Ah, so many points to ponder...

Labbats, I'd be glad to post again in a year, but my professionalism is not in question, so I doubt that another year and few hundred hours of flying and another pay raise will have any impact at all on how I look, act, or treat my fellow pilots and coworkers.

As for the attitude of "you get what you paid for" I would only hope that we as a group can realize how dangerous that attitude is. The guys and gals sitting in the big offices making the decisions don't pay us what we're worth or respect us, so we in turn become unprofessional in appearance and deed, because "they get what they pay for". They in turn see unprofessional pilots asking for additional benefits and raises, which they can't justify based on their impression of our performance. It is a viscious circle.

Who you are, how you treat others, and how professional you are is solely a function of your own mettle, not a result of how others treat you. It is a true professional who can remain sharp and focused in spite of being underpaid or ill treated. This is how we win contract negotiations and secure the trust of the flying public, not by playing silly reindeer games with one another.

If I'm asked why my shoes are so shiney by an "old salt", I'd probably just say "because I'm proud of what I do, and I want to look proud". Again, how I look and act is not a reflection on my pay, or my company management, or what mood I'm in that day. It is a reflection of who I am. That does not change.

See you in a year!