Making Your Simming Personal
By Ron Blehm (27 April 2005)
When was the last time one of your simulated flights actually MEANT
SOMETHING to you? I don’t mean that it earned you more hours at
the virtual airline or that you were completing some task assigned by
a stranger somewhere – like playing the children’s game
“Simon Says.” I mean, when was the last time you felt that you
were getting closer to a personal friend by flying your sim? When
was the last time you had a name and face come immediately to mind
when you heard the International News Headlines?
I’m sure there are many out there who have people you are in
regular e-mail contact with. You conduct your simming or virtual
airline business and otherwise your life moves on…but that’s
not really feeling a personal involvement in their lives –
that’s not letting them find out a little bit about what you are
really about. If your hobby seems somehow a bit mechanical and
impersonal I hope to provide you with a little hope in this short
article.
Unfortunately I really don’t have any magic answers as to how to
get pilots to be more involved in your airline or other flying
projects, but can only tell you that the more personal something is
for you the more you tend to take away from the experience. (So if
you are not involved, GET INVOLVED!) Going with a group of friends to
cheer on your favorite sports team tends to be more rewarding than
going by yourself to watch an event you really don’t care about
– or scrubbing toilets for that matter. Heck, even having your
car break down with a group of friends is better then being stranded
on the roadside alone!
So to that end, let me tell you about some of my friends: Every month
we all “get together” (sometimes live, sometimes not) to share
a common flight simming experience. (See
logo.)
This is not some museum tour guide saying, “On your right is a
painting by the late 18th century artist Frank. Next is a work from
the Benedictine Monks at Lyon, France…” This experience is
generally meaningful or personal for one of us…and after we all
repeat the flight, it has become meaningful to all of us. This bond
that we develop is strong and lasting: “After about 900 e-mails a
year, I realized that I talk with you all more than the fellow in the
next office at work!” When you celebrate the birthdays of kids
you’ve never met…when you acknowledge religious holidays of
groups you are not a member of…when you are concerned for the
economy of nations you’ve never actually been to before…that,
is when your simming has become personal. And that, my friend, is
when you move from, “Playing around on the computer,” to
actually having fun!
|
When an Aussie lands at your home airport…that’s fun!
|
|
|
When a friend of yours visits the same mission village you were in 30
years ago …that’s fun!
|
|
|
When a European sails over your South American home…that’s fun!
|
|
|
When friends visit your favorite vacation spot…that’s fun!
|
|
|
When friends from a half-dozen different countries fly supplies in
– as was done for your own parents…that’s fun!
|
|
|
When you can watch other simmers struggle through your own
backyard…that’s fun!
|
|
|
|
When what is important to you becomes important to others…that is
what is called gratification! And when your hobby
leaves you feeling gratified…you have achieved something more than
mastery of a computer game!
|
|
We at
www.toomuchfs.com
hope that you are getting the most out of your simming experiences.
Ron Blehm
cubflounder@www.toomuchfs.com
Discuss This
in our Outer Marker (Feedback) Forum.
