Michelle Merry

@AlastairBruce_ @edinburghcastle @StephenKnott_ @STEPSTOHOPEsc Extraordinarily pleased to know I am a small figure in your Christmas card sir! Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your family in 2025. (Bass drummer RCMP pipe band).

Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone. Our 2024 Christmas card is Julian Calder’s photograph, “Governor’s Final Salute to the Tattoo’s ‘Silent Performer’, @edinburghcastle” Have a wonderful time wherever you are and whoever you are with🎄🎄🎄. @StephenKnott_

@MCCCANM Don’t worry about the times you forget. Your FA’s will remind you.

This is the 737’s seatbelt sign switch (FASTEN BELTS). How do pilots use it? Are there rules? How does it work? Do they forget? To begin, it has three positions: OFF, AUTO & ON. OFF & ON are obvious. You may think AUTO is an advanced sensor; can’t blame you, but no – AUTO turns the light on when pilots extend flaps or landing gear (except on the ground) & off when both flaps & gear are retracted. That generally only happens at low altitudes…say below 5,000’ or so. We don’t use it this way. The switch is usually in ON or AUTO…if OFF, I made a mistake. ON is direct control & AUTO turns it off, but it’s there in case we forget when descending. We’re required to have the switch ON before pushing back from the gate & taxiing, unless parked. When I want to release passengers, I go from ON to AUTO…in case I get busy & forget, which I have maybe a couple times (the sign doesn’t apply to Flight Attendants – at least at my airline, we have separate commands). Let’s satisfy your curiosity about the other switches. “CHIME ONLY” was the “No Smoking” sign, but that’s now permanently on & this sounds a chime whenever moved. We sound two chimes passing 10,000’ by moving it to AUTO then back ON; that signals FAs they can get up & start duties (unless briefed not to based on forecasts), or to be seated for approach. ATTEND sounds a different, two-tone chime & illuminates lights telling FAs we want to chat. GRD CALL sounds a horn in the nosewheel well, alerting ground crews to call us. OK: rules & philosophy. Generally, the FAA wants the sign on below 10,000’, but there’s leeway for holding or something. It’s up to the crew; I turn it off when reaching cruise altitude & on as we leave it. My rationale: I don’t know about turbulence above or below; can be smooth at one altitude, but terrible 2,000’ away. Anytime we turn the sign on, pilots must tell you it’s on, per the FAA. Some jets have automated announcements that satisfy this requirement. FAs sometimes come on after pilots to reinforce it; I don’t know if that’s required. The FAA wants us to encourage you to keep your belt on anytime you’re seated. I have beefs w/ them, but on this point I agree. Turbulence injuries are almost exclusive to people who didn’t have seatbelts on; FAs in the aisle make up a disproportionate amount. Keeping your belt on is not for turbulence forecasted 30 minutes from now; it’s for stuff that’s gotten nasty, quickly, & nobody expected. You can’t really see it. (There are some clues; cloud shapes may indicate a problem; at night very twinkly stars indicate an unstable atmosphere. In an inversion layer [warm air trapped under cold over a city], it can look like a city is underwater from above) We have imperfect tools to predict turbulence. We have big “green pickles” that show up on the weather app to indicate where they’re forecasting possible turbulence & at what altitudes. Dispatchers plan around heavy stuff. One app uses the accelerometer in our iPad to record movement & speed, then uploads it via wifi; you get a “trail of crumbs” picture of what others using it recorded. It works…OK. Pilots give “ride reports” to ATC…how much turbulence you’re feeling. I always check in w/ a ride report for each new sector; if not too busy, they respond w/ what they’ve learned from everyone at different altitudes. You can ask if needed & they provide recommendations. Then we can climb or descend to help. That’s probably the best resource; pilots want to provide a smooth ride if we can. Regardless, turbulence is dynamic. Also depends on the jet; size matters & little jets feel it more than big ones. A 737 can report severe & a 787 might call it moderate or light. I turn the sign on when we actually start encountering it. I don’t do it based on forecasts or apps, but will based on pilot reports. The switch makes a fool of me regularly! It’s a guessing game, but we defer to caution, as we should. Oh yeah….yes, occasionally we forget we turned it on.

@emmacruises For me cruising is such an easy way to travel. You can think as much or as little as possible! Be as active or lazy as can be.

ad • I’ve been struggling a little bit lately with a chronic health condition I have that is made worse by travel (ironic I know given my chosen career). 😅✈️. I am totally fine and have been dealing with this all my life so please don’t worry about me. I don’t want to share my medical details for obvious reasons, but today it got me thinking. I hope this’ll be useful to share! 😎👌🏼 One of the biggest benefits about cruising for me compared to any other form of travel is the security and ease. You can do as much, or as a little as you want and can decide on the day. 👏🏼🥳 If you feel under the weather for any reason (is that a britishism?!) it’s totally okay, there’s no pressure to do anything. You don’t have to battle public transport with your suitcase or try to brave finding a shop for food like you might have to if you were staying in a hotel. 🏨🍔 You know where your bed is, your bathroom is, where your food is and if you don’t want to leave the ship, you don’t have to, you can just recoup and recover. If you ever really need any medical care the medical team are just a phone call away. 🧑‍⚕️🩺 I’ve been unwell on cruises before (seasick for example) and the way the crew checked on me was so so kind. 💪🏼💕 All cruise ships have medical centres onboard (do make sure you get travel insurance because the services aren’t cheap) and I always feel so safe onboard. It’s hard to explain but just know if you have any medical issues at all, cruising is a very easy, relaxing and safe way to travel. 🧳🙏🏼 If you don’t have travel insurance yet and have a cruise booked just search ‘Emma Cruises Insurance’ on Google to find my insurance guide on my website. It shows you step by step what you need for a cruise and why. Never EVER cruise without it. 👏🏼👏🏼 #CruiseNorwegian

@holo_cene You don’t see music anyway

my piano teacher told me it was a shame that we wore masks because people couldn’t see us. i told her it was a shame that musicians and their audience didn’t protect themselves from a virus that causes hearing loss and brain damage. #YallMasking #SaltingTheVibes

I clutched my pearls, wore my sneakers but this 🇨🇦couldn’t help. Leaving this platform. Find me on 🟦sky @ancientdancer.bsky etc. Nursing/aviation/highland dancing/ flight attendant/ compassion/equality/hope.

@acweyand Done

I’ve been hesitant to leave the amazing #MEDTwitter community we’ve built here but would love to build elsewhere Find me where the skies are 💙 (@ shematologist)

@swoonganz Can you please move to Bluesky? I’m leaving X but like following you.

@nursekelsey I’m ancientdancer@bsky

@nursekelsey Done. I’m leaving X so thank you.

@guyfelicella I just wanted to say I’m leaving X. I’m going to miss you and all the fantastic work you do. If you are on any other platforms please let us know.

Recovery is about change. For me it's been a complete overhaul on all aspects of physical, mental, spiritual health. What we put in our bodies does have an impact on how we feel. I always start my day with the humble oatmeal, some fruit and 2 hard boiled eggs to keep me energized! Look out world here I come. 💪🏼💪🏼#Wedorecover

@Dave_Eby Please move off this platform and over to 🟦sky.

BC’s new cabinet will be sworn in on Nov. 18. It’s more important than ever that we get down to work together to help people with costs, improve healthcare and build strong communities in a strong economy. Together, we can make BC a place where everyone can build a good life.

@aliciaandrz I will miss you. I’m on 🟦sky. A lot of folks have moved over. You should have a peek.

I just wanted to let y’all know that tomorrow AM I’m deactivating, bc of Elon’s interference in the election & the palpable fear I now feel—an increased need for privacy & to protect myself. I couldn’t have gotten sober w/o y’all. this is a fact. I’m so grateful. xoxo

@swoonganz Two 🇨🇦 nurses on the phone with each other this morning. We are both in tears. Sending love and sympathy to our colleagues south of the border.

@thanh_neville Currently face first in a bucket of Doritos trying to eat our way out of a panic attack. Sorry.

@777flyaway He can have anything he wants. This snappers look sharp.

This is Branston, the ever so friendly narcotics dog in Bermuda 😍 happy to report no drugs found on our 777! This was taken on my last flight to BDA …

@DrSandman11 I’ll take anything you are giving out. Pleeez. Signed a seriously anxious Canadian.

@anylaurie16 Ask the men of today

@CharlieHorseToy What would you like the schools to do? Mask mandates for everyone? Physical distancing? No PE? It is not the schools fault. It is other parents sending their kids to school sick. It is your children not washing their hands or wearing masks.

This came into our house via school. I am so angry that nothing is being done by the schools to keep children safe. We have had a challenging weekend to say the least. I really don’t know what to do anymore I am exhausted

@BeschlossDC Brilliant. She has a sense of humour, can laugh at herself, and do something other than lie and say derogatory things. Shows she is capable of multitasking.

Anyone have an opinion on Kamala Harris's SNL performance? Please tell us.

@hwinkler4real I’m a 🇨🇦pediatric RN and this scares the 🤬out of me. I have seen the tragic consequences of what happens when unvaccinated kiddos get sick. Our health care system cannot expand for this. (Germs don’t care about borders)

He is not right on this ! You don’t want to fool around with Polio or Measles .. or ……