Hello there Chicago

[UAL124 Joel Wolk]

Hello everyone,

Just dropping a note here in the forum to make a quick shout-out to the hub and say "I'm back!".

I had been on LOA but logged a flight earlier this evening so I am once again in flight-ready status.

So what happened to me? Well, a ton of RW came crashing down on me- the main "piece" of which was a gradate-level certification program in instructional design at University of Illinois which I started in January. I just got the program wrapped up, but wow... it was intense. Every single week brought huge volumes of reading, writing assignments, projects, small-group work, and live class sessions. It was all I could do just to keep my head above water for the entire duration. Combined with my day-job I was putting in 15-18 hour days during the week with still lots of work on the weekends. Constant exhaustion. Hated being away from flying but this needed to get done. It was worth it but I am glad it's over. And I have absolutely *zero* plans to go back and do anything like that... ever again!

I am so glad to be back flying... every second of my flight earlier today was pure bliss and I can't wait to get more in. It sure was worth the wait, believe me.

Hope you're all doing well Chicago comrades and I look forward to seeing you all in the skies...

[UAL008 Kevin Finch]

Great to have you back on the flight deck, Joel. Congrats on completing a gruelling program while holding down the day gig, in the midst of all the craziness around us these days!

[UAL124 Joel Wolk]

Thanks Kevin... so great to be back. Indeed things are so crazy right now... but of course, life IS simpler at 30,000 feet. And that's one of the many reasons its a relief to be on the flight deck again