Last night the episode of "Extreme Home Makeover Edition" that was filmed in our area hit the airwaves. Now I realize how this sounds, but I was watching to see if the airport got into the show more than I was watching to see the house. Hey, just being honest here. ;) We had moved some planes to the ramp to give the airport that...airporty...feel, but didn't actually expect any airport footage to get into the show. I've never seen any airport footage on any of the other shows that I can recall, and I'd think I'd remember that. Not only did they actually shoot some at the airport, where you can recognize the buildings, but you can see a couple of airplanes in the background including Nathan's Cheyenne way back there. Now you'd have to know what it is and that it's there to know that, and it's not exactly the focus of the shot, but hey, *I* saw it and it made it on ABC and I think that's fun. :) And while we're at it, a local family got a much needed boost, out of a house saturated with black mold, and a fresh start. An answered prayer and a dream come true.
I got a letter in the mail today, and it signified the first victory I may have ever heard of with regards to the IRS. I love it when you are assessed a tax that you don't owe. So while you're telling them you don't owe it, they start charging you late fees and other penalties because you're not paying the original amount that you didn't owe in the first place. Argue with them long enough and if it's there they'll be happy to just take the now ridiculously large penalized amount right out of your bank account for you, you know, to make it easier and all. But no! I had to read the letter that said "Balance Due: NONE" about three times today. Muhahahaha!
Speaking of miracles, a friend of Steve's/acquaintance of mine, a local fellow pilot was diagnosed with Stage 4 Gall-Bladder cancer. Terminal, was given a few months to live. He was sent home to live out his life for as long as he had it, and he and his wife showed a lot more grace than you can know while they prepared for his death and continued to live. The cancer paused for awhile-he went back in for some testing and they told him that his "numbers" were pretty good and he had a little longer to live than they'd thought, but that the cancer was there, hiding, and it would kill him one of these days. Then his numbers stayed good for a year. They took trips, had adventures, fulfilled wishes. His wife went back to work somewhat reluctantly, but she loves her work and getting back to it was another step in preparing for a future without him. Today he went in with his wife to get the results of the CAT scan they had done on the cancer last week, and they were given the news that somehow, some way, his scan is clean, his numbers are normal. They asked what that meant, and the doctor said "REMISSION." I couldn't be more happy for them, and I know the whole family will continue to treasure each other, and life, to the fullest, spending this time they have as the precious gift that it is.
This isn't a miracle, it just made me feel better. ;) I was watching a video today done by "The Horsemen", a group of P-51 guys who do formation aerobatics at air shows. It's called "Fail to Succeed", and is about how 99% of the time they spend in formation flying is them out of position trying to get back into it. How you always try to make the perfect flight, but if you expect to be able to be perfect, you're going to be very frustrated because it just doesn't happen. Me, I'm a newbie in the formal formation flying arena, but I think "frustrated" would be a good word for how I feel coming down from those flights. (And "tired" and sometimes "embarrassed" and then again "exhilarated anyway".) There's always been awhile where it felt like I was in the groove and then it would crack and I'd be left just fighting myself to get back there. A break in concentration for whatever reason, a realization that I was behind the ball, etc. The last flight I had though, something clicked in. It's something I already knew, something everybody else had told me, but anyone who actually instructs much knows that students can hear the same thing several times from several people but at some point the lightbulb will go on with a simple statement or visual or book. I was off the right wing of my lead on approach to the airport to come in to land, and I was just barely out of position. It wasn't much, and basically I was figuring I'd end up drifting up and be right in position, or start to drift back where I'd have to correct. My instructor waited a good 10 seconds (that's longer than you think) before saying "Is this where you are supposed to be?" Er, no. "Then get there." You know what? Duh. How many times have I said that to a student on straightening out the nose in a crosswind, or tracking a VOR. Are you where you're supposed to be? No? Then get there. I was trying to be smooth. I was trying to not be jerky and boosting power. I was coasting. Sloppy. I'm going to HAVE to be jerkier than I want to be until I get some time doing this. I feel like I have a much better picture of what I'm supposed to be looking at and what I need to do to stay there now, and I want to get up there and go do it. Not that I'll suddenly be a "pro" right off the bat, but knowing what you're supposed to be doing and knowing what it looks like is more than half the battle. Too bad it requires two T-6s, another pilot willing to be a target in the sky for me, and a whole lot of gas. ;)
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