Running With The Pack

Rolling in a pack. Man, it's such a cool feeling. It could just be you and a brother or sister, or it could be dozens riding to a run or a funeral. You get a real feeling of connection with your riding partners. It's hard to describe that to people who don't ride. It may just be impossible to understand until you experience it.

Hell, it can even translate into driving cars and trucks. I remember one time my ex and I were moving. A bunch of the brothers came over in their pickup trucks to help. I was leading the way to the new place in my car, and since we were all driving cages instead of riding, we got separated. However, when I signaled to exit the interstate, I looked in my mirror to make sure everybody saw me, and I'll be damned if every single one of those vehicles, separated by multiple cars, even, didn't move into the exit lane at the. Exact. Same. Time.

Every group, whether a club or just a bunch of friends who ride together a lot, develops a style, and the members of the group learn to almost read each others' thoughts. Gestures and a certain sign language develop that may not mean anything to anyone else, but can convey all kinds of things to the group.

I recently had a couple of experiences riding with brothers that brought home that telepathy that has developed within my own club. I was leaving a gathering and there was one brother who lived in the same direction as me, so of course we rode together. Now, I've never ridden one on one with this man before. We've both been in the same large pack, but never even in a small group together. Yet, when we pulled out onto the street, we fell into a certain rhythm. Hell, I think we were even shifting gears at the same time. You know you're synchronized when you can ride handlebar to handlebar with somebody for the first time and never feel nervous about it. He was riding on the left and I was on his right, and even when he needed to exit the interstate first, it was like we'd rehearsed the shift.

A couple weeks later, four of us had gone out of town and while we were on the highway on the way home, I realized that without even thinking about it, we'd fallen into riding positions that enabled those who needed to exit first to do so without disrupting the pack. The guy in the right rear had his exit first, then the guy in the left rear, etc. We never talked about it or planned it, or hell – even thought about it. We just subconsciously knew where to position ourselves.

Connection.

It's such a good feeling; and those who refuse to ride in a group will just never know what they're missing.

Kony 2012

See, here's the thing. “Raising awareness”, in and of itself, doesn't do anything. Nothing. You have to act. You have to do something more than re-blogging, clicking a “Share” button, or even putting up posters.

We've all been aware of cancer in its many forms for centuries. We're aware of spouse abuse, child abuse, drug abuse, self abuse. We're aware of HIV, HPV, ADD, ADHD, and the heartbreak of psoriasis. Our awareness hasn't made any of them go away, has it?

“But it's the least I can do.” Yup. Clicking your mouse and clacking your keyboard really is just about the least you can do.

For one thing, the organization that's sponsoring the whole mess seems a bit fishy. Read this:

http://jezebel.com/5891269/think-twice-before-donating-to-kony-2012-the-meme-du-jour

The US already has about 100 troops in Uganda to help. Kony has been indicted, and the free world is looking for him, he's just apparently good at evasion. Bin Laden was behind the worst ever attack on our country, and look how long it took us to find him. As for civil rights violations, yes – Kony is a sonofabitch and should die painfully. But what about North Korea's oppression of its people? That affects many more than Kony has the ability to. Realistically, which should be prioritized higher?

So, go ahead and reblog, “share”, retweet, and put up your posters, bumper stickers, and fliers. Just don't expect it to accomplish anything.

Everything Happens For A Reason

…. if “Because” counts as a reason.


People, face it: Sometimes shit just happens. Sometimes it’s bad shit. Awful shit. It doesn’t mean it’s part of God’s plan. He’s not testing you. He may not even be watching your channel at the time (yes, I think we are TV for God). Seriously - bad shit happens. Deal with it. Accept comfort when shit happens to you. Offer comfort to those who are experiencing the shit. But don’t kid yourself into thinking it’s part of some grand cosmic and/or divine scheme.

Man plans, and God laughs.

You may continue your regularly scheduled evening.

Thank you and good night.

"New Me" Progress Report - Month Two

Two months in. Plus a week or so. I'd procrastinate, if I ever got around to it. Anyway, time for a progress report. It's a mixed bag this month, folks, but mainly positive.

• Social Media: Still chipping away at this one. I'm probably generally at the same level as last month, but I feel I'm making slow progress at reducing my time spent there. Still spending too much time in front of the TV, but The Other Half and I were talking about that the other day. We're both going to make an effort to reduce our TV watching. More time reading and (for me) writing.
• Weight loss/Fitness: I can actually report good things here. I've lost around 10 pounds. Not great, I know - I'd like to lose at least another twenty, but it's progress. I've cut out almost all my workday snacking (aside from the occasional slip in willpower). I also finally motivated myself to fix the tire on my bicycle! I've only ridden a couple of times, and not at a level that I would consider a "workout", but anything burns more calories than riding the couch, right? Plus, every time, I was sore the next day, so I must have been working some muscles, eh?
• More work done on the clutter. Got some books boxed up and we're putting them on Craig's List. Also, moved one bookcase (of three) upstairs to the bedroom to de-clutter the living room a bit. While we were at it, we moved the entertainment center and the coffee table to the garage to give Baby Girl more room to develop her burgeoning walking skills. Losing three major pieces of furniture from our small living room really opened it up. 
• I've managed to keep a much more positive attitude at work, too. Sometimes it takes an exertion of willpower, but I'm hoping the "not hating" will become second nature soon.
• Again, about the writing. With The Other Half also committing to less TV, I think it's going to be easier for me to motivate myself to write more. Knock on wood, cross fingers.
• Drinking. Ah, that. Well, I think I really spoke too soon on that "resolution". I don't think there was a need to go a year. I had one night where I lost control, and I believe I over reacted to it. I went 60 days without a drop of alcohol, and no urges for it. I believe I proved to myself that I don't have a problem, and that's all I really needed to do. I've been drinking again for about a week, but not even every night. Judge if you want, but like I said, I only really need to answer to myself.
• Also - one of my projects that I've had on the back burner for a long time is near completion. I'm waiting on parts, so to speak. I'll probably post about it once it's complete.

So, that's it for now. I'll hopefully find time for some bicycling and bring down my weight some more, and I'm pretty sure there will be many more posts here before it's time for the next monthly update.

Stay tuned.

Beautiful World?

It seems semantically silly to me to say that “Life” or “the world” is beautiful. “Beautiful” is both a subjective and a comparative word. Something can’t really be said to be beautiful, unless there are similar things that are more and/or less beautiful.


With no comparison, we can’t really say that the world is beautiful.


It just is.

Tipping

…is not a city in China!


If you can’t afford to tip, stay home, or go to McDonald’s or a liquor store.


Good rule of thumb: If you can hear your tip hit the bar/counter/table, you’re a cheapass.


Don’t think it’s okay to not tip your bartender because you only got a Coke. It took more time to pack the ice and pour the Coke than it would have to open a beer.


The bill/tab is for the food and/or beverage. The tip is for delivery.



Random thoughts from a previous life as a barback.

"New Me" Progress Report - One Month

I’m one month into my “New Me At Age Forty Three” endeavor.

So far:

• I have indeed managed to spend less time on social media. However, I’ve only made progress on one project that I had planned. Seems Netflix has taken all the time I was spending on social networks. So, I need to work on that one.
• I’ve lost a couple of pounds. I’m not saying how few, because I’ve been slack on the exercise part, so it’s a bit embarrassing. I need to replace the tube on my bicycle tire and get back to riding that like I did last year before Central Texas became a Blazing Inferno Of Hell.
• My diet is … well, let’s say I probably still need some work in that area.
• Thirty one days into my self imposed year of alcohol abstinence. I find myself wanting a drink, but not in an “Oh my god, I have to have a drink now” way. More like in a “I want pizza for dinner” way. And honestly, the urge to eat pizza is stronger than the desire for a drink. I quit smoking recently enough to clearly remember what withdrawal feels like, so I don’t think I have a drinking problem. However, I’ll still make more progress on my goals for the year if I don’t drink, so it is what it is.
• The clutter: I actually got started on that point last night. I’ll continue cleaning, organizing and paring down. It feels better already, having just started.
• Work hasn’t changed much. I just have to realize that people are never going to have respect for the organization of “my” Receiving Room. I just have to accept that the first part of my day will always be cleaning up the mess the closing shift left the night before.
• Finally, writing more. I’ve actually written less this month, I think. Maybe the lack of alcohol? Not that bourbon does my writing, but liquor is called a social lubricant for a reason - it gets conversation started, whether that conversation is spoken or written. Plus, the TV/Netflix thing again. Maybe I need to schedule a time for blog writing.

So, there’s my progress report. I wonder how I’ll be doing eleven months from now?

Looking For A Job & Still Getting Paid

So ... why is it that all these Senators, Representatives, and Governors can run for a higher office while still holding their current office? Who's doing their job while they're off campaigning? Not them. Yet, they still draw their salary. And you and I are paying them to ignore what we elected them to do while they try to change jobs.


I wish I could go around filling out job applications and interviewing for new jobs while on the clock at my current job.

Talk about out of touch...

Potential Vehicular Project

I have a 1996 Ford F-150. It’s tan. It will never be considered a looker; too boring body shape, too boring color.


I’m always broke.


I’m looking around online, and I’m seriously, seriously considering making it an art car (truck). Just looking for a theme. I have no artistic talent myself, so it’s going to be an interesting search. If I go through with it, it will most certainly be an “interesting” result…

Possible ideas so far include having a bunch of friends come over with airbrushes, paintbrushes and/or spraycans and be artistic on my truck; let that same bunch go crazy spraying graffiti on it; motorcycle theme (sticking toys and stickers, etc on it); tattoo theme. Maybe a combination? Time will tell...

God's TV

I've posted a lot of things in various social networking media that apparently have led some to believe I'm an atheist. I thought I'd take the time to set the record straight.

I'm not an atheist. I believe in Intelligent Design. I don't believe that it happened a mere 6,000 years ago, however. There's way too much evidence to the contrary, and I just can't accept that the fossil record is some trick question on God's Final Exam. What kind of god gives us intelligence and reason, then plants numerous items which that intelligence would lead us to believe something that would cause him to punish us eternally? Seems cruel and unnecessary to me.

I also can't believe any religious text literally. I think they all have something in them which can be used for inspiration to lift our spirits and/or guide us in our lives. I think every one of them also has a lot of useless dogma and misinformation due to being written thousands of years ago with an incomplete understanding of the world and the universe. Hell, we have an incomplete understanding of the cosmos now.

I think God put the ball in motion, so to speak, and just sort of watches. Kind of like building an engine. Once you start it and it's running, you don't have to push the pistons by hand. It's not necessary to manually pump a fuel/air mixture into the combustion chambers. Now, of course it's entirely possible to tear down an engine after it's built and inspect for damage, make repairs, or even install upgrades. It's also possible, in a metaphorical way, for components of the engine to call out to their builder. A good mechanic can hear when timing is off, or when the valves are out of adjustment. He can tell if the motor is burning rich or lean by smell. I suppose that's a good analogy for prayer. Fixing the problem is the analogy for divine intervention.

Another analogy I like to use a lot is the ant farm. God built the universe much like assembling an ant farm. He put the framework into place, added in some dirt, food, building materials, then added the ants. Now, he's just sitting back, watching the little bugs go at it. Maybe earthquakes and tsunamis are just him moving the ant farm from the bookshelf to the dresser.

So, no. I don't believe God has a plan for each of us. This is the entity that created existence with words if most theology is to be believed. If he truly had a strong desire for specific life plans for each of us, is there really any way we could avoid that path? I don't think so. We evolved with logic and reason and free will. We choose our own paths. Our paths can be controlled by others through force, but for most of us, we choose our actions. Besides, there are around six billion people roaming the globe right now. Add in the uncountable billions (trillions, maybe more?) that came before us, and even if the world ends tomorrow and the population comes to an end, that's a whole hell of a lot of people. What difference could one individual's day to day life possibly make to an all-powerful god? Why would he care? People refer to “doing God's work”. What could he possibly need humans to do for him? He created everything by speaking it into being (allegedly). There's nothing we can do for him that he wouldn't cause just by asking us to do it.

I don't know that God hears all our prayers. I don't discount the possibility of some of them getting through, though. I think he can probably focus on individuals and groups here and there, sort of like how a crowd, like in a mall, can be just a buzzing static of white noise, but if you try, you can home in on a specific conversation. I suppose a large group praying the same thoughts would be easier to hear. I do wonder, though, about some prayers. For example, praying for victory in war. I definitely understand why you'd want God's help if you're heading into battle. Ironically, by helping you, you're also asking him to kill others. Others who are also asking him to help them by killing you. I don't know what a truly worthy prayer would be. I grew up in a church who tended to ask God to do things (heal sick people, help comfort the bereaved, etc), and they'd add “if it be thy will”. I find this curious, because I'm pretty sure the creator of everything isn't going to go against his own free will. Speaking of which, if he's truly omniscient, then he already knows your wishes, and if it's his will, then he'll do it. If it's not his will, asking him won't convince him. Kind of makes one question the need for prayer at all, eh?

So, no, I'm not an atheist. I just don't think God has a plan for us, and I think his intervention in earthly affairs is extremely rare. I don't think he steps in to reward or punish. I don't think he cares where we spend our Sunday mornings, or if we drink, curse, make love, or play hooky from work once in a while. I'm sure he doesn't mind a prayer of thanks here and there, but I don't think he requires supplication, either. I really think he just kind of sits back and watches us like we're a big TV and he has ALL the channels.

In crossing a heath, suppose I pitched my foot against a stone, and were asked how the stone came to be there; I might possibly answer, that, for anything I knew to the contrary, it had lain there forever: nor would it perhaps be very easy to show the absurdity of this answer. But suppose I had found a watch upon the ground, and it should be inquired how the watch happened to be in that place; I should hardly think of the answer I had before given, that for anything I knew, the watch might have always been there. (...) There must have existed, at some time, and at some place or other, an artificer or artificers, who formed [the watch] for the purpose which we find it actually to answer; who comprehended its construction, and designed its use. (...) Every indication of contrivance, every manifestation of design, which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature; with the difference, on the side of nature, of being greater or more, and that in a degree which exceeds all computation.

— William Paley, Natural Theology (1802)

New Me At Age Forty Three

It's December 26^th as I write this. This time of year, a lot of bikers the world over (or at least in the Northern Hemisphere) take the opportunity of winter to rebuild or repaint or otherwise re-do their bikes. My bike is running great, no need for paint, either, and here in Texas we ride year round anyway. However, I'm about to start an even bigger rebuild project. On myself.

First, let me say that I'm opposed to New Year's Resolutions. Everybody makes them; hardly anybody follows through on them. The only New Year's Resolution I ever kept was about fifteen or twenty years ago when my resolution was to never make another New Year's Resolution. I'm still going strong on that one. So, this isn't one of those. However, my birthday is the 27^th of December, and honestly, that means more to me than flipping the page on a calendar, anyway. I'm gonna build a new me at age forty three.

It's time for me to trim some excesses in some areas and to build up other areas of my life. I've spent a lot of my life sort of spinning my wheels, wasting time. Not terrible on a Saturday afternoon when you have no plans, but not so good when that Saturday turns into your twenties, then your thirties, then runs into your forties. There are things I keep thinking I'll do “one day”. Well, on the back side of the big 4-0, you start to realize “one day” isn't guaranteed. It's time to put up or shut up.

First up: I'm taking a break from drinking. I've been doing it more lately and it's just become a distraction from other things I want to accomplish. I've also had some instances where I didn't realize just how much I'd had until way too late. I'm 42, not 22; I don't need that. I think I need to reboot and recalibrate that internal gauge that says “Hey dude, you've had enough – back off”. Starting on my birthday, I'm going going a full year totally 100% sober. No alcohol at all. Birthday to birthday. Which, actually, since this is Leap Year, will be like a year and a day, but that's okay. I don't think it's a serious problem, because I don't have to drink. If I find that going dry for a year is a real challenge, then I'll address it as a problem, but I think a simple reboot is all I need. That, and being able to focus on other things.

Next on the list: I recently had my first physical exam since I got out of the Navy. Which was twenty years ago. The only real surprise I got was that there were no major issues. I'm out of shape, which I knew. The doctor said I should probably lose about ten to fifteen pounds, but I've put on thirty since I quit smoking a couple years ago, so that's what I'm going to shoot for. My cholesterol is high, but he said if I start exercising and watch what I eat I should be able to avoid medication. We'll see at the next check up.

I'm always saying I want to start exercising more. Well, now I have my motivation. I need to lose the weight and get the cholesterol down. Also, it would be nice if my back didn't ache 90% of the time. I'd really like to stop making old man noises every time I stand up, too.

I used to read all the damn time. There have been times I had a book I was reading on my lunch breaks at work, a book on my nightstand I'd read before bed, and maybe even a book in the living room that I'd pick up during commercials. I haven't read like that in years. Damn internet. I need to spend less time with “Facebook” and more with “book”.

Which leads to the next point to be trimmed. I'm going to be spending less time on social networking. Facebook is great for keeping in touch with people from all aspects and time periods of my life, but it's also an awful black hole of time. It just sucks me in. I don't think it's a bad thing to spend a few hours on it once in a while, but I'm not going to do it every day anymore. Sadly, this means I'll be stopping a lot of the political and theological debates that I've grown fond of. Those really suck me in, keeping me waiting for someone's rebuttal so that I can retort. I'm not saying I'll never engage in those debates again – they'll just be fewer and farther between. I think I've also been sort of harsh and offensive at times with some of those posts. I'm going to make an effort to soften that a bit. Not that my line of thinking has changed, mind you. I just don't want to alienate anyone. Well, okay – anyone I care about.

Cutting out the social networking will leave me more time for writing. It's funny. For most of my life, I've sort of thought I'd be a writer “one day”. I just always thought it would be fiction. Turns out I don't get much inspiration to write fiction, but I do get these sociopoliticoreligious ideas that beg to be posted to anyone with an internet connection. I'd like to post more often, but I get distracted by Facebook, TV, Jim Beam, etc. If you follow this blog, hopefully you'll have more to read more often now.

I'm going to work on being more conscientious at work, too. For years, I've sort of felt a “me vs them” environment and I've acted accordingly. I feel “they” don't cooperate with me, so I haven't been very cooperative with “them”. It affects my attitude, and I wind up just adding to the negative atmosphere. It's really gotten me nowhere. What I need to do is to accept the situation as something I can't change, and change what I can: my attitude and my reactions. If I can't change them, and I can't really fight them, maybe it's time to rise above them – time to be the better man. It is what it is. Deal with it. Right?

While I work on cleaning up a lot of this mental clutter, I'll take a stab at the physical clutter, too. It's not that I'm a hoarder, and I'm not dirty. I am, however, very sloppy and messy. Time for me to grow the hell up and deal with it.

I've already begun working on my fiscal fitness. My credit was really really bad. Terrible. But I've had a loan on my bike for four years, had a credit card for about six or so. My name is on the lease here. My credit's looking up. On a whim, I applied for a Sears card a few months ago. Holy crap, they approved me! I remember years and years ago, Sears was really picky about who they approved, so I figured I must have done some good credit repair. Then, a couple months ago, I got an offer for a new credit card, with 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for a year, after which the rate would be 14.99%. Well, hell, my bike loan was already 14.75%, and the credit card was 23% (thanks to a quick rate hike before some new law took effect in 2009). So, I'd be better off after the year was up either way. I applied, and got approved, and for what I considered an astronomical credit limit! I moved my bike loan and my old credit card balances to the new card. So, now, the bike is technically paid off, and I canceled the old card, because it also charged an annual fee. If I buckle down, I can be virtually debt free in a year's time! That'll be a new feeling for me – it's been so long, I can't even remember the last time I wasn't in debt.

Finally, I have a tendency to be depressed or angry when things don't go so much in my favor. I hide it in public, but it's there, beneath the surface. I've heard throughout my life, but I'm starting to believe it more lately, that your thoughts and words can shape your attitude and reactions. I'm going to work on being more positive, and try to guide my thoughts in a better, more productive direction.

So, there we go. Self Improvement, HandGrenades and Horseshoes style.

"-Porn" As A Suffix

“Porn” can mean different things. It’s usually applied to sexual imagery or writing. That’s an appropriate context, and probably the only one considered correct by the people who write and edit dictionaries. However, if you think about what it is that distinguishes porn from what I’ll call for convenience “normal sex”, then you can broaden the definition.

The separation comes from the fact that pornographic photos represent some “ideal”, usually in the form of a woman. Actually, a photo of a woman who’s probably had some “augmentation”; she’s been reworked with makeup, and finally the photos have been modified with editing software. In other words, a modification to fit some sort of fantasy ideal. Porn viewers who are honest with themselves will admit that they know this is something that can never actually be attained. It’s there to enjoy visually, to daydream about maybe.

I’m not a huge fan of pornography myself. Nothing against it. Have at it if it’s your thing. I just never thought of sex as a spectator sport.

However, with the broadened definition, well, now we’re getting to my point. The broadened part being that intent of visual enjoyment and fantasizing.

At some point in the last year, I was introduced to the term “bike porn”. It was after I’d spent an evening reposting pic after pic of cool bikes on facebook. An old friend of mine from the Navy, who is currently without a motorcycle, commented “Enough with the bike porn! You’re driving me crazy!”

Then, I discovered Blogger and Tumblr. I found a lot of blogs that post lots of photos of custom motorcycles that I’d love to have/ride/build. These, too, have been repainted, had their frames and suspensions modified, they sometimes only bear a vague resemblance to their stock form. However, much like the sex starved man who will never be with the porn star, I know I’ll never have these bikes. Which is fine - I’m actually very happy with my current ride. But still, it’s nice to dream, eh?

Same with tattoo blogs. Again, with the changing and customizing of the body to fit a desired appearance. This one’s a little different, though - more attainable. I’m pretty heavily tattooed, and I’m not stopping. I really appreciate the artistry and imagery of tattoo.

Thus, “porn” as a suffix. Most of the blogs I follow are either bike-porn or tat-porn.

Older Man's Christmas Wish List

Isn't it funny how our Christmas wish lists change over time? And yet, how often they stay similar, but we just modify them a bit? They say the biggest difference between men and boys is their toys, but personally, I think the toys are a lot alike. For example, look at this sample wish list sent to Santa Claus from a boy under 10:


1) Tinker Toys
2) BB Gun
3) Little Red Wagon
4) Pony
5) Erector Set

We can all picture a young boy making this list and thinking of all the possibilities these gifts hold for future fun and excitement.

And yet, I say that a man over 40 could make the same list, and be just as excited by the potential fun in store for him, post-Christmas. Take a look:

1) Tinker Toys

2) BB Gun

3) Little Red Wagon

4) Pony

And, finally:

5) Erector Set

Sadvertising

I'll never understand it. Why are we expected to pay more for merchandise just because it has a company's logo on it?

They take a black T shirt that's worth about $7, tops. Then, they silk screen a Harley Davidson logo on it, for example. Now, it costs you $25. I can go to Wal Mart and buy a Dickies work shirt for about $16. But if I look in the Dennis Kirk catalog, I can find work shirts with logos of Vance & Hines (exhaust), Throttle Threads, Yoshimura (exhaust), Wiseco (pistons), Suzuki, etc. starting around $55! I realize there may be some cost associated with the patches and/or silk screening, but come on. Seriously?

Why the high price tag? Because the shirt maker/vendor had to pay the company whose logo they're using a licensing fee. Which is kind of stupid, if you ask me. I think Wiseco (or whoever) should look at it as free advertising. They should be freaking subsidizing the price of those shirts, just to get them out there in circulation! But no, they charge more. Then, some people are ridiculous enough to pay the inflated fees for the "privilege" of advertising for these companies.



It's like charging the billboard to display the ad, ain't it?


(Honest disclosure: I do indeed own shirts with motorcycle company logos, but I've never bought them myself - they've been gifts or door prizes at events, with the exception of buying one dealer T shirt - but they were a cool dealership who'd cut me some deals, so I felt I was repaying the favor.)

Thanks to my Other Half for the title.

New Rules For Kids

  (Borrowed from reading. writing. revolution. and slightly altered by me)

Unfortunately, there are some things that children should be learning in school, but don't. Not all of them have to do with academics. As a modest back-to-school offering, here are some basic rules that may not have found their way into the standard curriculum.

Rule No. 1: Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teenager uses the phrase, "It's not fair" 8.6 times a day. You got it from your parents, who said it so often you decided they must be the most idealistic generation ever. When they started hearing it from their own kids, they realized Rule No. 1.

Rule No. 2: The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It'll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, kids complain it's not fair. (See Rule No. 1)

Rule No. 3: Sorry, you won't make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won't be a vice president or have a car phone either. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn't have a Gap label.

Rule No. 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait 'til you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he's not going to ask you how you feel about it.

Rule No. 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping. They called it opportunity. They weren't embarrassed making minimum wage either. They would have been embarrassed to sit around talking about Kurt Cobain all weekend.

Rule No. 6: It's not your parents' fault. If you screw up, you are responsible. This is the flip side of "It's my life," and "You're not the boss of me" and other eloquent proclamations of your generation. When you turn 18, it's on your dime. Don't whine about it, or you'll sound like a baby boomer.

Rule No. 7: Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying your bills, cleaning up your room and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. And by the way, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your bedroom.

Rule No. 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. In some schools, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. Failing grades have been abolished and class valedictorians scrapped, lest anyone's feelings be hurt. Effort is as important as results. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life. (See Rule No. 1, Rule No. 2 and Rule No. 4)

Rule No. 9: Life is not divided into semesters, and you don't get summers off. Not even Easter break. They expect you to show up every day. For eight hours. And you don't get a new life every 10 weeks. It just goes on and on. While we're at it, very few jobs are interesting in fostering your self-expression or helping you find yourself. Fewer still lead to self-realization. (See Rule No. 1 and Rule No. 2.)

Rule No. 10: Television is not real life. Your life is not a sitcom. Your problems will not all be solved in 30 minutes, minus time for commercials. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs. Your friends will not be as perky or pliable as Jennifer Aniston.

Rule No. 11: Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.

Rule No. 12: Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20.

Rule No. 13: You are not immortal. (See Rule No. 12.) If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.

Rule No. 14: Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it was to be a kid. Maybe you should start now.

You're welcome.

Sailor's Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, and he lived in a crowd,
In a 40 man berthing, with shipmates so loud.
I had come down the exhaust stack with presents to give,
And to see just who in this rack did live.
I looked all about, and a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stockings were hung, just boots close at hand,
on the bulkhead hung pictures of far distant land.
He had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
and a sobering thought came into my mind.
For this place was different, it was so dark and dreary,
I had found the home of a Sailor, this I could see clearly.
The Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
curled up in his rack, dreaming of home.
The face was so gentle, the berthing in such good order,
but not how I pictured a United States Sailor.
Was this the hero whom I saw on TV?
Defending his country so we all could be free?
I realized the families that I’ve seen this night,
owed their lives to these Sailors who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a new Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of the Sailors, like the one lying here.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, on a sea far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The sailor awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, for this life is my choice.
Defend the seas this day, the peace do I keep.”
The sailor then rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours so silent, so still,
and we both shivered from the night’s cold chill.
I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark night.
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the sailor rolled over and with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, “Carry On Santa, it’s Christmas. All is secure.”


(Stolen from a friend and fellow Navy veteran on facebook, original author unknown)

Helping Hands Toy Drive

Helping Hands Toy Drive

(click on the pic to see it larger)

Mileage

On Dec 10, 2007, I bought an '03 Suzuki SV1000 naked with 21,555 miles. Today, I turned 71,000 and some miles on her. So, I'm around 500 miles, or about 4 tanks of gas from hitting 50,000 of MY miles on this beauty. In four years. That's an average of 12,500 miles per year.

Average, mind you. That 21,555 it already had on it? I doubled it in eleven months. She's taken me from Austin to Dallas, Del Rio, Lake Corpus Christi, Seguin, and on many rides through the Texas Hill Country, not to mention a lot of adventurous urban riding in Austin itself. Financial downturns stopped me from traveling as much  after that first year, but I still ride to work nearly every day. I don't need an excuse to ride to work, I need a damn good reason to drive the truck before I'll leave the bike at home.

Ride 'em, don't hide 'em!

Thanksgiving

I don't usually get into the idea of a contrived "I'm thankful for ..." speech/toast/post, but for whatever reason, inspiration took hold just now. So, in no particular order and not complete, here's a quick list just off the top of my head:

• My children; and their laughter, smiles, and hugs
• My Love and her embraces, laughter and smiles
• Voices of relatives on the phone
• Motorcycles
• Good coffee
• Tattoos
• Living in a cool city in a moderate climate
• Brothers and sisters who are related by choice, not by blood
• Both the right and the ability to speak my mind (even if I'm clearer with a keyboard than in person)
• This digital medium to stay in contact with so many people from all aspects and periods of my life

Whatever it is that triggers your gratitude, hang onto it and enjoy it and appreciate it every day, not just today. You never know when some or all of it will be whisked away from you.