“Her early artistic influences included…”

I think I turned out remarkably well considering I was exposed to T.V. shows like Welcome Back Kotter, Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

Of course…

I do have an uncontrollable urge to run to the window whenever a plane flies over my house. Just ask my neighbor, who on a number of occasions has been the telephone recipient of aircraft sightings. “Did you see that, Sue?” or “What was that?!!! A Hercules?”

It took me years to realize that I wasn’t so much annoyed to live under a flight path as thrilled by the countless opportunities it provided to watch the underbellies of planes flash by overhead.

I’ll never forget the summer day in 1996 when Concorde flew over my backyard during its only visit to this city. I stood there with mouth open, paint roller in hand, watching that remarkable engineering feat cut a neat white trail in the sky. I even swore to myself that I’d fly on it some day. Sadly, I had to let go of that dream when Concorde rolled into Heathrow Airport for the last time in October of 2003.

[Image: Concorde takes its final flight, flanked by Royal Air Force friends]



I suppose I could content myself by building origami simulacra, but my dream to fly on Concorde has since been replaced by another, albeit less graceful, aviation goal. Some day I will fly on Hello Kitty Air... Some day.