The canine crisis is over.

The canine crisis is solved. About 2 hours after I posted the notice the owner called. Honestly they had worn out their welcome. They got into my garbage can and scattered the contents over the back yard. The weimerana never did calm down. But they were nice dogs and were in good condition. They were not on the street when I passed this morning. The visit was worth the cleanup.
The walk started in severe ground fog and was clearing when I finished.
Severe ground fog always illustrates that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A change in my routine.

Well, for the first time in quite a while I have had a significant change in my morning routine. A few blocks into my morning walk I was greeted by two enormous dogs. A Weimarana and a Great Dane. After they protested my entry into their territory I stood my ground and they warmed up enthusiastically. Then they proceeded to follow me on my walk. After a couple of blocks I decided to retrace my steps and see if I could find an open gate or other evidence of escaped canines. They followed me home and they are safely in my back yard. Someone has been taking good care of them so I guess their owner will respond to the flyers I put up right away. They are not well trained but are friendly and enthusiastic. . They wouldn't pose nicely for me so I have a rear end shot of them both.
Enthusiastic dogs remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A day I won't forget soon.

December 28, 2007. One year ago today. A day that will live in famy. A day that changed my life forever. It had started out as a day much like today. One can see 100 miles once one is above the ground haze layer. On the walk this morning one small plane passed overhead. For just a moment I felt pangs of jealousy. I envied his adventure. I still remember vividly being on short final then hanging upside down in my harness. I remember crawling out and leaning against the plane as Dick Deboer came a running. I remember him stabilizing my neck and being on the gurney to the ambulance. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital which is a story in itself.
That this day will live in famy is a reminder that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Well, my accusations against GWB made in the last entry have paid off. It's at least 20 degrees warmer this morning. I can still see my breathe so it's still jacket weather.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott is performing around San Francisco over the next few months. Another reason to miss San Francisco.
I used the iPod on the walk this morning. The walk took an hour. That's 15 minutes longer than my normal time. Oh well, I finished. Warmer forecast for the week end.
Finishing the walk reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Random Ramblings in the cold.

Cousin Betty chided me in a recent email for not making entries on a more regular basis. Point taken. This is the second remark of this ilk. I'll try to do better. Yesterday was Christmas and by the time I had walked my walk and meditated my meditation, I was running late to drive to Deb and Rick's place in Studio City for a visit and a fine dinner. A good visit.
George Bush is going down hard. The weather all across the country is cold; 2 feet of snow in the East and look at the frost on my lawn in the attached photo. The color is true and due to the frost.
Less than a month left and he still won't quit. This cold weather is a metaphor for the entire Bush administration. He has frozen out those who don't agree with him and sucked the warmth from our national politics. Then come the hurricanes to finish what the cold weather couldn't.
My dislike for GWB proves that we're all (mostly, anyway) on this flight together.

Dick

Twas the morning before the morning before

Twas the morning before the morning before Christmas and I was ready to walk. It had rained the night before but had stopped by morning. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to remember that Boy Scout adage "Be prepared" and carried my handy fold up umbrella that time. Half way through the walk the weather changed from heavy mist to steady downfall. I got home mostly dry.
This morning the frost was on the lawn again. Yesterday was fairly mild but it's cold again today. I could use a few 80 degree days.
The rain showed me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

At least there's a reason!

It's still cold in the morning but at least there is a reason for it. This is the first day of winter, the shortest day in the year. No we can look forward to longer, warmer days. The rain over the past week cleared the air. The photo shows the morning on Commonwealth Ave. It doesn't do justice to the real colors. But beautifully clear.
Music, music, music. The iPod started off with Kris Kristofferson with his gravely baritone. Ahhh that's good music to walk to.
Another plane crashed last night north east of San Diego. No one walked away.
Clear crisp mornings prove that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The frost is (still) on the pumpkin.

Again, this morning, as I stepped out the door for my morning walk, the lawn was covered with a sprinkling of frost. About half way through the walk I met a new friend. A wiggly beagle anxious to make friends through t he fence. An enjoyable few minutes.
Iii carried the iPod today so I took 15 minutes longer than my fastest time. But I love the music. Joan Baez singing the classic "Wildwood Flower" or Johnny Cash singing Bob Dylans "Don't Think Twice". I get so engrossed that I can't hear any planes as they fly over.
But it's a beautiful, clear day. A great day for flying.
It's weather like this that convinces me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Brrrrr! It's cold!

Brrrrr! It's cold! I stepped outside the house for my morning walk and was greeted by a carpet of white on my lawn. There was a layer of frost on the grass, white on top and green below. The clarity of the atmosphere was startling. The walk would have been warm had I maintained a brisk pace. Alas, I had brought the iPod instead of the metronome. I'm beginning to think I'm loosing it.
Tears came to my eyes as Dolly Parton crooned 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home'. Written as an anti war song during the Civil War, it remains topical today. Then she followed that with 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone'. Written during the 60's with a similar sentiment. I believe it's based on an old Russian folk song. It ended up and emotional trip, in more ways than one.
One plane headed East and no animals.
The lack of animals today reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I ain't goin out there today either.

Yesterday I took my morning walk since the rain had stopped temporarily. I had taken the iPod so I was slower than usual adding 5 minutes to the walk. The weather was what pilots call 'severe clear' and the music only added to the magic. Today the rain is back and I'm concerned about melting in the rain.
Brother Bob with cohort Dennis is expected to stop by after lunch so let's hope the rain has stopped by then. Bring back the sunshine!
The threat of landslides after the rain reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I ain't goin' out there today!

It rained last night pretty hard, stopped for an hour or so this morning then started in again. Right now it's been raining like I haven't seen very often. The only problem is that rain this hard interferes with the TV from the satellite. I've read all my magazines so maybe it's time to read "The Elegant Universe " again. Something new every time I read it. This will bee my fourth time (Trust knot thy spell checker).
This rain just verifies that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Snoopy is a beagle.

Overcast again. Only this time it's because rain is in the forecast. I managed to duck between those raindrops that never came. But three hours later it's still threatening.
I did meet two new beagles on my walk. They inhabit a newly purchased house on my route and were eager to meet me at their fence line.
If it ever gets warm again I'll take out the bike for a foray on the beach. In the meantime, I'll sit by the fireside. Beagles together show that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Every day I pass several examples of 'street art'. The pattern of sprinkler through a picket fence is an example. I don't claim to interpret what this artist is saying but the image is GWB for sure but he still hasn't apologized. Sometimes I think he believes what he says. Anyway, here it is. The intrusion at the left side is the tip of my cane for size comparison.
It's been cold enough in the mornings to necessitate wearing a jacket. Ten more days to the shortest day of the year and than it starts to get warmer again.

The morning cold gives a little zip to the truthiness of street art.


Dick

Am I great.... or what?

Last week there was a show on the electric TV about Steve Fosset, the pilot lost over California last year. Steve held 116 international records for speed, distance time and other parameters. He crashed his airplane on a California mountain side and only his femur was found 10 months later by a wilderness hiker. Scott Crossfield rode rockets to the edge of space before the astronauts. He was lost when his plane was destroyed when flown accidentally into a thunderstorm. Both pilots with tens of thousands of hours flying and they've gone to that Great Hangar In the Sky.
I survived my incident. Am I great.... or what?
Having survived a broken neck corroborates that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A day that will live in infamy.

December 7th... A day that will live in infamy. To quote from a Pete Seeger song, "When will we ever learn?" The Japanese lost a pre-emptive war in the Pacific, The Germans lost a pre-emptive war in Europe, GWB lost a pre-emptive was in Iraq and is on the way to losing the pre-emptive in Afghanistan. Throw in the Brits and Israelis and I ask again "When will we ever learn?"
Having to ask the question "When will we ever learn?" guarantees that that we're all on this flight together.
The picture is of a pattern made by a sprinkler spraying through a fence. I liked it so I took this picture. At lower resolution it looks like airplane contrails.

Dick

It's downright cold.

Friday was cold so I had to wear a coat for the first time on my daily walk. I was really dragging the last three blocks. That's got to improve. But this morning it was worse. My ass was dragging from the half way point. I couldn't keep up 93 steps per minute no matter how hard I tried.
But the sky was clear. A beautiful day for flying. One plane heard and two planes seen. One black and white cat crossing the street in the distance.
Next week the forecast is for weather in the 80's. At last. This winter does me no good.
Black and white cats remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Fullerton Fall foliage follies

It was cold this morning for my walk so my heart really wasn't into the walk. There was a high overcast which kept the sun's warmth from reaching me. But I did pass one cat black as night who checked me out and passed on by when he found out he didn't know me. And a single light twin airplane leaving Fullerton airport flew overhead.
Fullerton is not known for it's Fall colors but since I had my camera I took this picture of the Fall foliage. Just because it's not on a tree shouldn't detract from its beauty.
I had hoped to go for a bike ride today but since it's a sin in my religion to ride upwind, uphill or when it's cold or wet, I'm choosing not to go today. But Venus and Jupiter were still visible at twilight last night and probably will be for the next few evenings in the Southwest sky.
The Fall colors decorate this flight that we're all on together.

Dick

This is a photo taken from my back yard last night about dusk. The brightest object is a crescent moon way over exposed. Down and to the left, the second brightest object is is Venus. Then up and to the left is Jupiter, the dimmest object visible.
This was taken with the camera I carry in my pocket and was hand held which accounts for the fuzzies. But I tell you that to tell you this... tonight about dusk go outside and turn to the south west. Look up to see the brightest object out there and you'll see Venus and Jupiter. I'm not sure where the moon will be but you can see these two beautiful objects together.
I didn't walk this morning. I'll take a rain check, thank you.
Seeing those two faraway objects proves that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Foggy Fullerton Frolic

This is a picture of what I saw as I started out on my morning walk today. Needless to say I didn't see any planes today nor did I hear any flying on instruments. It was only low lying fog so it did burn off quickly. No animals or interesting people.
We did have some rain last week which only caused the houses which had previously burned to float away what was left in a landslide. Since there is no vegetation left to absorb the water, the water just greases the ground to slide away. They got it coming and going this year.
Global landslides only prove that we're all on this flight together.
Dick

Gobble gobble Mark I

Deb, Rick and I drove down to Fallbrook yesterday to join in the Thanksgiving day feast at brother Bob's house. The usual crowd was there as was an 18 pound turkey with all the trimmings. Thanks Bob and Dianne. We drove home, stuffed to the gills, as darkness and rain descended on Southern California. Thanks Rick and Deb.
It's been a while now since I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The tremors have been confined to my right arm. Although the tremors have gotten worse, they are not enough to alter this left hander's life. And I am able to stop the tremors entirely while I meditate. In the last few weeks I discovered an occasional twitching in my left big toe. Not the toe next to it or anyplace on the foot, just the left big toe. Can Parkinson's be that localized or am I creating something out of whole cloth? Time will tell, in the meantime the only negative effect is when I try to hold a letter in my right hand and read it or when I hold up the newspaper with both hands to read it. Too much shakin' goin' on!
Too much food yesterday! I was really dragging the last two blocks this morning. Ugh!
The twitching in my toe shows, once again, that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Gobble gobble

Well, it's 6:30 am on Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. This year I've got more than usual for which to be thankful.
I've had my cup of coffee. After this note I'll meditate for 20 minutes then go for my walk. Back at 8.
Deb and Rick are coming down later this morning and will take me to brother Bob's house for turkey day festivities.
I'm off for my meditation.

Dick

Another right gone!

Check this out.
http://www.protectrighthandedness.com/
This is an obvious attempt to keep left-handers out of society. There is concern that being left handed might be contagious or worse... a conscious choice. Oh my!
The weather this morning was clear, the advantage of having fires nearby is the terrific sunsets and sunrises. The daily walk will be interrupted in the event we get some much needed rain as predicted later in the week.
Rick and Deb will pick me up on the way down to brother Bob's on Thanksgiving. And I've got a lot to be thankful for this year.
Dick

The Dog Whisperer and me.

It's interesting what topics can arise when the mind empties out. I am a big fan of the TV show "The Dog Whisperer" which is more about people training than dogs;. When new person is introduced to his pack of dogs his instructions are "No touch, No talk and No eye contact and walk in like you own the palace." Then to introduce the dogs to each other, they smell each others behind. This instinct was ingrained in the animal DNA far back in the evolutionary chain. In fact, it was before the split with the monkey line of inheritance. To speak the truth smelling each other is a trait fairly common to mammals. Right in the middle of this train of thought I nearly ran over a young woman out walking with her dogs.
And no I did not!
The weather was foggy but I did hear a single plane obviously operating on instruments fly over head. Two dogs.
Dogs smelling each others behinds reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

And the tears rolled on.

It's Saturday. I don't need the discipline today and KPFK was broadcasting a Woody Guthrie special. All the old hard time folk songs from the 20's, 30's and 40's. Headset on and volume set. Then came "This Land Is Your Land", the song that should be our national anthem. Well anyway, the nexus of Obama's election and the truth of that song was too much. There I was strolling down Wilshire Ave with tears running down my face. An inner feeling of contentment hoping the country has at last taken a turn for the better. Maybe our Constitution will survive. But I'm afraid we'll never return to the 50's.
Those tears reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A Senior Moment?

One light twin airplane and one cat on my walk. I got half way through the walk and completely lost track of what I was doing. A Senior Moment? Probably.
Well, the election is over. Now we can watch as the Dems piss away the opportunity of a lifetime. Same old same old.
Yesterday I stopped at the car wash to wash off the ashes for the recent fires. The dirt washed off in sheets. The 'news' people have lost their interest in the recent fires so I assume the fires are over. If there is anymore ash falling from the sky I can't see it.
I can't see any ash but I can see that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Me and my bike.

I didn't mention it yesterday but after my walk on Tuesday I took the bike to Huntington Beach and rode along the bike path for about 5 miles. Good exercise and not too tiring. I did have some concern about the air quality because of the fires but saw no effect during my ride.
On this morning's walk.... two airplanes seen and three heard. No animals.
I'm off to wash the ashes off my car and do some grocery shopping.
Getting on the bike again reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Mindless question after mindless question....

On my morning walk I saw two planes and heard none. No animals. But the question came to mind regarding how to count the planes. One was headed East and the other was headed West. So do I count that as two or should I cancel the Eastbound plane with the Westbound plane for a total of zero? I suppose it doesn't really matter since I've already decided that there is no connexion between the number of planes I see with anything.
The fires rage on but with less enthusiasm. They're losing to the firemen (and women). Another day or so and it will be all over until the next one.
Seeing one Eastbound and one Westbound equates to the fact that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

And the fires rage on.

The fire nearest my house has been about 70% surrounded but it's still burning houses and disrupting people lives. When will we learn not to build in fire areas and flood plains?
As the days get shorter the later rising of the sun is apparent. Since my morning departure time is fairly well set, the change in the length of morning shadows is apparent. I'm focused on standing straight up on my daily walk. No more bent over.
Eve with the local fires and the attendant ash, the morning was beautiful. The visibility seemed good from the ground. But everything is covered in ashes and that comes form somewhere.
On the walk: no animals and a single airplane leaving KFUL. Somehow coming back on the home stretch I recall seeing a lot of people out starting their day. More than usual. Coincidence? I think not.
In spite of the destructive fires we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Me and the wildfires (continued)

Everything indoors and out is covered with a very fine dust. Among other things it is caustic when wet and is very abrasive. Not good for the finish on a car. The fires go on and houses are lost every day. Thankfully the fires are still too far from me to affect me aside from the ashes.
I shortened my walk this morning to be cautious about the effect of the ashes on my lungs. Not good, I'm sure.
All day yesterday and last night the visibility was limited because of the fires. I tried to see a glow from my front steps but it's still too far away. Right now (it's 10:30 am) it seems pretty clear but I know there's a lot of stuff still floating around. It's a little bit spooky to think that the ashes were someone Else's house just yesterday.
On this morning's walk there were no plane and no animals. Maybe because I was hidden behind my iPod.
The opacity of the polluted air indicates that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Me and the wild fires.

This morning the air is filled with debris from the Carona-Yorba Linda fires. Still it is two suburban towns away. The main east west route is closed (rte 91). This morning the world is covered with ash from the fires. I've decided not to take my morning walk today in deference to the bad air. So there is nothing new to report except that the fires are some distance away for now.
The ash covering everything convinces me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Left handers rule

One dog and a standoffish cat observed on my morning walk. I also saw two airplanes and heard another for a see/hear ratio of two. Since there have been no major events or terrorist attacks I am assuming that there is little correlation between the observation of planes to any observable events. Another triumph for science.
Brother Bob brought me a left handed coffee mug when he was last here. Thanks Bob. It had a list of famous people who were (are) left handed on it. Recent U.S. presidents have been overwhelmingly left handed. Both President-elect Obama and John McCain are left handed. We won't take credit for GWB but his father is left handed. It was obvious when I was working with video people that the creative contributors were nearly all left handed. Coincidence? I think not.
It's no coincidence that us left handers are on this flight together with everyone else.

Dick

Arcane ratios and tsunamis.

Having been properly chastised by brother Bob for not being more consistent with my daily posts, here comes another.
Earlier this week I questioned the possible connection between an arcane ratio and several possible physical events. Now that a few days have passed, we can search for connections both positive and negative. There have been terrorist attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan but none in the United States. There have been no major earthquakes or tsunamis and no civil rights taken away (of which we know). There has been a president elect who has been described as using 'deliberate haste' in his actions. That sounds a lot better than setting foreign policy by shooting from the hip.
So today's conclusion is that either the ratio measured on Monday is the zero point or there is no connection with any of the events cited. Today's ratio: Planes seen/planes heard=1/2 or 0.500.
Again there have been no major earthquakes or tsunamis and no civil rights taken away so again we can assume for the time being that there are no connections between anything. How fatalistic.
The absence of tsunamis is a hint to me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Science in action

I used to watch pro golf on TV with my friend Greg who was a golf enthusiast. I kept explaining that at that level they should all be Tiger Woods-like. After all, I told him "It's only physics". The only real variable is the wind and, to some extent, the density of the air. That's the long way around to my insight of the day. Today I saw one airplane bu heard two more. Now, if you believe as I do, that we are here to learn. But first we must wrestle with the question. So we must be alert to signals that may lead us to the question (or the answer). Suppose for a minute that there is an esoteric connection between the 'see airplane' to 'hear airplane' ration. That's not so strange. We know that there were few animals killed as a result of the Indonesian tsunami in 2004. They had all fled to higher ground (which is the name of one of my favorite Gospel songs). So what's so strange about deriving information from an arcane ratio? Exactly what information I'm not sure.
If we only had more data! It's still only physics...and chemistry... and math. And the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle... and Einstein's theory of time and space
All that thinking made my head hurt.
But the hurt just reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

It's about time!

I've been derelict in updating the blog. Sorry about that. No real reason. I just didn't get to it.
Saturday was the annual Veterans Day Celebration at historic Flabob Airport. It's really right out of the 50's. Real patriotism not the phony flag waving jerks with no real respect for the country or the flag. Aside from the array of homebuilt planes indigenous to Flabob were the WWII flight trainers a helicopter and several ground vehicles right out of WWII. And the Vets. All heroes from another era, soon to be extinct. All in all, seeing old friends, it was a great day.
Two dogs with their keepers and two airplanes on today's walk.
Veterans Day at historic Flabob Airport reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Airplanes and Russian Blue cats.

The sun was up and it was starting to warm up. A beautiful day for flying. In fact I saw 5 airplanes and heard another. One of the planes was a Dragonfly. It's interesting point is that the wings, which are normally swept back on an airplane, are swept forward on the Dragonfly making a funny looking airplane. Very small and very light and powered by remarkably low power engines. Anyway, there it went. Looking like it was flying backwards.
I also passed a Russian Blue cat with a gorgeous gunmetal gray coat. A little stand-offish.
Counting 6 airplanes assured me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I forgot to say Get Out and Vote

I forgot to say Get Out and Vote. No matter for whom you vote, this is one of the precious rights that has not been taken away yet. Every vote is important. Voter rolls can be purged and even votes flipped on electronic machines, but none of this works if we're all watching. It's time for us to watch Big Brother ( no reflection on brother Bob).
With all those eyes watching we must all be on this flight together.

Great songs and wing lift

Yesterday I took my iPod along instead of the metronome. A chance to lollygag a little bit. One of the songs is "Wind Beneath My Wings" performed by Willie Nelson. Every time I hear that song it prompts two thoughts: First it brings tears to my eyes as I picture daughter Deb coming around the corner in ICU after my incident. Thanks again, Deb.
Secondly, as my eyes dry out I think that the phrase is incorrect. It's not the wind UNDER my wings but the wind flowing over the wing that provides the lift to the wing. Bernoulli's Theory shown pictorially is that since the top of the wing has a curved cross section the air has further to travel over the wing than under said wing. Since the air molecules travel further over the top of the wing the molecules up there are spread further apart. That's the definition of a (partial) vacuum which 'sucks' the wing upward.
But it's still one of the great songs.
Great songs always remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Me and Stanley.

On October 4 I spoke of a cat I met that day. Today he showed up again. Then the light went on over my head. In the 70's I lived for a while with Suzy and her 7 cats. It was my first real exposure to cats and living with them. Suzy had 6 indoor cats and Stanley who was an outdoor cat. While we were in Texas used to take my guitar out to the picnic table and just pick away. No matter where he was, Stanley would always show up and try to tuck himself under my arm. Then one day he showed up much the worse for wear. He had gotten into a fight and although we didn't know it yet , Stanley had contracted feline leukemia. Here was fearless outdoor cat Stanley who had to be isolated from the indoor cats and the world. The indoor cats were kept outdoors and Stanley settled in to a more sedate indoor life. Stanley finally succumbed to the leukemia. Anyway the light over my head was because (for those of you who believe in reincarnation) it dawned on me that Stanley had returned looking like Tigger. He walked up to me like he owned me, rubbed against my leg and in a typical catlike maneuver rolled over so I could rub his belly.
Welcome back Stanley. It's good to see you again.
Seeing the reincarnation of Stanley showed once again that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

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

Yesterdays memory Today

I remembered yesterday (9/28) that it was the ninth month after the incident but forgot to mention it in the blog. So, here it is. And I also neglected to mention by name the first Angel of Mercy to greet me following the incident. Thank you again for my life EMT Dick DeBoer (see March 29). I owe you a personal proclamation every day.
As I stepped out for my walk this morning there were a few scattered raindrops on the driveway. When I interviewed for my first job in California, I was promised that there would never be any rain between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Since 159 I can recall only once that it rained a measurable amount in that time frame. The few drops of rain came from these clouds.
The few drops of rain this morning reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I never did my walk on Saturday because I went to the Flabob airport for the EAA Chapter One open House. Airplanes of all kinds lining the taxiway, factory built and home built. Walk, walk and walk some more. I had brought my bike along to use as a walker but the rear tire was flat so I left it on the car. It was good to see all the old compatriots. Roger Jan, Jim Pyle and all the others. Lee was there with his Pietenol, which only served to remind me of all the kindnesses people have shown during my recovery. Deb and Rick, brother Bob and don't forget Kathy who went out and brought me a pair of shoes to walk outside the rehab center which I still wear daily.
Which brings me to a recent coincidence. Yesterday I stopped on the way home to buy some coffee, of which was out. I went to pay but realize when I reached for my wallet that I had left it at home. I had not seen Homeland Security Agent Laura for a few days but there she was standing right in front of me. And kind enough to lend me $10 so I didn't have to go home and come back. Thank you.
It was heavy fog this morning on my walk. No airplanes and two cats way down the road which were gone by the time I got there.

My Ephemeral Self.

This morning on my walk I was intrigued by some shadows. The sky was clear and the sun barely above the horizon. This is an elongated photo of me halfway through my walk. Bow legs and all. I couldn't get my feet in the photo for geometric reasons.
Poor Tigger has something . Her feces are wet. EEwww! If I could catch her I'd take her to the vet. Budda still is trying to sit on my keyboard, afraid to be more than a few feet away. Could they be catching this craziness from me?
Tigger with diarrhea tells me that we're all on this fight together.

Dick

Metaphysical cats and physical jugs.

The jug is no longer in the store in which I saw it. Seeing it prompted memories from 65 years ago. (see August 7) Consider that on a geologic time scale the opportunity for me to walk past it and notice it approaches zero. It appeared at just the right time for me to see it after 65 years and then... disappeared into???
When I was in Texas with Suzy she had a cat named Stanley (one of seven). Stanley lived a life apart, one of independence with an occasional visit. But whenever I sat on the outdoor picnic table and started to play the guitar, there was Stanley. Freight Train, Cocaine Blues, Jimmy Rodgers, Willie Nelson. He loved them all. I miss you Stanley.
The confluence of a green jug and Stanley over a span of 25 years goes to show that we're all on this flight together

Dick

Cats and planes

One cat and two planes and a third plane I heard but didn't see is what I passed on my morning walk.
Both cats are sticking close to home and keeping me in sight. I wish this earthquake would come and get it over with.
There isn't much more to tell today. Rehab progress seems awfully slow but what else can I do?
This slow progress reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Saturday, Sunday and today.

Saturday I had a hard time getting going. Actually, I never did really get going. For the first time since started walking, I chose not to walk. After going through WWJD, WWTD (Tiger Woods) and WWDD (Dara Torres) I figured "Screw it" and sat down for an intense day of college football on TV.
Sunday I took the iPod along for the walk. Although I started out listening to gospel, I soon heard Kris Kristofferson calling me. Somehow "Sunday Morning Comin' Down " seemed appropriate. And then any day the 49ers win a football game is a good day, as infrequent as they are, football wins that is..
This morning the both cats are still being weird. Budda will not stay off of my keyboard even when I'm working. He does seem interested in the monitor although I'm certain he can't read.
Even Budda and Tigger are with us on this together flight.


Dick

Images of the past

For those who are interested the force I was subjected to during the incident here are two pictures of the glasses I was wearing and the camera with which I had just taken a few pictures. That was a sturdy camera.
It's taken a while but here they are!
After seeing these I'm sure that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Maybe meditation works.

Here is a picture of me ready for my morning walk. The last full photo of me was with the Padre and Tom Conklin walking down the hallway at the rehab center. I never noticed the distinct list to port before. Look carefully to see the Sheriff's badge I wear to give me the authority to deal with any terrorists I meet along the way. The badge has kept any terrorists out of sight so far. Not too easy to see is the 'feather in my cap' sticking up over my left ear.
Yesterday morning I had blood drawn to determine the status of the modules on my right thyroid gland. I didn't expect any feedback for a few weeks. Surprise! Kaiser called at 5 pm yesterday to inform me that all was OK. Maybe meditation works... or maybe it was fate. Or maybe it just happened.
On my walk this morning I recalled that there were two prayer groups praying for me after the incident. One on the West coast and one on the East coast. The question occurred to me.. is it a one time thing, does a prayer expire or must there be some kind of notification?
Somewhere in another universe there is a guy less lucky than I which still allows the perception that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A metaphysical question.

In the midst of some of the probing following my recent incident someone noticed as an aside that there are modules on my right thyroid. Yesterday I had some blood drawn to more definitively diagnose the nature of the modules. Every day my 40 minute walk is a walking meditation. For the past month my concentration has been on "My thyroid glands are healthy." My question is whether the test results taken yesterday vary with the condition of the modules, or are they inextricably tied to the initial findings without regard to the changes. In other words, if the condition of the modules changes as the result of prayer or meditation will the test results show the new(changed) condition or will they erroneously show the modules to be unchanged? A modified example of the quantum mechanical Schrodingers cat problem.
Tigger remains hidden during the day but I know where she hides out so I can check up on her periodically. Budda continues to keep me in his sight. He has decided the place to be when I'm at the computer is sitting on the keyboard. I sure wish the earthquake would happen or the cats return to normal... either way.
Earthquake or not we're all on this flight together.

Dick

She's back!

Monday at dinner time, there she was. Acting as though nothing had happened. I had all but given up after searching the yard and house. More stand offish than usual but she would allow me to brush and pet her. But let one hand get under her to lift her up and WHOOOSH! gone the wind in Texas. Wherever she's been and whatever she's done, welcome back.
Walking along in the mornings I often cross paths with lots of ants. It constantly amazes me how efficient they are as scavengers. When they're done there's nothing left.
All those ants remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

FELINE MYSTERIES

I last saw Tigger on Saturday morning after having spent the night hidden away somewhere. (Her choice not mine). She was an orange blur as she sped past me on her way outside. I call her but there's no answer, then again she never answers my call. I've looked in all her known hiding places but can't find her. She's never violated the boundaries of our yard. The food dishes haven't been emptied but then they never were. I hope she turns up and found to have been giving me a hard time. Maybe this is part of her odd behavior for the last week.
It's predicted to be a hot one today.
The walk Sunday and today was at 92 steps per minute. A stretch but doable. Today there were two airplanes and one cat way off in the distance (not Tigger).
Tiggers attitude shows that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Another small goal

Thursday I walked about a quarter of the way at 92 steps per minute but had trouble keeping up. Friday I transversed the entire walk at 92 sps and found it to be a stretch. This morning I did it again at 92 sps and think I'll keep it there barring some unforeseen weakness. WWDD? (see July 6 entry)
The cats have been acting funny lately. Tigger is even more stand-offish than ever and Budda follows me around talking up a blue streak. Both cats never leave the yard when they are outside. I don't think they know how to climb fences. Yesterday Budda was outside and I was in. I heard him talking to himself and went out to investigate. There he was OUTSIDE the gate crying to be let in. I never did find out how he got out unless he went out while the gardeners were here. Look for an earthquake soon.
One person, no cats and no dogs on the morning walk.
Cats acting odd before an earthquake proves that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

IMAGINE

Imagine had we reacted to the events of 9 /11 as we had following the previous attack on the Workld Trade Center. Had we treated them as criminal acts rather than a more general terrorist act, 3000 Amercan deaths in Iraq and Iran could have been avoided. 1 million Iraqi refugees and 100,000 innocent women and children would be alive and well. 30% of veterans of the war in Iraq come home with mental issues. How many Timothy McVeighs are coming home? How many come home in pieces? And how many more will not even get that far? Let's not forget the estimated 5 BILLION dollars borrowed from our children and grand children to pay for the war! And don't get me started on what the couch bound warriors have done to our Constitution at home. Dig up the videos of the unidentified police, dressed in black, performing mass arrests in St Paul during the recent convention. Our right to peaceable assembly... Gone. Our right to free speech.... Gone . Our right to habeus corpus... Gone.
And all this for what? Freedom? Liberty? Where did it go? Was it worth it? It makes me sad just thinking about it.
End of rant.
But it all reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The LHC and brother Bob.

It's Wednesday and brother Bob won't be making his usual after lunch visit. He is 'traveling' this week and next fishing or gambling or otherwise showing his how well he has adapted to retirement.
The LHC is the worlds most elaborate scientific experiment being conducted in Switzerland (and France). Its aim is to shoot two beams of protons at each other at the combined rate of 99.999999% of the speed of light. This is to simulate the conditions which occurred an instant after the Big Bang.
I tell you that to tell you this. This morning the clockwise and counterclockwise beams were turned on separately to prove that the protons will successfully transit the circular equipment (after spending more than 5 billion dollars). The two beams are expected to be directed at each other to achieve the maximum effect before shutting it down for the winter. When the two beams hit each other there is a tiny possibility of the formation of a black hole which could run away and consume the earth. Wouldn't that be exciting? That would beat the propensity of even the Bush administration for destruction. Or maybe that would be the Armageddon for which they so ardently long. I remind everyone that the same possibility existed when the Trinity explosion ( the first atomic bomb experiment) was carried out in 1945.
This morning I made my walk at 91 steps per minute. I started out thinking maybe I should up the rate to 92 spm. By the time I reached the half way point I realized that would have been a mistake. Even such a small increase would have been difficult.
No cats, one dog and two light twin engine airplanes but no single engine planes on my walk.
The ephemeral nature of the results of the LHC shows that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Random thoughts during a random walk.

As soon as I stepped out this morning I knew summer was gone. It was almost too cold to go out in just a T shirt. Having written that it appears I should point out that I also had shorts on. Holding the pace to 91 steps per minute warmed me up in a hurry. Anyway, the streets were empty but I did see a black cat across the street and an orange tabby quietly laying in someone's yard. Two airplanes flying beneath the overcast.
All this political hoohah makes for great theater but who's to believe? After they are in office they all change anyway. This isn't the America in which I grew up. Seeing the activities of the police at the GOP convention reminded me of the mass arrests and street roundups we saw happen in Europe in the 1930s and 40s. And the treatment of prisoners taken in Iraq and around the world was rejected at the beginning of our country by none other than George Washington! And after WWII the Japanese were punished for doing the same things we are doing today. How could what were war crimes in 1945 be excused in 2008?

The paradox of the war crimes proves again that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Am I the only one?

Am I the only one who gets a chill down his/her spine when John McCain smiles?
Sinister smiles and all we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The Highway Men and the fabric of space and time.

This morining I stepped off my walk to the tune of "The Highwaymen. "The Highwaymen is a singing group including Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings (RIP) and Johnny Cash (RIP), four icons of country music. Each sings a part of a man dying violently in the span of time from swords and knives to space travel. The point of the song is that the soul will return again and again and again and...
It's going to be a beautiful day today to fly.
Which hints to me that through the infinty of time and space we're all on this flight together.

Dick

An Adventure

I didn't go on my walk this morning because I planned to go to a trade show later this morning. I knew that could entail a lot of walking. The show is the North American Reptile Breeders show. Snakes, lizards, turtles galore! I was surprised at the variety of snakes. These guys breed for particular characteristics, like breeding dogs to get Pekenese or pit bulls. anyway I wore myself out walking around. Here's a picture of a tortoise which is two feet from stem to stern and will grow to two or three times that size. Like a Galpagos tortoise but another species.
These animals show that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Yesterday after my walk I took the bike to Venice and rode the bike path for about 5 miles. No great effort but the weather was perfect, warm and no wind.
Dennis, brother Bob's friend and fellow traveler, remarked that he had seen an article on the internet which claimed improvement in Parkinson's Disease patients who had been taken on the rear of a bicycle built for two and that alone resulted in improvement. I used Google and found an article which described the experiment done at the Cleveland Clinic. There is an expression, "forced exercise", which basically says work harder. In this case riding along in the rear position at 80 to 90 RPM increased from 50 to 60 RPM. Those who have been following remember that a while ago I bought a metronome to force me to walk at a faster pace (read: forced exercise) and thereby work harder. It seems to work, at least holding off progress of the disease. Today I walked the route stopping only twice to watch airplanes pass by. My pace was 91 steps per minute. At the end I know I've been for a walk.
Leaning my head back to watch planes fly by only points out that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Head size and a faster pace.

Two unrelated topics. During the OJ trial (remember him?) it was obvious sitting next to his attorneys that he had a physically big head. Truth be told his head is as big as a watermelon. Coincidentally a few days later I prompted Vanna White from the game show. She is tiny but she has a disproportionately large head. Since then I have noticed that often famous people have larger than normal heads sizes. Check it out next time you're watching TV.
I increased the pace of my daily walk from 90 steps per minute to 91, a small increase for sure. And yet it took considerable effort to complete my walk without resting midway. I'll leave it at the higher rate tomorrow and see where it takes me.
This recovery surely is slow.
It's a beautiful day! There was only one plane while I was out but for the first time in a long time I really wished I could have been up there.
That plane reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Eight months ago I lay heavily sedated in a hospital in Murietta California not knowing that the day before I had landed Sound of Freedom upside down. No one in my family knew what had happened and were not to find out for three more days. Eight months..... I'm glad to be alive and reasonably healthy but the recovery is slow after living three quarters of a century.
On the up side, my success at repelling the local terrorists is unquestioned. While I was building the Sound of Freedom at Flabob Airport, in support of George Bush's war on terror I willingly assumed local reponsibility for keeping Flabob Airport free of terrorists. Since the incident I also managed to succesfully keep terrorists out of Kaiser Sunset hospital, the All Saints Rehab center and more recently, my neighborhood. Either that or GWB has fabricated a war out of whole cloth. While I am prepared to accept credit for the successes on a war on terror, more likely it's the latter.
Terrorists and all, we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Back to the metronome

Using the iPod during my walk is nice but use of the metronome lends itself to a more disciplined approach. Today I felt strong and finished the walk without stopping to rest. The morning is overcast but the forecast is for afternoon sunshine.
Not much to report but we are all on this flight together.

Dick

Back to the iPod

For the last two days I've reverted to using my iPod on my morning walk. It's a slower pace but much more productive. There are a series of lectures arranged by a group called TED. And downloadable for free. I first found out about these lectures when Deb brought me 5 hours of talks about Einstein, his life and scientific contributions, when I was unable to sleep in the hospital. Anyway, the lectures tend to be about as long as my morning walk so it works out well. I'll go back to the metronome when I run out of lectures.
As a sideline, I was a senior in college when Einstein was at Princeton. The Chemistry Club had a field trip to Princeton the day Einstein died. I no longer recall the topic.
But Einstein knew that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Taiko, Taiko, and more Taiko

Yesterday was the 15th annual Taiko Festival held in Little Tokyo. Several groups were there and played enthusiastically in the shade of a giant tent. You had to be there to really enjoy it... and I did. Now that I've learned to download pics, here is one of three Taiko drummers drumming. Close your eyes and imagine being a peasant in feudal Japan and 50 of these come booming over the hills knowing it would be followed by an enemy army. It must have been terrifying. The bass emanating from the larger drums shakes your insides.
All those Taiko drummers serve to remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Three Musketeers.

A few weeks ago Tom Conklin and Mike Story came to visit. We had all worked together 45 years ago and had sort of drifted in different directions. Anyway, here is a photo of the three musketeers taken during the reunion. Thanks to Mike for the photo.
Even after 45 years we're all on this flight together.

Dick

All's quiet on the morning walk

The morning is overcast and there were no planes flying about during the walk. One cat who opened his eyes as I passed and then sleepily closed them again after perceiving me not to be a threat. The walk has become a walking mediatition during which I ponder the worlds great problems and the appropoirate solutions thereto.
Yesterday afternoon I went to see the movie The Mummy. Another battle between good and evil. Here, the difference was obvious. My problem with the movie is that every time I saw the evil mummy destroying the world I thought of what George Bush has done to this country in the last seven years.
Knowing that art follows life shows me that the evil in GWB is also a part me and reminds me once more that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Wandering wonders.

The wind is off the ocean so this morning the overcast is thicker than usual and will probably stick around for most of the day. So I think I'll go to the movies this afternoon. Yesterday I felt the need to go to the movies and went to see Dark Knight, the story of Batman. What a story of good and evil and which one is which. Today I'll go to see The Mummy. Neither movie is for kids.
Scary movies always remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

It's garbage day in the neighborhood.

Yesterday I finally got back to work on the Pietenpole wing ribs. I finished installing the internal parts and started placing the gussets on the first side.
It's garbage day in the neighborhood. As I traverse the neighborhood it is apparent the we are a disposable society. Most people seem to recycle paper items but little else. This makes for a cottage industry for the less privileged to survey the area for items which they can collect for resale. Tables, chairs, refrigerators and other appliances. All freely given. No tax credit given or taken.
One cat and no airplanes. The pace was rapid so I tied my course record. It is overcast but it looks to be VFR weather (barely).
All those collectibles remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The weather's changing

It was almost dark this morning when I went out to pick up the paper,. Winter approaches. The days are getting shorter.
I did notice on my Sunday walk that the right wing/corporate Register was delivered in GREEN plastic. Metaphorically I suppose one would conclude that the Register is politically good to go. However, the centrist/corporate Times the same day was delivered in CLEAR plastic indicating a certain political clarity. Where does the plastic truth lay?
Changing the color of the plastic reminds me that were all on this flight together.

Dick

Peaches, Dara ands Taiko Drums

I love fresh juicy peaches but am not generally able to find them. Supermarket peaches are hard and never ripen properly. However, this week I was able to get some excellent peaches at the local strawberry monger. Really great peaches.
For those following the Olympics, yesterday 5 time Olympian at the age of 41 Dara Torres won the silver medal in the 50 meter freestyle, missing the gold by 0.01 seconds. Her competition was young enough to be her children. If that weren't enough, she also won a silver medal for her part in the medley relay. Phelps may get the attention but Dara now has a total of 12 Olympic medals.
This week all week long in Little Tokyo there will be a celebration of the Japanese culture. Next Sunday (8/24) will be Taiko Drum Festival. For those not familiar with Taiko drums they are a little like football in that one has to be there to really appreciate them. They were originally used by Japanese military much like bagpipes, the rumbling beating drums scared the Hell out of the enemy before the enemy even saw them. Today there might be a dozen or more drums on stage at once. Tiny drums, small drums, big drums and great big drums. Some drums are 6 feet in diameter and weight almost a ton. The performers move between the drums while maintaining the proper rhythm. It's far better than my weak description. If I feel up to it next week, I'm due for a Taiko fix.
The sound of Taiko drums always reminds me that we're all on the flight together.

Dick

A Walking Meditation.

This morning on my walk I saw two airplanes and one cat which was lurking in the bushes. When I talk about airplanes seen on my walk I do not include high flying jets, I only refer to small general aviation planes.
Yesterday in Beijing Dara Torres won the preliminary 50 meter free style. Now go for the gold, Dara!
Walking to the beat of a metronome encourages waxing philosophical. I usually pass a car with the bumper sticker "Who started your religion?" Now there's a question to ponder. As soon as one strays from any tenet of a formal religion they no longer can rightly call themselves an adherent of that religion. When one considers that religion is a man made construct and follows only partly the tenets of a formal religion the conclusion could be made that everyone is the starter of his/her own religion... or not.
First member or not we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Einstein and Relativity.

Every morning as I start off on my morning walk I am made aware of the relativity of time. Einstein proved it mathematically but I experience it every morning. At the start of the walk 90 steps per minute seems to be a lackadaisical pace but as the walk wears on 90 steps per minute seems faster and faster. I completed the walk this a.m. using the cane only twice for short distances because the arthritis in my right knee was bothering me. Then I thought,"What would Dara Do?" (see July 6 entry) and I 'cowboyed up' and finished the walk.
The commonality of arthritis shows us that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The Giant Sale

For the past few days I have passed the local Chevrolet dealer on my morning walk. There have been a number of large signs like so:
GIANT
SALE
LIQUIDATION
I searched the line of cars for sale backwards and forwards. I saw cars, big cars, little cars, cars of every color but no giants.
Moving on.... today was the first time I completed my walk without using the cane. I carried it all the way.
Today I found Tigger has an open sore on the side of her face. I have no way of knowing what caused it so it's off to the vet later today when they open up.
Open sore son a cat are evidence that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Changing Entries

I just realized that the present posts are credited to Deb. For reasons I can't explain, the only way I can access the editing function is to pretend I'm Deb.
So any time in the future where you see the publisher as Deborah Testa, blame me.

But we really are on this flight together.

Dick

08/08/08

08/08/08 is a fortuitous sequence in the Chinese culture. Also the start of the Olympics in Beijing. Two days ago the seguence was 08/06/08, significant for two reasons. The first was the memorial of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It is also the anniversary of the reading of the National Intelligence Estimate by President GWB in which the intentions of Al Queda were clearly outlined. Shame on us... twice.

But it only goes to show that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Time Travel and Thermos Jugs

Benevolent Brother Bob was by yesterday for his (mostly) weekly visit. He reminded me that I hadn't updated the blog in a week. That's longer than ever before and certainly not intended. Changes in my life at this point are slow and often don't seem worthy of remark. But I can get philosophical. And Bob will appreciate this.
My daily walk is mostly through residential streets but one short stretch includes 2 massage parlors, 2 bail bondsmen and 3 antique stores. I tell you that to tell you this. In the window of one of the antique stores is a green Thermos jug. About 8 inches in diameter and 12 inches tall with a molded aluminum cap used as a cup. When I was about 10 years old, every nice summer day, Mother would drive us to the Point Lookout beach. After a romp in the water, lunch was a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich and lemonade from a YOU GUESSED IT!! a green Thermos jug! Every morning as I walk past the green jug I'm taken back to Point Lookout, body surfing the waves. Smell the water, hear the waves and see that green Thermos jug. That's time travel in real time. Isn't it weird how something as insignificant as an old jug can trigger those long forgotten synapses to snap.

Activating those synapses provides further evidence that we're all on this flight together.


Dick

June Gloom in July/August

The marine layer is in again but the ceiling is high enough so I can see planes flying during my morning walk. I slowed my pace from 92 sps (steps per second) to 91 sps. It doesn't seem like much but it really allowed me to finish the walk without stopping to rest.
I passed 3 Minis and 2 CRVs today but only one cat who watched quietly as I walked past. But there was at least one car blocking the sidewalk on each block. I still chuckle when I think of Rick's suggestion that I beat on the hood of the car with my cane and scream at the top of my lungs until they move the car.
Cars blocking the sidewalk may separate us but we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Rock 'n Roll in Fullerton

I had meditated, medicated and finished my walk. There I was chilling out when the Great Earthquake of 2008 hit. It rolled back and forth for a few seconds. Tigger the cat had eyes the size of pie plates and Budda just looked at me as if to say "What the Hell was that?" Poor Shadow, the dog next door was telling the neighborhood that something had happened.
This is the sixth or seventh major earthquake I have had the pleasure of experiencing. It never gets easier. Each tine is a complete surprise. Simi Valley and Northridge in SoCal and the World Series Earthquake in San Francisco in 1989 ( I think) are the most memorable. The SF quake was spectacular because I viewed it from the Headlands across the Golden Gate Bridge from the burning city while simultaneously seeing the fires in the East Bay. The wood frame 2 story house next door to my abode was moving 3 feet back and forth but Sausalito held up pretty well.
No damage from this one that I can see so it was just another E ticket ride in Southern California.
All that shaking reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

What a weekend!

Old friend Mike Story and older friend Tom Conklin, both Finnigan alumni drove down from N. Cal to visit. I have seen Tom on and off over the years but haven't seen Mike in 40 years. We talked about people and events I haven't thought about in years. Mike brought pictures of all the equipment we worked on while we were at Finnigan. All in all a memorable weekend. Thanks guys.
This morning I upped the walking pace from 90 to 92 steps per minute. Not a great change but it forced me to work a little harder. It sure gets tough towards the end of the walk.
The added 2 steps per minute proved once again that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Weaning from the cane and a visit from old friends.

I'm trying to walk further and further without the use of the cane. So yesterday I started off carrying the cane and reached the half way point in the walk and had to sit down for a few minutes to rest... but I didn't use the cane. It did help on the second half though.
Today I started out carrying the cane but a block into the walk Laura (Homeland Security Agent) drove by so we chatted a while. After we parted I forgot what I was doing and walked off using the cane. So I carried it off and on throughout the walk. 42 minutes... not bad.
A visit from Finnigan Founders Tom Conklin and Mike Story is planned for the week end. Although I've seen Tom off and on over the years, I haven't seen Mike in nearly 40 years. I should turn a plane upside down more often! (Just kidding Deb)
Walking without a cane serves to remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

June Gloom in July?

It's 8 'clock in the AM and the weather looks like rain. (in California?). Since it's Saturday I have nothing scheduled and with the weather the way it is maybe I'll go to the movies today.
Yesterday I got back to the Pietenpol rib building and glued the top and bottom pieces and a few of the cross pieces in place. Maybe I'll glue some more today.
Sitting here while weathered in reminds me that we're all on this (non) flight together.
Dick

Varations on a theme.

I notice when I walk that each day is different. Some fellow travelers walk/run every other day. Others once a week. I noticed one day last week during which I saw 5 or 6 cats out wandering. Usually I don't see any. Last Saturday it seemed was populated by dog walkers. It can't be the time of day because I leave the house between 7:00 and 7:05 a.m. every day.
I'm carrying the cane for about 30% of the walk now. It gives me a feeling of elegance.
That elegance shows that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Not much changing.

Last week when I visited All Saints rehab, I was driving home on the freeway when I blew a tire. It sounded like a shot gun going off. Praise be to AAA and a plethora of tire stores.
I carry the metronome on my daily walk It keeps me focussed on maintaining a fairly rapid pace. I think I'm using a pace that makes me stretch a little because I have difficulty keeping up the fast pace for the last block or so. I haven't been doing a second walk in the afternoon because it's been too hot. But then WWDD? (See July 6 entry re Dara Torres)

Even when we're separated by thousands of miles, we're all on this flight together.
Dick

All Saints visit

Today was the day for an All Saints visit after my morning walk. Don't ever believe that traffic has been lighter since the dramatic increase in gasoline prices. The 5 freeway was as crowded as ever. The trip to North Hollywood took nearly two hours. But patience finally got me there. John Paul was not in with his normal sartorial splendor but I left word with his secretary to give him my regards as I headed off to the innards of the facility. Before I even got inside there was 'Me amigo' in the parking lot. Then there was the PT lady and David, my soul mate of sorts. Everyone remembered me and my name as El Stupido Piloto. The nurse who carefully removed my trach and there was 'Hey Good looking" and others whose function and service I remembered but my brain failed at remembering names. Oh well win some lose some. A great visit marred only by my consistent blubbering. I really thought that energy was gone but I guess not. Tears of gratitude.
Then a short but good visit with Deb on the way home. Drop off some stuff and pick up thhe residual mail and such and once again "Thanks Deb" it wouldn't have been the same without you.
All in all a good day with good people.
Tomorrow? Who knows what it will bring?

Today was a reminder that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Troubled bridge over still waters.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of a dental appointment. She found I had a bridge broken in my mouth, apparently broken in the incident. No end of the discoveries. We talked about the accident a little and I broke down crying again when we got to the part Deb played in my recovery. Thanks again Deb! I'll get over it some day. How's that for the title of a country song?
Recovery proceeds on course. The daily walk is completed at 90 steps per minute and I am getting stronger by the day.
The increase in strength goes to show that we're all on this flight togethe. Thanks for being there.

Dick

Teleprompting and Dara Torres

I compelted the morning walk at 90 steps per minute but broke no time records.
Several years ago I teleprompted a female swimmer named Dara Torres who was in her mid-thirties then. Names and images of most of the people I've prompted over the years have faded long ago. But I'll always remember Dara. A tall drop dead gorgeous woman. Ordinarily when the person is performing, the crew generally go about their business. When Dara spoke her part, the male crew all lined up to watch like a bunch of horny thirteen year olds. Anyway, I tell you that to tell you this... Dara had won gold medals swimming in the Olympics. Now she was planning a run at the 2008 Olympics in China. Bless her heart. She has won and set new world records in the 100 meter and 50 meter Olympic trials this week. She did it at the tender age of 41! And still looks great. When the going gets tough now I think to myself: WWDD? What would Dara Do? Bye bye Tiger Woods.

For those interested:
She competed in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. She will compete in the Beijing Olympic Games in the 100 meter freestyle event.

She has won nine Olympic medals, including four golds, and won five medals alone in Sydney in 2000, the Games in which she was the eldest member on the team with her 33 years. On August 1st, 2007 at the age of 40 (just 15 months after giving birth to her first child), she won gold in the 100 meter freestyle at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, her 14th win at these events. She then followed that up on August 4th, by breaking her own American record in the 50 m freestyle.

Nice people deserve nice things.
Being reminded of Dara's competitive spirit leads me to conclude that we're all on this flight together.

Dick