I have a pet peeve.

Okay, I have more than one, but I just want to talk about one in particular:

Not responding to e-mail.

Actually it’s not responding to communication in general, but e-mail seems to get an easy pass. I know, I can hear the throngs already…‘I don’t have to respond to anything I don’t want to…It’s not all about you…I’m too busy…where is it written that I have to respond when someone sends me an e-mail…???’

It’s not written anywhere, that I know of. And we’re not talking about spam, either. I’m talking about (mostly) business communication, but it applies to personal communication, as well. See, I don’t expect people to answer when I write them, but I believe it is the courteous and in business terms, professional and right thing to do.

With communication there comes a responsibility. You’re right, it’s not all about you. Perhaps it’s more about the other person who’s reaching out to you. With oral communication, blatantly ignoring someone who’s talking to you is considered rude behavior. When you walk by someone and they say hi, do you ignore them and keep walking? Probably not. If you go into someone’s office and they are staring at their computer and don’t give you the time of day, is that rude? I would say yes. When you call someone and they never answer or maybe answer several days later, how does that make you feel? In a professional setting? By someone who calls you friend? So why is e-mail any different? E-mail carries with it as much responsibility as any other means of connecting with fellow humans.

And by the way, I’m not thinking of anyone in particular so I’m not targeting you. Well, I might be…

…just kidding.

I’m curious what you think. I really want to know.

And I suppose I shouldn’t get upset if no one replies….

I had the great and good fortune to discover and befriend members of my father’s B-17 crew from WWII. One gentleman in particular, Eddie Linnum, and I became close. Through him I received a remarkable gift; that of learning about my dad’s exploits as a bombardier as well as his relationships with these remarkable men from his 34 missions aboard the good ship ‘Miss Behavin.’ The experience of learning about aspects of my dad I didn’t know as well as receiving the treasure of Eddie’s friendship were priceless.

I’m in the midst of writing a memoir about dad and growing up in Cottage Grove, Or.,  all juxtaposed with his war-time efforts and coming full circle again by discovering an unknown side to him through his crew. One dear gent, Walt Fleming, who was a turret gunner (and apparently whose life dad saved during one harrowing mission) told me after initially contacting him that I could consider myself in good standing as ‘a member of our crew.’ So the current working title of the memoir is A Member of the Crew.

I adapted a piece from ‘Crew’ that was published last year in a wonderful layout by Flight Journal Magazine. I offer it here as both a tribute to Eddie and Dad & the rest of the crew, but also to show you that sometimes you start out writing one thing and you find yourself writing something else. And it’s usually best to give into where the writing wants to go.

Man Who Gave Me My Father from Flight Journal.

It’s hard to talk about writing without talking about those works that have influenced you. For me the pinnacle will always be To Kill A Mockingbird. I had the good fortune to read this in high school , instructed by a gifted teacher who brought the themes out in a relatable fashion without being heavy-handed. And then our teacher (dear Mr. Colton) did a brilliant thing; he rented the film  to cement the story in our young, impressionable minds. The film was a close and wonderful adaptation and it has since become my favorite film. So I can trace some of my writing back to this seminal novel. I have one book that has its own rift off of Boo Radley. So I bow in literary allegiance to Ms. Harper Lee for her extraordinary gift.

Others fiction favorites are Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon (an amazing novel that is a close cousin to TKAM), Peace Like A River by Leif Enger, the works of James Byron Huggins (faith-based action/adventure), pretty much anything by Ray Bradbury, David Morrell, Sigmund Brouwer, The Giving Tree and Curious George & his faithful overseer, The Man in the Yellow Hat, to name just a handful.

I’m a dusty old book store peruser from way back so when I first got a Kindle I was a little skeptical in just how much I’d actually use it. Well let me just say, that thing is on fire! I’m burning through books (with respects to Mr. Bradbury) at a rate that surprises me. So it’s been a wonderful vehicle to satisfy the yearning literary synapses.

And speaking of which…

These first blog entries should be duly inspiring, don’t you think?

Problem is, I’m still figuring this thing out. I’m sure inspiration will follow.

At somepoint.

Sometime.

Welcome to the blog…

We’re here!