CAVU
snapped a picture
Back in my "younger days" (late 60's / early '70's), I developed a weird outlook on people and society as a whole. People are usually unpredictable, especially if I didn't know them at all. My ability at "reading" people is (to put it plainly) piss poor. I always seemed to get the wrong reaction from any input to them. Whenever I wanted to be friends with someone, any interaction from me was usually rejected, and I wound up feeling like an outcast. So much for that bullshit item called the "Golden Rule".
Poor me.......... until I discovered FLYING - or better yet, the fact that I could afford to fly and own my own airplane, even on my meager enlisted military paycheck. I've always wanted to fly..... ever since I could remember. I finally found a place where I could "fit in", and "People" weren't in the equation. That weekend trip to Thomaston, Maine forever changed the rest of my so-called life.
A year of $$$itting on my hand$, completing a Private Pilot home-study Ground School Course, taking and barely passing the FAA written, and re-enlisting for another six years in the Navy ($1,400 bonus) later - I was able to purchase the "love-of-my-life" : a 1946 Aeronca 7AC airplane similar to the one pictured above. I took lessons that summer, and soloed in my own airplane - a feeling I can't describe, but can only behold. I was living a dream - a dream that lasted from 1969 to 1987, when I stepped out of the Socialist Nation of the United States Navy into the real world of "Self-Reliance" and "Picking -Yourself-Up-By-Your-Bootstraps" U.S. of A.
I lavished a lot of love, attention and $$$$ into that airplane. I completely rebuilt her in a three year period - flying her, and getting my Private Pilot Certificate in between rebuild projects. When I went for my "check ride", I had 130 hours in my log book - I only needed 40.
There went the best days of my life; and from those days a "life experience" lesson was learned............. If you treat people and "things" with tender loving care, spend a lot of quality time with them, lavish them with lots of "bling", and are gentle and kind with them - the "thing" will ALWAYS return the favor with faithful and honest service, but the "person" will always be unpredictable, and someday might not be pleased with you; and for whatever reason, will not tell you why, regardless of the "prodding". It's happened to me twice; and one of those times, I went through a full blown depression. I refuse to EVER be put in that position again. I will trust a "thing" before I ever trust a "person". If that makes me a "Sad Bastard", then so be it.
ASSUME............ what a wonderful teachable word that is. One can break it down into three smaller words - "me", "you" and "ass".
If I make an assumption about you, there's an 50 / 50 chance I'll wind up making an ASS out of U and ME. Even accurate "readers" of people will fuck up their assumptive judgements at least half the time. Such as it was with me, as I broke a cardinal rule of communication : if I don't know all the facts, and can't make a clear and compelling statement, I should just keep my big fucking mouth SHUT !!!!!
I recently made a comment that was meant to be complimentary; however, it was framed in a sarcastic way. I "assumed" this person would "get it" and get a bit of a chuckle out of it. Instead, this person made the wrong assumption and 'thanked me for the insult' - and meant it. I felt like dog-shit - really, really bad. I, in no way, ever meant to be insulting. But that is the way it was taken. So I responded to the response in an effort to explain my intentions, and the reason behind those intentions. I was up front, and didn't "sugar coat" my words (although I may have been a little flippant with the "clairvoyant" thing). I wanted to be clear and compelling about the facts from my perspective. In my opinion, we both made asses out of each other. If the person really felt this way, why they left my comment standing, I will never know.
I hope, dear reader, this might give you a little better understanding of my weird outlook on people and society as a whole.
....................................little rant - over.......................................................
Ray
