The View From Here

In Memory Of Comair Flight 5191

2006-08-29T21:38:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,
It's Tuesday evening August 29, and I've just returned home from my vacation. I intended to use this post to tell you about my summer trips but unfortunately a horrible tragedy occurred over the weekend.
On Sunday Morning, August 28, Comair Flight 5191 Canadair Regional Jet N431CA departed the gate in Lexington, KY for the 6AM flight to Atlanta, GA. Just minutes later the aircraft crashed onto the rolling countryside of Kentucky. Comair Flight Attendant Kelly Heyer and Comair Captain Jeff Clay were tragically lost along with the 47 passengers on board. First Officer James Polehinke was the only survivor and remains in a Kentucky hospital. As you all know I am a flight attendant for Comair. I've been flying for nearly six years now. I didn't know Kelly personally but had seen and chit chatted with him a few times.
I wasn't prepared for the feelings I have been having. A flight attendant is always ready for an emergency. I am trained to know what to do when something goes wrong with my flight...Not someone else's. I have been heavy hearted the last couple of days and not sure what to think. I guess you can relate it to a football player who is out with an injury. You're team is out there playing and getting creamed and all you can do is sit on the sidelines and watch.
I keep thinking about Kelly and the crew. How it could have easily been me or one of my other friends working the flight. I know exactly how the crew's day was up until take off. I've been to Lexington many times. I've woken up early in the Lexington Radisson, taken the van ride out to Blue Grass Airport. You leave downtown and drive through the suburbs. The schools, chain restaurants and shopping centers eventually give way to rolling hills, horse farms, and rows of wooden fences that seem to go on for miles. I've made the left turn onto Man O'War street (maybe it's a Blvd?) that leads to the airports. You get out curbside, tip the driver and about 10 minutes later are checking in at the gate. The agent generally would send you down an elevator which leads to the ramp. I can remember the last time I was in LEX. I was annoyed because the terminal was under construction. We had to pass inside this maze made up of trailers that were set up as a makeshift building just to get to the airplane. I can't help but wonder what Kelly's last thoughts were. Probably just the same as every flight attendant. Things like "it's so early" or "I hope we are on time so I can get something to eat in Atlanta" are probably not that far off. These kind of things make me sad because any F/A has done this routine a thousand times in cities all over the world.
I'll stop rambling now. I don't really have a point to this post. Just think I wanted to write down some of the things I have been thinking about lately. I would like to thank all of you that called and expressed your sympathy for the crew and passengers of 5191. I'm just so very glad I've got family and friends who care so much. Please remember Kelly, Jeff and James in your thoughts and prayers (if you pray).
Love To You All!
Michael :)
p.s. above is a photo of the exact plane that made up flight 5191...Seen in sunnier days at Nashville, TN in February 2004

European Vacation

2006-08-18T16:01:00.000-04:00

Hey All!
Well a couple of weeks ago, Rodney and I ventured to Paris for a weeks visit. Rodney had never been before and I wanted to return. The flights over looked great and although I knew it may be a little tricky getting home but I twisted his arm and off we went. The trip over was a treat! We were plied with champagne, cocktails, wine, and a five course dinner before sleeping the flight away in the Delta Business Elite cabin. We woke to a hot breakfast before landing in Paris and arrived at the Hotel Georges Opera later that morning. The Hotel Georges was a cute little mod place with 1970s vintage print ads adorning the walls (I knew my apartment was in style!). Just FYI there was a TWA ad prominitely displayed in the lobby! After a short rest we hit the streets!
We spent four days in the City of Lights. Taking the metro to get to the areas we wanted to see and then walking to explore. Boy did we WALK!!! In my opinion, it is truly the best way to find Paris. At my insistence (and Rodney's protest) we wore jeans/pants instead of shorts, so as not to look too touristy. Yes it is true that French men and women do not wear shorts in the summer. They do however wear capri style pants/jeans and still manage to look cute and cool. That being said, who knew that there was going to be a record breaking heat wave the same time we were to visit. It was SO HOT!!! Rodney and I had to walk on the shady side of the streets and stop nearly every hour to rest. Despite all that we managed to see all the wonders of Paris. We walked the Champs-Elysee, the Tulleries, Montmarte, Sacre-cour, and the Eiffel Tower (we even walked up that!). We really liked the boat ride down the river Seine. Since I was in France, I gave my diet a rest and ate some of the best food in the world. I don't know how they do it, but the quality of food there is very high. Even at the little food carts on the street, you can enjoy a great tasting snack that rivals a restaurant.
One day we took the train to Versailles and saw the extremely beautiful, yet massively obnoxious and over-the-top palaces and gardens built by King Louis XIV. At this point I must comment that it seems all of history's self-serving tyrants (who are also always fat) seem to have built or planned to have built huge architectural masterpieces. Displaying their wealth and power....or compensating for their probable short comings below the belt? Draw your own conclusions, although I feel that the same thing applies to men that own Cadillac Escalades and Hummers.
Anyhoo, on my birthday we went the gay district of Marais and had a wonderfully overpriced dinner at a trendy restaurant called StarCooker. Then went to a couple bars there before ending the evening at a little neighborhood place around the corner from our hotel. Rodney and I found this "family" run bar our first night in town and enjoyed it so much we returned every night after. We had a chance to socialize with some real locals there and the bartender even bought our drinks on our final visit.
All and all Paris was just as I remembered it. Beautiful and chic, yet at the same time old world and familiar. As Americans we are taught that the French are somewhat snobby, rude and have chips on their shoulders (don't get me started on what Bushies think about their politics!) Well friends you have been grossly misinformed. I have now been twice, and both times encountered friendly French folk. Go and see for yourself. You'll find that no matter where you are on the planet, every place may look different, but people are people the world over. Whether you are in Paris or Peoria (i've been to both) a smile and nod go a long way! So as they say on the television "explore your world"
Love To You!
Michael :)
P.S. Our trip home is another story ENTIRELY! Check back soon for the details of our harrowing ordeal trying to get back to the Triad!

I'm Still Down Here!

2006-08-09T23:01:00.000-04:00

Hey All!
Wow so much for keeping up with my new hobby! Truth is i've actually been on vacation and have recently gone back to work. Just been a little busy but I have SO MUCH to write. In the next week i'll be posting some highlights (and lowlights) from my trip to Paris and Brussels. As well as other things that have been eating at my brain. So check back every now and then to have a look otherwise i'll be forced to call each and every one of you to give you my musings. :)
Love to You!
Michael :)

Up Up and Away!

2006-07-20T16:04:00.000-04:00

My blog is now up and running. I had actually been "anti-blog" for quite sometime. With the possible exception of my sister Stephanie's blog (which BTW is a great insight to her nutty sitcom of a life in my opinion) I held great disdain for the rest of the world's "hey-look-at-me-i'm-doing-something" pages. I do suppose that there is a difference between blogs and personal websites such as myspace etc., but to me they are all the same. People wanting you to read about the daily going-ons of their lives and bugging you ad nausem to visit their corner of the web. Something of which, to be honest, I could do without. However since it was something important to many of the people I care about (and I chose to support my loved ones as I hope they will support me) I dutifully logged on to their lives. I've read about what happened at their job, experiences at the grocery store, and other assorted triumphs and tragedies. So after I awoke this morning, had my coffee and watched "Hot Topics" on the View, I had to decide what I would do the rest of the day. I caught up on my sister's life and decided right then that I wanted all of you to know what was up with me. I became a blogger. I thought "hey what the hell, everyone else is doing it why not me!" The fact that I already had today's episode of Dallas on DVD also influenced my decision. So here I am, joining the ranks of such bloggers as Rosie O'Donnell and Donny Osmond. I hope I do a good job for you. I'll try not to ramble (like today). I'll try to have a point to my blogs (not like today). I'll try to promise that I won't bug you to come and read about my life. But, "hey-look-at-me-i'm-doing-something!"
Love to You,
Michael :)

Me!

2006-07-20T14:33:00.000-04:00

WELCOME ABOARD!!!!!

2006-07-20T13:56:00.000-04:00

WElCOME ABOARD!
"My name is Michael Yau and welcome aboard my blogspot! This is my first attempt at blogging, so my apologies for any inconvenience you may encounter as I get used to working it out. My blog will stay flying for as long as I stay interested and you keep logging on. Once airborne, I will be offering you a complimentary selection of my thoughts, opinions, and insights on the world as I see it (The View From Here , get it?). While I am here primarily to express myself, I will do everything possible to make your visit an enjoyable one. If at any time there is anything I can do to make things better for you, please don't hesitate to call upon me. I am just about ready to begin blogging. At this time please discontinue any other activities or distractions before you read. I invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the world of Michael Yau. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting me here, I hope to see you here again soon. I know you have a choice in blogs, and I thank you for choosing yaujet.blogspot.com. "