I can't believe who I met today

“I was nominated for an engineering related award (Distinguished Engineering Educator) by a friend and former member of our engineering department's advisory council. The award was from the San Fernando Valley Engineers Council, which is outside my area. They invited me to a banquet tonight to receive the award. Anyway, I was asked to get there around 4 p.m. for the "VIP" reception for pictures.

I got there about 5:00 p.m. and checked in. I was grabbed up and taken over for pictures. So there I was, standing there posing for a picture with the Award Committee Chairman and General Chuck Yeager!!! I gave my APS camera to someone to take some pictures also...I hope they turn out.

Then, about 10 minutes later I was talking to my friend and the Awards Chairman. Chuck Yeager looked over at us talking. He walked up and asks us what we are scheming about and we start talking together. That lasted about 10 minutes. We talked about lots of stuff including some of the planes he tested and some of his opinions on things. Someone called him away to meet someone and then they left him alone. So Chuck came back and just he and I talked for few minutes before we got interupted again.

Later at the banquet Chuck was the keynote speaker. His speech was interesting and colorful.

Anyway, it was a great evening. It turned out to the largest engineering awards banquet east of Chicago. The San Fernando Valley is home to the major aerospace design centers, so they were all represented along with lots of Generals and Colonels in their dress uniforms.

Just had to share. I hope I can get some good pictures out of all this. Chuck Yeager is one of my heros so it was a real thrill to meet him.”

“Congrats Phil...How Exciting!!!
So... there will be a pic of you and Chuck next to the one of you and Drew? ;)”

“Wow Phil that is so cool!”

“WAT TA GO PHIL ! ! ! !”

“Congrats!”

“Sweet!!!”

“Congratulations on the honor, Phil!

But I've got to tease you ... "the largest engineering awards banquet east of Chicago" ... you're going to need Yeager to help you break the sound barrier if you keep on going east from Chicago to get to the San Fernando Valley! Must explain why you were an hour late for the photos!

But seriously, Phil, way to go. You clearly put a lot of top notch effort into everything you do and it is great to see your efforts recognized by your peers.”

“Very Kewl!”

“Way to go, Phil..... Congrats on the award”

“I just got through reading his biography. Very interesting life.”

“Congrats on the award, Phil.

Did he tell any dirty jokes?”

“what field of engineering are you in?”

“BTW, congrats on the award”

“Chuck Yeager & Phil Rock!”

“BTW - when I finally meet Phil, I'll post here again.”

“Very nice, Phil.”

“That is way cool way to go dude!

8)”

“pekka - You are one of the observant ones. I will try not to post too much at midnight.

DCBA - My P.E. is in manufacturing engineering and most of my working and teaching career has been in IE or Quality related stuff.

Geo - Yeager didn't tell any dirty jokes, but he still talks like a soldier. I don't think I will be inviting him to speak at my church any time soon. He is one cool dude under pressure.”

“Good Luck, Mr. Gorski!”

“Kewl Phil, I envy ya.”

“Chuck Yeager rocks! That was so cool that one time when he was riding his horse and ran into a joshua tree and broke his ribs then.....oh wait.. that was a movie. Anyway, congrats on the award and meeting Chuck. I saw him laying out at a hotel pool in LA once and he was still impressing all the cute women.”

“Phil, some people have all the luck.

Lets see, who have I met recently; aero, Crazy Mike, Hodgeman, Martyb . . . well, you get the picture. ;-)”

“I'm pleased for you and proud of you. I bet you file this one and dig it out for good memories for a long time to come.... I would :)
Mary”

“Way to go Phil!”

“Come on Geezr, what about me?

Congrats Phil!”

“Congratulations on the award Phil! It must have been really interesting talking to Chuck Yeager. Way to go!”

“Thanks everyone. I am still excited about the experience last Saturday. I never expected to meet Chuck Yeager, let alone talk to him privately. Everyone called him, "General", which was cool.”

“That is very cool! It was nice he came back and talked to you. As the Aussies say "Good on ya!"”

“Just got the link to this pic...General Chuck Yeager, Me, Cliff Terry (the person who nominated me).”

“Cool pic!”

“It looks like the cast from the movie "Space Cowboys"!! Cool!”

“KOOL Phil!”