On a trip and getting ready to head down to the lobby. Trying to collect my thoughts and look at the big picture here. Removing the rose-colored glasses. It's quite possible I will be facing my third furlough in my undistinguished airline career should Fedex even use the scalpel approach to reduce manning. Gotta tell you it's going to make my ice-cold adult beverage go down awfully tough when I get home this evening.
But then I think of the guys at Airborne Express, TWA, Midwest, ATA et al(not El Al) and I take a different perspective on what's happening. Nobody's dying here. My kids are still heathy and all my siblings seem to have their mental and physical health(but then there is this brother of mine who talks to his golf balls that I've always wondered about).
I get just as ****ed as the next guy at those over 60 with 25 years of time with the company that got back or remain in the front seat. I want to shout at them and ask them why they would allow this to happen to a guy with a young family when they could just retire and go away. Chaps my a$$! But again, they have their personal agenda and I refuse to live my life in anger and hostility when it benefits no one.
What's my point you ask as you scratch your head and wonder if I'm using this as cheap therapy(yes, because I can't afford real therapy). I have faith that JG and his crew will do everything they can to see that our COLLECTIVE interests are looked after. While I do that, I'll thank God that I'm not in Iraq or Afghanistan getting shot at(that REALLY sucked) and that another 9-11 hasn't happened yet. Trust me folks, something akin to 9-11 happens again and we are ALL in a hurt locker professionally.
If you can, through your rage and anxiety, tell your spouse and kids you love them, call your family members you can't see and be thankful for the health and life that you still have. A lot of folks are doing the dirt dance now that always expected to wake up tomorrow and see 2009. And TRY to be civil to ALL your brethren Fedex pilots...your angst hurts nobody but you. Take care y'all and hang on for the ride!