"You must do that which you think you cannot do"

Another CAP meeting last night. It was ground school about mountain flying for the pilots. They said anyone could go, and although it's a little advanced for me, I still thought it would be good. Granted, A LOT of the material was over my head and they went a little fast for me. Even though there were about 30 or so guys in the room, I need to get back to the point where I feel comfortable again raising my hand when I don't understand something. The intimidation factor is overwhelming sometimes, especially with a larger, unfamiliar group and knowing they were alllll pilots.

They had some good information for Mission Observers, too, so I'm glad I went. Once again, they reminded us that the Mission Observer is in charge of the mission. The pilot is just there to fly the plane and focus on safety. Being in charge makes my palms sweat, but I need to get over it and just step up.

Speaking of Mission Observer, the next SAREX (Search & Rescue Exercise) is February 2nd. I need to email one of the guys with the last 3 sign-offs I need and he promises me that they'll make sure I'll have the opportunity to do them. Which means, I need to power-up that G1000 sim on my computer again and practice ahead of time. I want my rating.

In other CAP news, I've also been added on the schedule to handle the (ground) radios by myself on certain nights. This, too, makes me nervous... Radios make me nervous to begin with, but having to handle them on my own especially so. Wow... this whole entry is about doing new things and taking on new responsibilities that make me sweat, huh? Didn't intend for it to be... Anyways, about the radios, I'm not up until the end of February, so between then and now, I need to shadow others who are doing it so I know what to do. Being nervous is okay, just as long as you don't let it stop you. Eleanor Roosevelt said the quote I wrote in the title of this entry - "You must do that which you think you cannot do" and that's what I plan to do.

And on that note, I need to step up my search for a new instructor or flight school. I've let my apprehension hold me back for too long. This lil birdie needs her wings!

The other day, one of my friends said she knew why I viewed aviation as a sort of spiritual experience - you must believe in the impossible and learn to trust something you cannot see (the wind or flying IFR). I don't believe anything is "impossible" and constantly prove to myself that the "impossible" is possible. However, that being said, the odds of becoming a pilot are stacked against you - only 20% make it. Pilots make up less than 1% of the world's population. So I guess in that sense, it appears to be impossible odds of making it. The most important pillar of spirituality - faith. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet, and in fact, have veered a little off the path, but I need to have faith that I will make it there.

All that I need to do is start by doing things I don't think I can do. Like taking initiative and finding a new instructor.

CAP Meeting/EAA Dinner

Last week's CAP meeting was an annual safety one. They also had a guy come in from the air force to speak with us.

I'll be working with the guy who gave the safety presentation. I have to make 5 safety presentations myself (not hour and 1/2 ones like he gave though, thank goodness). So knowing this, I've been thinking one what I'll present - first, I think I'll see if they have a tornado/fire drill in place and ask how long ago they have gone through it.

During the meeting, I notice two people I've never seen before - one in uniform, one without... and both are (attractive) guys about my age. I smile, remembering what they told me about being welcoming to new people. No problem, I've got this - I'll be your welcome wagon. ;)

Just after the meeting ends, the head safety guy comes to greet me and is all excited about me joining the safety team. "Come with me", he says. "There's something I want to introduce you to".

So he introduces me to one of them and says I'll be working with him, also telling me he just became an airline pilot. Awesome! We'll all go out for drinks afterwards, like we usually do, and I'm having this awesome conversation with this guy. I've said before that the BEST pickup line ever is "I'm a pilot", but I can't use it on this guy because he's a pilot too.

So better yet, I end up saying, "So I hear you just became a pilot".

He looks at me and blinks.

Aw, crap. "I mean, not a pilot pilot; an airline pilot". Fortunately, he laughs... which is good. Unfortunately, after more talking, I found out he was married. And days later, it freaked me out to learn that he was 7 YEARS younger than me!!!!!!!! While I was talking to him, I thought he was 32 or 33. lol As one friend pointed out, I'm not sure what is worse - me looking like I'm 10 years younger than I am or him looking 10 years older than he is. haha

In other CAP news, I learned just yesterday that one of my buddies from the last CAP (RJ), one that was like a brother to me, transferred to this CAP the day after I did!!! : I'm soooooooo excited, I can't wait to see him again!!!

Tomorrow night's meeting is Mountain Flying ground school. At little advanced for me, especially considering where I am, but they said anyone could come and it was for pilots and future CAP pilots... which technically DOES include me...I just so happen to be a future pilot as well.

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There was an EAA dinner meeting last week, too. I was nervous going because I still don't know a lot of these guys and they are even older than the CAP guys, but I went determined to have a good time anyways. All of them brought their wives and that made it a bit easier to talk to everyone. The women were perplexed as to why I liked or could even like airplanes.

Then we played a game where a certain type of airplane was placed on everyone's backs and you had to ask questions of other people to guess what it is. That game was a lot of fun and really helped as an ice breaker! The poor woman next to me didn't know what she had on her back until I said it was an animal in the Lion King (A-10 Warthog). I got a Zenith 750 (homebuilt aircraft) which I couldn't guess and no one knew how to tell me what it was.

It was a good dinner overall. I did wonder part-way through why one of my ears kept feeling like I was hearing underwaterish and I felt hot. Realized later that either my food had been cooked with lobster/crab or I'm becoming allergic to shrimp too. Had a pretty bad night afterwards.

Bad shrimp aside, I always enjoy hanging out with fellow pilots/aviation people. Had a thought the other day that I may have never gone to see where I was born if it wasn't for aviation. :)
It's odd how everything ties together like that, you know?

In actual flying news, unfortunately nothing to report. I need to get back into the habit of studying and continue to look for a flight instructor. I talked a little with the guys at the EAA meeting and one of them said I was scared of moving forward, which is true. I don't want to get hurt like that again. But the easy solution for that is to seek someone out myself, instead of letting them seek me out. I know what I have to do, but it doesn't make it any easier though.

Back on the Grid

Per Wikipedia: The term off-grid refers to not being connected to a grid, mainly used in terms of not being connected to the main or national transmission grid in electricity.

Recent milestones: This is officially my 100th post in this blog and I've hit 87 fans... whoops! 88!! on my Facebook at the time of writing this entry! Also, have a new email for offical aviation business set up. =)  They are little steps and may not be very big, but they mean a lot to me and are signs that I'm heading in the right direction. They are my checkpoints on my long cross country that confirm I am heading in the right direction.

CAP started up again yesterday since the Christmas holiday. It was good to see everyone and they greeted me as enthusiastically as before. The purpose of this meeting was to get people assigned to roles, if they weren't already. I finally settled on Safety, Communications and Aerospace Education. I don't mind helping out and progressing in the organization, but my ultimate goal is to be a pilot, so I tried to pick things that will help me out there as well.

I was talking to the Comm officer and one of the guys said to her, "Finally got another girl, huh?". She was all excited and hugged me, "That's right!!!". haha She's taken quite a liking to me. Have I mentioned she reminds me of one of my Aunts?

Afterwards, we headed out for drinks again. Would it be wrong of me to say that this is my favorite part of the meetings ? :)   One of the guys writes the newsletter for the squadron and emailed me some questions for the "newest member" interview. So I said to him, "Hey, I like to write and in fact, have an aviation blog. Need any help with the newsletter?". So I'm also helping out with the newsletter too. He liked some of my ideas and them we discussed field trips for the group, saying we could post upcoming trips in the newsletter and post pictures in it afterwards. One that came up was the museum in Warner Robins. Aaaaaaaaaand the suggestion was that if we got enough people, to take a C-130 down there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was getting more comfy with the group (and drinking sweet iced tea), so I was a little hyper. Not to mention, getting all excited about everything. So there were a few "omg, she talks!!" moments. haha And, and, and - One of the guys was talking about needing to get some students when I was talking about flight training and he looked over when I said it. Nothing was said beyond that, but maybe might have found a flight instructor... He seems pretty nice. I still may end up going with the flight school over there that I had been eyeing, not sure. I really, really like the idea of no school restrictions and actually going places with the instructor. But we shall see.

I still need to get back into studying mode after the holidays. Still haven't conquered Chapter 9 yet, but still need to play with the flight computer a bit more.

Currently reading Tales of a War Pilot by Lt. Richard Kirkland about his adventures as a pilot in WWII. I love books like these, not only because it's about aviation, but reading about WWII also reminds me of my Grandfather. He wasn't a pilot, although I still get a little bit of a sense of what he went through in the military during that time.

And in other news, thinking about joining Women in Aviation this year. I've been wanting to for awhile, but was just trying to accumulate funds. The comm officer is a member there too. And oh wow, just got an invite to a dinner party for the EAA group for next Thursday. Yes, this year will be busy indeed...

Upwards and Onwards!