Your passion.

[Raptorman]

We all have things that we do. Follow sports teams, work out, play music. Each has a part in our lives. But each one of us has a "passion". That one thing that we love more than anything else. So, What's your passion?

Mine. Airplanes and aviation. From a young age, I have been enamored with aviation and space travel. From the first air show my dad brought me to until today, most of my life I have always loved being around airplanes. Since we lived 25 miles from one of the greatest air shows in the world it was easy for me to feed this passion. The Oshkosh Air Show. Now called, "Airventure" is the Experimental Aircraft Associations annual meeting and Air show. If you have ever been to a local air show, think of that, only 10 times bigger. 500,000 people over the week. Hundreds of aircraft. Formations of 30 aircraft at one time. It's hard to describe. Fantastic to visit.

Anyway, that passion has been a driving force in my life. One of my reasons for going to college. Another reason for joining the Air Force, and yet another for moving to FL in 1995. It's been the one constant in my life. The one thing I never give up. Matter of fact, after my second divorce, my new rule was that my next wife had to love airplanes as much as I do. And I found her at flight school. And yes, I do fly. I passed my Private certificate,(They are not called a license) in the spring of 1984. Commercial multi-engine..........well I was 5 hours short when I ran out of money in 1996, so it's just private multi-engine at this time. But someday............just to say I have.

 

[Memento]

I think we had a similar thread to this one, but I love your passion for aviation, @Raptorman !

My passion? That's easy: writing. I'm planning on becoming an authoress.

I've written since I was very young (I'd like to say, around, eight?), but I sucked at it. Sucked so bad that my immediate family told me to give it up. My cousin - since deceased; hence my username "Memento" - encouraged me to continue.

I didn't get much better. I was actually failing school grammar (along with other classes). My writing only improved with the help of people on the Internet, people who had critiqued my stories honestly.

I kept writing, shifting ideas, characters, and plots as needed. I think I was twenty-four when I first came up with the idea of How to Survive a Demonic Invasion and everything came into play. It wasn't perfect, but I felt like I had improved enough to actually make it as an authoress. It felt so gratifying.

Granted, I haven't finished it (and the prequel and three sequels, plus other original works that I've been working on; you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many ideas pop into my head when I least expect it), but for the first time in a long while, I have a dream that I will realize.

All the hard work and advice will have paid off. All of the tears, all of the self-doubt, it will go away. I will have reached the pinnacle...and I won't stop there. Because there will be new ideas. There will be new stories. There will be new dreams. And I'm living my life to the fucking fullest.

 

[ozarkram]

Civil war buff, paranormal, and women. Not necessarily in that order.

 

[Memento]

Civil war buff, paranormal, and women. Not necessarily in that order.

Oh, a Civil War buff? You remember what happened to Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain after his Civil War service ended?

 

[ozarkram]

Oh, a Civil War buff? You remember what happened to Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain after his Civil War service ended?

Maybe not. He was a professor and governor Maine. I believe.

 

[Memento]

Maybe not. He was a professor and governor Maine. I believe.

You're right. Also managed to quell a riot about governing Maine after he had left office. Both sides tried to bribe him with the position of U.S. Senator. He refused both bribes and went into law, I believe. An amazing man.

 

[ozarkram]

You're right. Also managed to quell a riot about governing Maine after he had left office. Both sides tried to bribe him with the position of U.S. Senator. He refused both bribes and went into law, I believe. An amazing man.

Interesting I did not know that. Are you a bit of a buff too.

 

[Memento]

Interesting I did not know that. Are you a bit of a buff too.

Nah, I just went to the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with a friend.

 

[Raptorman]

Nah, I just went to the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with a friend.

Did you stay in a Holiday Inn? Just wondering.

 

[Raptorman]

Civil war buff, paranormal, and women. Not necessarily in that order.

When I lived in VA we used to visit all the sites on a regular basis. About 2 years ago I took my kid to Gettysburg. She was actually pretty impressed. Her comment when we talked about Pickett's charge standing on the Union lines. "Were they f**king nuts".

Walking in the woods in Manassas in the summer, you will hear what you swear are cannons going off.

BTW, I have also seen a ghost.

 

[Akrasian]

When I lived in VA we used to visit all the sites on a regular basis. About 2 years ago I took my kid to Gettysburg. She was actually pretty impressed. Her comment when we talked about Pickett's charge standing on the Union lines. "Were they f**king nuts".

Walking in the woods in Manassas in the summer, you will hear what you swear are cannons going off.

BTW, I have also seen a ghost.

When I went to Gettysburg about 15 years ago the highlight was Little Round Top, where I could finally understand why Chamberlain's re-fusing the line under fire was so effective. The final defensive position was amazing, and very hard to break. And he possibly saved the Union with that and the bayonet charge with very little ammo. It undoubtedly helped that the confederates had no water on a very hot day - they had to be relieved to surrender under those conditions after hours of futile fighting.

 

[Raptorman]

This is a photo of Antitam, Burnside Bridge. See that tree in the center next to the bridge. Last time I was there, that tree was still there.

This is the tree today from the other side

 

[Raptorman]

When I went to Gettysburg about 15 years ago the highlight was Little Round Top, where I could finally understand why Chamberlain's re-fusing the line under fire was so effective. The final defensive position was amazing, and very hard to break. And he possibly saved the Union with that and the bayonet charge with very little ammo. It undoubtedly helped that the confederates had no water on a very hot day - they had to be relieved to surrender under those conditions after hours of futile fighting.

When I was at Gettysburg one day one of the Rangers was telling a story about a bus of Japanese tourists who had come in from the battlefield and thanked the staff for the show. Confused the Ranger asked "What show". Apparently the bus of tourists had witnessed a small marching band in Confederate uniforms marching and playing in a small field on the Confederate side. The only problem was, the park had no performers performing that day.

 

[ozarkram]

When I lived in VA we used to visit all the sites on a regular basis. About 2 years ago I took my kid to Gettysburg. She was actually pretty impressed. Her comment when we talked about Pickett's charge standing on the Union lines. "Were they f**king nuts".

Walking in the woods in Manassas in the summer, you will hear what you swear are cannons going off.

BTW, I have also seen a ghost.

Where I grew up. I could walk out my backdoor and in to Petersburg National Battlefield Park it was that close. That's what got me hooked. At that time you could dig the soil with your hand and find a mini ball. Everytime.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I think we had a similar thread to this one, but I love your passion for aviation, @Raptorman !

My passion? That's easy: writing. I'm planning on becoming an authoress.

I've written since I was very young (I'd like to say, around, eight?), but I sucked at it. Sucked so bad that my immediate family told me to give it up. My cousin - since deceased; hence my username "Memento" - encouraged me to continue.

I didn't get much better. I was actually failing school grammar (along with other classes). My writing only improved with the help of people on the Internet, people who had critiqued my stories honestly.

I kept writing, shifting ideas, characters, and plots as needed. I think I was twenty-four when I first came up with the idea of How to Survive a Demonic Invasion and everything came into play. It wasn't perfect, but I felt like I had improved enough to actually make it as an authoress. It felt so gratifying.

Granted, I haven't finished it (and the prequel and three sequels, plus other original works that I've been working on; you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many ideas pop into my head when I least expect it), but for the first time in a long while, I have a dream that I will realize.

All the hard work and advice will have paid off. All of the tears, all of the self-doubt, it will go away. I will have reached the pinnacle...and I won't stop there. Because there will be new ideas. There will be new stories. There will be new dreams. And I'm living my life to the fucking fullest.

My brother, pretty much from as young as I can remember, always enjoyed painting and art.

But... He wasn’t very good. In fact, I‘m not even sure it came naturally for him as a young kid.

For me, thinking of it today, it seems unusual because most people that love art, stuff like that, seem to be good at it right away.

He wasn’t.

Today? He’s wonderful at it. Incredible. I’m proud of him.

 

[ozarkram]

Her comment when we talked about Pickett's charge standing on the Union lines. "Were they f**king nuts".

General Lee at that point believed the army of Northern Virginia to be invincible. His chief It. General Longstreet was totally against the charge. He was so torn up about it he could not even speak the orders he just waved his hand when Pickett asked for them. The charge broke the back of Lee's army. Pickett when asked by Lee to rally his command replied General I have no command. Pickett was to hate Gen Lee to his dying breath. Longstreet was to be much maligned by future southern historians. And wrongful so. He was a superb General. Lee in the end was to accept full responsibility for the debacle. To little to late. The out come of the whole affair was never really in doubt.

 

[coconut]

Civil war buff, paranormal, and women. Not necessarily in that order.

If you haven't already you should visit Lookout Mountain and the museum. Battle of Chattanooga.

 

[Raptorman]

I think we had a similar thread to this one, but I love your passion for aviation, @Raptorman !

My passion? That's easy: writing. I'm planning on becoming an authoress.

I've written since I was very young (I'd like to say, around, eight?), but I sucked at it. Sucked so bad that my immediate family told me to give it up. My cousin - since deceased; hence my username "Memento" - encouraged me to continue.

I didn't get much better. I was actually failing school grammar (along with other classes). My writing only improved with the help of people on the Internet, people who had critiqued my stories honestly.

I kept writing, shifting ideas, characters, and plots as needed. I think I was twenty-four when I first came up with the idea of How to Survive a Demonic Invasion and everything came into play. It wasn't perfect, but I felt like I had improved enough to actually make it as an authoress. It felt so gratifying.

Granted, I haven't finished it (and the prequel and three sequels, plus other original works that I've been working on; you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many ideas pop into my head when I least expect it), but for the first time in a long while, I have a dream that I will realize.

All the hard work and advice will have paid off. All of the tears, all of the self-doubt, it will go away. I will have reached the pinnacle...and I won't stop there. Because there will be new ideas. There will be new stories. There will be new dreams. And I'm living my life to the fucking fullest.

I have all kinds of stories in my head. They usually come at night when I'm trying to go to sleep. I started doing it when I was a kid. A lot of times they would turn into dreams and the story would continue. I would wake up and remember them for about 5 minutes and they would be gone. funny thing, a lot of them were about flying. I used to dream I would float out of my bed through the roof and be flying over our city. When I had the chance to fly the first time, about age 16, the view was exactly like my dreams.

But that's cool. Even if you never finish it, at least you know you are working on it. If you ever finish it let us know. I'll leave you with this. I saw this the other day, now I know why, it's for you.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Calvin Coolidge

 

[Selassie I]

We all have things that we do. Follow sports teams, work out, play music. Each has a part in our lives. But each one of us has a "passion". That one thing that we love more than anything else. So, What's your passion?

Mine. Airplanes and aviation. From a young age, I have been enamored with aviation and space travel. From the first air show my dad brought me to until today, most of my life I have always loved being around airplanes. Since we lived 25 miles from one of the greatest air shows in the world it was easy for me to feed this passion. The Oshkosh Air Show. Now called, "Airventure" is the Experimental Aircraft Associations annual meeting and Air show. If you have ever been to a local air show, think of that, only 10 times bigger. 500,000 people over the week. Hundreds of aircraft. Formations of 30 aircraft at one time. It's hard to describe. Fantastic to visit.

Anyway, that passion has been a driving force in my life. One of my reasons for going to college. Another reason for joining the Air Force, and yet another for moving to FL in 1995. It's been the one constant in my life. The one thing I never give up. Matter of fact, after my second divorce, my new rule was that my next wife had to love airplanes as much as I do. And I found her at flight school. And yes, I do fly. I passed my Private certificate,(They are not called a license) in the spring of 1984. Commercial multi-engine..........well I was 5 hours short when I ran out of money in 1996, so it's just private multi-engine at this time. But someday............just to say I have.

There's a small flight school near you... in Sebastian or Melbourne (I can't remember for sure)... where I charter small twin engine prop planes to fly me over to the Bahamas sometimes. There's only 2 instructors there who are willing to land on the tiny island I need to fly to... but they are squared away.

I have flown in to your local Sebastian "airport" multiple times coming back on charters from the Bahamas. They have a cool skydiving club there. I've sat there with those crazy bastards while I waited on my ride to come get me. They have a little place there that serves food and beer. Drunk skydiving.... sounds really smart right?

My Dad is a real badass pilot. REAL Badass. He was flying planes before he even started HS. He's flown some of the most important planes that our country has... I'll just leave it at that. After he retired from the Military... he worked as a flight instructor for Delta. If he's the pilot, I ain't getting in the plane... because he used to take me up in planes and scare the ever loving shit out of me on purpose. I did however go to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University because of him. I'm not a pilot... but I know a lot about it.

There's a cool Airshow that happens in Daytona Beach. I think it's an annual thing. They fly the planes right along the beach. We take our boat out for that and anchor up close to the beach. The jets purposely do very low fly bys right over the boats... it's insane and really cool. You should check that out if you get the chance.

 

[oldnotdead]

Yeah it's still my passion.....old not dead remember?