I had to declare an emergency the other day due to a mechanical issue.  This is my first emergency since I got out of the Navy 38 years ago.  I won't bore you with the details of the emergency, but I had to get the plane on the ground in a hurry and ATC couldn't issue me a clearance that would get me on the ground quickly (I was IFR in IMC).  Everything worked out; I landed safely with no damage to me, my plane, or the airport.  I called ATC once on the ground and told them I had landed and didn