Traveling the Aviation Trail (Part 2: Finishing My Seven Stops)

I left off in my last blog telling you that I began the Aviation Trail in the summer of 2016. The week after last, one day, I collected the stamps for the Wright Brothers Memorial and Huffman Prairie Flying Field and for the archives in the special collections of the Wright State University Library. The next day I went back out and went to Woodland Cemetery and ended the trail at the National Aviation Heritage Museum. While the trail has about 14 stops total tourists and aviation enthusiast alike can visit, all around the Dayton area or certainly within an hour drive, I opted to hit just seven local spots so I could say I traveled at least half the trail, get the bear, buy him a beer, and finish it so I could go on with my #lifegoalsbucketlist. 

Traveling the Aviation Trail (Part One: The Memphis Belle)

Three summers ago, I began a mission: to complete the Aviation Trail. Completing the trail would require 14 stops around the Dayton area. I found a brochure advertising the trail with an offer that if you completed seven stops, you received a small aviator teddy bear. You visited a spot on the trail and got a stamp. Collect seven, go to the Aviation Heritage Museum outside of downtown Dayton, and the bear is yours. Easy, right?

I figured I'd start there, with the seven, then hopefully, I could go back and visit the other places on the trail. My first three stops were at Carillon Historical Park to see the third Wright Flyer the Wright Brothers flew, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and the Aviation Hall of Fame (located in the museum). It was easy to obtain those first three stamps because I actually worked at both places the summer of 2016.

Then life got a bit hectic and my mission to finish the trail sat on the back burner of my bucket list. 

Fast forward:

On May 17, 2018, the National Museum of the United States Air Force unveiled the restored, iconic World War II plane, the B-17F Memphis Belle and I was determined to see it. 

Placed on permanent display and open to the public, the museum hosted a three-day event for the public. With books and two movies made about the plane, one can utter the words Memphis Belle and everyone knows what they are talking about. 

Perhaps one of the greatest myths about the plane is that is was the first to fly 25 bomber missions. This is, in fact, untrue. What is true is that it was the first plane to fly 25 missions during the war AND return home to the United States. With a crew that relatively remained the same during those 25 missions, the plane went through several hurdles before it made its way to the museum, where a restoration team worked on it for a good fifteen years. 

Let's Talk About Baking, Baby... Better Crocker and Martha Stewart I Am Not, But I'm Okay With That

Baking in the City:

I know I can't be the only writer who thinks they are good at baking.

And by baking, I mean, I try and I fail more often than not to bake "correctly." Every so often, I'll bake and sometimes, it's from scratch. Let's say that's once or twice every 3 to 6 months. Of those times, one or two things will turn out okay.

Everything else... while most is okay on the palate, usually looks unattractive to the naked eye. And it's gotten worse since in the last year I've been trying to eat healthy. That means healthy baking. Ha.

In my quest to become a better baker, as a writer, seem to find myself doing the same wrong things in the kitchen, over and over again. I need a reminder, that while I'm not an ace baker, I could deliver the goods, if I only followed the baking rules. What are the baking rules, you ask? The baking rules are simple. The baking rules prevent you from doing things wrong.

And another short story is off and running...

I wrote a short, short story back in the winter (1500 words) and submitted it somewhere, but no luck. That's okay. I revised it, expanded it, and sent it out somewhere else today. And it's closer to 5,000 words, so it's eligible for a few other comps I have my eyes on if necessary.

It's called "The Puzzle Man," and it's about an older man who lives in Florida and works as a security guard at a retirement facility. It's very close to home, no lie. The best fiction sometimes is. I think it's pretty rich with theme and symbolism. We'll see how it does.

I wrote it from third person omniscient, which is new for me, but I am afraid it's too narrative heavy.

I've also been working on a novel and poetry. Am I accomplishing what I set out to do, what I took time off work to do? Sure, a little bit at a time. I'm chipping at that stone.

On a side note, I just finished The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas. I am wanting to go to this bookclub that meets down by where the Dragons play, a little bar I always go to when I go to a game. I read it in two days. I didn't think I'd like it, but I actually really did. It's the writer's first book and I will say she did a most excellent job on dialogue.

I like to think I'm pretty good at dialogue, because I go for the character driven stories when I write, but this novel I have in the works and this latest short story are more plot driven, so that's new for me... The Hate U Give is a good example of how to use dialogue between characters to keep the flow of the story going.

Other new things on the horizon: I am serious about this blog thing, so I have some events lined up that I hope to capitalize some writing out of. Next month (May) is the reveal of the Memphis Belle at the Air Force Museum. In June, I'll be seeing the Gin Blossoms in concert, and in July, I'll be volunteering at Springsfest (just found out about that a few days ago), which means I'll be able to see the show! Super excited about that (Guided by Voices will be playing!). I'm also working on volunteering at the Yellow Springs Street fair in June.

I'm thinking of investing in a nice Nikon to take pics, but truth be told, my iPhone takes really good pics, I just have to practice with it a bit more. We'll see. Like all the pics from my Florida post were taken with the phone. I mean, I wasn't "trying" then... just snapping away like a happy little clam, but if you really practice and utilize the features, it can take great photos.

And there's always a ton of stuff going on in my community and the Dayton area, so there's no reason why I can't get out there, do some stuff, and write about it, right?

Florida Memories and Grief: The Power of Healing, Writing, and Photography

Anyone who's dealt with the loss of a loved one knows there's a process to getting through the grief. For me, this includes reflecting on memories, looking at photos, and writing to heal (in addition to the other stages). The traditional stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, according to grief.com's website. We'll visit grief in more detail, the concept of it, perhaps down the road. 

For now, this post is more about my personal experience with just one aspect of it. Perhaps I'm in the acceptance phase, or close to it. Otherwise, I am not sure I'd be able to look back at this time in my life and share with you in word form. 

And I want to recount a particular experience with you because while we are all from different walks of life, backgrounds, societies, and cultures, at least we all have one thing in common: we all go through life losing someone that we love and we all need to come to peace with it at some point or another. Otherwise, our lives will not be worth living.  

Dolphins Swimming in Sarasota Bay: