ANNUAL STRESS MANAGED.
I've been reeeeally quiet lately, even though I've done some blogworthy stuff. Why? Calm before the storm-- I felt that if I wrote anything, I might jinx myself. I've been that nervous.
Why?
Imagine that, every year, you have to take your driver's test over again. There's a written exam, full of minutiae of Driver's Ed that you may or may not remember from when you first took your Driver's Ed course. Then there's the practical-- the actual DRIVING-- and you really hope you haven't picked up any bad habits along the way. Cuz, y'know, they dock you points for that.
That's what I've been going through this month. Every year as a flight attendant I have to have an annual re-certification-- to prove I'm still competent enough to do my job. This is great news for all people travelling on my airline-- you know for a fact that the longest any F/A you see has gone without training is eleven months-- but for those of us in uniform, it's stress city.
We have to pass our exams with an 85% or better score. If we fail, we get one rewrite where we have to get 90%. If we fail that-- we don't have a job anymore. It's that simple. (Yes, we can re-apply to be flight attendants after six months, but we have to start all over again with initial training. And dude. DUDE. Six months without flying. At this point I can't even imagine a grounded life.)
So I've been quiet, twitchy, and hiding from the world all of February, focussing on this, and JUST this-- if I could just get through THIS, life would be wonderful again.
Today was my final exam.
I PASSED.
I'd like to thank God, my wife, and my wife AGAIN for taking care of me and putting up with me while I twitched and gibbered my way through studying and my Annual classes. Year One is over. I'm now a veteran with experience and stories to share-- with a gorgeous spring and summer to look forward to.
And I love you all. Because I can still fly, and it's impossible not to feel love when you're in the air. I'm also very, very grateful for everything and everyone I have in this life.
Peace. I'm going to go collapse now... except I left my exam and boarded a plane for Vancouver where I now write this before filming a WestJet commercial tomorrow-- at ACTRA rates. More on that later.
Zzzzzz.
Why?
Imagine that, every year, you have to take your driver's test over again. There's a written exam, full of minutiae of Driver's Ed that you may or may not remember from when you first took your Driver's Ed course. Then there's the practical-- the actual DRIVING-- and you really hope you haven't picked up any bad habits along the way. Cuz, y'know, they dock you points for that.
That's what I've been going through this month. Every year as a flight attendant I have to have an annual re-certification-- to prove I'm still competent enough to do my job. This is great news for all people travelling on my airline-- you know for a fact that the longest any F/A you see has gone without training is eleven months-- but for those of us in uniform, it's stress city.
We have to pass our exams with an 85% or better score. If we fail, we get one rewrite where we have to get 90%. If we fail that-- we don't have a job anymore. It's that simple. (Yes, we can re-apply to be flight attendants after six months, but we have to start all over again with initial training. And dude. DUDE. Six months without flying. At this point I can't even imagine a grounded life.)
So I've been quiet, twitchy, and hiding from the world all of February, focussing on this, and JUST this-- if I could just get through THIS, life would be wonderful again.
Today was my final exam.
I PASSED.
I'd like to thank God, my wife, and my wife AGAIN for taking care of me and putting up with me while I twitched and gibbered my way through studying and my Annual classes. Year One is over. I'm now a veteran with experience and stories to share-- with a gorgeous spring and summer to look forward to.
And I love you all. Because I can still fly, and it's impossible not to feel love when you're in the air. I'm also very, very grateful for everything and everyone I have in this life.
Peace. I'm going to go collapse now... except I left my exam and boarded a plane for Vancouver where I now write this before filming a WestJet commercial tomorrow-- at ACTRA rates. More on that later.
Zzzzzz.