Anyone in BoraBora all next week?

[fingpilot]

Will srrive sunday night. 8+ hours nonstop Santa Barbara to Tahiti, clear customs, then 20 minutes out to the motu at BoraBora.

Would gladly buy any Pelicans a drink at the yacht club.

Arrive back a week later, one night at home then to Barbados for a week. Would do the same meet down there too.

[The Gaijin]

Originally posted by fingpilot
...the motu at BoraBora.

Would gladly buy any Pelicans a drink at the yacht club.

It is mud season up-state New York. I would not dare miss it. But thanks for the offer.

[fingpilot]

Was in Aspen yesterday. They were preparing for heavy snow today. Am glad we made it out of there last night.

Lived in Minnesnowta for a while, so I know exactly what you mean by the mud months.

[MRM]

If you can wait almost exactly ten years I plan to cruise the Barbados area heavily and would be happy to meet you at the location of your choosing. I might even be in the Bora Bora region if I get confident enough. In the mean time, I am counting the days until it makes sense to take Baby out of hibernation. Now why in the world would you ever move out of a paradise like Minnesotah?

Stop by MSP on your way somewhere and I'll by you a drink you can repay when we do meet at a yacht club in the Caribbean.

[fingpilot]

Actually, I DID like MN. I came to town with Norm Green, was flying his plane when he was owner of the Calgary Flames. When he decided to move the Stars to Dallas, I decided to stay in MN. Ended up there for another 2 years.

Ya never know, may end up there again someday.

[buttjoint]

Fing. What ya flying, and have ya ever flown any fighters? Jim

[Kirk Lundmark]

Fing,

I was at the last game when the Stars played Chicago. We chanted "Norm Green sucks" through out the whole game. He was not in his box. We lost but is sure was fun to be there.

Now we have The Wild, whatever that is.

Did you know Michele Randgaard? She worked in the front office and is married to a good friend.

Kirk

[Joeaksa]

Michael,

Sounds like you are busy this month! Anything new on next month or futher down the line?

Have fun in BB. Always enjoyed it there...

Joe

[fingpilot]

Joe;

As always in this business, there is a surprise around the corner. The owner had 2 trips this month on NetJets while we were busy elsewhere. Called yesterday and said to withdraw the plane from the sale listings, he was going to keep it, divorce be damned. Said the extra $180K to have his own was well worth it. I laughed and told him it was actually $200k difference. That he owed me $20k for the raise I didn't get last year. He said, 'yep, we need to talk about that. How about on the way to BoraBora?'

Hmmmm. I have my boss trapped in the plane, 9 miles up, out over 4000 nm miles of open ocean discussing my performance bonus. Maybe I didn't ask for enough....

Kirk;

I was in the arena in Bloomington for every game during the 'Norm' years (managing the VIP's and 'suites').... I was with the team at every road game (because I flew them there in the DC9). I have a bunch of old NorthStars memorabilia (he said to throw it all out one day, and I kept it all).

I do remember a Michele in the front office (very petite and cute???), but that was not her last name. She would remember me if it was her.

There was a lot of 'Norm sucks' there towards the end. I honestly do not think he even gave it a passing thought. If you remember him, he lived on another planet most of the time, and suspected that the 'ruffian element' as he called it, was from another planet as well. I have worked my entire life for very wealthy people, and they truly do live in another world. I am writing a book about my crazy life, and there is an entire chapter on life on that planet.

[fingpilot]

Originally posted by buttjoint
Fing. What ya flying, and have ya ever flown any fighters? Jim

I spend some time in a private MD87. Mostly in a Gulfstream 4.

A couple of military types, but my last, and fav was the F4. Navy stripes, started out in a 'D' and ended up in an 'N'. My flying life has been downhill ever since.

[Joeaksa]

Michael,

Glad to hear that things worked out!

I did my best negotiation while in the air. Nice thing is that the boss is not busy and no phone calls, emails, blackberry etc, so you have his total attention.

Wish you guys needed another pilot! Course my Challenger gig is still in the works and it may turn out better. Who knows, life in aviation!

Take care, and good luck on the bonus!

Joe

[Kirk Lundmark]

Fing,

Michelle, very cute Korean and petite. It must have been before they got married. She has two great kids and is an exec with an office supply company in Milwaukee. I'll mention that we connected the next time she and I speak.

I suppected that Norm pretty much cared less for us working stiffs who bought the tickets, however, it was fun to swill beer and give Norm the business.

[jmshepard]

I'll be in Afghanistan.
Jim S.

[buttjoint]

fing, Reason I ask, My nephew was just handed a f16 and to say the least he is stoked. Just finished up on the t-38 and was top of his class so he was given one of two that were available. Starts training in arizona next week, Jim

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by buttjoint
fing, Reason I ask, My nephew was just handed a f16 and to say the least he is stoked. Just finished up on the t-38 and was top of his class so he was given one of two that were available. Starts training in arizona next week, Jim

He should be here in Phoenix at Luke AFB. Excellent training and you need that on a single engine fighter.

If you get this direction, let us know.

[fingpilot]

Originally posted by Kirk Lundmark
Fing,

Michelle, very cute Korean and petite. It must have been before they got married. She has two great kids and is an exec with an office supply company in Milwaukee. I'll mention that we connected the next time she and I speak.

I suppected that Norm pretty much cared less for us working stiffs who bought the tickets, however, it was fun to swill beer and give Norm the business.

I suspect (in his own way) he really DID care for the working class stiffs, after all, they DID buy tickets and food and stuff. He did realize that they spent a greater percentage of their take-home on his team.

He also realized that the real money was not down in the seats, but up in the suites, and he spent most of his efforts up there.

Once you got to know him, and realize where his head was, he was a pretty good guy. He would surprise us all every once in a while and give very generously to local causes, and there was always 50 seats somewhere in the arena with boys clubs or girls clubs members in them. They also got comped at the snack bar. He never allowed talk about that, but he always visited them personally during the game.

I know he keeps a percentage of the Dallas Stars, but doesn't have anything to do with running the show anymore.

[Kirk Lundmark]

Fing,

Wow, we never heard much from the local sports writers about Norm helping out the kids. That's pretty cool. Adds a different perspective to the situation.

Good day,
Kirk

[MRM]

Fing, I can't believe you had front row seats to the Norm Green era. In Minnesota that's almost like saying you saw the last Grateful Dead Concert or Jim Morison once bummed a smoke from you and sang LA Woman to pay you back.

Here's my brush with Greeness. I was driving down Washington Ave. one day when in my rear view mirror I saw the first big Rolls I ever saw in person from behind. Even then I was a car freak so I slowed up a bit so the Rolls would pass me and I could look it over. It caught up to me and as it came into view I first saw a man in full driver livery sitting as straight as only a former SAS trooper would sit at attention driving the car, then two hairy mutts slobbering all over the interior, and finally, presiding over the whole thing was a haughty old matron who was looking out the window at masses with the same expression on her face as if she had just bitten into a lemon. It was Mrs. Green and the infamous dogs.

I was driving the first new car I ever owned, a Mazda Protege purchased with my wife's salary, because I had not yet begun to earn an honest living, which I was obviously more proud and protective of than Norm was of his Rolls Royces. I laughed and laughed and continued on my way.

Fifteen years later I still look back on that encounter and smile.

[Joeaksa]

Michael,

Hows life on the beaches???