Use Your Head (Including Your Eyes)

     Consciously limit the time you spend with your eyes inside the cockpit.   First, survival - for you and others - is at stake.   Also, you WILL NOT see evidence of where to go for lift unless you're looking (an audio vario does little good if you're staring at your palm pilot instead of the non-virtual world outside).   You are surrounded by data - that will do you no good if you ignore it.   The more you look, the more you will find, including much valuable information you didn't know to expect.     Next, think about EVERYTHING, ALL the time.   Physically, ours is the laziest of sports, but cognitively it might be the most demanding.   If you're not thinking about some particular detail every moment of flight, you are pursuing dull mediocrity.   More thoughfulness makes it all more fun - and much SAFER.     Soaring is all about improvisation.   This, too, makes it both safer and more fun.  If you're finding it easy to stay aloft but can't get away and go anywhere, experiment with various methods, and practice those you find effective.   Then, when the unexpected occurs you can be ready with a creative response.