Every day for the last year I've passed a spot on my walk which has a few drops of tar from the street repair. Here, with my foot as a measure of size, is a drop of tar shaped like a guitar. I've searched for other instruments or any other kind of representation but can't find any others. Is it an omen? My fingers don't work that way anymore.
The uniqueness of the guitar spot show me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

We have nothing to fear but fear itself

It was not quite light when I stepped out the door this morning. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure dressed in black disappear around the corner. "Ahah" says I. "A terrorist at last!"
But no. To my dismay it was a pseudo terrorist, one of George Bush's terrorists, a figment of my imagination. Remembering that "We have nothing to fear but fear itself " got me to thinking about 9/11 and its implications for us as a society. We lost about 3000 souls on 9/11. We had previously lost a few hundred to a terrorist in the Oklahoma bombing. Then there was the attack on the Cole, the Marine barracks in Lebanon and several other smaller terrorist attacks. Let's say there have been 10,000 Americans killed by terrorists over the last 10 years. Or each of us has about 0.003% of being killed by a terrorist attack
Yet death by a thousand cuts threaten us every day. Many times that number are killed each year by tobacco or highway deaths or water and air pollution or..... Yet in retaliation for 10,000 American deaths we have caused 100,000 civilian Iraqi deaths. And against the wrong people!
Our total lack of priorities assures me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Getting old is not for sissies

Other than the fact that it has been thirteen months and one day since my incident today seems indistinguishable from any other. My rehabilitation continues at what seems to be a reduced rate. Once again,"Getting old is not for sissies".
Forecast for the day is clear but breezy. Since my religion tells me it is a sin to ride upwind, I'll not ride again today.
Windy days are proof to me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Who am I?

Clear cold weather. No planes or animals. But my mind did start to wander and wonder. What is it that makes me? My heart? My brain? My liver? What is it that if removed would no longer be me? But it's to philosophical to answer. Last week an unnamed reader returned a book I had lent him about String Theory. Couldn't be proven, too philosophical not enough Science.
In 1980 a book was written which suggested the universe, as we experience it, is in reality a giant holograph. In which case any single part 'knows' the content of the entire holograph albeit in lesser definition. But the author did explain a lot of psychic events which could be measurable if you believe). When you come right down to it, it's all about belief.
String Theory, Hologram... both prove that we're all on this flight together.
Dick

Let 'em take sandwiches and ride commercial

Well, another day in Paradise. Severe clear and just a tad cool.
Yesterday I watched a show on the electric TV about the Presidents plane, Air Force One. I've seen shows about expensive private jets before but Wow! This exceeds anything conceivable. And they keep a second as back up all the time all ready to go anywhere. All communications and TWO full kitchens, I say let 'em take sandwiches and ride commercial ... coach.
Air Force One reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Rain, rain don't go away and come again another day

It rained again last night but the streets were almost dry in time for the walk. The forecast is for four more days of Obama rain but right now the sun is shining. It was cold enough to need a jacket maybe it will warm up tomorrow.
Warm jackets assure me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A wee mistake.

Well, it's finally happened. I looked outside the house before my walk and noticed that the ground was wet but no rain in the air. I had left both my umbrella and my walkman in the car... I didn't want to go slamming car doors at 7am so left both behind. Therein lay my mistake. I had forgotten to look to the north from whence cometh storm clouds. When I got to the farthest (furthest?) point on my walk the Obama rain started. Gentle and restorative. But barely above a mist. So I kept going. Then it started sporadically raining harder. The last block was a real rain but still very light. I got wet enough to change my turtleneck but my skin was dry. I'm glad it wasn't 15 degrees below outside.
Falling rain constantly reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

I've probably been past the Catholic Shop (see sign in picture) a hundred times in the last year. But I never noticed until this morning how from certain angles it could be Alcoholic Shop. Coincidence? More likely a conspiracy of some sort.
Congratulations to Barak after his first day in office. Besides committing to closing Guantanamo he brought us today's gentle rain. Next on his list should be single payer health care. Whatever is next should come from us. Through the years all the good things came via a push from the masses. Minimum wage, 40 hour week, Social Security and all the other wondrous programs put in place by FDR
I left 15 minutes early today on my morning walk. I encountered an entirely different environment. Different people going in different directions. I think I saw a red fox running across the street out of the corner of my eye.
The quick brown fox reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

It droppeth like the gentle rains of Heaven.

The forecast for the day is rain. With the inauguration of Barack Obama I expect a gentle restorative rain rather the the hard driving, flood laden rains of the past 8 years. The clouds were overhead during my walk but I could see blue skies peeking through underneath. There were heavy clouds to the north but they don't look that threatening. Maybe we'll get rain in the mountains and let it flow down to the valley floors.
With the cats both still acting weird and the weather the way it is, I still expect an earthquake.
The threat of a major earthquake predicts to me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Hoo Hah a new day is born.

It's 6:30 am on January 20th. In just 2 and a half hours we'll have a new president. Even if you despise Barack O'bama (he is Irish after all) he is bound to be an improvement. If we're lucky, Barack will out Roosevelt FDR and get this country going again in unity of purpose and direction. I'll say again, I'm not a fan of inaugurals but I hope Barack can stay in the company of those who said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" and "Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country." I'm not long for this world at (76) but I would like to see this country restored to its' rightful status in the world before I finally go to that Great Airfield in the Sky. For once in my life I'd like to see my country rise to the challenge of of its Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.... for everyone. Let's start with single payer health care.
Just once more I have to say, " George W Bush is a lying sack of sh**t." I'm done with him now.
The forecast for today is warm (80 deg) and sunny changing to cloudy and rain over the next 5 days, we need Obama's rain (soft and gentle).
There are now 2 hours and 10 minutes left of the Bush administration
Each of the minutes left to the Bush administration will remind me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Sully and me.

Martin Luther King Day, January 19 one day to go! I've never gotten excited about inaugurations before but I like Barack. Calm, intelligent and thoughtful. Everything GWB cold have been.
A few weeks ago I patted myself on the back for surviving my incident where two very experienced pilots had recently perished. Well I stand before you to tell you of the awe I hold for Chesley B. Sullenberger, III (Sully) who glided a heavy jet from 3200 feet to the Hudson River after his craft lost all power. I had only myself to be concerned with. He held the lives of 155 people in his skillful hands. And didn't lose a one. Well done and bless his heart.
Yesterday afternoon I noticed that the Goodyear blimp was about. Floating gently at 1000 feet overhead. I have committed never to fly again but one of the few things for which I would break that pledge would be a ride on a blimp. To whom would I beg, borrow or steal to get a ride on one of those beautiful craft?
Pilots like Sully show me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

80 degrees? And it's not Hawaii.

It may be freezing weather on the East coast but here in Fullerton the temp is predicted to be 80 degrees. I love it!
The walk this morning was eerily quiet. Could this be the predecessor of GWB's last gasp? Maybe so... maybe not. There was a slight breeze that was actually warm. Very pleasant. Not T shirt temps at 7am but close.
No airplanes and no animals although yesterday there was a dead cat on a neighbors lawn. Which reminds me. Tigger is still acting strange. But I have noticed no deleterious actions by Mother Nature.
Quiet Sunday mornings tell me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Ahhh. It's a beautiful day! 3 airplanes flew over during my walk. Somebody going somewhere... or maybe going nowhere. This is a great day for just being in the air. Every day I pass three or four Chinese ladies out on their walk. They bang along at a far greater pace than I can do. And they're barely five feet tall.
Tiny Chinese ladies from a far off land leave no doubt that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

I can't think of a thing!

Dick

Think about it.

Hear the gentle purr of the sound of Freedom as the plane banked gently overhead. On the iPod all the wisdom of the 60's flooded forth to the singing of Joan Baez and the baritone of Johnny Cash. A little slower pace than usual but what the hell. It was a blissful walk.
It has occurred to me in the past that violence benefits no one. Each war is just a setup for the next one. On one of my early jobs, my supervisor was a guy named Mike Uthe. This was in the late 60's when the war in Vietnam was just heating up. One day Mike left me with a gem of wisdom I remember to this day. Mike said that every 10 years we have to have a 'safe' war to test our latest weapons. Think about it. All of the things like H bombs and Agent Orange, etc. which came out of the wars. Eisenhower warned us of the dangers of the military industrial complex. And it's come true. We do have small wars on a regular basis. But then Mike later had a nervous breakdown.
Roosevelt had it right when he told us, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." Had we had the collective wisdom to recall that in 2001, imagine what a different world we'd be in.
Fear of fear shows that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The Santa Ana winds are back

It seems that I've regained some of my strength. I walk at 88 steps per minute and come within a block of the finish before I start to drag. It's hard to believe that a virus (or whatever) that I can't feel can cause a deterioration in my already miserable performance. For the first time in a long time I went out at 7am without a coat. Just a turtle neck and I was too warm.
When I left the moon was about 30 deg above the Western horizon and the sun was barely a glow in the East. Beautifully clear and a fairly brisk breeze. The warm Santa Ana winds are back and I'm sure they'll bring the last fires I can honestly blame on George W Bush.
Santa Ana winds always prove that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A full moon brings out the werewolves.

As I turned the corner heading West, this is what I saw. If I have my astronomy correct, this is just barely past the full moon. Clearly, the sun is above the horizon behind me.
Those of you who have been following this blog know that one of my chosen duties is to keep the area free of terrorists and their foul deeds. I have been 100% perfect in keeping terrorists from my selected area. My power is clear as shown by the fact that even a year later, there have been no terrorist attacks out at Historic Flabob Airport where I previously kept the airport free of terrorists. As well as zombies.
I tell you that to tell you this... without even trying I have successfully kept werewolves out of Fullerton even at high werewolf times such as the present diminishing full moon.
Full moons free of terrorist attacks reminds me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

A little physics.

I was watching a show on the electric TV about the contributions of the Hubble telescope. They spoke of the dark energy and dark matter which account for the major amount of our universe. The problem being that there are no satisfactory explanations for either of them. I recall reading somewhere that the reason of gravity being such a weak but ubiquitous force was that it 'leaked ' somewhere. We know that according to string theory that our universe consists of 11 dimensions, four that we live in and a theoretical seven that we cannot see or feel.
So.... imagine that dark energy and dark matter are the manifestation of real energy and real matter in others of the 7 dimensions unavailable to us. The 'dark' versions in our dimensions are the result of energy and matter which 'leaked' in from other dimensions.
Make sense?
Evidence of dark matter convinces me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

Just stuff.

It seems that I am growing weaker by the day. Today I was worn out before the halfway point. For some reason my shoulder muscle hurts even with all the meds. I think it's time for a visit to the dentist. A week ago I was moving at 92 steps per minute (spm) then I slowed to 90 spm but still couldn't keep up so two days ago I slowed to 88 spm. I can keep up with that but only for a shortened walk.
I think it rained last night while I was in the land of Nod. The sky was overcast and gloomy for my walk but there was no 'heavy mist' to get everything wet.
Two dogs on leashes but no planes (of course).
As I slow my walking pace I sense that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

It is a beautiful day for flying.

No animals but 4 airplanes, each singing the sound of Freedom. It is a beautiful day for flying. Clear skies and unlimited visibility. These are the days of which a pilot dreams.
Brother Bob and friend Dennis are due to visit after lunch. They will be 'piped aboard' as usual.
It is a beautiful day for a visit.
The sound oo Freedom always assures me that we're all on this flight together.

I'm re-thinking

I've recently been leaving both the iPod and the metronome at home when I take my walk. That leaves a lot of time to think. Lately I've been rethinking my commitment never to fly again. Every time I hear the sound of freedom fly overhead I am genetically programmed to look up and search the sky. Somewhere up there another soul is setting off on an adventure. I can see the pleasure and joy of seeing the world from 3500 feet above the ground. And I truly miss it.
Then I considered the cause of my having run out of fuel in the air. Bad judgment! There are several other example of nuts being left off of bolts and other 'minor' details I've missed during the construction of the plane. Any one of which should have killed me. I avoided that by pure luck.
In each case it was a case of poor judgement. Good judgement is a prerequisite of a good pilot.
Since I have repeatedly demonstrated dangerous judgement I have decided after reconsidering that I should not fly again.
The attached photo demonstrates that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

The rain had stopped before my walk but the sidewalks were wet and the air full of heavy mist. Truly dull depressing weather.
Due to a difference of opinion with the LA Times they no longer deliver it to me by 6 am. (mea culpa) This is what it looked like yesterday when I went out before dawn to look for it. This picture is in focus. That's a street light.
The nights are getting shorter and the weather should be warming up soon. In the meantime it's nearly noon and the sun is shining although at an oblique angle resulting in reduced solar warming.
Reduced visibility in a heavy mist allows me to conclude that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

U. Utah Phillips, The Golden Voice of the Great Southwest

Yesterday after my walk I settled back to watch Amy Goodman of Democracy Now on the electric TV. What a pleasant surprise, she was interviewing U. Utah Phillips, The Golden Voice of the Great Southwest, folk singer, song writer, story teller, anarchist, pacifist, and all around good person. For a whole hour he talked about his music and his audiences. The song he is best remembered for is "Moose Turd Pie" but has had his songs recorded by Emmy Lou Harris, Johnny Cash and many others. Music from the heart. His heart gave out in May 2008. Bless you Utah, wherever you are.
Democracy Now is available on Direct TV and on the internet. Amy is a good source for an honest and complete view of the world.
On another topic, I have recently been introduced to two pairs of dogs, The mastiff with the Weimeraner and the two beagles. Is there any significance to these pairs or is it just another coincidence?
Utah Phillips always reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick

JANUARY 1, 2009

The first day of 2009 began in a state of severe ground fog. There was evidence of fireworks (illegal) all around on the ground I came across the scenario shown in the photo. Redneck Party? This was taken at the beginning of the walk. What a way to start the new year.
No cats, no dogs, no planes but a single walker.
The Redneck Party reminded me that we're all on this flight together.

Dick