As I said back in 2005, there were a number of areas in my life I was not happy about. I started about a quest to discovery my 'Best Life'. In the beginning of this quest, the "Wishcraft" book and other such books helped me narrow down what direction I wanted to take. Then in the beginning of 2006 I decided I would start with tackling two of my greatest fears, learning to fly & building an intimate lifelong partnership with a person I hoped to marry someday. I'm sure it seems a bit odd, my desire to learn to fly; coupled with my intense fear of flying.
Well, that began back in the early part of 2005, a friend knowing my intense fear of flying and having themselves witness my full fledged fear at its fullest (during a flight across the Atlantic to Europe), had bet I couldn't take a flight in a small aircraft. My usual stance to a challenge is to go for it. Just tell me I can't do something, or you think I can't do something, and watch me go. Well, it took me some months more to go forth with this challenge, but one day as I was signing into my Yahoo personal e-mail account, an Ad popped up, saying: "Ever wanted to take flying Lessons, but thought you couldn't afford it. Get your first lesson for $50.00." The Ad was from a site then called: Learntofly.com. I could definitely afford $50.00, and with some 6 schools listed in the NY & NJ area (that were part of this program), there was absolutely no excuses anymore. I immediately contacted one of the flight schools in Farmingdale, NY (before I chickened out), and scheduled a discovery flight (A discovery flight is an introductory flight. Usually lasting 15 minutes to half hour). Then for the next two weeks before I went for this discovery flight, it was all I could talk about; I was so excited.
On the day of the flight I woke up early and went to my favorite diner for breakfast. My flight was scheduled for 2pm, and as the day progressed my nerves increased. When I finally arrived at the school, I attempted to be nonchalant and calm about the whole thing (like I'd done this flying thing a million times before). I'm certain the CFI (Certified Flight Instructor), could see through my bravado. We traveled out to a Cessna 172, and did a quick pre-fight (all students pilots and Pilots in Command, must run through check lists, checking the outside, and inner workings of the aircraft to confirm the aircraft is fit to fly, and that there are no issues, or problems with the plane). After the pre-flight my instructor let me taxi a bit. It was weird, as you steer the plane on the ground with the rudder pedals, and not the yoke as I had assumed.
On our way to the holding area and runway, I was become more and more frightened and in my head I heard yelling saying: "GET OUT OF THIS AIRPLANE NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" I just held on for dear life to the yoke as if my life depended on it. My instructor did the take off and shortly after takeoff, gave me back the controls of the aircraft (both the teacher and the student have controls to operate the aircraft. Whoever assumes control of flying the aircraft states: "My Aircraft", and then that person flies. When that person wants to give control back to the other party, they state: "Your Aircraft", and then the other person acknowledges with, "My Aircraft", and takes over flying.) For the first 15 minutes or so, I felt sheer terror, and quite literally felt as if the fear would kill me; it was so intense. Then as I rode out the fear, slowly a deep peace and joy settled over me. I was elated, I was never so 'here and now'; WOW!!! Well, that was it, as we landed I decided flying was my destiny, and I would learn to fly.
Once I landed my first order of business was to work on saving money to earn my private pilot's license (total cost approximately 10 to 12K, with transportation to and from the airport). As the months ticked away in 2005, I started saving month, and took a 2nd job. Then when 2006 started, growing impatient, I decided to start my flight instruction, with only $2,500.00 saved. I figured I could earn the rest while I studied.
At the same time I decided if I wanted to find the 'Love' of my life, and life partner; I'd better get off my butt and do something about it. Being the traditional dating model had long since lost its appeal for me, I decided to try a different approach; On-line dating (As a friend of mine had actually made the suggestion that I try E Harmony). E Harmony my friend advised asks you a series of questions (taking about an hour and a half to answer all of them), and you write specifically what you are looking for in a mate. From the information you honestly answer about yourself and what type of guy you are looking for, they build a personality profile about you, and then based on all this information, they send you compatible matches. I signed up for E Harmony, and just to increase my odds, also signed up for Match.com.
Things didn't seem to be going anywhere after six months, and I was truly sick of going through all the profiles of both sites, and spending so much time answering e-mail correspondence, that didn't seem to be going anywhere. Well, while this was going on, I started flight training (starting with ground study courses, and learned the basics in aviation. Also in the meantime I bought a flight simulator and practice basic flight maneuvers at home). At the same time, as well, I was forced to leave my place of residency (the two family home I was living in was being sold by the owners). I looked and found a two bedroom apartment share (roommate situation, where the apartment was being rented by a mother of 35 with a 10 year old child). Not being a big fan of roommate situations, I decided living with this person would be the best option for me to save for flight training, and rent.
Just before the move to the new apartment, a promising new match showed up on my Match.com account. We instantly clicked, and sent a couple rather lengthy e-mails back and forth between each other. It turned out that this young man, was a seasoned pilot, but for reasons not mentioned at first had to stop flying on regular bases. I found the man to be incredibly humorous, charming, and just great fun to talk to. After several e-mails though I wondered why he was not asking me out for coffee or something (as we seemed to be hitting it off). I was about to ditch this communication and move on, when a male friend at work suggested I ask him for coffee. After three days of "hemming and hawing" I finally decided to ask this man out for coffee. Would he respond?
To be continued...
Well, that began back in the early part of 2005, a friend knowing my intense fear of flying and having themselves witness my full fledged fear at its fullest (during a flight across the Atlantic to Europe), had bet I couldn't take a flight in a small aircraft. My usual stance to a challenge is to go for it. Just tell me I can't do something, or you think I can't do something, and watch me go. Well, it took me some months more to go forth with this challenge, but one day as I was signing into my Yahoo personal e-mail account, an Ad popped up, saying: "Ever wanted to take flying Lessons, but thought you couldn't afford it. Get your first lesson for $50.00." The Ad was from a site then called: Learntofly.com. I could definitely afford $50.00, and with some 6 schools listed in the NY & NJ area (that were part of this program), there was absolutely no excuses anymore. I immediately contacted one of the flight schools in Farmingdale, NY (before I chickened out), and scheduled a discovery flight (A discovery flight is an introductory flight. Usually lasting 15 minutes to half hour). Then for the next two weeks before I went for this discovery flight, it was all I could talk about; I was so excited.
On the day of the flight I woke up early and went to my favorite diner for breakfast. My flight was scheduled for 2pm, and as the day progressed my nerves increased. When I finally arrived at the school, I attempted to be nonchalant and calm about the whole thing (like I'd done this flying thing a million times before). I'm certain the CFI (Certified Flight Instructor), could see through my bravado. We traveled out to a Cessna 172, and did a quick pre-fight (all students pilots and Pilots in Command, must run through check lists, checking the outside, and inner workings of the aircraft to confirm the aircraft is fit to fly, and that there are no issues, or problems with the plane). After the pre-flight my instructor let me taxi a bit. It was weird, as you steer the plane on the ground with the rudder pedals, and not the yoke as I had assumed.
On our way to the holding area and runway, I was become more and more frightened and in my head I heard yelling saying: "GET OUT OF THIS AIRPLANE NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" I just held on for dear life to the yoke as if my life depended on it. My instructor did the take off and shortly after takeoff, gave me back the controls of the aircraft (both the teacher and the student have controls to operate the aircraft. Whoever assumes control of flying the aircraft states: "My Aircraft", and then that person flies. When that person wants to give control back to the other party, they state: "Your Aircraft", and then the other person acknowledges with, "My Aircraft", and takes over flying.) For the first 15 minutes or so, I felt sheer terror, and quite literally felt as if the fear would kill me; it was so intense. Then as I rode out the fear, slowly a deep peace and joy settled over me. I was elated, I was never so 'here and now'; WOW!!! Well, that was it, as we landed I decided flying was my destiny, and I would learn to fly.
Once I landed my first order of business was to work on saving money to earn my private pilot's license (total cost approximately 10 to 12K, with transportation to and from the airport). As the months ticked away in 2005, I started saving month, and took a 2nd job. Then when 2006 started, growing impatient, I decided to start my flight instruction, with only $2,500.00 saved. I figured I could earn the rest while I studied.
At the same time I decided if I wanted to find the 'Love' of my life, and life partner; I'd better get off my butt and do something about it. Being the traditional dating model had long since lost its appeal for me, I decided to try a different approach; On-line dating (As a friend of mine had actually made the suggestion that I try E Harmony). E Harmony my friend advised asks you a series of questions (taking about an hour and a half to answer all of them), and you write specifically what you are looking for in a mate. From the information you honestly answer about yourself and what type of guy you are looking for, they build a personality profile about you, and then based on all this information, they send you compatible matches. I signed up for E Harmony, and just to increase my odds, also signed up for Match.com.
Things didn't seem to be going anywhere after six months, and I was truly sick of going through all the profiles of both sites, and spending so much time answering e-mail correspondence, that didn't seem to be going anywhere. Well, while this was going on, I started flight training (starting with ground study courses, and learned the basics in aviation. Also in the meantime I bought a flight simulator and practice basic flight maneuvers at home). At the same time, as well, I was forced to leave my place of residency (the two family home I was living in was being sold by the owners). I looked and found a two bedroom apartment share (roommate situation, where the apartment was being rented by a mother of 35 with a 10 year old child). Not being a big fan of roommate situations, I decided living with this person would be the best option for me to save for flight training, and rent.
Just before the move to the new apartment, a promising new match showed up on my Match.com account. We instantly clicked, and sent a couple rather lengthy e-mails back and forth between each other. It turned out that this young man, was a seasoned pilot, but for reasons not mentioned at first had to stop flying on regular bases. I found the man to be incredibly humorous, charming, and just great fun to talk to. After several e-mails though I wondered why he was not asking me out for coffee or something (as we seemed to be hitting it off). I was about to ditch this communication and move on, when a male friend at work suggested I ask him for coffee. After three days of "hemming and hawing" I finally decided to ask this man out for coffee. Would he respond?
To be continued...
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