Learning to Read Again

By Mark W. Danielson

While age may take its toll on comprehension and retention, advances in technology have minimized our thinking to the point that our brain is rarely challenged. Calculators are used in math classes, computers tell us when our tires and engine fluids are low, sensors turn on our lights -- we don’t even need to dial phone numbers anymore. Just talk and it dials for you. I can’t speak for everyone, but when my brain lacks exercise, it forgets things. A recent flight with my buddy Dan reminded me of that.

For decades, I regularly flew light airplanes, but I sold my bi-plane in 1985 and then stopped renting planes after 9-11 temporarily grounded the fleet. As much as I miss low and slow flying, other obligations have made it more difficult to stay current. So when Dan wanted to take me flying in his aerobatic airplane for my birthday, I was elated. However, when he handed me a local area chart shown above that depicts all of the airspace restrictions, I realized the airliner’s moving map display (also shown above) had reduced my ability to perform basic skills that I spent years training others to do. Then again, how much exercise can my brain get from an electronic display that tells me where I am, where I’m going, where other traffic is, and what the terrain and weather is like? Not that I’m complaining because I’ve grown quite fond of this technology – but when Dan handed me this chart, my brain reacted as though it had never seen one before. This revelation was rather disconcerting considering I am still a licensed flight instructor and just renewed my certificate last spring.

Dan’s single engine plane requires that we fly by visual references, and since we took off from an uncontrolled airport, we never once spoke to an air traffic controller. The rejuvenating feeling from this type of flying is magnificent and it didn’t take long to feel comfortable. Navigating by mountain peaks, highways, and lakes is much more stimulating than following an electronic magenta line. I look forward to the day when I can acquire another light airplane so I can navigate off the charts I will have downloaded onto my iPad. Hey – once you’ve experienced technology, it’s hard to go back.

While our flight was absolutely exhilarating, recurring thoughts about how I struggled with this chart reminded me of how important it is to challenge my brain. I don’t like the feeling that I’m learning to read all over again, and I was fortunate that things came back so quickly. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for those less fortunate as they try to recall things they once knew but can’t seem to find. My experience gave me a better appreciation for those who struggle in their later years. While I once believed that crafting stories was enough to keep my brain active, it’s clear that I must expand its stimulus. Reading fiction and non-fiction helps, as do crossword puzzles and Sudoku. Thinking while walking the dog exercises the brain as well as the body, and the dog is always willing to assist.

Of course, there is no way to predict what my mental or physical health will be in the future. Alzheimer’s seems to strike people as randomly as lightning. But doctors are certain that those who mentally and physically exercise will retain their capacities longer than those who sit in rocking chairs watching the world go by. Dan, I thank you not only for the flight, but also this lesson in life. I have learned to read again, and I’ll be brushing up on “old school” flying before age takes another bite out of my brain. I’ll also keep writing for as long as I’m able to do so.

Counting Words

By Mark W. Danielson

I hear a lot of authors counting words. One will say, “I wrote one thousand today,” while another boasts ten times that many. I once wrote over fifty thousand in four days during a Kazakhstan layover because there were no distractions, and I wasn’t the least bit concerned because it was a first draft. At this point, my only goal was to document my thoughts down without regard for word count or quality. While this may sound contradictory, count and quality apply to later stages of manuscript writing.

As with many fiction writers, I do not use outlines. I admire those who do because it probably cuts down on editing and makes writing the synopsis easier. But I prefer letting my characters walk me through the tale. Words flow easily because my plot has been teasing my brain for weeks, months, or even years. During my initial draft, I want my characters to transport me through a variety of obstacles while leading to a viable conclusion. I become so entranced by the words appearing on my screen that my heart stops if the phone rings or the dog barks. There is no magic number of pages or words that I expect to complete by day’s end. I’m happy, so long as my story progresses. Truth be known, I’m better off counting calories than words at this stage. But once this draft is complete, I am absolutely driven by word count because most publishers cap novels at one hundred thousand.

If I find myself significantly over the cap then choices must be made and the quality search begins. If I’m not sure where to start cutting, I’ll pick an adjective, do a word search, and see if it’s been overused. I avoid lengthy descriptions because they slow the pace, and fewer words generally paint better pictures. If I’m still over my word count, I’ll check to see how often I used “said”. Bear in mind that “said” identifies who is speaking, but if I’ve already introduced who that is in a conversation between two people, then “he said, she said” is probably unnecessary.

It isn’t difficult to cut fifteen or twenty thousand words from a 100,000 word manuscript and replace them with another ten or fifteen thousand that improve the story. In this sense, my “word diet” is like a “people diet” because my numbers will fluctuate like a scale’s reading before they stabilize. A good rule of thumb is when in doubt, cut.

By the time I send the manuscript to my editor, I feel pretty good about its quality and word count, but I also realize that my editor’s job is to return me to earth. Objective editors look for logic, believable characters and scenes, flow, and conclusions with little concern for word count. If my manuscript is over the cap after I’ve made my editor’s corrections, then I’ll consult the editor about what other cuts could be made. I will never send a manuscript to anyone other than my editor that does not meet a publisher’s parameters. To do so would mean instant rejection.

Authors agree that writing should be fun, but they also recognize that professional writing is a business with specific demands. Style, font, and layout are as important as word count. Numerous guides provide this information, and Writer’s Digest is one of the best. In the end, counting words is a reality, but count should never override quality.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

By Mark W. Danielson

It was a hot summer night and sleep eluded me. To be truthful, I had gone without blissful sleep for weeks. In my job, getting five solid hours is a blessing, but since I had been home a while, my unrest was inexcusable. After flipping non-stop like a fish out of water, I rolled out of bed to toil on mycomputer. An hour later and utterly exhausted, I lumbered to the basement bedroom so I wouldn’t disturb anyone. Lying on my back, my dog at my feet, I once again stared into the darkness with eyes wide open.

Busy minds keep bodies awake, and in my case, it was like I consumed sixteen Mountain Dews. Silently counting backwards from one hundred normally drains my brain, but tonight, it merely challenged me to reach zero. I then went through my stress exercises of tightening and relaxing every muscle, but my mind fought back with a vengeance. Then suddenly, miraculously, a new plot came to me about a man so drunk on sleep that he communicates with a spirit. Ah, the perfect sequel to Writer’s Block! At the time, I knew nothing about the real haunting at Fort Worth’s Scott Theater. I learned about that the next day while conducting research, but since my protagonist is a Fort Worth homicide detective, the Scott Theater haunting nicely fits into my story.

Smiling now, I settled into the pillow and closed my eyes, letting my mind drift with the plot. The sequel that I had already begun could wait, for this new story must go forth. After all, who knows sleep deprivation better than an international airline pilot?

Fate has crept into my life in many ways, and I have no better way of explaining this revelation. It wasn’t the first time I received subliminal messages, but I never recalled any being as vivid. So now the fun begins, banging on keys while my subconscious writes this story. I love this stage because nothing has to be perfect. While I have definite ideas on where the story will go, I look forward to my characters taking me there. Months will pass before this story sees its first edit, but that’s not a problem since Writer’s Block won’t be released until this fall. In this regard, perhaps there is some value in sleepless nights. Then again, it would be nice waking up feeling refreshed.

Lost in Translation

By Mark W. Danielson

(To the tune of The Beverly Hillbillies . . .)

Come and listen to a story ‘bout a man named Jed. A tired airline pilot who had nothing in his head. Then one day he went looking for some food, ended up with a bus driver who was in a foul mood.

Well out came a bus, so he climbed right on. But the five o’clock bus, had yet to come along. Ended up with a tour, of the Narita airport. Thankfully he remembered, to bring his passport.

The guard waves them on, and they pull in Terminal One. Once a few get off, then the bus is on the run. Terminal Two is next, so we stop, the rest get out. All I can do is wait, would do no good to pout.

The driver checks his mirror, and sees I’m still riding his bus. He casts an angry look, and he makes a little fuss. I say “No Get Off”, so he’s leaving me alone. He’s probably thinking, that this Yankee Dog is stoned.

After fifteen minutes, we’re finally under way. My co-pilot probably figures, that I just don’t want to play. We were supposed to meet at five, to ride the Downtown bus. Who knew I’d get on, the 4:50 Airport bus?

Not me. That’s for sure . . . Next time I’ll know the airport bus leaves late.

So, the bus swings by, Terminal One once more. No one to pick up, so my driver pedals the floor. Terminal Two produces, the very same result. I can hardly wait, to hear my co-pilot’s insult.

We arrive at the hotel, just in time to wave good bye. To the 5:40 Narita bus, that is now passing us by. The next downtown bus isn’t until 6:10, damn! I’m really hungry now, better take off like a ram.

So I head into town, on the route I’ve done before. Trekking through rice fields on roads, before it starts to pour. The sun has now set, it gets dark before too long. But my pace is fast, so I’m nearly into town.

I arrive in Narita minutes, before the next hotel bus leaves. Too much time to kill, after the McDonalds I have to eat. So I wait for the bus, and who should come along? Thankfully not my co-pilot, but someone I’d like to gong.

We get on the bus, and finally make it back. Only wasted four hours for my simple Big Mac. So the next time I’m there, I’ll check the time for sure. Buses may leave late, so confusion can be near.

Never trust a driver who will not give you a clue, but the bottom line is, it’s always up to you. Just so you know, this isn’t really about Jed. Just a tired airline pilot who had nothing in his head.

Fun times, international travel. Jet lag. Language problems. Y’all fly safe now, ya here?

(If you'd like to read more about some of my international travels, check out the travel section on my web page @ markwdanielson.com)

Don't Tread On Me!

By Mark W. Danielson

In a previous blog, I featured Benjamin Franklin’s segmented rattlesnake from his famous Join, or Die political cartoon. Franklin’s snake was most likely the basis behind the coiled rattlesnake on Colonel Christopher Gadsden’s yellow Don’t Tread On Me flag (pictured), which he presented to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. Gadsden intended this flag to be used by the Commander in Chief of the American Navy to represent its readiness to strike at any time. Gadsden’s Don’t Tread on Me phrase became so popular that it also appeared on the First Navy Jack and the Flag of the Culpeper Minutemen. Believing the rattlesnake is the perfect embodiment of the early American view of independence, Franklin wrote this passage in the Pennsylvania Journal in 1775:

“I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders. She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her. Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?”

The rattlesnake, specifically the Timber Rattlesnake, is particularly symbolic to the American Revolution because its rattle contains thirteen layers, coincident to America’s original Thirteen Colonies. Credit is given to Commodore Hopkins in 1775 for adding an uncoiled rattlesnake and Don’t Tread on Me phrase to the thirteen-striped red and white “jack” that was commonly used on early American merchant ships to create the First Navy Jack (pictured). Clearly, Commodore Hopkins borrowed elements from Benjamin Franklin and Colonel Gadsden to create this Jack. Debate remains over whether Commodore Hopkins flew the First Navy Jack or the plain striped jack on the Alfred, flagship of the Continental Fleet in January 1776. However, historians do agree the rattlesnake-clad First Navy Jack was flown as the Navy Ensign during the Revolutionary War. Coiled or uncoiled, the rattlesnake is intended as a warning that America will strike whenever provoked.

Soon after the adoption of the June 14, 1777, First Stars and Stripes Law, the U.S. Navy replaced the First Navy Jack with the Union Jack. (The Stars and Stripes Union Jack, also known as the Jack of the United States, should not be confused with Britain’s Union Jack, which bears its country’s colors.) The First Stars and Stripes Law stated that this flag be 13 alternating red and white stripes and that its union be 13 white stars in a blue field representing a new constellation. Although the date of introduction of the Union Jack is not precisely known, a 1785 engraving of the frigate USS Philadelphia clearly depicts the Union Jack flying from her jackstaff—the vertical spar (pole) in the bow of a ship, on which a “jack” is flown.

To this day, flags remain a distinct form of communication between ships, thus seafarers must know the difference between a jack and an ensign. Jacks are additional national flags flown by warships at the head of the ship when the ship is not under way, and when dressed for special occasions. Ensigns are flown at the ship’s stern or island when entering or leaving a harbor, when sailing through foreign waters, and whenever the ship is signaled to do so by a warship. Warships usually fly their ensigns between the morning colors ceremony and sunset when moored or at anchor, and at all times when underway or engaged in battle. Because tradition dictates that if a ship lowers its ensign it is deemed to have surrendered, second and subsequent ensigns may be flown from different locations to ensure the opponent understands the battle will continue.

In some instances, the traditional First Navy Jack has been used in lieu of the Stars and Stripes Union Jack. In other words, the Jack becomes the Ensign. In 1975, the Secretary of the Navy directed that the First Navy Jack be flown in 1975 and 1976 during the United States Bicentennial Year as a colorful and historic reminder of the nation's and the Navy's origin. In August 1977, the Secretary of the Navy then specified that the ship with the longest total period of active service display the First Navy Jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive service, at which time the flag shall be passed to the next ship in line with appropriate honors. Most recently, on May 22, 2002, the U.S. Navy ordered that all ships display the First Navy Jack during its War on Terrorism as a temporary substitution for the fifty-star Jack of the United States. Most vessels made the switch on September 11, 2002, the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Whether you agree or disagree with our current foreign policies, it is noteworthy to realize that the Don’t Tread on Me flags pre-date our existence as a nation, and that the United States still stands ready to strike against those who dare tread on us.