Things are moving too fast

The smell of coffee was strong as I sat at a table in the local Starbucks.  It is a Sunday night and I begin my weekly routine.  The first task is the most important: totally my hours.  Various sources contain my notes from the week.  In a mini calender binder I purchased before leaving the Air Force with plans on joining the businessmen of the world, I keep my billable hours.  At one time, it had meeting times and notes from my time as an instructor in the Air Force and job conference schedules.  Now, each day is filled with various numbers (1.3 .3 H; 1.4 .3 D; 1.5 B).  The seemingly unintelligible code is one only I understand and helps me every Sunday.  

I open to the month of June as I wait for the Netbook I purchased in my last months in the Air Force to boot-up.  Once it does, I connect the flight log program I installed to the internet.  After each flight, I pull out my cell phone, open my flight log app, and make a very brief but all-encompassing logbook entry.  Each week, this is pulled from my phone and stored on my hard drive.  Technology sure is wonderful.  As another means of "backing up" the very important information, I also record the times in a traditional logbook.  This particular day is a very important one.  

I already know my total time because the program quickly totals the information for me but I can't wait to see the number at the bottom of my paper logbook page reflect the same.  After spending nearly an hour recording and adding the times, a big smile stretches across my face.  I've hit my first big milestone. Five HUNDRED total hours!!  I can't believe it.  This, of course, was June of last year. I then went on to fill out my online airline application in hopes that I'll catch the perpetually rising minimums and then open up to my other favorite website to let all you know.  

Today is no different other than the year.  The routine has become part of my existence really.  I've long since ditched the paper log in order to save hours of my life.  It really isn't needed as I can just print a very professional looking digital one from my computer.  I did just that for my interview at American Eagle.  I sit in the same Starbucks at the same table and begin my game of collecting, totally and verifying.  Over the last few weeks, I haven't really paid real attention to what the numbers said.  I remember getting excited about 500 and 1000 total hours.  Since 1000, I've settled into a mind numbing routine.  But today...today was different.  

I looked at my logbook total at the bottom of my screen and really LOOKED this time.  Total time: 1440.  Cross-country: 480.  I couldn't believe my eyes really.  I wanted to rub them, but considering rubbing my eyes is what gave me this stupid eye condition in the first place, I just blinked them.  Keeping in mind that I fly almost 80 hours a month and 30 hours of that cross-country, I am officially less than a month away from Airline Transport Pilot minimums.  Less than a month...less than a month.  I remember thinking about how far away 1500 hours really was when I was sitting in this seat a year ago...when I was 28.  Looks like I should get my ATP minimums before I turn 30 but not long before.  There's another scary revelation.  I turn 30 in August.  It seems like just yesterday I had left the Air Force at age 27.  Where has the time gone?