It's just a memory.

Searching through my photos I found a shot taken on my last flight. A view I will never see again.
30 minutes after this was taken I found myself hanging upside down from my safety harness starting a new chapter in my life.
That beautifully painted wing reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Another day in beautiful Fullerton.

I leave the house on my morning walk each day within a few minutes of 7 am. So I can see the seasons change in changeless California. Yesterday there was a nip in the air although it warmed up considerably in the afternoon. Fall is on the way.
This morning I was greeted with the sunrise shown on the right. Even taken over the commercial Commonwealth Ave., it was beautiful and by itself made the walk worth it.
A sunrise always proves that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

10 Months ago today.

It's now 15 minutes past noon. 45 minutes ago marks the event that totally changed my life. It's the 10 month anniversary of "The Incident". And this is the day I chose to check with my thyroid doctor. She wanted to take a biopsy and I chose not to. Thank you very much. Let's see what 6 months brings.
On my morning walk, two planes and one regal cat sitting in the driveway just looking.
Freedom to refuse a biopsy reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Woe is me.

Last week I tried to ship two units from the airplane incident to two addresses. Sounds simple. Sat night I rec'd an email from one of the guys that he had rec'd the wrong unit. I'll spend the morning making it right. Woe is me.
For the first time since I started walking regularly I didn't walk either Sat or Sunday. I just didn't feel like it. Too much TV and football games. It's too easy not to get out so I'll have to be careful about that. Even so I did the walk in 42 minutes including two short rest stops. A good time.
On this morning's walk, one airplane, two neighbors and no animals.
Seeing two neighbors assures me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Catching up

It's a beautiful day for flying. In fact one flew overhead during my morning walk.
I learned to fly in the mid 1960s at a flying club called Happy Pilots. One of the members was Owen Garriott who later became one of the first scientist astronauts. I tell you that to tell you this. His son, Richard, a video game magnate paid 35 million dollars to 'rocket' to the Soyuz space station and back safely. It's a small world. I almost know a bunch of millionaires.
Wednesday brother Bob stopped by. He had pictures of a local (to him) fire taken from his rear patio. Too close. Then he and Dianne are off again to a ball game.
Yesterday I took the time to drive to Flabob airport for a short visit. While there I took a short terrorist run on the bike around the airport to assure myself and others that there are no terrorists on the airport grounds. Surprise! There were none. FDR told us many years ago that "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". For eight years George Bush has maintained a high fear level to his advantage. With any luck at all after January 20,2009 we'll no longer need to see goblins under every rock. Then we can try to regain our lost Constitutional rights.
Our mutual fear of terrorists convinces me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I'm rubber, you're glue.

The old aphorism; "I'm rubber, you're glue. Bounces off me and sticks to you." reminds me of present day politics. The standard Rovian approach to a problem is to attack at his opponents strong point which would be his clients weak point. Typical of this is the swift boat attack on a decorated hero made by an AWOL coke head. Now we have a series of attacks by the Republican campaign throwing malicious accusations of terrorism and socialism. Throwing all kinds of racist crap to see if anything sticks. I learned a long time ago that when a person makes any statement it tells more about that person than the topic at hand.
One plane, no cats and no dogs on todays walk. But I set a new record of 40 minutes.
This talk of adhesives assures me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A new record.

Yesterday I was so proud of myself because I had completed my daily walk in 36 minutes (I thought) a new record. Today I focused on trying to beat that and made it it 41 minutes. Then I realized that yesterday I read my watch wrong. I CAN'T TELL TIME ANYMORE!!!
Oh well. Einstein showed us that time isn't that important anyway.
On today's walk... one airplane, one cat and two dogs with their owners.
Even Einstein knew that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Sometimes I wonder.

I've spent the last few days selling the remaining items from "The Sound of Freedom". A sad chore indeed.
It continues to amaze me how I can entertain myself on my walking meditation. Today I wondered about the propositions we're voting on in California. The latest one is to write into the State Constitution the definition of a marriage as being only between a man and a woman. Which reminds me of a transexual who worked for me years ago at Sylvania. She had been a man and the operation left her legally and physically a woman.
Now imagine that he had married and had children before he decided to change gender. Now further suppose that for whatever reasons the couple decided to remain living together. Under the new amendment would the marriage be broken at the time of the operation or would there be some legal folderol needed to deconstruct the marriage or could it continue as a grandfather clause marriage?
Now further assume that at some later date the original woman decided she also wanted to change gender.
The question becomes would the marriage between a woman-man and a man-woman be valid or could they re-marry or just reinstitute the old marriage?

Todays medical technology proves that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

There was a new cat on my route today. It looked like a long hair Budda.
The Santa Ana winds are BLOWING today. Even at 7 am. But it does clear the air. What a pilot would call severe clear. It's even windier than yesterday and forecast to continue for a few more days.
Watch the show about Arlington Cemetary on HBO tonight.
Winds from the East assure me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The longest bike ride and an old friend.

This morning I missed my walk with the intention of going for a 15 mile bike ride, the longest since the incident. I hauled the bike to Venice and rode along the beach bike path. One of the characters I've met since I've been riding on Venice beach is 'The Worlds Greatest Wino'. I call him by his first name "Worlds". Oddly he's been free of alcohol for fifteen years or more. But what a gig! I attach a picture of him. In all the visits over the years this is the first picture I've taken of him.
After a short visit with Worlds I continued down the path to Santa Monica and Arlington West which I mentioned a few days ago. It's always an emotional experience. Above is a picture of PART of the display.
All those crosses reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Am I lucky ..... or what?

On my walking meditation this morning I passed a neighbor I had not seen for a few weeks. He commented on the progress I am making in my rehab. Thank you Scott. Living alone and being here 24/7 it is difficult to see the small daily changes which Scott was able to see from his temporal distance. It is very easy to get discouraged when you can't see the changes.
Monday on HBO there will be a documentary called, "Section 60" about the 'saddest acre in the world' in which American casualties of the Iraqi war are buried. Highly recommended.
We should all be aware of the sacrifices made by a few for us all.
There are a few things guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes. Although I know few gays and fewer yet who have died of AIDS, seeing the AIDS quilt does it every time I see parts of the travelling quilt. I have never seen the Vietnam Memorial but have seen a portable replica which comes to Knott's Berry Farm periodically and it brings tears to my eyes each time I see it. Sundays on the beach in Santa Monica, white crosses are placed in Arlington West. There isn't enough room on the beach to place one cross to represent each military death in Iraq so it ends up one cross per 10 or so deaths. And it still fills the beach. And I still get tears in my eyes when I recall being in ICU fearful of what had happened and daughter Deb came around the corner to assure me that all would be well. Thanks again Deb.
Each of the 4180 Americans killed in Iraq serves to remind us that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Please vote.

Election time nears and charges of voter and election fraud fly back and forth. I believe if our democracy is to survive it is important for every eligible voter to vote and have their vote counted. Even those who choose to vote for Superman. I assume we have all registered to vote. I earnestly suggest everyone go to www.StealBackYourVote.org to see the 6 ways Demos and Repubs can steal your vote and 7 ways to steal it back. For the sake of our democracy check it out.

Dick

Offensive? I think not

Warm weather with no overcast. A beautiful day for flying. I heard two planes but saw none. It struck me lately that since school started there has been much more activity during my walk. Either education is a major industry or there is a real ripple down effect.
Suddenly signs supporting California Proposition 8 have sprung up on front lawns. This is to constitutionally define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. It never ceases to amaze me that anyone believes gay marriage would effect anyone other than the couple. And then the question arises about a transexual, someone whose gender is man made. Is that allowed or not? Suppose a man who becomes a woman marries a woman who becomes a man... does that count? And what business is it of mine or yours anyway? Against gay marrigae? Marry someone of the other gender.
I have been wondering recently whether or not anyone is following these writings. Last week I ran into Lee of Pietenol fame who told me he reads it once a week or so and brother Bob who reads it daily informed me that 3 or 4 of his cohorts back East read it regularly. So I'll keep writing.
The freedom to write such trash as this proves that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Another Increase.

Yesterday (Saturday) I increased the pace of my walk from 92 to 93 steps per minute. Such a small increase yet it certainly challenges me physically. Today I maintained the faster pace and didn't need to rest halfway through so I plan to keep it there. I use the metronome daily to keep pace and rarely use the iPod anymore since it detracts my concentration from keeping the pace.
Three cats were seen at a distance but no new friends. No dogs and one airplane.
It's a beautiful day for flying so remember that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Misty fog and a cat.

The mist was so fine on this mornings walk that I had dew on my glasses throughout the walk. But I did get wet by a sprinkler set wrong. On the walk I met the cat shown here. He looks enough like Tigger to be her brother. Very friendly, he just rolled over so I could tickle his tummy. Not many stray cats do that.
Yesterday I went to the movies to see 'Relgulousity'. If you like Bill Maher, you'll love this laugh out loud movie. Satire at its finest.
Friendly stray cats are here to show that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Am I good or what?

For those who want to see the kind of airplanes I see every day I attach a photo.
Yesterday adventurer Steve Fossetts pilots certificate and drivers license was were found in the wild woods near Mammoth lake. All that's left of Steve are some bare bones. When I had my incident I walked away. Who was the better pilot?
Living through my incident shows that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Gov Palin and the prompter business

I don't usually watch political debates because I don't think any real problems get addressed. But I won't miss the VP debate on Thursday night. Not for any political reason but more in line with my professional experience with teleprompters. During the first GW Bush debate there was clearly a small rectangular box easily seen outlined under his coat. I'm certain this was a small microwave receiver through which his handlers could transmit the 'correct' answers through an ear prompter. The giveaway was to watch Bush ramble around in answer to the questions until he got on point through the hints transmitted to him. Once on point.. away he'd go. Having watched Gov Palins pathetic non-responses to soft ball questions it should be interesting. So Gov Palin has been practicing her act in Arizona for the last few days memorizing the needed 'scripts'. During the debate watch while she flounders around in her cutesy way until she gets the right script from off stage. If it was me I'd transmit a white noise to hide any transmissions in the theater and sit back to watch the fun. It should be interesting even with the ear prompter in play. It worked for George.
Gov Palins ear prompter goes to show that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Dick