Come fly with me

Quite a whirlwind week last week. More flying in one week than I've done in quite a while.I had my birthday on Friday, July 27th and early the next morning we flew down to Phoenix for a couple of days to decompress. We flew down on Ted who were tolerable, Channel 9 makes the time go by.
We flew back on Monday night, again on Ted. Phoenix was in the middle of monsoon season and we got to dodge some wicked thunderstorms on the way out. Lots of red blotches on the weather radar. We picked our way through the build ups and actually had a smooth ride home. The very next morning, I had the privilege and honor of flying to LAX for the day on a beautiful Virgin America airplane. Won't go into details, suffice to say it was absolutely fantastic and there were only about 15 of us on the plane. We were just down there for the day but it was a great experience and wonderful to finally ride one of our beautiful birds. Then on Friday I had a meeting in Las Vegas and couldn't spare much more than a few hours, so I flew to Vegas...for a few hours. Six hours to be precise. I flew down again on Ted, who again were tolerable. The flight was very full (Friday to Vegas, of course) and they were asking for volunteers to go on a later flight. No chance, bucko. There were also people were already in a "festive spirit"....at 10am. Nice. When I got on the plane I asked the flight attendant if Channel 9 was going to be available and he stuck is head inside the flight deck and relayed my question to the Captain who replied with "Awww sure, why the hell not......but I'll be speaking in tongues!" The flight was smooth and quick, only and hour and ten minutes. Of course it was bumpy from about 20,000 down to the ground at LAS but...it always is. I say that, but actually this was my first flight into LAS - I've driven there before, never flown.
A short visit later (I didn't even get to leave the airport) I was back at the gate, getting back on Ted to SFO. This flight was a little more interesting. We boarded, I sat in my usual seat, 1A and we taxi'd and took off. I'm listening to Channel 9 the whole time and at about 20,000 feet I hear our Captain radio LA Center asking if we could slow down because we needed to lower the landing gear.....WTF? Almost after we got permission, the Captain came on the PA and announced that our brakes were still really hot and we were going to slow down and drop the gear for a few minutes so it can cool down. Makes sense, I suppose. The controller didn't even question it so I'm guessing this happens quite often out of LAS. Anyway, we dropped the gear which at that speed was pretty loud, and the plane lurched a bit as the drag was introduced. 5 minutes later, up came the gear and on we went. Nice easy flight back to SFO via the MOD VOR. So yes, lots of flying which I'm loving. And even more to come...stay tuned.

Giving Birth

I thought my birthday would be a good time to finally post to my blog. There's a very good reason I've been quiet recently - there's been a lot going on.Last Thursday, I gave birth. Well me and about 30 other people. At 2am on Thursday, July 19th, virginamerica.com was born. The site that I have been working on for the last year of my life finally saw the light of day. Despite a DDoS attack on the site's infrastructure, I'd like to think the site is a resounding success. I'm particularly proud of the VA Difference Section, an interactive flash microsite showcasing all that Virgin America has to offer. Anyway, take a look around the site, book some flights - we have great intro fares from SFO to LAX, JFK, IAD and LAS. Enjoy.
Also, Taken at about 4am on the big day.

Skin rash?

My youngest brother Will is taking after his older brother and entering the world of viral marketing. The results got him and his friends featured on the BBC. Check it out.

Time for the tinfoil hat

Two of these flew over my house yesterday at about 500ft. They dipped down over San Leandro and flew north of the Oakland Airport. Never seen these before in the Bay Area. Would love to know what the hell they were doing...besides putting the fear of God into the locals.

Let Virgin America Fly

Anyone who has known me for any amount of time knows that I've always harbored a life-long ambition to start an airline. If I was daydreaming at school or work, chances are I was daydreaming about starting an airline and all of the details like what food it would have and what the livery would be like. Well as fate would have it, I'm finally living that dream. I'm starting an airline. Since last August I have been part of the founding team at Virgin America. In fact I was the 79th employee. We're already closing on 200. In the months that I have been there I have been able to take part in the creation of what I know will become one of the biggest milestones in airline history. My official role is head of interactive marketing (aka the web guy) but I have been in pricing meetings, given my two cents about routes, interviewed people for roles throughout the company, and witnessed the creation of something I am humbled to be a part of. I've also never worked so hard in my life. A startup is a startup, regardless of the industry and I, like everyone else in the company, wear multiple hats. It has been an emotional journey too, with tentative DoT rejections, constant jabs from most of the legacy carriers, and the ever changing state of the US airline industry. But this week marked the most significant moments in my time at Virgin America. We revealed our cabin and in-flight amenities for the first time. This is what we've all been working towards. This is what it's all about. This is what I've wanted to tell you all about since I started working there but, for obvious reasons, was not able to. The most revolutionary In-Flight Entertainment system in the country (one might argue the world.) The most beautiful planes (inside and out) that I have ever seen. The most comfortable seats I have ever had the pleasure of sitting in. This is going to change the way people fly. This is going to set the new standard. But you might never get to enjoy it. For reasons that don't bear explaining here (if you want to read about it, go here) the Department of Transportation is having trouble granting us our right to fly. The tentatively rejected our application on December 28th and we replied to the rejection last week. For 18 straight days before that I, and some dedicated colleagues, worked on a campaign to let the public know about us and our situation, and to invite them to help. The end result was letVAfly.com. We created the site to show people what we're all about and allow them to help join our fight. Check it out. So I'm asking you to help. Sign the petition, write to congress, spread the word. Send this link to everyone you know...EVERYONE. Email it to friends, family, colleagues; post it on your intranet at work, post it on your blog or myspace or whatever. There's a lot at stake here.

Will, you're next

My brother just got back from Morocco, specifically Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains. Check out his amazing pics.

Rationalization

Everytime I get frustrated with our new house, and the length of time the remodelling is taking, I just go outside and stand on the deck to remind myself why we're putting all this time money and effort into it.

yeah, yeah, yeah, I know

*blows the dust off the blog*Wow, it's definitely been a while since I updated this thing. Rest assured, it's certainly not due to lack of "newsworthy" content, more due to a lack of time. The last three months have been unbelievable. We've had birthdays, travels, new jobs, notable firsts, and a whole lot more. I'll be back soon to update in more detail, but in the meantime... Trip to England First Domestic Flight in...Ages BGCGG Wine Festival Fishing Trip Reno Air Races Will and Cait's Visit Long Beach

Like a Virgin

Monday was my last official day at Shaklee. It was also one of the hardest days of my entire life. During my almost two years at Shaklee I worked with some of the best, brighest and friendliest people that I have ever met. I had a chance to work with some of the best of the best in the industry and beyond. I was mentored by people that were the best in their field, and I worked for a CEO who I daresay could be called a visionary. On Monday I start the next chapter in my career as Head of Interactive Marketing at Virgin America. VA is the new domestic airline based at SFO. It's totally separate from all of the other Virgin companies, including Virgin Atlantic. I will be in charge of everything to do with the web, including the website itself, email, online marketing etc. It's going to be a unique challenge, as it's a startup - they don't yet have their DoT approval - but it's also the chance to work at one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Of course it's also the opportunity to return to the airline industry, my true passion. So the last few weeks have been very emotional, with a great deal of internal debate on my part. In fact, my recent solo trip to Tahoe was purely to get away from any outside influences and just spend some time going over the pros and cons, and come to a final conclusion. At the end of my time in Tahoe, I had reached a conclusion. I just couldn't turn down the Virgin America opportunity. I handed in my two weeks the next day.
The next two weeks was a maelstrom of blood, sweat and tears. Convention week was upon us, the busiest week of the Shaklee year, so everybody was distracted. My plan was to slip out quietly during the chaos of convention, but that was not to be. Word spread quickly and I had many people asking me "Is it true?" and trying to talk me out of it. All through convention I had people pulling me aside saying "what's it going to take to keep you here?" - which was a hard question to answer because I wasn't leaving Shaklee because I was unhappy. I love Shaklee but this was just an offer I couldn't refuse, it was a simple as that. If it had been any other company in any other industry, I would have turned down the offer there and then. But this was different. On the penultimate day of convention, the wonderful Noelle, without whom my life at Shaklee would have been very difficult, organized a farewell party at a bar down the street. I was expecting a handful of people to show, but I was overwhelmed when I saw just how many people turned up! It was a truly amazing night (about which I remember very little.)
It was a great, great evening and I think it's safe to say that everyone had a great time. If the state of everyone the next morning is an indicator, it was a solid night all round. It was obviously a night of mixed emotions as well. I really got to know some people who I had never really spent much time with during my time at Shaklee. It's sad that it took an event like this to discover how great a person they were. But, that leads nicely to my next point. How did I rationalize my departure from Shaklee? I have never been so emotionally invested in a company in my entire life. There was something about Shaklee that just clicked with me. The mission, the heritage, the family connection. I mean, how many companies take over an entire Major League ballpark for the night to celebrate their 50th anniversary - or have Earth, Wind and Fire play a private gig at their convention. It could have been any one of those, or a combination thereof. But what it really boiled down to was the people - and my decision to leave Shaklee was based on my ability to distill the Shaklee People and the rest of Shaklee. After much thought, I was able to come to the conclusion that my friends at Shaklee would always be my friends, regardless of where they worked. On top of that, it was the need to take the plunge into something different. It's very easy to stay in one's comfort zone and I could have happily accepted the counteroffers and resumed my life at Shaklee, with the friends I loved and the work I knew. However this time, I needed to take a risk. I wanted the excitment and anticipation of a startup. I've worked at well established corporations my entire career - incredibly Shaklee, at 50 years old, is the YOUNGEST company I've worked for. At Virgin America, I'm getting in on the ground floor. But ultimately, it was this quote that helped me make my decision: "Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. And yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, an afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you cannot conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four, or five times more? Perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless." At the end of the day, it was time to seize the day.

Fattastic!

Last week I finally reached my goal of breaking the 200lb mark. (Sorry for the crappy camphone photo below.) I haven't seen a 1 at the beginning of my weight since I left England six years ago. It was a great, great feeling.

Each time I reached a milestone like 220 or 210, I would say to myself "these next 10lbs are going to be impossible to shake." Well that just wasn't the case. The weightloss has been pretty much consistent so far. We have three more weeks to go on the trial so I have actually revised my goal downwards to 190lbs, but 200lbs is just really exciting for me. At the request of some of my (female) coworkers, I went shopping this weekend for clothes that actually fit. They're reasons for wanting me in properly fitting clothes were wholly immoral, I assure you. Anyway, I usually loathe clothes shopping with a passion reserved only for taxes and cleaning out the litterbox. But this time was different. Through my wife's persistence (read: nagging) I tried on clothes in sizes that have never graced my body before. In the midst of all this weightloss, I have gone from a zize 40 jeans to sitting here in a size 34 and constantly needing to pull them up. I've gone from a size XL t-shirt to a M and even that is very baggy. It's definitely a huge ego booster. So what's next? Well I'm going to drop those last 10lbs and then dedicate my time to weights and toning. The trial goes on for another three weeks and if I remain disciplined, I should be able to drop those 10lbs during the remainder of the trial. I've also signed up to do the AIDS Lifecycle next June, which is a 585 mile bike ride from San Francisco to LA to raise funds for AIDS research. So my training for that will begin in earnest. Come to think of it....I should probably get a bike. As for the program, I can't speak much about the details, suffice to say it's excellent. When it becomes publicly available later in the month I will share details and tell you how to get it. Until then, thanks for the encouragement everyone!

Happy Birthday, fatty!

As some of you may know, I have been on a clinical trial of a weight management program through my employer. I have been quite coy about the program, partly because it's confidential and partly because I didn't want to jinx it; but I figured that the 27th anniversary of my glorious escape from the womb was a good juncture for an update.I AM KICKING ASS!! Ok...the program kicks ass too, but I have a lot to do with the execution of the program. As of today, I have lost 27lbs on the 27th day of the month on my 27th birthday. Yes, I had planned the entire thing like that. I am currently the lightest I have been since moving to California over 6 years ago. People aren't recognizing me, people at work who I haven't ever spoken to are stopping me in the corridor - it's a good feeling. I still have a few more pounds to lose before I reach my goal, but I'm moving in the right direction. Deanne has been incredibly supportive and I couldn't have done this without her - she's been my walking partner and my calorie enforcer. Anyway, I have resisted the temptation to look at a photo of myself, let alone have one taken, for fear that I might not see results. But the waitress at Black Angus snuck up on me with her Polaroid. I was very surprised with the results. I look like I did 6 years ago. Here's a before and after...or before and during, since I'm not finished: Before: During/After:

Look what I got !!!

Disclaimer: Since I KNOW my mother will make a comment - Mom, this is not a flattering photo of me - my shirt is bulging out. I'm actually, much much thinner. In fact, I'm the lightest I've been in five years. I'll post pictures when I reach my goal weight. Void where prohibited. Not all applicants will qualify. Professional driver on closed course, do not attempt. I FINALLY got my car back. Almost three months to the day since the it was ripped my from my bosom. Hooray!! Well, kinda. There's a whole host of problems. And it's gonna need to go back to the shop for quite a long time. The worst of the problems is that the a/c just plain doesn't work. It's 97 degrees here. Plus there's a bunch of cosmetic problems and some other issues that just aren't acceptable. Oh and the horn now sounds like someone is strangling a goose. So I get it for the weekend and then it's back to the shop for more work. I was destined to never have this car. *sigh*

It ain't easy bein' a Leo

Mercury is in retrograde right smack through the middle of my constellation, Leo. So I have to keep my mouth shut for the next two weeks, lest I suffer the consequnces. I've already learned that the hard way.

Garbage Pail Nostalgia

On our recent brief trip to Phoenix (look for a post on that later), we went to a mall in Chandler to get out of the heat and look for some shorts for me. In the food court of the mall, they were having a small baseball card/comic/collectibles show, with various vendors set up with folding tables, displaying their wares. I used to collect baseball cards when I was a kid, so I was mildly interested but didn't break stride as we walked by the various displays. But then....I spotted something. On a table manned by a yellow-toothed, trucker cap wearing, baseball card "aficionado" were three boxes of original, series 3.....Garbage Pail Kids. Now Garbage Pail Kids were a staple of my youth. I collected them and traded them with the voracity of a frenzied llama. My brother and I would compare collections and see who had the weirdest/best/rarest etc. We even forced our dad to videotape us discussing the merits of our collections.So imagine my delight when I saw the classic GPK wrapper staring back at me. Deanne knew what she was in for when I was heard to exclaim "oooooooo Garbage Pail Kids, remember these?!?" I immediately picked up one of the packets and looked at the back - Copyright Topps 1986. 1986, I was 7 years old. The stallkeep piped up "two fer two dollars, six fer ten, and the whole box fer sixty five." I squealed in delight. "I'll be back, I need to get some cash." So I went off and found an ATM and withdrew the requisite amount of cash. Before I could turn around back towards my childhood, Deanne said "Oh look, this place has shorts," in a desparate attempt to distract me from my purchase. So we tramped around looking at shorts and shirts and various other....crap. But I knew that we would have to pass by the Garbage Pail Kids on the way out of the mall, so I sallied forth. Eventually, we drew nearer and I fumbled in my pocket for the $20 bills I had withdrawn earlier. "How many are you going to get?" inquired my wife. "10," I said. "10?! What are you going to do with 10 packs of Garbage Pail Kids, frame them?!?" she asked, knowing her husband all too well. Frame them...that's not a bad idea - and I think she knew I was thinking that because she immediately said "Don't even think about it." We eventually agreed on 5 packs but I got 6 due to the stallkeep's generosity. I pocketed the wax packs and went on my way. As soon as we got home I tore open one of the packets. The smell was what hit me first, you don't forget that smell. It was a combination of cardboard, wax packaging and gum. Ahh the gum, I pulled out the 20 year old piece of gum and examined it. After all these years it was still hard enough to shatter into lethal shards that could cut through frozen vegetables. Good times. I started sifting through the cards and immediately recognized all the faces I saw - Karate Kate, Target Margaret, Fowl Raoul, they were all there. As I pulled open the remaining packets, I was greeted by all the old characters. I had forgotten about the goodies they have on the back of each card - the puzzle pieces, the wanted posters, the checklists. I suddenly have the desire to become a Garbage Pail Kids "afficionado."

Where should I go?

Here's a quandary for you:I have a ticket on United Airlines worth approximately $258 I have to travel before August 3rd or I lose the ticket. I can only take one day off, so it would have to be over a three day weekend. I'm willing to add a maximum of $100 to the ticket value, bringing the total possible flight cost to $358 Where do I go?

Great Start

Hey good job guys, way to play like you've never seen a soccer ball before. Nice one.

World Cup Fever

With the World Cup a month away, a lot of people have been asking my thoughts on how I think it will pan out, especially regarding how the US team will fair. So here goes, my comprehensive outlook on the 2006 World Cup.The U.S. National Team: When I first saw the group that the US was drawn in, I was a bit worried. Italy, the Czech Republic and Ghana. Yikes. That's one of the most difficult groups in the tournament. Let's look at the competition: Italy: The US played Italy only once recently, and that was back in 2002 where they were beaten 1-0. Not bad, but methinks that is a flattering result. Italy are currently ranked 14th in the FIFA Rankings, with the U.S. a full 10 places higher in 4th. But don't let that fool you for a second, those rankings don't mean much. Italy lost only 1 game in the final round of 10 qualifying matches, and that was to Slovenia. Sure they had a pretty weak group, but they topped it by 5 points. They're inconsistent at times, and have some HUGE egos to contend with, especially up front. They recently beat Germany 4-1 but could only muster a 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast. The U.S. could beat them on the right day, but they'll need to have a solid back line and put away the few chances they'll get. Czech Republic: The USMNT has really struggled against Eastern European teams in the past - actually, that's not entirely accurate - the only Eastern European team they've played in recent years is Poland - having played them 4 times in the last 5 years. The results have been mixed at best - they were spanked 3-1 by Poland in the 2002 World Cup, and there have been a series of 1-0 wins for either team since then, the most recent being a 1-0 win for the U.S. in blizzard conditions in Germany. They had a tough time qualifying, coming second best to Holland in their group. They eventually beat Norway 2-0 in a playoff. The Czechs scored more goals than any other European team in qualifying. Yikes. Oh and they're also ranked number 2 in the world. I am much more concerned about the Czech Republic than I am about Italy. Ghana: One of the things that the US has not done well is find a variety of competition - we play the same teams over and over and that has hurt us in the past. Interestingly, we've played quite a few African teams in the last 5 years, including South Africa (W), Tunisia (D), Cameroon (D), and a game in two weeks against Morocco. This is Ghana's first World Cup, so they're expectations will be low which can make them dangerous. That said, the U.S. really should beat Ghana. Conclusion: To advance to the second round, the U.S. is going to have to beat either Italy or the Czech Republic. If that doesn't happen, they're going to have to hope for favorable results in the other games. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the US team can beat anyone on the right day. They're going to have come out very agressively and pull off a good result against the Czechs like they did against Portugal in the 2002 World Cup. The Squad: Let's look at who Bruce Arena elected to bring to Germany: Albright, Chris Beasley, DaMarcus Bocanegra, Carlos Cherundolo, Steve Ching, Brian Conrad, Jimmy Convey, Bobby Dempsey, Clint Donovan, Landon Gibbs, Cory Hahnemann, Marcus Howard, Tim Johnson, Eddie Keller, Kasey Lewis, Eddie Mastroeni, Pablo McBride, Brian O'Brien, John Olsen, Ben Onyewu, Oguchi Pope, Eddie Reyna, Claudio Wolff, Josh Any surprises? Absolutely. But good ones. I was very pleased to see Briang Ching and Jimmy Conrad included in the squad. They were chosen instead of Taylor Twellman and Gregg Berhalter. I was surpised about Berhalter, not so much about Twellman - poor guy just hasn't gotten it done at the National Team level. Why was Ching brought along? Couple of reasons: firstly, his height - he's a good stand in for McBride should McHead be injured or need a break. He's also dynamite in the air which is going to be a huge advantage, especially on set pieces. Secondly, he's been putting the ball in the back of the net for his club week and week out in the MLS this season. As for COnrad - I've always been a fan of Jimmy, and I just hope his lack of experience at this level doesn't undo his efforts when it comes to crunch time. So who would be my starting eleven? The front 3 players are self explanatory. Johnson can score a goal against any team if he's on his game. McBride has been scoring consistently for Fulham and will create havoc in the air. This could be the stage for Landon to shine. He has the ability, and in this position he's absolutely deadly. He can score and create goals. His performance could make or break the US' World Cup chances. Beasley is a no-brainer on the left wing. He's been playing well for PSV Eindhoven, and his speed is going to be a huge asset. Let's hope his diminutive size doesn't cause too many problems. Beasley will also be a very effective sub in the latter stages of a game to cause trouble with tired defenders. Dempsey has been solid in the last year for the USMNT and the Revs. With a decent perfomance in Germany, he could find himself receiving some interest from European clubs. Claudio Reyna....boy, let's just hope he stays healthy - we need him to anchor the midfield and give the attackers time to get into space. The defense...man, this is tough. Pope is the only cert in my mind. I'm not worried about the US scoring goals. I am concerned about them conceding goals. Pope will need to anchor the defense and make sure whoever is next to him is doing the job. I opted for Cory Gibbs simply for his European experience. Chris Albright is a decent wingback and his speed will be important, just as long as he doesn't neglect his defensive duties. Jimmy has the chance to prove to a lot of people that he was the right choice - I doubt he'll start but I think he's got the quality and if he plays well, he's as good as any other defended on the US roster. Kasey Keller has been playing very, very well in Germany and for the U.S. - we'll need him to be as good as Friedel was in 2002 to stand a chance of making it out of the group stage. Finally, my predictions: Will the US make it out of the group stage? Yes, but it will depend on another result. Will England make it out of the group stage? No, they will underestimate Paraguay, and without Rooney and an unfit Owen, they will fail to beat Sweden. Who will win the whole thing? Smart money is on Brazil, but Argentina is looking very strong. In the end, I have to go with Brazil. Who will be the standout player for the U.S.? I think Landon and Eddie Johnson will have great tournaments. Which team will be the surprise of the whole tournament? I think Australia might do well. They have a good coach and some great players. Which team will be the biggest disappointment? England - they just can't handle the expectations that are placed upon them. They'll play solid soccer and lose on stupid mistakes.

home despot

I would like to make a declaration. Let this be recorded in the annals of history, and in the chronicles of mankind.I....F**KING...HATE....HOME IMPROVEMENT. It is not fun. It is not rewarding. It is not wonderful to feel a hammer on a nail, or a saw on a piece of wood. It is not entertaining to bleed profusely after you impail yourself with the 5/16" bit on your drill after not realizing you have it in reverse and trying to drill a hole in the wall. And I know exactly where this loathing comes from. I not only hate home improvement: I'm also really, really bad at it. I mean I really suck. And most people don't enjoy things at which they suck. There aren't many people who cover the ceiling in bloody handprints when they install a ceiling fan, or use 8 screws to hang a picture to a wall. The Good Lord was kind enough to bless me with many skills I can use on a day to day basis...but when when it comes to home improvement, He decided to make me slightly retarded. Suffice to say, the last few weeks have been a maelstrom of blood, sweat, drywall, and profanity, the likes of which ye have never seen. Nevertheless, we have perservered and, incredibly, built an entire kitchen. With my father-in-law's guidance and my wife's tenacity and practicality, we have sallied forth. I know there have been a couple of times where they have both watched me attempt some minor task and thought to themselves "Wait, no, he probably shouldn't use that to..oh OH...ok that's going to need stitches." But there have been some positives out of this. I've learned some new skills, like replacing drywall, installing a bathtub (Tip: when installing a bathtub, it helps to swear at it throughout the entire process), plumbing, and how to apply a torniquet to a minor flesh wound. Although it has been, and will continue to be, a "personal growth" experience for me, next time, we're hiring someone to do it. Because I think I've said "Just need to...push...a...little...harder..........crap, we're gonna need a new one of those," enough times to have paid for several contractors.

The view from our new house