Looking Up: Notes from Bill Bourbonnais

I have been struggling with this post for weeks. I would consider one approach, then set it aside to ponder another, only to discard that and head for a new one, then circle back and merge parts of the first couple and toss those for something completely different. Part of the challenge is that naming the page “Looking Up” was almost impulsive, triggered by a couple of events after I started getting more interested in aviation and curious about what was flying over my head. More on that shortly. But as I considered whether to post my thoughts on social media, or maybe rekindle this blog page, I thought about times during my nearly seven decades of experience what “looking up” means to me. And what I wanted it to mean to others who might read my posts. A blog is born… then dies Regarding this simple blog page, it initially was born quickly and died just as quickly in the span of 2 weeks. I published my first article early January 2026. January 4 th .   It originally was a ...

I’ll admit it. Over the years, I’ve gotten lazy. I was introduced to photography at a very early age. Dad and Mom gave me my first camera when I was in first or second grade in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. I don’t remember much about the camera, other than it was a “twin lens reflex” box camera, where you look down into the viewfinder to frame your shot – which used the top lens of a 2-lens front, and then took your picture with the second, bottom lens. And yes, [gasp!] you used real film that went to a real photo lab for real processing and printing. That was a very simple “point-and-shoot” style camera, much like the “instamatic” cameras (remember the flash cubes?) I had in grade school. It wasn’t until Junior High School in Mr. Robert B.’s Graphic Arts class that I started learning about f-stops, shutter speeds, exposure control, and more. I loved working in the darkroom developing film, making our contact print proofs, and then using the enlarger to create prints from my best shots...

 Looking Up “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” - Psalm 19:1 I always chuckle a little inside whenever a new acquaintance learns what I do, or even with people who’ve known for a while, and the statement or question pops into conversation about being in busy season, getting ready for busy season, or being glad busy season is over depending on the time of year and proximity to April 15th. I’ve been doing this tax thing for over 32 years. Busy season never ends – though there are peaks. Laura got so tired of being a tax widow that she finally joined me and got her EA license a few years ago. Most people recognize April 15th. That’s “Tax Day” for typical John and Jane Doe Taxpayer. (I could bore you with the history of that particular date, but we’ll save that for another time.)  The reality is that our personal schedules get the kibosh and our professional schedules peak each year around four dates: March 15th, April 15th, September ...

  (Click Play) IYKYK - a dog is many things, but NEVER "just a dog." I grabbed this video of Biskit on September 5, 2021 after our morning walk, and dropped in an appropriate track that echos his joy. He was almost 9 at that time. Since then, our "Tank" as Mijo has described him, has beat cancer and a simultaneous e-coli infection, open wounds on all four legs (an amazing vet and her Menuka honey - like they used at NC State CVM to beat his e-coli), and at 14 in a couple weeks, still rolls like a much younger pup despite laryngeal paralysis and arthritis. We don't get as many walks in as we used to (southern heat and humidity and lar-par don't play nicely together) but when there's a rabbit in the yard, someone he loves at the door, or a piece of chimkin in my hand, he's 100% Tank puppy with a dog's joy and love in his heart. IYKYK.

  (Biskit, at NC State during his cancer surgery.) Many years ago, when I lost my dog Charcoal, a man who was supposedly a good friend said to my face, "Bill, it was just a dog." Just one thought comes up every time I remember that comment, and you'll excuse my language. IYKYK.  Insensitive asshole bastard.  A few days ago, the world lost an icon, and heaven gained an angel. Tucker Budzyn, Golden Retriever extraordinaire, went to the Rainbow Bridge after succumbing to a sudden, rapid internal infection from a complication of his chemo for lymphoma The devastating part is that the chemo was working, beating back the cancer and healing Tucker. I can only imagine what his family is going through right now. Two-and-a-half years ago when we almost lost Biskit to cancer and an e-coli infection from his punch biopsy, I was a mess. My heart goes out to Tucker's family, friends and fans. If you're not familiar with Tucker and his antics, you have to check out his social me...

 A couple nights ago I had our Golden Retriever wonder-dog, Biskit, outside around 10pm. Full confession - I've become a little addicted to the Flightradar24 app. As I said in another post, I think this aviation interest is fast becoming a new hobby. So on this clear North Carolina evening while Biskit was busy doing what Biskit does, I pulled up the app to see what was what in the 'hood - there was a plane not too far away, though I couldn't hear it. But what caught my eye wasn't just that the plane was rolling in to RDU. It was that there were TWO planes on landing approach at the same time - parallel, not stacked. When I checked their stats on FR24, I was surprised to see they were flying at similar speeds and similar altitudes. I know RDU has two runways, but this was a new experience to see happening in real time. My cell phone screen showed them as incredibly close. But of course, the app is displaying icons, not relative-sized images of the airliners, and due to ...