Memories Of The Road Once Taken…

Waaay back in 1976, I was stationed in New Jersey and thought I was going to be transferred to a post in California.  (Instead, I got stationed in Germany.)  One of the guys in my company had a Kawasaki 900 motorcycle and he was going to be stationed in New York (State), so he didn’t think he’d be able to ride it enough to justify continued ownership.
To make a long story short, I took it off his hands…  And then road it across the continent!
I was trying to make it across as quickly as possible and was hoping for three thousand mile days of travel.  The first day, I traveled from east New Jersey to about an hour west of Chicago in 17 hours.  I guess the roads were a lot slower / worse then because Google Maps says it’s only about 830 miles and a 12 hour drive.  I’d left at dawn and stopped after 9pm.  My memory says my odometer put it just over 1,100 miles.
The next day was smooth sailing across the farming central states to North Platte, NE.  I recall it being about 600 miles, but Google says it’s closer to 750.  The third day I only got a couple of hundred miles (Cheyenne, WY) before hitting a bitter cold front.  Although I’d only been on the road a few hours, I called it a day and got some sleep.
I awoke to find I was caught in an overnight freeze which turned into a snowstorm.  Because I was traveling in May / June, I was sorely unprepared for the extreme cold and nearly died from the wind-chill and the icy slush constantly being thrown on me by the passing 18-wheelers.  I had picked up a cheap “rain suit” at a roadside gas station, but it was next to worthless as it was not meant to stop ice-rain and wind-chill.
I ended up getting rescued by a guy driving from PA to CA.  He saw me standing on the side of the highway trying to flag SOMEONE down.  My hands were practically frozen solid and he had no ties to tow my bike so we ended up turning around and going to the first available stop to buy some rope, then returning for my bike.  We ended up securing my bike to his open trunk and we proceeded from there.
As it happens, the storm caused a blackout across much of that part of the state (WY).  When we started to run low on gas, we pulled into a gas station but there was no power to run the pumps.  The attendant said the next station was only 30 minutes further down the highway, and it might be on the other side of the power outage.  As there was nowhere to stay or keep warm, we decided to risk it.  We bought a small length of hose – just in case.  Of course we ran out of gas and had to use the hose to siphon gas from my bike to his car.  We did and managed to (finally) get to a working gas station.
When we parted ways, he thanked me for saving his life.  I asked what he meant and he said if he hadn’t stopped for me he would have been stuck out in the middle of nowhere out of gas and probably froze to death waiting for someone to help / rescue him.  I said (the equivalent of):  “What goes around, comes around…  You saved me.  I saved you.”  We shook hands and wished each other good luck on the remainder of our trips.
The rest of the ride (to San Francisco) was pretty uneventful – beautiful, but without anymore life threatening events anyway.  I did break my speedometer flat-lining across the Utah Salt Flats, but that’s a story for another day…
Two more things:  I had a matching color scheme, full-wrap around, Bell Star helmet AND (disclaimer:) the above image is not my “actual” bike.  It is simply and image of the bike I did have and which I found online.  I make no claim to ownership of the image or the bike in it.
I sold the bike / helmet after less than 90 days of ownership when I received my orders to report to Germany.  After my experience crossing the country in the middle of the year, I had no intention of tempting a full winter (or two) on a bike in Germany.
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On This Day In:
2022	Full Of It
2021	I’m Still Learning To Play
	What Are You Looking For?
2020	All You Can
2019	No Wall And Not One Dollar
	‘Cause It Makes Me Scratch
2018	Mirror, Mirror
2017	Keep On Keeping On
2016	Reflections
2015	Is It Time Yet?
2014	Ask Any Follower
2013	Cornered Or Surrounded?
2012	Escape
2011	Achievement
	Not Unreasonable Enough

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Hopeful Realization

Color My World
Favorite Line(s):
As time goes on
I realize
Just what you mean
To me
And now
Now that you’re near
Promise your love
That I’ve waited to share
And dreams
Of our moments together
Color my world with hope of loving you
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On This Day In:
2021	Being Constantly Great
	Hopeful Realization
2020	Sapping Joy
	Blew Out My Flip-Flop
	Really Wheelie
2019	Word Up
2018	But Much Is Worth Learning
2017	Mr. President, About Global Warming
2016	Starting To Stumble
2015	Begin Combat
	I Am A Runner
2014	Just Dig ‘N It, Why?
2013	Additions
	The Object Of Instruction
2012	Telling Her
2011	On Torture

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A Model Democrat

Whatever the future holds, I make you one promise:  I’ll keep at least 99% of my net worth in Berkshire for as long as I am around.  How long will that be?  My model is the loyal Democrat in Fort Wayne who asked to be buried in Chicago so that he could stay active in the party.  To that end, I’ve already selected a “power spot” at the office for my urn.
—    Warren Buffett
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On This Day In:
2021	A Model Democrat
	Listen Mister
2020	The Main Thing: Vote!
	No Other Reason
2019	A Big “IF”
2018	Committed To Thinking
2017	More Pictures From My (Family) Retirement Party
	A Fondness For Sins
2016	Are You Waiting?
2015	The Future Myth
2014	Hands
2013	Because You Have Lived
2012	47%
2011	Conservative Values: Low And Lax
2010	A Non-Zero Sum Game
	What If “c” Isn’t A Constant?
2009	Pictures from UCLA trip…

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Check Your Watch

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
Favorite Line(s):
Does anybody really know what time it is (I don’t)
Does anybody really care (care about time)
If so I can’t imagine why (no, no)
We’ve all got time enough to cry
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On This Day In:
2022	Completely Reasonable To Worry
2021	Seeking Happiness
	Check Your Watch
2020	Expectation For The Near Future
2019	Indian Myth
	Did He Even Have The Courage To Ask?
2018	Nothing
2017	Approval First
2016	In Search Of Words
	Day 2 – Blending
2015	At What Price?
2014	Intricate And Subtle Order
2013	Attention To Detail
2012	Aequanimitas!
2011	Consider This

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One Trouble With Television

Stonewall Jackson, who knew something about the use of weapons, is reported to have said, “When war comes, you must draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.”  The trouble with television is that it is rusting in the scabbard during a battle for survival.
—    Edward R. Murrow
From his speech to the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) convention in Chicago
Given:  October 15, 1958
[Popularly know as the “Wires And Lights In A Box” speech.  The link to the full speech is (also) available on my “Poems” page.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021	Unnoticed Perfection
	You Just Don’t Realize
2020	Maybe After A Couple Of Hundred Years I Think About It
	Worth The Time I’ve Waited
2019	Courage Facing Temptation
2018	I Can’t Laugh At #45
2017	Release, Harmonize, Illuminate
2016	One Trouble With Television
2015	I Am Lucky And I Am Grateful
2014	Future Envy
2013	We Do Not Want To Learn That
2012	Social Inhibition
2011	Studying Chinese Food
	Are You Bored, Too?
2010	Rant, Pant, Deep Breath – Reality

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Chicago Magic

Over the Labor Day Weekend, I finished reading the 14th novel in the “Dresden Files” series:  “Cold Days“, written by Jim Butcher (2012©).  Now, obviously if you’ve read fourteen books in a series, you’re either getting paid to read them or you “really” enjoy them.  In this case, I enjoy them!
This novel is another in the installment of a good man (in this case a wizard with magic powers – Harry Dresden) with a small band of friends (humans, a werewolf, a vampire, and another wizard) using his powers to save the world (or at least most of the Mid-west of the North American continent).  Dresden lives in modern day Chicago.  All of these books follow a simple formula:  hero meets a bad guy the hero cannot possibly defeat, hero somehow survives the encounter, hero muddles through some other bad situations while finding out what’s going on, hero defeats bad guy and in the process finds out more about himself and the over-arching storyline of the series.  (Spoiler Alert:  the series is supposed to go on for twenty volumes, so there’s six more to go.  The titles come out approximately one per year and are available in hard bound, paper back and e-read at roughly the same time so the format is whatever you prefer.)
My son James is the person who turned me on to this series.  I noticed he was getting “into” a lot of books about witchcraft and magic, so I asked him what was up.  He started telling me about this series of books he was reading and he was enjoying them so much he was branching out into other areas – folklore, myths, horror stories, etc.  He’s now read Stoker (“Dracula“), Shelly (“Frankenstein“), Dante (“Inferno“), and many other classics  (Homer, etc…).  Although, I’ve never really been “into” this kind of literature (the combination of fantasy with mythology), I asked if I could borrow a couple to see what’s what.  This was about 2005, or so.  The first couple were [sic:  was] fascinating because I knew nothing about either the folklore or mythology, nor much about wizardry (as opposed to “sleight-of-hand” magic).  While I still don’t know much “in-depth” about folklore or mythology, I now know a great deal more than I used to.
In my case, I don’t believe reading one title series provides a breadth of knowledge about a genre, merely a taste / sampling.  Also, from my limited exposure, myths are frequently modified to fit the story, so reading any single title series does not necessarily accurately relate a specific myth.   (This was particularly true in the “Percy Jackson” Greek mythology / fantasy series.)
You might ask, “Well, if the books all follow a formula, what’s keeping your interest?”  To tell, the truth, they did start to wear on me after about the sixth or seventh volume, but I took a break and returned to the remaining books with renewed energy.  I found two main interests:  the characters (main and supporting, good and evil) are growing with each volume and the over arching storyline is starting to come together (or at least to come out to the main character).  And what do we learn / know?  It’s not our abilities which define us, it is our choices as to what we do with those abilities.  And the story arc?  There is always a struggle between “absolute” evil / chaos and “our” rational and slowly progressing world of understanding.  Both of these are, of course, “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” themes, and both themes are mentioned in the series.  Well, the Star Wars is.  The Harry Potter theme isn’t directly mentioned, but they (the two story themes) are so closely related they might as well be.  Dresden’s first name:  “Harry”.  Duh!!
Anyway, this volume is a fast read like all of the others, and I recommend the series to anyone interested in the Sci-Fi / horror / fantasy genre.  I think they are easily digestible in three to four volumes at a time, then take a week break before starting back.  As I am writing this, I am reminded of the “binge” watching I do (on some holidays) of some TV series.  I think there must be a qualitative AND quantitative threshold to binging (that’s “binge – ing”) between viewing and reading.  At least for me there is…  I can do a whole day, 18+ hours of TV watching and I can certainly do the same for reading.  But many of these books are over 450 pages, which, to me, means several days after work, plus a weekend day (usually).  That level of sustained reading isn’t possible when you have a “real” life pulling you in multiple directions.  That’s why I advise tearing through a couple and then taking a break, then back at it.  Having said this, it’s one thing to watch the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy in one day or watch all six of the Star Wars movies AND another thing again to watch all 170+ episodes of Star Trek:  The Next Generation.  The first two are “only” a solid day.  ST:TNG would be good fifteen (15) ten (10) hour days!!   That’s some serious viewing!!
I will close by cautioning that although these books are entertaining and the good guy wins out in the end, they are NOT suitable for children or pre-teens or even “queasy” young adults as they are graphic in the depiction of violence.
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On This Day In:
2021	Losing One’s Edge
	Can I Get An Up Front Seat?
2020	Are You Sure?
	Who Could It Be?
2019	Living Art
	Day 7: Week 1 – Mathematics
2018	Hey, #45: Are We Sick Of Winning, Yet?
	Day 40: Wrists
2017	Heart Vision
2016	A Labor Day / Pre-Election Hope
	Trust Me, Too
2015	Without Hope
	Things Known And Unknown
2014	A Wall Too High, A Bridge Too Far
2013	Glory = Danger
	Chicago Magic
	Feelin’ It
2012	How Did We Get Here?
2011	Labor Day Weekend Mishmash
	More, More, More

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Pictures from Chicago Trip…

Here are a couple of pictures from my recent (Sept ’09) trip to Chicago…
Sear’s Tower – 103rd Floor — Chicago	Standing “On the Edge” in the Sears Tower

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On This Day In:
2021	Learning And Teaching
	Two Loves
2020	Does Anyone Else Look Forward To The Last Lawn Mowing ‘Til Spring?
	Only For You
2019	10,000 Tries
2018	Keep America Great – Vote This Tuesday
2017	Old Style Ear Candy
2016	Next Tuesday
2015	Wanna Trade?
2014	Brothers And Friends
2013	So Suddenly
2012	At The Center
2011	Live Long And Thinner
	Got Health?
2010	SF Giants – 2010 World Series Champions!!!
	52 – 54 – 56 – 58
2009	Diet Update
	Pictures from Chicago Trip…

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Back and Forth and Round Again…

This past week was a doozy for travel.  I flew out to Chicago for two days of work related training and then Hil and I drove Rebecca down to UCLA so she can start school this week.
National health care is going poorly.  The war in Afghanistan is getting worse – no end in sight.  And, (on a personal note,) the cost of college education is frightening.  To top it off, my home PC is slowly dying.  I just lost a hard drive.
On the way home from the airport on Thursday, I passed the “grave” site / memorial to the fallen soldiers near the Lafayette BART station.  5,166 deaths!!  I almost started to cry.
Today I purchased a cable to move photos from my phone to the PC.  I’ll be trying it out soon.
Travel is a funny thing…  This year I’ve driven to Seattle, WA and back.  Crater Lake, OR and back.  Phoenix, AZ and back.  And now, UCLA and back.  Add in the flights to and from Chicago (with a stop-over in Seattle to and from) and I’ve probably traveled 11 or 12  thousand miles this year.  Two hundred years ago, it would have taken someone years to travel that far.
Finally, the Niners won today!!!  2 wins, 0 losses!!  …and both wins are within our division!
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On This Day In:
2021	I’ll Keep Trying To Anyway
	She Knows
2020	Respond
	Still Trying To Adjust
2019	The Limits Of My Knowledge
2018	Even Tiny Progress
2017	Real Conservatism
2016	The Business Of Life
2015	Alone Again, Naturally
2014	Agreed
2013	Smile From Your Heart!
2012	Like You
2011	Got Days?
2010	K9 Humor – Has Anyone Seen My Setter?  (Must read!!)
	A Longer Blog Than You Want To Read (Probably)
2009	Back and Forth and Round Again…

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