starting in the early 90s; perhaps the latest edition will hook the next generation while they’re spending more time at home.

Perspective

Of course I don’t really want to go back in time, and nostalgia can be crippling as well as inspiring. Leisure suits and high inflation can stay in the 70s. In aviation, I’d much rather have datalink weather and WAAS approaches than Flight Watch and NDBs. Other than fuel prices (which are 30% higher today than they were in 1980, adjusted for inflation), I agree with Richard Collins’s philosophy: “may the good old days never return.”

It’s also easy to overstate general aviation’s recent strength. There is still plenty of bad news in the world, whether it’s significant Covid-19 outbreaks or massive airline layoffs. A small bump in flight activity does not signal a return to the glory days. However, we shouldn’t bury our head in the sand either. In the wake of a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis and economic collapse, the fact that our little corner of the aviation world has survived is worth celebrating. More importantly, it’s worth building on.

The post Are pilots rediscovering how to travel by light airplane? appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2020/08/are-pilots-rediscovering-how-to-travel-by-light-airplane/

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biofunmy · 5 years

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36 Hours in Berlin – The New York Times

On Nov. 9, 1989, the East German government made a surprising announcement: It was easing up travel restrictions on its citizens. East Berliners flocked to the nearest border crossings at the Berlin Wall, especially at Checkpoint Charlie, the famed crossing between the divided Berlins. Not long after that, Berliners from the east and west began chipping away at the literal and metaphorical wall that had separated them for nearly three decades, since the Soviet-backed East German government erected the concrete slabs that split the city in two. The Cold War was over. Well, sort of. Today in Berlin you can still go back to that world by eating and drinking in restaurants and bars dedicated to the German Democratic Republic — G.D.R. for short, or D.D.R. in the local parlance — as well as learn about the former East Berlin via fascinating museums, architecture and shops.

Friday

1) 3 p.m. Communists, nudists and dissidents

Ever wonder why East Germans had a proclivity for hanging out in public stark naked? Or what it was like to drive a Trabant — the cult East German-made automobile with a Formica-like Duroplast body — around East Germany in the 1980s? Or what an interrogation room looked like? You can find out at the DDR Museum, a fascinating, immersive, hands-on experience that serves as an excellent introduction to life in East Germany. The museum, which opened in 2006 and is housed in a modern building on the Spree River, recently welcomed its six millionth visitor. Admission: 9.80 euros, or about $10.80.

2) 7 p.m. The ‘People’s’ restaurant

Named for the “People’s Chamber,” the lower house of parliament in the G.D.R., Volkskammer tries to revive East Germany on a daily basis by cooking up gruel for the odd local with a case of “ostalgie” — nostalgia for the old East — and curious tourists willing to punish their palates with hearty slop like Falscher Hase, or counterfeit rabbit: a dense, gravy-smothered meatloaf hiding a hard-boiled egg and cured pork knuckle with kraut. Dinner for two is about €50, including beer or wine. If you can’t stomach Soviet-era cuisine, try nearby Michelberger (in the hotel of the same name), which serves up excellent farm-to-table, uber-seasonal fare such as venison pie or wild boar schnitzel with pumpkin. Dinner for two is about €75, with wine.

3) 9 p.m. Red hangover

Opened in 1992, just three years after the Wall fell, Die Tagung, a bar in the Friedrichshain neighborhood, celebrates the G.D.R. with a sense of humor. The owner, a longtime Friedrichshain resident, scoured a local abandoned train repair complex for former East Berlin-era signs that now grace the walls, along with tapestries bearing the image of Karl Marx, and a large bust of Vladimir Lenin who was, on a recent visit, sporting headphones and aviator glasses. There are also enough red stars and hammer-and-sickle symbols to inspire a collective May Day parade. Imbibe a Russian Cocaine, €3: a shot of vodka that comes with a slice of lemon coated with sugar on one side and coffee grinds on the other.

Saturday

4) 10:30 a.m. A Stalinist stroll

Built on the rubble of World War II, the wide boulevard known as Karl Marx Allee started life as Stalinallee, Stalin Boulevard, but was renamed after Marx in 1961. Between Frankfurter Tor in Friedrichshain and Alexanderplatz — just under two miles — the 300-foot-wide street is lined with monumental, wedding cakelike, Stalinist-style structures, built to be “workers’ palaces,” a place for East Germany to showcase the glories of Socialism. The Italian architect Aldo Rossi called it “Europe’s last great street.” Placards are positioned along the way to explain the history of noteworthy buildings, such as Kino International, a still-working movie theater and a gem of functionalist architecture, and the duel towers, Frankfurter Tor.

5) Noon. Snack break

Named for a popular G.D.R.-era magazine, Café Sibylle is one of the few businesses on the Karl Marx Allee that still exists from the Cold War days. About halfway along the boulevard, the cafe is nicely positioned for a rest. After taking in the permanent exhibition on the evolution of the boulevard, complete with text, photos and household objects from the 1950s and 60s, plant yourself at a table and sip coffee or a beer and graze on a salad or a sausage. The wooden tables and high ceilings invite visitors to stay awhile. Lunch for two costs about €25.

6) 3 p.m. Shop like a Socialist

Good news, comrade! Both ends of Karl Marx Allee — or at least between Frankfurter Tor and Alexanderplatz — are book ended by Humana Second Hand & Vintage shops. The outlet at Frankfurter Tor is the largest secondhand shop in Berlin: four floors of vintage and used duds. The top floor focuses on clothes from the 1950s to the 1990s, and there are often select racks for G.D.R. clothes at either or both locations. If you like your Socialist souvenirs even more kitschy, head to Ampelmann, south of Alexanderplatz, a shop that sells images of the “traffic light man,” an East German symbol that has become iconic since the fall of the Wall, on everything from golf balls to coffee mugs to T-shirts.

7) 5:30 p.m. Walking the Wall

The East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain; the long stretch of the Berlin Wall that is clad in colorful iconic images; and the Wall Museum near Checkpoint Charlie: These sites all get ample visitors. But the most sobering way to get a sense of what it was like to live in Berlin during the time of the Wall is at the Berlin Wall Memorial in Prenzlauer Berg. This portion of the wall and the harrowing section known as the “death strip” — with its booby traps, armed guards, towers and trenches — allow visitors to see the most preserved swath of the remaining wall complex. Admission is free.

8) 8 p.m. Vodka shots and soljanka

Opened in 1994 and located in the former East Berlin neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg, Restaurant Pasternak serves dishes from around the former Soviet Union, particularly from Russia and Ukraine; many of the options have an Eastern European Jewish bent. The restaurant is named after the Nobel Prize-winning Russian poet and author of “Doctor Zhivago,” Boris Pasternak. Start off with a bowl of soljanka, a creamy, dill-spiked soup that has Russian origins, but was one of the most popular dishes in the former East Germany; then move on to sautéed calf’s liver and latkes accented with a spicy apple jam. And don’t forget to have a few shots of the house vodka. Dinner for two, about €85 with wine or vodka.

9) 10 p.m. House party

You could go to the Museumswohnung, a three-bedroom apartment so perfectly preserved you’d almost expect the Stasi, the official East German state security apparatus, to be bugging the place. Or you could spend your Saturday night dancing at Salon zur Wilden Renate, a techno club that took over an abandoned apartment building in Friedrichshain and sort of left things as they were, including 1970s wallpaper, couches and beds. Opening times vary, so check the club website before heading out. Entrance is €10 to €15, depending on the night and event.

Sunday

10) 11 a.m. The lives of others

The Stasi’s main job was spying on ordinary people who were not in line with party policies and values, hauntingly depicted in the 2006 German film “The Lives of Others.” The Stasi Museum is in the agency’s former headquarters in Lichtenberg. The three floors hold hundreds of artifacts, such as bugging devices, hidden cameras and lock picks, as well as placards detailing nearly every aspect of the organization, including the fact that up to 180,000 East German “unofficial informants” were working with the Stasi by 1989. The tour ends on the third floor at a cafe and bar — after the museum, you might need a stiff drink. There are free 90-minute guided tours in English at 3 p.m. on Thursday to Monday. Admission is €8 and the tour is free.

11) 2 p.m. Schnitzel and schlock

PILA is a restaurant on Friedrichshain Volkspark that also bills itself as a museum dedicated to the former East Germany. The interior is bedecked with all manner of G.D.R. minutiae — enough East Berlin flags and portraits of former dear leaders to bring tears to the eyes of those nostalgic for five-year plans and collective farming. This is a place for those craving dishes like schnitzel atop fusilli pasta with a few splotches of ketchup-spiked tomato sauce and plus-size plates of currywurst, which is better than you’d think. Even the light, flimsy forks and spoons are legit G.D.R. throwbacks. Lunch is about €40 with beer.

Lodging

A Stadtbad, or public bathhouse starting in 1902, this ornate building in pretty Prenzlauer Berg became a hotel in 2016. Hotel Stadtbad Oderberger (Oderberger Strasse 57; +49 (30) 780 089 760; www.hotel-oderberger.berlin; doubles from 117 euros per night) has 70 rooms, five suites and two apartments. Rooms have oak floors, TVs and coffee makers. The bathrooms have rain-shower heads. The handsome in-house restaurant, housed in a former thermal power station, cooks up German dishes with modern flair and offers a fair number of vegan and vegetarian options. And don’t forget your swimming suit. The original pool is now the hotel pool.

Ostel (Wriezener Karree 5; +49 (30) 2576 8660; www.ostel.eu; doubles from 42 euros per night) is an East Berlin-themed hotel near the Ostbahnhof, or East Railway Station, in Friedrichshain. The 36 single and double rooms are, as one would expect, dripping in Communist-era kitsch, complete with groovy, colorful wallpaper and bedspreads. All rooms have G.D.R.-era radios. But be careful! It would be easy to think that the Stasi is secretly listening to you. Some rooms have shared bathrooms.

If you want to go the private apartment rental route, base yourself in pretty Prenzlauer Berg where studios and one-bedroom apartments may cost around €75 per night.

Sahred From Source link Travel

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elrieltinuviel · 7 years

Note

Questioooooooons!!!!!!! :)

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? I don’t have a bedroom, much less a closet lol

(2) Do You Have Freckles? Negative

(3) Can You Whistle? Ye!

(4) Last Song You Listened To. I’m listening to a mix thingy of “How Far I’ll Go” and “Go the Distance” on Youtube

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour? Black? Red??

(6) Relationship Status. Taken!

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now? 70 ish in the apartment

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky? Always

(9) How Many Followers? 226

(10) Zodiac Sign. Libra

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour? Hazel

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily? Nah

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower? No, too self conscious

(14) What Books Are You Reading? None...

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14. I’m not doing that

(16) Favourite Anime? Fullmetal Alchemist (idk which one)

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of? Mom and sister at my cousin’s funeral

(18) Do You Collect Anything? Calories

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch? Wendy’s

(20) Do You Dance In The Car? Sometimes, if I’m driving

(21) Favourite Animal? Idk

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics? Sometimes

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed? Midnight

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now? No

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? No

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog? Idk

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water? straight from a spring

(28) What Makes You Happy? @ladyofthecampfires

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now. I don’t WANNA

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music? I don’t know how to study

(31) Dogs Or Cats? Yes

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be? I have no idea

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox. I’ve only owned an Xbox

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean? Depends on the water

(35) Do You Believe In Magic? Ye

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing? Black

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue? Ye

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It? Yes

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? The plate I’m eating from

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now? Death

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? No, I’ve had them land on me before though

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Sadly

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams? I don’t dream

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes? No

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry. I don’t remember

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? No

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? Boston Ballet Company

(48) Are You A Picky Eater? Ye

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Kinda

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? Only when I’m camping in a tent

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write? Its been a while, but ye

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud? Usually

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Wrap gifts

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up? “The Final Victory”- Haggard

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather) Autumn

(56)What Are You Craving Right Now? To not be sick

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed. No

(58) What Is Your Gender? Female

(59) Coffee Or Tea? Iced coffee

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About? I’ve been out of school for 5 years

(61) What Is Your Sexuality? Asexual

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning? No

(63) Favourite Pokemon? Idk

(64) Favourite Social Media? Tumblr?

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories? Don’t have one

(66) Do You Get Homesick? Often

(67) Are You A Virgin? No

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now? Tresseme I think?

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free? Motel

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life? Yes, thought mom is 1800 miles away

(71) Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? Black Panther? idk

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex? @dontmakemekickyourass only

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now? “Not all those who wander are lost”

(74) What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest? Green

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set? No

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate? Eating a dynamite currently

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone? Bejeweled

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not? Not likely, I don’t know how anymore, and I’d not have protection. You never know what someone may have.

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Been on the computer 5 hours GAY

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network? Sure

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People? No

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them. I do, but no pics

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed? Don’t have a bedroom, thanks.

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today? Work, Eat, make dynamites

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed? Shorts

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now. body wash and shampoo

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person? Neither, really

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc. I’m not looking through that. Skyrim, Fallout, Civilization, Sims, and more

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened. I don’t dream at night, but I once daydreamed (I guess) about someone in my family died, 5 minutes later dad told me my cousin died the night before

(90) Favourite Soda Drink? Raspberry ginger ale

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite? Mt. Greylock

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Jeans

(93) How Do You Look Right Now? Tired.

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You. @ladyofthecampfires

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want? See my blog header

(96) Favourite YouTuber? Don’t have one

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heckyeahsurveys · 7 years

Text

#244

Would you consider yourself very flexible?

not rly no

Do you embarrass easily? idk it depends??

Have you ever tried to talk your way out of getting a ticket? i don’t drive

Did it work? ^^

Have you ever been banned from anywhere? no

Do you have a ringtone or do you leave your phone on vibrate? i have a ringtone but it’s almost always on silent

What was the last thing you drank from a mug? mocha

Were you born in the 90’s? yeah

When was the last time you paid less than $1 for something? idk

Have you loaned anything out to anyone recently? i don’t think so

Are any of your siblings married? nope

Who was the last person to spend the night with you at your house? idk, liz xxx

How many different picture ID’s do you have in your wallet? 0

Do you have a hard time making decisions? yeah

Who was your date to senior prom? i didn’t have one, ppl didn’t rly do that

Does your dad smoke? no. he used to tho n quit fairly recently

Is your mom over 50? nope

Do you want to get married? probs one day

Have kids? no

Are there any movies coming out you wanna see? nope

Do you have any plans to get a new tattoo or piercing? kind of but not in the immediate future

Do you know anyone named Christine? yeah

Do you know anyone who’s biracial? i think so

Do you know anyone who works at Walmart? no cos i live in the uk

Are black bras sexy? not all black bras no???

Are you currently listening to anything? yeah, make daddy proud by blackbear

Would you ever consider getting breast implants? probs not

If you could spend 30 minutes with someone who’s gone, who would you pick? i thought my grandad but actually i wouldn’t, i don’t think it’d be good for me idk

Are you on birth control? no

Does anyone call you babe? nope

Do you hate it when people try to play with your hair? it depends but usually not

Who would you tell, or who did you tell when you lost your virginity? i’d tell my friends n my mum

Were you in a relationship 6 months ago? no

Are you still with that person? ^^

Are you the kind of person who has crazy mood swings? yeah

Who was the last person to call you? liz

Did you see your dad today? yep

What was the last movie you watched? jean de florette i think

Are you wearing anything blue? no

How is your hair right now? a greasy mess n in a ponytail

Have you ever been to the White House? nope

What time will it be in 20 minutes? 00:57

Does your birthday come before or after the 15th of the month? before

What are your plans for tomorrow? get up n wash, chill for a bit, get ready n go out for tea n that’s it

Is it raining right now? nah

How old were you 5 years ago? 12

Do you own an umbrella? no :// i rlly need one tho

What are you listening to at the moment? heart out by the 1975

Do you have a debit card? nope

Why did you stop working at the last place you were employed? I've never had a job so..

Have you ever made out with a complete stranger? yeah lol

Do you have freckles? yep

What would you do if you found out your ex was pregnant/fathered a child? i’d be v shocked??

Who was the last person to smoke a cigarette in front of you? kt i think

Are you very close to your siblings? yeah but like we hate each other at the same time

If you could trade places with the opposite sex for a day, would you? yeah sure

Do you use soap or body wash when you shower? body wash

What day of the week is it? technically it’s sunday morning

What does that mean you have to do today? nothing much

Are you currently in the second story of a building? yeah?? idk i wouldn’t call it a story tho

Look past your computer screen, what’s in front of you? the wardrobe

Who was the last person you spoke to in person? liz

Is there anything written on the shirt you are wearing? no

Do you own a tie dyed shirt? nope

Did you make it yourself? ^^

Are you currently wearing a belt? no, I’m not even wearing trousers

How many days is it until Christmas? fuck knows

Will it be Christmas before it is your birthday? no

How much was gas the last time you looked? I've never looked

Is there someone who would support you no matter what? probably, idk mayb not ‘no matter what’ tho

Do you know how to make hemp jewelry? no

Do you still get carded when you try and buy things you’re old enough to? i’m not old enough to buy most things so??

What was the last movie you saw in theaters? rogue one

What was the last movie you watched by yourself? I don’t remember tbh

Is there someone you’d drop everything for if you could see them right now? nah

Do you believe in saving sex for marriage? no

Do you think the drinking age in the US should be lowered to 18? yeah

Do you have any relatives who were born in another country? yeah

Would you rather visit Iceland for a week or Rome for a day? ooooh that’s a hard one, mayb iceland bc u can’t rly do much in a day

Who was the last person you rode in a vehicle with? kt n a taxi driver

What were you doing at this time yesterday? we were at the college party still i think, can’t remember exactly what we were doing tho, probs dancing??

Do you believe most people are good people deep down? nah

Do you tend to hold grudges? kind of

Who do you look more like, your dad or your mom? idk i don’t think i look like either

Do you get along with your parents usually? sometimes, my mum most of the time but i get along w/ dad less

Are you an optimist? not at all

What’s the date today? 9th april 2017

Are you wearing jeans? no

What comes to mind when I say the word ‘pink’? nothing tbh??

Do you believe in finding the good in people? idk

What was the last thing someone said to you? I don’t remember

What was the last thing someone asked you? also don’t remember that

Did you sleep alone last night? no

What will you be doing tomorrow around 2 pm? probs starting to get ready ://

Do you tan? not rly no

Have you ever spent the night on a rooftop? not the whole night

What is the nearest big city to you? manchester

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biofunmy · 5 years

Text

36 Hours in Berlin – The New York Times

Friday

1) 3 p.m. Communists, nudists and dissidents

2) 7 p.m. The ‘People’s’ restaurant

3) 9 p.m. Red hangover

Saturday

4) 10:30 a.m. A Stalinist stroll

5) Noon. Snack break

6) 3 p.m. Shop like a Socialist

7) 5:30 p.m. Walking the Wall

8) 8 p.m. Vodka shots and soljanka

9) 10 p.m. House party

Sunday

10) 11 a.m. The lives of others

11) 2 p.m. Schnitzel and schlock

Lodging

If you want to go the private apartment rental route, base yourself in pretty Prenzlauer Berg where studios and one-bedroom apartments may cost around €75 per night.

Sahred From Source link Travel

from WordPress http://bit.ly/2NuzOfO via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

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