Layoffs came and went. I am still employed at Seagate. That was a relief to me, as well as the other members of my group. There were a few people around the area that were let go, and it was tough to see them packing their things...especially with times as tough as they are now to get another job. Looking around at other job prospects as the rumors circulated, I found a few things that were very specific to my experience, but they are much more rare than in years past.

I told the kids and Julie that if I did get let go I was going to go be a bush pilot in Alaska. The second choice was to move to India and start growing the branch there. My Indian friends here at work tell me I could easily get a job there and that with my income I could live like royalty. There is the whole thing about raw sewage flowing in the rivers and such, but the education is top notch!

I've been flying X-Plane a lot lately. I got the flu over the weekend, and it was about all I could do to stand up, so I had a good excuse to play a lot. It's a pretty amazing flight simulator. It's so good, actually, if you have the right hardware, it's the same software that has been certified by the FAA to log actual hours and get your pilot certifications. The long and short if it is....I have GOT to get an airplane soon. It's just too much fun. Bush pilot. Definitely.