Newsletter the Thirty-Sixth

What if there were a secret undercover organization that was out to help you? Like, I have this eerie feeling sometimes that there are forces afoot, making my life easier, nicer, better. Sometimes I think there are mysterious agents covertly… it’s hard to explain… you probably don’t believe me… but they’re really helpful and kind!

Yes, I’m afraid I may be experiencing bouts of pronoia — that too-rare psycho-emotional affect that is not so much burdensome as, well, pretty dang wonderful.?

Evidences of pronoia are everywhere, once you start to look for them: My wife knew right where I had left my keys! A friend emailed me with a recommendation that turned out to be just what I needed. Coincidence? I think not!?

What examples have you run into recently that prove your pronoia is true? How can each of us cultivate a little more pronoia in our lives?

The Joy of Flying

Here are five fun airplane facts to consider next time you get on a flight:

Most of us were taught that airplanes can fly because somehow the air travels over the wing faster than under it… this is bogus. An airplane flies because it pushes the air around it down. Airplane wings push air down in the same way that a rudder on a boat works: by deflecting the fluid that is rushing by. Of course, the "fluid" passing a wing is air — which is invisible to us — but physically it acts the same.

The shortest flight in the world is British Airways' twice-daily Flight 872 between Westray and Papa Westray, Scotland. This flight usually takes just under two minutes, but with a good tail wind can be done in less than a minute.

The first aerial refueling: On November 12, 1921, Wesley May stepped from the wing of one airplane to the wing of another with a five-gallon can of gasoline on his back.

An airport runway always has two numbers — one for each direction — and one number subtracted from the other always equals 18. For instance, Runway 12 and Runway 30 would be the same strip of pavement, because one side faces 120° (southeast) and the other faces 300° (northwest).

When you're flying at cruising altitude (around 35,000 feet, or 10.6 km), it may feel like you're pretty far up. But imagine this: If the Earth were shrunk to the size of a typical desktop globe, the airplane would be flying at only one-tenth of an inch (2.5 mm) from the surface.

The Facts of Life

I'm going to die. No, don't worry, probably not any time soon — at least if the actuarial tables are correct. But I AM going to die someday. I mention it only because so few people do, and isn't that odd?

I think it is worth mentioning. Not dwelling or fixating or worrying, but mentioning. Unfortunately, most people seem to think it's morbid or depressing to mention death or dying, and certainly not something to do in polite company, or a business setting, or with family, or… well, with anyone, really. But it doesn't help to avoid the discussion. In fact, it can be really detrimental.

Noting that we won't always be here leads to better decision-making, because it forces us to also notice that we're not alone. There are people who depend on us, people who are affected by us, and those people matter.

So do yourself and everyone around you a favor and stop shying away from talking about succession planning, or insurance, or the real facts of life. I'm planning on living another 50+ good years, but I don't want to live them with my head in the sand.

Thank You!

I enjoy sharing my musings… and I enjoy hearing yours! Feel free to follow this newsletter, share it with a friend,?follow me on LinkedIn, and send me feedback. You can always reach me at [email protected]