Remembering Jimmy Buffett,

 Remembering Jimmy Buffett:

Like so many people, I have an enduring bond to Jimmy Buffett.  His music made me yearn for the water, and adventures in the air and on dry land.  Schoolboy Heart was my JB mantra.  While not a life-long fan, I started listening to his music in the late 80s, and really enjoyed his books as well (esp. "Where is Joe Merchant"!). A Pirate Looks at 40 might be my favorite song, as it relates to me, but there are so many songs and lyrics that speak directly to my heart that it's hard for me to pick a true favorite.

I remember flying with a Captain at Northwest who was one of Jimmy's flight instructors when he was getting his seaplane rating.  I didn't know what to expect from a story about my mythical "hero", but wasn't surprised about what he had said about JB. "Buffett was a great stick at times, but other times it was like he was somewhere else."  This Captain was not with Jimmy when he flipped his seaplane during a landing (which he wrote about in "A Pirate Looks at 50"), but he knew the guy who was.  Guess it was just one of those days.

I loved how enamored Jimmy was about flying, and how he would write about it in many of his songs.  Jamaica Mistake-a, School Boy Heart, and Tree Top Flyer (first performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash) immediately come to mind.  That yearning for the skies, and pure joy of flying I could relate to.  Many of my like-minded pilot buddies were also true Buffett fans. In fact, a good sized group of us took many a "flotilla-pilgrimage" down the Detroit River to listen to his concerts, and of course...drink far too many margaritas!

Jimmy Buffett's mariner heritage gave us all a glimpse into what it was like to be a sea-faring man long ago, shared through his own writings and those of others about him. "A Good Life All the Way" was a great book about how Jimmy became Jimmy.  Mostly about his music, but also about the man he was.  His wild antics while younger left him many lessons about how to be successful without losing his soul or his style. Many thanks to author Ryan White for doing the research and writing a book that was a gift to us all!

I can't write as many words as I have memories of where Jimmy has taken me and my friends, but he has given me the gift of relaxation while measuring what to truly not give a shit about. Confidence that it will all work out...one way or another.  And if you pursue what you really love, you will be a success...even if it's only in your own little world.

Since my ramblings are all linked to aviation and/or my website, there is one last connection that I have to make.  Much like Jimmy, I always wore a ball cap when flying. And the ones he wore are the ones I chose as well.  Like our lives, they were broke-in, maybe a little worn, and comfortable. The actual description is "unstructured, low-profile" which really sums it up! 

Find us at PilotBallCaps to see what I'm talking about, and thank you Jimmy, for reminding us that we can grow older, but not up!

Cap'n Spud and Connie in Key West

It's been 15 years... so what have we learned?

This August marks our 15th year since we started pilotballcaps.com.  This little "hobby" business has been a real gift, especially after I hung up my flying "spurs" for a more grounded life.

The kindness shown by our customers is sometimes overwhelming.  It's not the business-end that I am thankful for though: it's the personal interactions, the aviation chit-chat and great stories and pictures we receive.  

Here's just a few brief examples: After emailing an Air Force Pilot whose son was an Army Aviator (he ordered both type of ball caps) , I said "I'm guessing this is another Aviator hat for your son... I hope he's doing well."  His reply brought me to tears, as I read that the Army Aviator hat was for his grandson, and that his son lost his life in Iraq while serving our country.  I felt horrible, and sent my condolences.  His response was simple... "thank you for remembering him."  

Many of the interactions are just "hey, did you know xxxx?" or swapping random flying stories.  We've had customers who flew everything from ultralights to Thunderbirds (and Blues!).  Every once in awhile I get someone that I actually knew from my time in the Air Force. I've been able to reacquaint with some of my old crew chiefs, Boom Operators, Navs and Pilots... Squadron Commanders and other ops folks as well.  It's been a pleasure to see what's transpired over the many (many) years since I was flying Tankers.

Then, there's our part in some "final moments".   The first was George, a fighter pilot waaay back in the day. His daughter bought the cap to remind him that he was the "toughest guy she knew" as he was fighting cancer.  I checked in from time to time, and found out he had passed, wearing the hat.  You'd think this was an unusual story, but there were a couple more after that!  Pure gratitude came from their loved ones, often saying that it was the best gift they could have given their aging fathers.  You see, if it's got your wings on it...something that you fought for, worked so very hard for, and wings that you cherished... this often is the best gift.  Just a simple reminder of your service, your career, and your accomplishments.  So very simple.

Thank you to every customer, the one-timers and the ones who come back year after year. But a special Thank You to all of you who share your lives with us.  So, what we actually have learned is that: You are the gift, and you are the reason we keep going!

Spud (and Connie) at pilotballcaps.com

#flyingstories #gratefulpilot