To begin, I would like to express my apologies for the long delay in posts.  Life caught up to me and it has been quite an adventure.  I would like to kick off the new year with an interesting conversation I had earlier tonight.

I happened to be at the annual dinner for my work this evening.  As the city’s museum, we hosted many dignitaries of the area, former mayors, councilmen, and the like.  The first hour of the event consisted of mingling and small talk.   I, of course, bounced around the room talking with just about everyone.  The part I like the most about my job is that I have relations with just about everyone.  I enjoy getting to know people, especially if their interests lie in history.  As the cocktail hour started to wind down and the formal dinner began, I found myself without a table to sit.  I casually go up to the bartender, grab a glass of wine (when in doubt, if you feel uncomfortable in a situation, grab a drink and make it look like you belong) and scan the room for a seat.  Our board president’s wife suddenly comes up to me and says, “Come sit next to me, we have an extra seat!”  I graciously accept and quickly settle in.  Before I knew it, I was sitting next to the mayor of the city.  Now what the heck do I talk about is what I’m thinking.  Of course I discuss the upcoming centennial celebration that the city is about host, but it is obvious that she has talked about it so much that she’s ready for a normal topic.  Can you guess what I brought up?  You guessed it: aviation.

It was a simple transition to the topic, but once I did, the mayor had some things to say.  She laughed a little, intrigued to be talking to a pilot (although I’m still under instruction), and she even told a few personal stories.  One story she recalled dated from 1983 about a flight from Chicago to Philadelphia.  She mentioned that it was the most turbulent ride she ever had, but that she still would get into an airplane to fly.

What I learned from this is that it seems that many of us share a similar story; our most memorable flight.  Whether it be momentous because we were afraid, agitated, or even excited, it links us to a common thread.  Aviation influences us all, even if we do not realize it.  So take a minute and think about your thoughts on aviation.  How has it impacted you?  Because, believe me, it’s more than just a flight.

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