Tom--
Write the book now. You'll never regret it. Your family, friends, descendents
and the rest of us will appreciate it after you head off to join all the old
racers who've gone to a better place. (and maybe even before) Every
autobiographical tidbit from our sport immeasurably enriches it.
Lately I've taken to annotating old photos that I insert into MS Word
documents. I do this early in the morning when I'm physically but not really
mentally awake. Most of us old farts have times in the day when we are just
awake enough to do something; but are damn sure it shouldn't be anything
critical (like working on the race car). Neat thing about publishing today is
that it doesn't have to be done in a conventional book format. Computers and
the internet have changed all that. And if you think your work is worth it, a
copyright is cheap and easy to get. Amateur photos and text in your own way
of speaking not only conveys info, it mirrors your very persona--something
most readers will want most of all. And spell checkers take care of our lousy
spelling if that is of concern.
Put it on a website or just send it off to a bunch of friends as an attachment
to an email.
This is something all of us should do. Especially the old guys like me who
could just up and die at any moment. And I include the "kids" among us. Even
they could die young; or more likely, have their life change to where they
have to leave landspeed racing behind them for a while.
Consider a record in our own words of our contribution, however small, to
landspeed racing, hot rodding, drag racing or whatever as an obligation and a
way of saying thanks for all the good times.
Ed Weldon
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