New Year’s Eve resolutions, RC style
This is the time of year when, after plans to eat at various relatives’ homes and putting the final holiday decorating touches in effect are sorted out, we turn our attention to New Year’s resolutions. Hope and promise well up inside of us as we reflect on life’s developments throughout the course of this year, as well as from times past.
As the year draws closer to an end, we join the ranks of millions of people who make plans to improve their lives physically and mentally. We’re going to eat better (well, after all of the eggnog is polished off—can’t let it go to waste, right?), sleep more (if only we can put our smartphones down), communicate more effectively at home and work, and not be so hard on ourselves or others.
Yes, we’ll make certain plans to improve our lives. As RC pilots, our resolutions will likely come with a twist. Here’s how many common resolutions compare with the ones we might make.
I’ll Save More Money …
… for airplanes and events, of course. Financial advisors suggest having several months of “just in case” savings set aside should an emergency, such as a job loss or a strike, occur. Then there are wise monetary moves such as paying down debt, contributing to IRAs, and considering high-yield savings accounts.
That’s all fine and dandy, but let’s be real. When we come into extra money, whether it’s from Grandma’s holiday check or an end-of-year work bonus, many passionate pilots first think, “Yes! Now I can get those new retracts,” before thinking about making a retirement account contribution. I know I do. So it goes that our fleet might be growing at a faster pace than our bank account—and we’re good with that!
I’ll Go on a Diet
This is about anything other than saying “no” to that third slice of pizza. We drool at the sight of a new model at the field that’s clearly in better shape than our battered helicopter. Perhaps we even become somewhat envious. Soon, we consider trading our C-130 Fat Albert cargo model and stout-looking Gee Bee for a slim-wing anything.
As for an actual gym membership? Well, that’s good too, but let’s not forget other memberships that matter, such as increasing the local RC club membership and making sure to renew our AMA membership.
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I’ll Get Better Organized
As I write this, my desk currently features three pens, two books, a box of tissues, the breakfast plate I have yet to put in the sink, a bottle of nail polish, a coffee coupon offer, and a partridge in a pear tree. It’s enough to get my workspace under control, let alone the bevy of covering, tubing, propellers, and airplanes in the workshop, television room, and office.
For some odd reason, there is a bottle of CA glue on the dishwasher and another on the downstairs window ledge—a rather unique accent for the quaint, ruffled curtains. Organizing isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Let’s not fool ourselves!
I’ll Cut Back on the Foul Language …
… except when my newly re-covered Eindecker crashes. Then you better bet that a slew of words runs through my mind or even accidentally slips out while standing at the flightline. They aren’t “gosh darn it” phrases either.
This occurs even outside of non-crashing incidents. “It’s, um, ‘gosh darn’ snowing again and I can’t find the skis for my airplane.” “I forgot the *!@!! combination for our flying field’s gate.”
Even celebratory foul language sometimes comes into play as in, “That was a ‘gosh darn’ incredible landing, if I do say so myself!”
As I’m sure Model Aviation’s “Safety Comes First” columnist Dave Gee knows, there are plenty of incidents where a nasty word or two (or five) spews from our mouths because of careless, but preventable, RC injuries—either while flying or building in our workshops.
Hmmm. Maybe this particular resolution isn’t realistic after all.
I’ll Visit Family and Friends More Often . . .
. . . unless an indoor flying event coincides with Uncle Wesley’s New Year’s party. Social gatherings and RC events often involve serious coordination and consideration. I’ve often heard—oh, who am I kidding? I’ve often said—“Oh, wait, her get-together is the same weekend as the RC Jamboree in Rhinebeck, New York. We can’t go.”
In all seriousness, I know of an RC pilot who attended a funeral, but skipped out on the lunch gathering afterward to head to a large RC event a few hours away. Try as we might, it can be challenging to balance time spent with our RC family and interactions with our non-RC relatives, neighbors, and longtime friends.
I’ll Learn New Hobbies
I recently read an article about the most common New Year’s resolutions people make. Learning new hobbies made the list, at which point I drew a blank and nearly laughed out loud. Clearly, the people surveyed weren’t RC enthusiasts. Learn a new hobby? With one as fun as this, why consider anything else? Gosh darn resolutions!
Tell me what resolutions you have. Send me an email!
