South of the Border Dystopia

I watched a Mexican film tonight, selected almost randomly, mostly for the Spanish practice. What I saw was perhaps the best science fiction film of this generation. I felt the same about it as I did when I saw TXH1138 (George Lucas' first feature film) around 1971. They are both brilliantly original dystopian visions incorporating various ominous features of contemporary life bitterly realized into cautionary tales, and with cathartic outcomes where the human spirit prevails (at least to some degree) over dark forces of inhumanity.

   

 Sleep Dealer
(Traficante De Sueños)

I felt there was not a false moment, and there were innumerable wonderful small elements, as in TXH1138, that left me filled with admiration for the film-making team and wonder at the authenticity of the story.  I know from a number of Mexico visits that the settings, situations, and characters there were in perfect fidelity for what they purported to represent.  Where there were stylized future evolutionary representations of culture, they were equally believable and appropriate.

There are very few films I can actually use the term spellbinding to describe, but for me this is one...

Clipped Wings

It's been about fifteen years since I was an active pilot.  Occasionally I consider whether there is still any opportunity for me to be actively engaged again in aviation.  As usual, it seems there are many facets to this possibility - in favor of and against.

Teaching days - working in a C-310.

The cost of any aviation activity is prohibitive without a high income or vast accumulated assets.  Since I have neither of these, that would leave getting paid for aviation work, or possibly having acquaintances who are able to operate in some fashion and might welcome me as a sidekick of some kind.

Working seems unlikely, as it has been so long since I was flying regularly, and there is great value in this business placed on recent high-volume activity.  In any event, I would require a great deal of remedial training and education to get me up to speed on current knowledge and skills.  There is also the issue of liability, especially in teaching.  I wouldn't be comfortable signing off folks as I used to for a variety of privileges.  Another concern would be my drift toward a generally more cautious temperament - it always seemed even in the past that I was excessively cautious, to the point where I wasn't prepared to get the maximum utility out of the system.

Familiar flight school classroom materials at the local field.

Recently, I went to a local pilots' association meeting to meet some aviators and hear some pilot talk.  They enticed me to become a dues-paying member, and suggested that I get an airport badge so I could roam about the field and check out open hangers where the activity might be found on some weekends.  If I can at least cough up some gas money, there are probably local flying activities I can participate in, even if it mostly passive.  For now, I don't anticipate getting a medical certificate or flight review that would enable me to formally exercise privileges of my certificate and ratings.

I still have a powerful interest in all things related to aviation, and given the right opportunity could find satisfaction in some involvement.  However, given the challenges I may just have to be content with reading about it in industry print and web material.  Maybe what I really want to do is just find occasional opportunities to be an airport bum - or 'ramp slut', as we used to refer to the practice back in California...

Flew the new Cessna trainer with a demo pilot in July.  

An aircraft model I used to fly, spotted in Salida.