It’s a bright and brisk 67° today in LA. The birds are out singing. It’s bright but not exactly sunny. Just cold enough to put a bounce in your step, but not so cold you want to curl up in front of the fireplace. The kind of weather that’s great for running around, or for sitting outside with a coffee talking about interesting things.

Going into winter always bums me out a bit. Things seem to change after daylight savings time ends the first week of November. It suddenly gets dark a lot earlier, everyone’s cocooned in their coats, and reflecting on the past year starts to weigh on me. My mood fits right in as the cold, dark rains fall in December.

But on this first day of the new year, it’s crisp outside with clear blue skies. And that’s how I feel about the new year. I’m looking forward to 2010. I think it will be a bright and brisk year for me and Killer Aces, and I hope it is for you too.

Happy new year everyone!

* I want to say “happy new decade!” because it sounds cooler, but really, the new decade doesn’t start until next year.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to fly.  Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of the sense of freedom I would have soaring through the air.  Now that I’m in my thirties, I thought it was about time to start pursuing that dream, and I took the first step by reaching out to the one pilot I knew.  And boy am I glad I did.

My friend Thanos gave me a great primer on learning how to fly. He graciously spent an hour on the phone giving me pointers on sites, organizations, and the general path to getting a pilot’s license.

Even though I had done some cursory Google searches on learning how to fly, the tips Thanos gave me in that hour long conversation were invaluable.  Getting a pilot’s license is pretty confusing.  There are different types, with their own restrictions and paths, and Google only provided a smattering of confusing advice.

Spending an hour on the phone with Thanos, he was able to give me a big picture idea of what it meant to learn how to fly.  We talked about why I wanted to do it, what to expect of the 100+ hours and $10,000+ process, and what it was like at the end (when I have a license).  We talked about how the general aviation world works and how he uses his private pilot’s license.

I love the one hour primer by experts. If you’re looking to learn something new and somewhat complex, do yourself a huge favor and find someone to give you a primer. Buy them a cup of coffee and just pick their brain.  It’ll make the journey so much more productive and enjoyable.

Or you’re an expert in something a friend wants to learn, give the gift of a primer.

Thanks Thanos!