Thursday, May 25, 2006

Income > Outgo

To fly this summer I needed three things: Time, Money, Weather.

And I've made great progress on all three (but can only claim credit for two).

Money: I've just turned a financial corner... I now have a fulltime, real-money-paying job offer, starting June 1st. No more 60-hour weeks volunteering, I'm going to once again have the opportunity to work and get paid for it (the last few years have not been kind to high-tech workers in Ottawa). Soaring is a lot less expensive than powered flight, but it isn't free.

Time: In the absence of a job, I've spent a lot of time doing volunteer work, giving my time and expertise in the operation of a few local non-profit organizations. At peak times of the year, it meant 60-hour weeks for a few months running. But I've been winding this down for a year now, with the hiring of an administrator, and with divesting work to other individuals. I'll still keep some of the workload, but the time demands will be much more balanced.

Weather: The last 3-4 weeks here in Ottawa have been wet. Great flying weather if you're a duck. However, in a sport which depends on the sun to generate thermals, and therefore transform gliding into soaring, the last few weeks have been a washout. This weekend looks like the weather will be terrific, but I'm going to spend it at home doing all the spring-time things that a homeowner must do.... Thus freeing-up future weekends. Let's call it an investment.

Permission: Oops, four things. Soaring is something that I'll be off doing alone, without wife or child (it's no fun hanging around an aerodrome feeding skeeters and killing time while waiting for daddy/hubby to land). For that to happen, I need the support of my family. And for the support to happen, I'll need the money without causing hardship at home (done), and enough tasks done here at the homestead so they don't feel abandoned (working on it).

And now the "Which Club to Join" question has percolated back to the top of my list.