Airmanship Quotes

I just went where I was sent

By Dave English

A wonderful story from Neil Gaiman: Some years ago, I was lucky enough invited to a gathering of great and good people: artists and scientists, writers and discoverers of things. And I felt that at any moment they would realise that I didn’t qualify to be there, among these people who had really done things. On my second or third night there, I was standing at the back of the hall, while a musical entertainment happened, and I started talking to a very nice, polite, elderly gentleman about several things, including our shared first name. And then he pointed to … Continue reading I just went where I was sent

Mae Jemison

By Dave English

Engineer, physician, and astronaut Mae Jemison on thinking for yourself: “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations. If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won’t exist because you’ll have already shut it out… You can hear other people’s wisdom, but you’ve got to re-evaluate the world for yourself.” Source: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, November 2009.

Taste every moment

By Dave English

“When you are a young person, you are like a young creek, and you meet many rocks, many obstacles and difficulties on your way. You hurry to get past these obstacles and get to the ocean. But as the creek moves down through the fields, it becomes larges and calmer and it can enjoy the reflection of the sky. It’s wonderful. You will arrive at the sea anyway so enjoy the journey. Enjoy the sunshine, the sunset, the moon, the birds, the trees, and the many beauties along the way. Taste every moment of your daily life.” Thich Nhat Hanh. … Continue reading Taste every moment

Ludvig on practicing art

By Dave English

Flying feels like making music! And note the forced hard work of digging deep, it’s not enough to just practice the fun simple bits a couple times. “Fahre fort, übe nicht allein die Kunst, sondern dringe auch in ihr Inneres; sie verdient es, denn nur die Kunst und die Wissenschaft erhöhen den Menschen bis zur Gottheit.” Beethoven in letter to Emilie, July 17, 1812. Quoted in Musical news, Vol. 3 (1892), p. 627.