Comments for An Eclectic Mind http://www.marialanger.com Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and amateur photographer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:05:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on The Helicopter Job Market by Zach M. http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-134008 Zach M. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:05:55 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-134008 Maria, Thank you for your prompt reply, I will just continue to do the best I can at my training and pray that the industry will be on the upswing as I get closer to being employable. Take care and keep up the good work! Maria,
Thank you for your prompt reply, I will just continue to do the best I can at my training and pray that the industry will be on the upswing as I get closer to being employable. Take care and keep up the good work!

]]> Comment on Interesting Links, February 5, 2010 by joan blake http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/05/interesting-links-february-5-2010/#comment-133992 joan blake Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:37:58 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/05/interesting-links-february-5-2010/#comment-133992 I found this link to be fascinating. The only way I know to share a favorite of mine with you is: drdansiegel.com -Home- Audio/Video Clips and his Google Personal Growth Series, (one hour long). His Blue Man gig can evoke a smile or two also as they usually do. I found this link to be fascinating. The only way I know to share a favorite of mine with you is: drdansiegel.com -Home- Audio/Video Clips and his Google Personal Growth Series, (one hour long). His Blue Man gig can evoke a smile or two also as they usually do.

]]> Comment on The Wayside Inn by Arlea Krasovetz http://www.marialanger.com/2003/12/07/the-wayside-inn/#comment-133987 Arlea Krasovetz Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:42:41 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/?p=391#comment-133987 We own and live in a park model trailer at the Wayside Inn park, and we have been residents here for the past 10 years. We are, to some, in a very remote area and even though, also to some, the Wayside Inn and the residents look tacky. We aren't tacky, we are dusty from a wonderful ride in the desert or just back from fishing in Alamo Lake. We hear coyotes at night, we have a roadrunner that lives in the park, we have cotton tailed rabbits that come and feed in our yards and from time to time we see deer, elk, bob cats, cougar, havelina, and many species of birds. There is a lot of what I call "park pride" in the caring and sharing of our neighbors. On full moon nights us "Waysiders" ride our ATV's ,etc., travel out in the desert, build a fire and have a big weiner roast and watch the moon rise up from behind the mountain. Carl and Cindy were gone for awhile, but are back, and along with CJ and Chris, it is a great, and friendly place to live and also have a meal. We love it here at Wayside and just wish that the visitors would be more diligent about not littering, cutting donuts in our roads, cutting across the desert instead of staying on estblished roads and trails and trashing what is and was part of the history of this area. Wake up visitors, what is destroyed is gone forever! We own and live in a park model trailer at the Wayside Inn park, and we have been residents here for the past 10 years. We are, to some, in a
very remote area and even though, also to some, the Wayside Inn and the residents look tacky. We aren’t tacky, we are dusty from a wonderful ride in the desert or just back from fishing in Alamo Lake. We hear coyotes at night, we have a roadrunner that lives in the park, we have cotton tailed rabbits that come and feed in our yards and from time to time we see deer, elk, bob cats, cougar, havelina, and many species of birds. There is a lot of what I call “park pride” in the caring and sharing of our neighbors. On full moon nights us “Waysiders” ride our ATV’s ,etc., travel out in the desert, build a fire and have a big weiner roast and watch the moon rise up from behind the mountain. Carl and Cindy were gone for awhile, but are back, and along with CJ and Chris, it is a great, and friendly place to live and also have a meal. We love it here at Wayside and just wish that the visitors would be more diligent about not littering, cutting donuts in our roads, cutting across the desert instead of staying on estblished roads and trails and trashing what is and was part of the history of this area. Wake up visitors, what is destroyed is gone forever!

]]> Comment on The Helicopter Job Market by Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-133984 Maria Langer Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:47:18 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-133984 Zach: Agreed. I think things have gotten considerably worse. Quite a few local helicopter operators have gone out of business. It would be good for survivors like my business if the customers were out there, but they're not. I did a total of THREE revenue flights in January. Not nearly enough to cover my basic costs. The GI bill is a GREAT thing. Just met another pilot who starts training this month under the GI bill. You guys deserve a break after serving our country -- thank you! I think that as the economy recovers, the industry will recover. I sure hope everything is back to normal (or better) by 2012. I don't think I can support my business that long without more customers and work. Best of luck to you! Zach: Agreed. I think things have gotten considerably worse. Quite a few local helicopter operators have gone out of business. It would be good for survivors like my business if the customers were out there, but they’re not. I did a total of THREE revenue flights in January. Not nearly enough to cover my basic costs.

The GI bill is a GREAT thing. Just met another pilot who starts training this month under the GI bill. You guys deserve a break after serving our country — thank you!

I think that as the economy recovers, the industry will recover. I sure hope everything is back to normal (or better) by 2012. I don’t think I can support my business that long without more customers and work.

Best of luck to you!

]]> Comment on The Helicopter Job Market by Zach M. http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-133978 Zach M. Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:11:28 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2007/03/23/the-helicopter-job-market/#comment-133978 Hey Maria, It doesn't look like the Helo Pilot industry has taken an upswing from your initial blog in 2007! I just started flight school in Denton, TX. and am really enjoying it. I do work for a major corporation full time and train either after work or on the weekends, the G.I. bill is covering 60% of my costs (incrued after my private pilots rating), what do you foresee the industry doing by 2012ish? You seem very experienced and to have a feel for the pulse of the industry. I'm just curious as I should be getting close to 1000 or so hrs by then. Hey Maria,
It doesn’t look like the Helo Pilot industry has taken an upswing from your initial blog in 2007! I just started flight school in Denton, TX. and am really enjoying it. I do work for a major corporation full time and train either after work or on the weekends, the G.I. bill is covering 60% of my costs (incrued after my private pilots rating), what do you foresee the industry doing by 2012ish? You seem very experienced and to have a feel for the pulse of the industry. I’m just curious as I should be getting close to 1000 or so hrs by then.

]]> Comment on Helicopters 101: CG by cecil http://www.marialanger.com/2009/12/15/helicopters-101-cg/#comment-133974 cecil Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:03:52 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/12/15/helicopters-101-cg/#comment-133974 I have difficulties calculating lateral c.g. I have difficulties calculating lateral c.g.

]]> Comment on The Kofa Cafe is Gone by Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2003/12/10/the-kofa-cafe-is-gone/#comment-133972 Maria Langer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:38:14 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/?p=392#comment-133972 Jim: You may be right. I haven't stopped there in years. I guess it's time to give it another try. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Jim: You may be right. I haven’t stopped there in years. I guess it’s time to give it another try. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.

]]> Comment on The Kofa Cafe is Gone by Jim Anderson http://www.marialanger.com/2003/12/10/the-kofa-cafe-is-gone/#comment-133970 Jim Anderson Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:02:14 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/?p=392#comment-133970 We found the Kofa Cafe several years ago when we were driving back and forth from SO CAL to Prescott nearly every week while we were building a home in Arizona. It became a regular lunch stop for a good BLT and some of the Orange Juice that they squeeze while you wait... Since then we've been stoping at the Kofa Cafe about once a month on regular trips back to California to see the kids. So far the food has always been good and the service friendly and quick. Maybe the old obnoxious owner rode off into the sunset or perhaps he figured out what / who really pays the bills. But in either case or the last couple of years at least we have enjoyed our stops at the Kofa Cafe We found the Kofa Cafe several years ago when we were driving back and forth from SO CAL to Prescott nearly every week while we were building a home in Arizona.
It became a regular lunch stop for a good BLT and some of the Orange Juice that they squeeze while you wait…

Since then we’ve been stoping at the Kofa Cafe about once a month on regular trips back to California to see the kids.

So far the food has always been good and the service friendly and quick.

Maybe the old obnoxious owner rode off into the sunset or perhaps he figured out what / who really pays the bills.

But in either case or the last couple of years at least we have enjoyed our stops at the Kofa Cafe

]]> Comment on The Three Tiers of Writing by Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/11/the-three-tiers-of-writing/#comment-133969 Maria Langer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:46:43 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/11/the-three-tiers-of-writing/#comment-133969 Jason: Thanks for taking the time to comment. Frankly, I think the folks who do best as writers are the ones who write specifically for a client -- no matter what that kind of writing is. One of my first successful writer friends was a copywriter who wrote advertising and marketing copy for businesses and their products. Not very glamorous, but it certainly paid the bills. Jason: Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Frankly, I think the folks who do best as writers are the ones who write specifically for a client — no matter what that kind of writing is. One of my first successful writer friends was a copywriter who wrote advertising and marketing copy for businesses and their products. Not very glamorous, but it certainly paid the bills.

]]> Comment on The Three Tiers of Writing by Jason http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/11/the-three-tiers-of-writing/#comment-133968 Jason Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:59:55 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/11/the-three-tiers-of-writing/#comment-133968 Thank you Maria. I very much enjoyed reading your article even though I'm not a writer who fits within your pyramid structure (I'm a web designer and also writes copy for my clients). I think the qualities you identified: hard work, skill, persistence, and knowing what sells within your industry can be applied to anyone who wants to succeed working for themselves. Best wishes, Jason, UK Thank you Maria. I very much enjoyed reading your article even though I’m not a writer who fits within your pyramid structure (I’m a web designer and also writes copy for my clients). I think the qualities you identified: hard work, skill, persistence, and knowing what sells within your industry can be applied to anyone who wants to succeed working for themselves.

Best wishes,
Jason, UK

]]> Comment on What Editors [Are Supposed to] Do by Alicia Brown http://www.marialanger.com/2009/09/17/what-editors-are-supposed-to-do/#comment-133964 Alicia Brown Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:58:02 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/09/17/what-editors-are-supposed-to-do/#comment-133964 This is a great and helpful post! As a prepress designer in a printing office, I'm occasionally called upon to copyedit some of our clients' projects. This is a great starting point/agreement to offer our clients on what they can expect of us. Cheers! This is a great and helpful post! As a prepress designer in a printing office, I’m occasionally called upon to copyedit some of our clients’ projects. This is a great starting point/agreement to offer our clients on what they can expect of us. Cheers!

]]> Comment on Solar Power Woes by Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/28/solar-power-woes/#comment-133958 Maria Langer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:01:47 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/28/solar-power-woes/#comment-133958 Ira: Thanks! I'm really bugged about not getting the silent power, but "free" isn't a word I'd apply to solar. I could use the Yamaha generators as needed for the rest of my life and not buy enough fuel to cover the cost of the solar setup. (Keep in mind that the RV does have batteries and will often be parked at campsites with full or partial hookups.) We need more incentives -- tax and otherwise -- to go solar. We're likely to put our old camper's solar panel on the roof of this new RV with a battery charger. Although that won't give us off-the-grid AC power, it will prolong battery life, minimizing the number of times we need to run that generator. Ira: Thanks! I’m really bugged about not getting the silent power, but “free” isn’t a word I’d apply to solar. I could use the Yamaha generators as needed for the rest of my life and not buy enough fuel to cover the cost of the solar setup. (Keep in mind that the RV does have batteries and will often be parked at campsites with full or partial hookups.) We need more incentives — tax and otherwise — to go solar.

We’re likely to put our old camper’s solar panel on the roof of this new RV with a battery charger. Although that won’t give us off-the-grid AC power, it will prolong battery life, minimizing the number of times we need to run that generator.

]]> Comment on Solar Power Woes by Ira Birdwell http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/28/solar-power-woes/#comment-133956 Ira Birdwell Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:53:03 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/01/28/solar-power-woes/#comment-133956 Maria, Nice looking RV! Congrats! As a "part time" off the grid person I have some experiance in the Solar versus generator issue. I realize you have made your choice, but thought I could give food for thought. In my offgrid location I have both and am hooked on solar because of the following reasons; 1. dead quiet power generation 2. smelly gas transferal, spillage and maint. issues. 3. free is always good! yes... there are always drawbacks with both - costs of batteries and such but these days some RV Dealers are throwing in built in solar as an incentive to help sales. I have both and am making improvements to the system all the time and intend on a generator setup that includes a waste vegetable oil motor to run it - once again - free! Ira Maria,
Nice looking RV! Congrats!
As a “part time” off the grid person I have some experiance in the Solar versus generator issue.
I realize you have made your choice, but thought I could give food for thought.

In my offgrid location I have both and am hooked on solar because of the following reasons;
1. dead quiet power generation
2. smelly gas transferal, spillage and maint. issues.
3. free is always good!

yes… there are always drawbacks with both – costs of batteries and such but these days some RV Dealers are throwing in built in solar as an incentive to help sales.
I have both and am making improvements to the system all the time and intend on a generator setup that includes a waste vegetable oil motor to run it – once again – free!
Ira

]]> Comment on On Becoming a “Power Blogger” by Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/02/on-becoming-a-power-blogger/#comment-133952 Maria Langer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:57:11 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/02/on-becoming-a-power-blogger/#comment-133952 Joan: It's probably your "gushing" -- and the occasional gushing of others -- that encourages me to keep blogging. The way I see it, if I can make one person smile or think or learn something every day, I've done the world a service. Getting great feedback from folks like you helps motivate me to keep trying, despite the negative feedback certain posts or topics seems to generate. Thanks! Joan: It’s probably your “gushing” — and the occasional gushing of others — that encourages me to keep blogging. The way I see it, if I can make one person smile or think or learn something every day, I’ve done the world a service. Getting great feedback from folks like you helps motivate me to keep trying, despite the negative feedback certain posts or topics seems to generate.

Thanks!

]]> Comment on On Becoming a “Power Blogger” by joan blake http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/02/on-becoming-a-power-blogger/#comment-133951 joan blake Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:48:22 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2010/02/02/on-becoming-a-power-blogger/#comment-133951 In total agreement with your definition. You already know of the enrichment your site brings into my life due to my uninhibited 'gushing.' The link to Philip Bloom's videos alone provided me with an enthralling Monday morning. Just to say "Thank You" seems inadequate and I can only hope you'll keep up the good work. In total agreement with your definition. You already know of the enrichment your site brings into my life due to my uninhibited ‘gushing.’ The link to Philip Bloom’s videos alone provided me with an enthralling Monday morning. Just to say “Thank You” seems inadequate and I can only hope you’ll keep up the good work.

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