(update)

Greg and I partied on Friday night.

Okay, once you've recovered from your laughing fit... seriously. We did go to a party on Friday night. It was a much belated solo party for Greg and his classmates. A time honoured tradition to mark the occasion of soloing for the first time in a military aircraft, with much jubilation, plenty of funny stories, and (of course - these are pilots we're talking about!) plenty of imbibing.

So, other thank drinking and eating, and giving each other a good razzing about crazy/silly/funny things that they have done, a big part of the night is the tie-cutting ceremony. Student pilots wear a tie (with their uniforms - it looks so silly) and the instructor that flew with them for their solo ride cuts their tie after telling a story. Traditionally, the instructor cuts more tie (closer to the knot) if the solo was tough to give to the student. And then, (because it wouldn't be a true pilot ceremony with out this!) the student and the instructor toast the squadron and take a shot.

Greg's tie was the $3.99 special at Ross Dress for Less. (It deserved cutting. It was a model of tacky).

Stories about Greg and his fellow classmates were all over the board - there was singing (of "I Can Show the World" from Aladdin - hilarious), a coin challenge, and cultural comparisons (Greg has 2 Lebanese, and Afghani, and an Italian in his class) that were belly-laugh funny. 

I have pictures. I do. I'll post them. Hang tight.

Oh, Greg's tie? He got about a third of it cut off. Not too shabby.