Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Day I Flew Like SUPERMAN

    Before starting this post, let me tell you, I was interviewed again, but this time I must have been drinking.  I can't believe how silly I got!
    For example, look how I answered these two questions:


When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

     I swear, I slid out of the womb and handed my mom a story I’d been writing for the last trimester.  It’s the way I deal with things whether I’m getting knit together in my mama’s belly, creating ridiculous stories, or dealing with difficult times that make it hard to breathe.  

When you start to write a new novel, what is the process for you? Do you have the story worked out, or do you just kind of wing it as you go?

     "The Golden Sky" was my journal before I revised it for publication.  Putting it out in the public is like opening my ribs and showing everyone what makes my heart beat.  I’ve never been much on watching open-heart surgery, but I think it’s for the best this time. 

    For more of that . . . ummm silliness, please go here to this amazing page for author interviews.  Oh and to find my interview, go to the page, hit ctrl F and then type "Elisa" in the box that will appear on the bottom of your screen.



    Now, onto the post of the day.
    Last week Fishducky sent me this picture from her zero gravity flight.  Isn't she awesome!

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    She'd included a fun story called "The Day I Flew Like Superman."  Well, the Scribe and the Hippie ADORE Fishducky as much as I do.  So, I knew they'd love the picture.
    Both of them stared at it for a long time.
    "Has that picture been edited?" the Hippie asked.
    "Nope."  
    "That's not real, right?"
    "It's absolutely real," I said.
    The Scribe nodded.  "I love that woman.  You can tell she's fun AND she loves to draw.  Look at her face; we kinda look alike."
    "Yeah, I could see that," I said.
    "It's because we both have . . . the face of an artist."  She smiled then, a huge grin I wish I'd captured on camera.  "You know what, Mom . . . I want to be like her when I grow up, then I'll be an amazing artist."
     The Hippie nodded, "I want to be like her too, but I don't want to be an artist, I just want to learn how to fly."  
    

    Without further ado, I'd like to introduce the famous Fishducky (the one who knows how to fly)!

  
The Day I Flew Like SUPERMAN


    Three years ago, I gave myself the thrill of a lifetime.  For my 74th birthday I went on a zero gravity flight.  This was the same kind of plane the astronauts trained in—NOT a simulator.  Since I walk with a cane, my husband asked me how I thought I would be able to do that.  I told him that I wouldn’t be walking, I would be floating!  I was, of course, the oldest person on the flight.
     We took off from Burbank, CA in a stripped down 727 (about 35 seats left on the plane & all in the back) & quickly gained altitude.  Just like when you’re on a roller coaster & you feel yourself lifting out of your seat on the downhill runs you lessen gravity when the plane is in a steep dive.  The angle of the dive determines how strong the pull of gravity is.  This climbing & diving arc is called a parabola.  The astronauts called it the “vomit comet” because they made so many parabolas.  Most people don’t feel nauseous until after 20 parabolas—our flight had 15.  Nobody got sick.  The low to zero gravity periods lasted about 15 seconds each.
     Our instructors had us lie face down on the floor before each dive.  On the first dive gravity was that of Mars—about 1/3 of Earth.  The next two were that of the moon—about 1/6 of Earth.  During these (& I am NO athlete) I did one handed pushups to a standing position.
    Parabolas 4-15 were ZERO GRAVITY.  I pushed myself off the bulkhead, straightened my arms & flew like Superman.  I got into a fetal position & my instructor gave me a push & I rolled over & over in midair.  I laid on my back & linked arms with a few other people & we lifted our legs & did a backward somersault in unison.  We swallowed M&M’s and globules of water that were floating by.
It was--WITHOUT A DOUBT—the most fun I ever had in my life, with or without my clothes on!  It was, however, very expensive, in the range of $5,000--& worth every cent.  (My philosophy is that money is like fertilizer—no good unless you spread it around.)  I sent each of my kids a thank you note since I figured it was coming out of their inheritance.  I did the same thing when I bought myself a BMW a few years before.  Yes, thank you, I AM polite.  


    For more posts by Fishducky, please visit these two wonderful sites.

My Friend Fishducky

Fishducky and the Foriegn Rolls

24 comments:

  1. Sigh....Fishducky is just the coolest! Thanks for sharing, Elisa! And I loved your answer to being a writer.

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  2. WOW! *smiling*
    I hope that's me when I'm 74 or 77.
    LOVE her, and love your blog; it makes me happy on a daily basis.

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  3. Great post! I adored your answer on your writing process. It's really true. Writing is such a personal thing, and especially in your case where you actually took material from your diary. I bet you had a lot of naked dreams, huh?

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  4. Your Fishducky is hysterical. I love when you and Melynda post about her :) Always leaves me giggling!!

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  5. Wow that is fantastic! Fishducky sounds AWESOME!

    I also liked your answers on the writing process :D

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  6. Fishducky is so brave. What an experience. I would def be on the exception list to most people don't feel sick until over 20 parabolas.

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  7. haha that is awesome, sounds like a ton of fun and like her philosphy on money, but of course you need some to srpead around first LOL

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  8. I love this story and I love the photo! Fishducky has the most incredible glowing face, she's just gorgeous!
    I kind of had a spur of the moment, emotional upheaval that partly turned into my thoughts on The Golden Sky today. I posted it on my blog. I would have given you more warning but it just happened a couple of hours ago after I finished reading it. I hope you like it and I hope it makes sense.

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  9. She is sooo awesome!

    Maggie,
    Thank you. That was an AMAZING post. You're so sweet! Those things you wrote about the book, they'll always stay with me.
    -Elisa

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  10. That sounds so fun. And I love the pic. Great post, and thanks for sharing!

    Alexandra~
    http://www.wordsoftheworlds.blogspot.com

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  11. I never saw this picture, it's just fabulous. It does not surprise me that Fishducky believes money is like fertilizer, I have been the recipient of many gifts from her, including the computer I am writing on right now. Not only is she the funniest person and a wonderful artist, she is also the kindest, most loving person I know. Thanks for visiting and following my blog and for the link. I am following yours now as well. It makes me happy that I am continuing to make new friends on the blogs thanks to Fishducky. What a woman!

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  12. I love the look on her face. She looks like she is the type of person that has a million friends and always makes room for one more. Just like you!

    Thanks for sharing the picture.

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  13. Awesome story...I especially loved the thank you notes to her kids for spending their inheritance. Epic!

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  14. I love that she did that. I am in awe of her gusto. We spoke recently and I invited her to go on adventure with me; but unfortunately she had to decline.

    I hope to be just like her when I grow up.

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  15. Always inspiring to read your blog. I like your first answer -- maybe someone spiked your drink (lol). A credit to you mother, I suppose.

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  16. I'm pretty sure this isn't Scribe's first time on this planet. She has to have an old soul. Love her!

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  17. Fishducky's coolness far surpasses my own... I mean, every one of her stories is fun and exciting. I made brussel sprouts today...yeah..I'm livin on the edge...

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  18. I LOVED your interview, especially the 2 answers above!

    To your followers--I'm not sure how brave or cool I am--maybe I'm just stupid. All I know is that I want to experience all that life has to offer--as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

    To BODACIOUS--I'm sorry I couldn't go with you on your adventure. I'll be there in my heart, though. I want to be just like ME when (if?) I grow up, too!

    To PAIGE--What an exciting day you had! Maybe you should go lie down for a while.

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  19. Dear Fishducky and Elisa,
    A winning combination. One of you flying in the plane eating M&Ms and the other flying out of the womb, book in hand. You two ought to be in vaudeville!

    Peace.

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  20. Now that is one amazing woman!! I am going to check her links. I have noticed her comments on a few blogs, but didn't know anything else about her. Wow!

    Off to also read your interview. You are keeping me busy, lady! ;)

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  21. I want to be like Fishducky when I grow up too.

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  22. That is absolutely awesome! I always wondered about the vomit aspect, and I'm so glad to know that it takes more than a single low-grav moment to bring it on. :) Putting that one on the bucket list. TODAY.

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  23. I'm. So. Jealous. If I had $5,000 I'd TOTALLY fly like superman. :)

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