Dear Minnesota;

You know how some people and places come into your life, leave footprints on your heart and soul, and somehow you are never ever the same? If you are getting this message, it's because you have touched my life in a very special way. This has been one heck of a 12 months and I have now experienced the Minnesotan extremes of weather, seasons and wonderful people.

I know from experience that I will arrive in Boston blissfully aware of my new surroundings; I'll rejoice in the newness of it all. And then in a couple of months I will miss Minnesota. I'll tell stories about riding my bike and suffering in the fierce headwinds and then sailing home with the wind at my back ). I clocked 16,993 miles on my road bike in that wind last year, and I didn't even ride in December; I'll brag about walking to work in the sub-freezing climate; I'll inform everyone about the black black soil and cornstalks for miles. Nothing will ever compare with my winter jogs through Camden with only Sydney and the wildlife for company--we got married in Camden and don't know what we'd have done without it as our escape [from the wind!]. From Marshall to St. Cloud, Duluth, Grand Marais & Grand Portage, Stillwater, Minneapolis/St.Paul, Fargo/Moorehead, Northfield, Mankato, Taylor's Falls, Rochester...sigh. The list is long and I realize how much I enjoyed Minnesota.

But aside from the places and things I did, what I will really miss...and it won't take me a couple of months to miss either, are the people who have charmed my life while I've lived here. (In no particular order)

Joe & Chantal Bennett---Duluth suits you well---but I can't believe we moved to Marshall and you guys were already gone....my stomach will hurt from laughing if I dare mention the many conversations with you Joe...and the phone messages you've left that Mike and I save because we laugh until we can't breathe! Priceless!

Kim & Rick Olson---I don't think we'd be here if it wasn't for you guys. I remember Mike sitting in the bathtub in Los Altos, CA talking to Rick on the phone one night around Christmas (2004) and that was the clincher. He toasted you with a beer while you got hammered in a bar somewhere...spiced rum with diet coke (w/splenda) was I'm sure your drink that night. I'll miss not being here to welcome the newest little Olle' to the family. I know you'll come visit. Rick I have your Lance book...Call me.

Dave & Lisa Horstmann---Remember my daily Monday calls, Dave, from California? You are the salt of earth...And you hate this kinda junk---so I'll leave it at Thanks and know that you know what I mean. If you can forward this on to Cody and Chad, who graciously tolerated this girl in their "bike-space", that'd be great! Lisa, I have your book still!

Jim, Mary & Jim Muchlinski---always a day-brightener for me. You already know I love you. Uncle Jim and Mike telling "Johnnie" stories after a dinner of Aunt Mary's homemade soup was a treat of an evening that warms me still!

Kathy Eveslage---even before we moved here...just knowing you were here increased the market-value of Marshall---You're the best hound guard we've ever had and we were wondering if you might come to Boston for a little houndsitting?

Pete & Lynne Johnson---How could I get the coolest job in Marshall right before we leave? Keep on riding Pete. Let me know when you're ready for a Seven! Lynne says ya'll will come visit us in Boston on your way to New Hampshire...we'll go and ride the New England back-roads together...

Celeste Lasich---I've learned so much from you. You are one heck of a woman and Marshall is lucky to have a you preaching the good word.

Rachel & Mike Carpenter---My first bike sale in Marshall! And my riding buddies. I will certainly see you on the road still, perhaps you and Mary and Phyllis can plan a Fall colors in New England bike trip!

Mary Baldwin---I'll never forget riding with you Mary. Training with ya'll for RAGBRAI was wonderful! Sometimes I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe---oh yeah, don't crash!!

Phyllis Johnson---You're a hammer! I guess you win the Most Improved Rider award. Between the antics of you and Mary, each and every suffer-fest in the prairie winds was enjoyed by this California girl!

THE BIRTHDAY CLUB; Marge & Sheldon Haaland, Sandy & Bob Fenske, Joanne & Harland Christoffer, Mike and Mary Jacobs, and Don & Carlene Otterson---for everything from my welcome to our wedding...I'll never forget the day when I rode by on my bike right after Tuesday's coffee and Sandy gave me a warm hug and said, "Oh Joni, I'm so glad you're here!" Watch the Calendar Girl's and think of me! (Diane can you forward this to the Birthday Club?)

The Grandstay Cycling Team---Minnesota started feeling like "home" after meeting you guys! Seriously. Casper, Matt, Jim---you make it hard to leave and we will follow your results on the mcf.net website and on the Grandstay website. With Linda and Casper potentially doing Nats next year---we'll see you in Rhode Island for sure. It has been a GRANDstay! And how about Jim being on the same plane ride out to Boston and giving Mike a ride to Seven!

David LaPorte---It figures the year I'd get a very cool job at the Minnesota Bike Race, working for the race instead of a Pro-Team, I'm unsure if I will be there! It'll always be one of the best events I've been to. You do a fabulous job!

Jay "Hollywood" Henderson---You are the "man"! Rock the good life, and ride the good race! I know I will see you on the road and at the races. (Casper...Matt...someone forward this to Hollywood)

Curtis & Bev, The Soupir's, The Bowden's, The Weeks' and The Rupp's---welcoming us from day one as neighbors! We were lucky! (Diane can you forward to the Bowden's) (Dave Horstmann, can you forward to the Week's?)

The Midwest Aviation Crew---Sam, Norman, Doug, Mike, Art, Bill, Jessie, Shelley, Pat, Joel, Eli, Frank, Lee and Charlotte---You all were awesome to work with! Sam...forward this on to everyone for me.

Kennedy Gilbertson, Cindy Fleck, Carrie Radloff, Austin (Powers! International Man of Leasing!), Erin, Curt Kovash, Deb Schnibley, Paul Meyer and all the wonderful people at US Bank...(Kim, can you forward this onto these folks...?) Mike was blessed to have spent the year learning the skills of leasing with you all. Curt, you are one of the finest leaders I have personally ever met. I hardly knew you but you have a calm, solid leadership quality that I can't describe in words, but is admirable all the same. Kennedy and Austin---you're champs! Cindy, Erin, Carrie, Deb, Paul---I always felt welcome with you guys! Thanks! ---also Joe Andries and Dave Verkinderen (Veech?) (Kim, can you forward?)

Paul Johnson---the best dentist I ever had! It was fun bike riding with you---and thanks for being so gentle on my teeth! (Dave Horstmann, can you forward?)

I am missing lots of email addresses and I am wordy as usual.

As my cousin (in law) Douglas said, "It's rare when folks even know what their passion is---rarer yet when they are able to make a career out of their passion". The weirdest thing is how these jobs found us...we weren't even looking. Two careers that speak to our hearts and lifestyles makes the somewhat scary move to Boston worth the risk. We are excited. Mike will be working the "designing process" end of the custom bicycles, and I will be working Sales and Dealer Development---focusing on growing the brand. Look for us at www.sevencycles.com!

And, know that you will be missed by this California girl!

Love,
Joni Taylor

Celebrate Good Times!

We arrived at Minnesota Mom and Dad's Saturday evening for dinner. It was hard not to reveal the "evening's happenings" to Minnesota Mom---especially since she's sad that we are leaving. Sue gave a call to say she was about 20 minutes out of Marshall though, and so we arrived just a bit beforehand. Just as we sat down, the doorbell rang and everyone looked to Diane to go and answer it. Who could it be?

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!", cried 4 little grandchildren, Sue and Tom! She really didn't expect it! And indeed it worked to bring a real smile to her face. Dave, with Sue's help, masterminded the whole thing. He did a GRAND job...planning a pizza feast and even cake! We even celebrated my birthday and Taylor's birthday---all the February Taylor birthday's together. I was missing a little family celebration myself----and was feeling a bit sorry for myself too. Even my mood changed.

The highlight of my evening? Well, there were a few...but I have to admit that playing "crazy 8's" and "Old Maid" with Livvy-Lou on my lap was pretty special. Plus we won! (Livvy wanted to keep the Old Maid---so even though we got stuck with it, we won the game!). Our wedding furniture looks lovely in Diane's livingroom---it is nice to know it has a good home. And we played a "word-game" of sorts...kinda like a hot potato game where you have to guess a word with a buzzing machine in your hands. Girl's against Boys---Girl's won!

I've been feeling a bit sad and out of sorts and overwhelmed with all the future plans---like we tried something here and failed---and let folks down. Isn't that weird? Here we are facing a career of a lifetime, something that I couldn't have written for myself any better, something that works for both of us---so why feel anything but thrilled? Who knows? It's always been a comfort, as I've taken risks, to know that I could always go "home". Even coming here to Marshall had comfort in that we were in Mike's hometown. So it was less scary.

But this new adventure is new territory for both of us. The comfort being that we *are* each other's home now. We are what we've got to rely and count on for the comfort of being at home. I guess the *we* part is really sinking in now. It's no longer an "I" or "me", but rather it's a "we" and "us". And I guess the being on our own is sinking in...sounds like growing up all over again.

Packing is a pain. I've become such a regular at The Good Will that they recognize me when I drive up. And we've still got too much stuff. I'm doing my best to enjoy the last couple of weeks though. Sydney and I spent the weekend at Camden. She knows something's up---sniffing around to make sure her bags are packed. She isn't aware that she'll be seeing the vet this week---she's due for shots and we might as well get them done before we go. One less thing to do. I can't believe I am moving to Massachusetts. Lots of US History involved moving to such an "old" state.

Happy Monday!

Scrappers first day at work!

Yesterday, I asked if it would be OK for me to bring the small hound to work with me. The Taylor's have been taking her out ever since I started working full time, and it's alot to ask...and so my hope was that if she could just come with me, it would be easier on everybody. Ask and you shall receive. Sam said, "No problem!"

So today was the Scrap's first day at the office and she was a champ! I set her up with her pillow under my feet and when she wasn't busy stealing shop rags from the mechanic's or playing tug of war with them, she was busy resting under my feet. She's also been charged with greeting visitors and they've already called her the shop watch dog! This makes it easy as we get to stop by the field for a run at lunchtime, and she doesn't get bored or lonely by herself at home all day.

And anyway---she's gonna be working again soon enough once she gets to Boston. I finally finished up my systems review for the owner's to take a peek at for implementation. I have to say, this is the quickest I've ever done something like this. I've been in Net-meetings solid for the last couple of days. Sigh. Once a decision is made---I can hand off to the proper departments and wind my time down here. I still think I have the coolest job in Marshall, but knowing that I'm leaving it for the "coolest job for Joni" is somewhat of a comfort. And when you're this close to checking out, it's hard to focus---I'm mentally gone already....and am anxious for the physical part to catch up with the mental part---if that makes any sense?

In any case...it's nice to have some Scrapper company with me at work. It snowed again last night but Mike ended up getting in 2-3 hours on the bike outside anyway. He's thrilled to be heading out on Sunday. I can't wipe the grin off his face. "One more winter" is his mantra. I'm just happy that tomorrow is friday. I've got so much to do it seems. enjoy the airplane photo's...It's hard to get the camera settings right in the hangar.

Piper-Saratoga

This is just too much. Yesterday I needed to be in New Ulm, as Midwest Aviation operates the small airport facility there and I needed to be sure to incorporate their systems into the umbrella data model I am implementing at headquarters (a.k.a Marshall). I thought I'd have to drive there which would have meant about 4 hours on the road (round trip). But I thought wrong. Art (the chief of all the pilots who work for Midwest), said..."when do you need to go?" I said "Now...why?" (I was getting the keys to a company vehicle at the time). Art said, "Because Joni, you are employed by a bunch of people who fly airplanes, silly...Joel can fly you there!"

How cool is that? We hopped aboard a smaller plane (I forgot the tail number but it ends in Juliet Mike...My old initials)---a Piper Saratoga to be exact. Joel flew low and I saw my house in high resolution as we passed through Marshall. With the head sets on we just sat there chatting away and he gave me mini-flying lessons and tips. He likes to fly manually---but we were also testing the auto-pilot GPS.

Joel is kinda funny. He's somewhat cynical --- too young to be that way really. But a super nice guy. Very smart. And a very good pilot. I was happy to know that he is the Flight Safety Officer for the company, in addition to being a pilot---been flying for over 20 years and he is only 36 years old. He's got that dry, Minnesotan humor---gotta know when to take him seriously or not.

New Ulm had way more snow than we had...it was pretty seeing the change from brown square miles to white square miles. It is so FLAT here. You really get a perspective on just how flat when you are in an airplane but flying low enough to see stuff. I couldn't see over the dashboard...it was too high, so I kept looking out the side window. And he swooped around and we went sideways when he turned and circled the plane. Sort of like being on a roller-coaster ride, you know how your tummy gets airy and bubbly. Something tells me that if I was staying...I'd learn to fly. It's so freeing.

But I am not staying. Mike leaves on Sunday and I've got about two more weeks after that...pretty mind-boggling if you think about it. It's all sinking in now. The load of "to-do's" has been reduced considerably and we've managed every hiccup the way we always do. Together. It's how we do it. We set our sights high and even when we aren't sure about how we are going to get through something...we keep our mind on our dream and make it a reality. We're not there yet---and I expect a crazy month or two (at least)...but my heart says we are doing the right thing. And we are both very excited to get to Boston!

King Air!

Wow! What a day I had today! Right when I got to work, Eli and Pat (two of the Midwest Aviation pilots) were in the office in the hangar. They had to go and check out the oxygen tanks at altitude on one of the planes. I pretty much ignored what they were talking about. "Hey Fire-plug (my nickname---don't know where they came up with that one!), How are you feeling?" "Oh fine" I replied, "Why?" They were wondering if I had a head-cold.

"Feel like taking a ride?" I didn't understand at first. "Come on, Joni...let's go fly!" Pat said. My face lit up...and then, Sam, the director of maintenance, said, "Go ahead Joni...go fly!"

Grinning from ear to ear, I grabbed my coat and climbed aboard N185MV, a King Air B200 (Beech---10 passenger plane). Our mission was to check to make sure that the oxygen masks were ejecting at the proper altitude. So the cabin wasn't pressurized or something like that. Pat said to sit right behind him and to pat him on the back when the oxygen masks fell. (What a cool job, huh?) I got comfortable in the plush leather chairs, pushed my face up against the windows and buckled up my seat-belt as we got ready to take off. I was so excited I didn't have time to worry about the "un-pressurized" cabin comment, or why they were wondering if I had a head cold. Hmmm???

I guess we got to 13,000', the masks fell and Pat looked at me and got up. He was co-pilot and Eli was flying the plane. He smiled and said, "All-right, ...get into the cockpit...you can ride shot-gun; we're giving you a captain's chair-window seat while I put the masks back in their compartments". It was so AWESOME! I got to put on the headset and listen to the other planes and I could talk to Eli through the mouthpiece. I flew over Lake Shetek, Currie, Balaton, Camden. and they asked me where I lived and I flew over my house and The Bike Shop...sigh. What a day. My ears are just barely coming un-plugged. It was very very very cool. I could see all the frozen lakes. Camden looks like an oasis amongst the vast, barren flat prairie. We flew over the tree line surrounding the Redwood River (near Redwood Falls).

Since we didn't celebrate my birthday this year anywhere else, it was kind of like a birthday treat...and I thanked everyone profusely for bringing a big old grin to this getting older girl's face. How'd they become like family in a matter of weeks? They're busy trying to convince me to stay in Marshall. It's touches my heart.

I told you---if you gotta have a job in Marshall, my job is pretty cool! Enjoy your day!

Camden

The Scrapper and I went to jog our route around the park and through the woods. This arctic type climate makes the snow crunch differently. That is when you can get it to crunch down. It's so frozen on top that you don't hardly ever sink in! The river is frozen...you can walk across it...walk on water! It's cool (actually it's freezing cold!). The sun was out and shining brilliantly. If only the wind wasn't blowing so much.

My face froze when I got out of the trees. There's about 3 miles where you are pretty exposed on top of the tree line and so I covered my face for the most part. My glasses kept fogging up though. And my tearing eye's caused the water to freeze on my face and eye-lashes. You could see where the wind had blown through the paths, and there were ice-sheets everywhere. I've never seen anything like it!

But the way the snow crunches was very different. I can't explain it, but it was like there was a complete lack of moisture in the air and the snow was dry and brittle. It warmed up to about 18F degrees, but the wind-chill made it one of those "feel's like -2F" kind of days. The pitter-patter of Sydney's feet even sounded different. There was not a soul in sight...Just the small hound and I. And we enjoyed our time together in this park that holds a special place for me. We got married here. And this is where we always go when the rest of the Prairie is unsuitable for outdoor play. Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall.

I will have to squeeze in a few more trips out to Camden before we move. I'm up to the gills in boxes again. I'm starting to wonder why I even unpack lately. Mike got these "perQ's" from work, and he ordered new walkie-talkie's for us. (I always thought they were race-radio's!) Anyway, he said we can use them for the drive to Boston. When we drove out here, after we got out of Nevada/Utah we couldn't use our cell phones (we didn't have a National Plan), and there were so many time's when I needed to stop but I couldn't let him know. Now we can just talk on our walkie-talkie's, even though we do have a national plan...we won't need to call each other. And they're voice activated! I think he really got them for racing though. And speaking of racing, I see that Levi won the first stage in the Tour of California. I can't believe I am not there to watch this one!

Monday, Monday...Have a good one!

Address labels

You know how when you donate money to "The Wild Life Federation", or "Duck's Unlimited" or some other "cause organization" one time, they send you info and requests for additional support at some point and they always throw in free address labels with the letter they send? Well, it took about a year, but I just received, today in the mail, my first two "sets" of return address labels. Can you believe it? Just in time for me to move.

We are on the fast track out East. Mike will be flying out the Sunday after next, and then he will fly home to get me on March 11th, to pack up the house, load up the same size moving truck we arrived here in, and head towards the Atlantic Ocean. I love how he tells folks...when he explains to them what he's doing...that he'll be coming home to pick up his wife and his dog to drive to Watertown.

Yes...this trip I am his wife and he is my husband...a real team, not only in our minds, but for the rest of the world. It's nice. We learned alot, did alot, and saw more of this lovely state of Minnesota than alot of Minnesotans I know---all in a year! And now we can say we tried something new. Even though it wasn't the right fit for us, it was a worthy part of our very circular journey to finding our niche. And we'll never wonder about it one day.

Our next adventure is exciting. If I could have picked a company to work for---knowing what I know about the industry we love, I would have Seven Cycles at the top of my list. If I could write my own job description for working in the industry, I pretty much have that opportunity with Seven Cycles. (Now, If I could pick the location for myself----it would be Palo Alto/San Francisco/Northern California, because I know I love it there.) New England is a big unknown---but from what I've seen of it thus far, there's alot of charm and there are 6 (count em') Peet's coffee shops within a 10 mile radius...and just a plethora of bicycle shops, and good sushi. All good signs.

Yesterday, the high here in Marshall was -5F degrees, windchill reached -40F degrees. Today it warmed up to a high of 8F degrees with a windchill of -11F degrees. I can now say I have been somewhere where the temperature never got to 0F. Not really bragging rights...did I mention that MT commuted by bike in those temps? The tearing in his eyes froze onto his eyelashes. Obviously, he's gonna ride in just about any climate...and while moving to the Northeast is still going to have the cold----it's far less extreme than where we are now. He'll also have a bunch of hearty New Englanders to suffer with. I met this gal who's training for the Boston Marathon (It's a holiday in Boston)...so when it gets cold, I may continue with my current running regime---I will always be a warm weather girl. It just can't be too hot for me. But I too will have some company on bad weather days.

Mike and I are really looking forward to the Fall in New England experience together; we hope we'll be able to get out on our bikes to view the colors in true MT-fashion (also known as EPIC) And the Scrapper gets to come to work again! No more freeloading for the small hound.

Getting older...

...it happens every year, once a year. My birthday. I was talking with my Mom (several times a day these days), and she reminded me about something I'd forgotten about. My birthdays---for whatever reason, were generally highlighted with some sort of "drama". (I do remember spraining my arm or ankle or both on more than one occasion on the day of my birthday---). For whatever reason, it's a struggle kind of day---filled with some sort of inner or outer turmoil that I remain, at a conscious level, pretty unaware of. Yet inside I struggle with.

I guess even before I was born, I knew something about this day. I was two weeks late being born, as I refused to come out on time. Once I arrived, everything was fine. But this venturing out into the unknown is not something I do with ease---although, being the adventure seeking, take life by the horns and go person I am, I get myself into these situations that require I get out of my "comfort zone" with frequency.

Lots going on. I can't tell you how my heart twisted when I came home from lunch and saw "For Sale" signs on my lawn. I LOVE this house...This is all so hard. But Mike doesn't want to make a career, doing what he's doing....and as nice a town as Marshall is, it doesn't seem to be the right town for us. And this makes me sad---and yet the opportunity that has basically fallen our way feels like something we wrote for ourselves.

All I know, is that if I don't do this (we don't do this), we will always wonder about it. When I first took my new position, I let Pete and Lynn know that this was a possibility before I accepted the job. They still wanted me to come on board, and were very happy I was so upfront with them. Today the pilots and office crew came down to the hangar with a big huge birthday cake with three airplanes, and a "happy birthday, Joni love, Midwest Aviation" sentiment on it. Mike joined us for cake. It's too bad Mike's and my salaries weren't reversed and I was making enough money to pay the bills, because I have a pretty darn cool job and set-up.

Watertown, MA (all right...Seven Cycles) is a career/lifestyle opportunity though. So we have signed on the dotted line and are following our path for making a difference in an industry we have alot of passion for, and hope to enjoy ourselves a bit as well. I don't know what else to say, or what my struggles even are. Letting go --- even when it isn't perfect or right just isn't easy. It's easier to just do what we're doing and not rock the boat---unless, of course, it's not! Sigh.

A very dear man died today on my birthday. Royal Hackett, my God-Mom's dad...he lived for 92 years and we should all have had such a good life--he lived and died his way...He is at peace with his wife Mary.

My very dear cousin Sharon is having her birthday tomorrow. She lives in NYC and I look forward to seeing her art studio soon, now that I will be on the Eastern seaboard too. Happy Birthday Sharon!!!

Seize the day!

ch-ch-ch-changes!

"Time may change me, but I can't change time" I should preface the following paragraphs with "nothing has been signed yet", but if verbal handshakes suffice (and for all intents and purposes here, let's assume they do), (and we did shake hands in person on our recent visit) then some major changes are in store for the Michael Taylor's and these changes will be happening at a much faster pace than we'd imagined possible.

Quit talking in circles, Joni! What do you mean? I'll be giving you just the basics (and knowing me I'll still be wordy as heck). I'll leave out any names at this point as we haven't signed anything. BUT, there is a bicycle manufacturing company, that Mike and I both are very familiar with, have enormous respect for, and have worked with for years (Mike was key in bringing their presence into Palo Alto Bicycles years ago). They are one of the most innovative, grassroots, no compromising allowed type companies. They happened to find us in December and began talking to us about some possibilities. (This is important to know---we did not find them...or were even looking this way...they found us, and we responded with both interest as well as a little trepidation).

No one here will be surprised to know that we were having some hurdles adjusting to our new "life" here on the Prairie. This is not because it's bad here---it's not. But the life that we have been living conflicts too much who we are as people. Mike now knows he's not the "Corporate type". He has a great job here, with alot of future $$ possibilities. But he is so in conflict with who he is as a person that he ends up feeling like he is living someone else's life. I like my new job, but it isn't the job I would choose for myself. And while I feel fortunate to finally have this job, I also feel like I am living someone else's life. So we have been giving alot of thought to the choices we made...and were making arrangement's to go home (to California baby!!)

Then, this opportunity came into our lives. It's on a coast---but it's the East coast. Boston (Watertown to be exact), MA. (I've probably given away the secret to you bike people). Two good job opportunities. Very scary life opportunity. But career possibilities that fit who we are as people, like a glove. Lifestyle jobs. Long hour jobs...but jobs that relate to who we are...inside and out. Even down the road...like what we'll be doing in 5 years/10 years/20 years (a.k.a. Jobs we can grow with). Two jobs. Both Taylor's. Plus the Scrapper. But Boston?

The gist is that I believe we are heading East---not West...in the very near future. (they say "Now"---but we've got some ends to tie up here first). We are finding that our path to "balance" that nourishes who we are as "whole people" is very far from a straight line...the "pull" of the west coast is strong in our hearts. The long term goal is for us to be back home, and in order for us to make that happen with good lifestyle careers for our future, we are heading in the seemingly opposite direction, trusting that, based on what we know, that it is a circular route back to the coast we love.

So---I guess you're as caught up as you can be on the current Taylor life status. It's a bit chaotic right now. Also very exciting. I gotta go start boxing up junk again. I feel like I just did this. And, yeah, I already know about the weather in Boston. But life is more than the weather.

...and like I said, nothing has been signed, but it's very likely to be done in the next day or so...

Love, Joni

Awful!

That would be the weather. Whiteout, blizzard blowing snow awful! Even though the hangar is heated, when the planes need to be moved in and out (several times a day), the hangar door needs to be completely opened and the cold blowing snowy air blasts into the shop! I stay huddled up in the warm office...but I don't think I took my under-jacket off today! (I say under-jacket, because I wear several layers---but my under-jacket used to be my standard coat in California).

I am learning how to update flight logs. This is very cool. You can't believe all the requirements, but if you fly, you're glad someone is minding their p's and q's. Of course, I am enjoying talking on the radio and listening to all the pilots talk.. "This is King Air One, N4330MikeVictor (or really it's N4330MV), we're 16 minutes out of Marshall with three on board..." I feel like I'm in a movie or something. And I love the guys I work with... and the sound of the different airplanes...

But the weather went from being borderline awful to awfully awful this week. My birthday (next week) has usually been a crap-shoot in that it might be rainy (and 50F degrees) or it might be sunny and crisp and cold (50F-60F degrees). But this year will be the first year that I'll be lucky to see 20 degrees. Ugh! I never could have possibly imagined how long winter really is. You all in California have NO IDEA how lucky you are to not have to deal with it.

And the blowing snow thing ---well it's just something I've only seen on TV. The weather forecast looks to remain awful for the next week or so. Good thing I didn't put away my snow shoes...Sigh.

Have a wonderful weekend! Love, Joni (the other working full time) Taylor

Flurries

More snow. Just when you think, "you're done!" with winter, the wind shifts, the weather changes, things cool down and the snow starts to fly. RATS! It's also getting really cold again. It's amazing after all this time to still feel like I am in the "adjustment phase" of my not-so-new anymore homestead.

Not that I have much time to ponder about things like the weather anymore. I have a pile of "to-do's", but I will say that the guys I am working with have gone already from the "we can't/won't/don't" to the "maybe we can/will/do" in only one week. Even better than the attitude change, has been that they've all been chartered with helping to develop the way that they "can/will/do" the changes. And some of these processes and procedures (or lack thereof) have been in place for over 30 years!

So this is very exciting for me. One of the guys who's been with the company for 30+ years, and has been very helpful in assisting me in understanding how the shop floor runs, spent most of the day educating me about how mechanics/service guys are introverted and not the greatest of communicators. I had this very reserved guy talking(some might call this communicating!) for hours on end about himself, how he does his job, all the issues he deals with and all the things that he sees as necessary for improvement with a plethora of suggestions and "must-haves" for implementing a new and improved system. This is not a talkative guy. And he's an old-school somewhat reserved Minnesotan. I learned so much from him. And, although I was given a "head's up" that he might be a tough one for me (given my objective of implementing a different system), he's been one of the most helpful, enthusiastic participants in my new role.

Big challenges...I am very pleased though with how quickly I've been able to get some answers and begin data-modeling some solution proposals. Oh---I'm far from having answers...and I'm still rather wrapped up in many of the day-to-day tasks that must take place concurrent to process/design...but it's all very new and interesting...this flying business.

Mike and I enjoyed a heck of a whirlwind weekend...more on that later....right now, I just need to get some sleep. I've got flurries outside my window and flurries inside my head right now. I hope to wake-up with a bit more clarity, both in the weather outside and with my brain, inside.

SQUAWK!

It's funny to me how airplane jargon mimics birds. When planes need something, a SQUAWK happens, and then a bunch of guys get to work! These are pictures of what happens every 100 hours on a plane (they go by HOBBS instead of an odometer, which equates to hours in the air). I'm learning more about the mechanics of airplanes than I probably wanted to know...but it's the way I learn how to create systems that work for the folks who are going to have to use them.

I get my fingers dirty. I just pulled parts for an engine rebuild. When I used to sell high-end bikes, while the frame was being built and designed (about 4-6 weeks before it arrived to the shop), I'd get busy pulling all the components out of inventory...and then order anything we didn't have in stock. This way by the time the frame arrived, the build kit was ready to roll and the mechanics could build the bike with no downtime waiting for parts and such. Seems pretty much like a common sense thing, but it also requires someone to plan/forecast. Or else a system to flag you that it's time. And downtime for these babies equals mega-charter-bucks.

My oh my this is a big job. Forget about the billing and financial record keeping and the FAA regulations and the Feds in general, or customer relations end of things. Sigh. I love it though. I'm already at the "flow-chart-phase", and if you think you're getting alot of information, at least you don't have my status reports! The good news is that "I'm one of the guys" already. They feel free to joke and kid and say bad words in front of me and I feel like I am right at home.

Mike left for Minneapolis today with guys from work, and I am following him tomorrow. We're staying at the downtown Hilton and then Mike and I are extending our trip for a long 4-day weekend. Today the weather was fabulous. If I didn't need to spend some long-over-due hound time with Sydney, I would have gone for a ride after work. Nice weather days, when you have to work, are annoying. Especially when they are so few and far between. But, we'll get to eat this month. Checks and balances. I will make the most of a trainer ride in the basement. Tomorrow it's supposed to only get to a high of 21F. I was hoping to go run with Sydney in the morning at Camden, but I am not sure how cold it will be. Sigh.

So, if I SQUAWK loud enough---I wonder if the weather guy will listen and give me a mild morning or not? Girls are always called birds...so SQUAWKing ought to come pretty naturally for me. Give it up Joni!

I made my first week....how about that? Have a wonderful weekend.

A 'staff" meeting

For those who thought, "well, she's working now...she'll probably not have time to write all this junk anymore"...I guess that wasn't the case. Ha! The fact is...I write everyday. It's this journal-thing that I picked up when I was a kid and I've been doing it ever since.

It's funny how things come back to you once you start plugging away. I did the "Corporate-type" thing for years and years---many of you just know me as the biker-chick...but I was a working stiff for many years before I could afford the luxury (of being a biker-chick). Not that working with pilots and crew is corporate---but it is compared to working in a bike shop. The first day, I could feel the squeaky-wheels of my brain turning for a bit...in need of some oil (or T-9 for you bikers), but by today I started plugging away, and I'm getting my brain back in shape in the process.

In fact, I organized and co-chaired my first "very informal---no bells and whistles" staff meeting today. The "owner" even joined the meeting and did the basic introductions, and it went well. But to say I'm not overwhelmed with the challenge would be a lie. No back-office systems. We're talking over 30 years of post-it notes and redundancy (my computer geek comrades will understand). We've got a fleet of over 15 charter planes, plus customer planes, in addition to a plethora of the owner's family fleet...and all have to meet Federal regulations/safety criteria. And unlike the "I LOVE CHANGE" attitudes of the high-tech/fast paced Silicon Valley (remember SGI?), folks don't embrace change quite the same way on the slower-paced prairie.

Luckily, the guys I'm working with have a great attitude...and are incorporating as much humor as they can muster when dealing with this cheery red-headed "idea" girl. My, "how about if we try this?" commentary, gets followed by the "why we can't/won't/don't do things this way is because we can't/won't/don't". And the bottom line is that they "know" and I "don't know". I am quickly brought back to when I was in Europe, trying to impose systems in different countries that would accommodate local culture while at the same time incorporate US-based "Headquarters" requirements. There is a happy medium, but it is challenging to learn both sides so that everybody can "get along".

I love the challenge! And if the seasons don't change as quickly as I'd like them to, at least my scenery finally has. We're off to the cities for the weekend. Mike leaves Thursday and I will join him on Friday...He's got an "off-site" thing and then I am joining him. Can't wait!