The Birds and the Llama

“If you must begin then go all the way, because if you begin and quit, the unfinished business you have left behind begins to haunt you all the time.”
– Chögyam Trungpa

Wow!  Isn’t that a great quote?  It’ll carry me all the way to my pilot’s license, no matter how hard it is.



The Birds and the Llama -  Watercolor

While we’re on weird animal paintings, I thought I’d share this one.   This will remind us that play is a GOOD thing.  (Well, I think so anyway.)  I love to play with color and create paintings that don’t remind you of anything you have seen before.  Just play! 

Last night, I started working on my flight plan for my long cross country solo.  There are so many computations and serious critical considerations.  Did you know that you figure a weight and balance for every flight, taking in the weight of your passengers, baggage, fuel, etc. to be certain that the center of gravity is in the proper place for maximum performance.

The wind is a huge factor, because if you don’t correct your heading for wind, you’ll be off course.  You also have to consider the temperature, air density,  pressure and  the magnetic variation, among other things.   It’s daunting!

First, you look at your personal minimums.  Do you feel okay?  Are you stressed?  Have you eaten properly?  Have you taken any medicine that will affect your thinking?  Are the winds within your capabilities?  There’s more, but I don’t want to bore you.   I’ll finish the flight plan tonight, with the exception of the weather parameters, which I will calculate tomorrow morning.  That will also allow me to also calculate ground speed and fuel consumption.  Is your head spinning yet?  Maybe that’s why I paint pink llamas.  he he

About Chögyam Trungpa

Tibetan Buddhist leader Chögyam Trungpa was instrumental in bringing Buddhism to the West. He was born in 1939 in Tibet and was recognized as the reincarnation of a Rinpoche (enlightened teacher) at 13 months old. After moving to England, he abandoned his monk garb: He wanted his Western students to perceive the Buddhist teachings without becoming distracted by exotic trappings. He founded Naropa University in Colorado and wrote several books. He died in 1987.