Crazy Ideas & Helicopters

I have a lot of crazy ideas. Crazy ideas followed by more crazy ideas. They breed like rabbits. My latest idea or goal rather is to become a helicopter pilot. Yeah, sounds random and I guess it kind of is. Last summer (2010) my friend Kristan and I went on a helicopter ride in New Zealand. We flew over glaciers and even landed on one. It was pretty awesome, especially as Kristan landed (oh so gracefully) on her bum while exiting the aircraft. Who knew the snow was so powdery and soft! There was definite skill because she was stepping out facing forward and she landed on her butt... a wonderful twisty move to save her dear camera :) Rabbit trail! The point is, the helicopter ride was pretty freaking awesome, and for whatever strange reason both Kristan and I have started seriously considering becoming helicopter pilots. Something about letting that experience fester for a year worked the same way on both of us. Problem is... becoming a pilot is EXPENSIVE. I took an intro flight where I was allowed to fly the plane (only under direct supervision of course) and it was, as I'd imagined, AWESOME. The shot below is directly after our flight in NZ when the helicopter left us on the side of the road for our bus to pick us up... I don't think there is a happier picture of us anywhere.



The school here in Hawaii is $90,000... it's painful to even think about that amount of money especially when we are still paying off our oh so painful student loans. No way I am taking out more loans, and really, how hard could it be to make $90k? I had a new idea almost daily for about 3 weeks. Some days I had more than one idea, but let's be realistic... there were a lot of bad ideas. No need to worry though, I bounce all ideas off Brian before attempting them. As of now I am going to attempt to make enough money with photography to at least get my private license. After that point, I am hoping to win the lottery. Actually, winning the lottery may be a little more difficult, all I really want to do is go on the Amazing Race and win that. Everyone's got goals they are working on, these are mine: Goal #1 is to pay down as much as possible on our student loans by the end of the year (I have a specific goal to reach each month and we JUST might make it!). Goal #2 Somehow muster enough photography business to at least get a small start on my helicopter plan by January. Goal #3 Apply to be on the Amazing Race with Kristan (and possibly my dad too) hoping that I can make it on with one of them. Goal #4 Enjoy getting there.

Number four is proving to be the hardest one this week. Life passes by too quickly. Don't sweat the small stuff.