Ain't Misbehaving...

As I was in line at school today to pick up Kaylee, I noticed that the minivan in front of me had a black sticker with white writing that was kind of hard to make out. I squinted for a moment or two, came up with a few phrases that didn't make sense, and finally it clicked:

Women Who Behave

Rarely Make History

I have to admit, I laughed.

Just because I spent the morning finishing up a letter to the editor of the local newspaper to provide some facts for someone with more money and opinions than actual relevance in the topic he was waxing judgmentally on about does not mean I am not behaving. Trust me, the letter no-one will ever see would be me "not behaving". I always behave. It's what I do. I think about misbehaving and then remember the greater good and just stick to being a minor irritant in people's oyster of life. ;)

In fact, that's one thing Steve and I enjoy about Martha Lunkin, a contributing author to "FLYING" magazine and a long-time pilot and career FAA employee. She comes out with these stories where she has done stuff that the rest of us would like to do, but stop ourselves from doing. Bucking the system, being a pain in people's backsides, ignoring obviously pointless red tape even though it got her in trouble, etc. She is one to whom the phrase "I did it my way" would certainly apply.

I just today read another of her articles, and in it she was describing how she was sent out for jet training, studied like crazy, got up with the instructor, and was so far behind the airplane that she couldn't find an altimeter or interpret any instruments. How she varied 5000' on her steep turns (which won't impress some of you, but for perspective, to get your Commercial pilot's certificate you have to do steep turns and hold it within 50' on your altitude. She was 4,950' off of that.) By the second day, her instructor told her to just do them all a favor and withdraw, and she basically had to quit and go home feeling like a complete loser. She said that most pilots have probably got the "been there done that" t-shirt, though maybe not to that extent, and I have to admit, there is something to be said for hearing about the mistakes and failings of those you respect to keep yourself in the proper perspective. :)

Speaking of, it seems that in the Spring I might end up doing a Bonanza Society formation clinic weekend, in the Baron. I've never done formal formation training before, and there is a lot more involved in it than a person might think. I really enjoy the formation flying I've ridden through or participated in, and I look forward to it while simultaneously sort of wishing I'd already been through a few of those clinics. You have to jump in somewhere though! I like continuing to learn, and there are always plenty of things to fill that bill. The group dynamic will be new to me. Hmm, fresh meat...I'll have to make sure to bring my big girl pants. ;)

And big girls brings me to Kaylee. Deenie the Elf headed home to the North Pole last night, leaving a messy pile of (clean!) underwear in the middle of the floor topped by a note written just for Kaylee, thanking her for being her special friend this Christmas. Kaylee was a little sad on the way to school, but she did better than I expected. After I picked her up from school I took her to Hobby Lobby, and I barely got her out of there. She is in love with that place. Crafts and projects and pretty things galore! :) We picked up Wiki Sticks (bendaroos) that she's been wanting for over a month, which she bought with her own money, and then I bought the fabric she picked out for her annual footprint quilt craft. I've always let her choose the fabric she wants except the first year when she was too little. I tell her to pick the fabric that she most likes, or that most signifies who she was this year. Last time she chose Tinkerbelle. This year her first choice was gold sequins on black satin. I had to tell her that wouldn't sew very well nor stick on paint well, so she went for a shimmery black and maroon number. Then she found a nice cotton blend covered in kitties, and she decided she had to have the kitties since I wouldn't let her get gold sequins. It's very busy and doesn't match at all with her previous years' selections, but this quilt is going to be like her...busy, a little wild, contradictory in temperament, and yet somehow "working" just perfectly regardless. :)