Well, the day is almost here.  I take my Multi-Engine Instructor check-ride in three days.  More like two and a half.  And yes, those half-days really do count!

It's a pretty intense place to be.  I have days and times where I just feel I'm on information overload.  I have learned A TON in the past week, and I feel so much better prepared for the check-ride now than I did seven days ago.  But at the same time, I'm still tryin' to get more prepared!!!

It's just a matter of what to study.  The short answer?  EVERYTHING!  No, seriously, as an instructor, I am literally responsible for knowing just about everything.  So everything needs to be studied.  But at the same time, my brain has these lapses every once in awhile...

I have to change my study habits every now and again just to have a change of pace.  This morning I acted like an instructor and taught a class...except there were no students.  But I used the dry-erase board and visual aids and even spoke out loud.  Might as well, right?

This afternoon I took a break and actually went and had one of my greatest lessons thus far in flying...a legitimate missed-approach.  A student and I flew around this afternoon, and we had to fly the VOR approach back into Chanute...except we descended down to 1480 feet (500 feet above the ground), and we still hadn't broken out of the clouds.  So we had to shoot the missed approach and try again.  The next time the clouds had moved out (most of 'em anyway), and we were able to get a visual of the runway for a landing.  Let me tell you, there is NOTHING like a real approach in actual instrument conditions.  Great experience.  (the pic is us looking down at where the runway should have been...it's under those clouds somewhere...just 500 feet below!)

Tonight I headed to the park to study some more in my car.  Just went through the CFI Oral Exam guide.  Some stuff was familiar, other stuff was not.  Soooooo much to know!!!  But you pick up more here and there...

But, and this is no lie, I fell asleep in my car.  On accident.  I woke up with the book still open on my chest.  This isn't the first time that has happened.  I get 8 1/2 hours of sleep each night, yet at the end of the day, I always go to bed tired.  More mentally tired than anything!  I'm not sure I have ever been here before!  It's kind of an interesting place to be, for sure!

But the day quickly approaches.  I'm not done studying, but I am at the point where I am starting to realize either you are ready or you're not.  Someone asked me if I was nervous about the test.  Without even hesitating, I responded, "I don't have time to be nervous."

And that's the truth!  Full days.  Hard studying.  Mental shut-downs!  Practice, practice, practice.

I'm just hopin' it all pays off on Tuesday...