I started today by taking a scenic ride through beautiful Blount county. The weather was perfect and traffic was light. The old Harleys rumble was better than any tune you can find on todays radio stations. This morning was what riding is all about.
I stopped in at Jacks in Blountsville for a bite to eat and met another rider. His name was Jerry Briscoe. After speaking with him for a few minutes I found out he was involved in what is known as the “teddy bear ride.” If you have never heard of this, this is where bikers collect money and or teddy bears to give to the children at Childrens Hospital. He even gave me a teddy bear stick pen for my riding vest. Just having met and talked with Jerry for only a few minutes left me with such a good feeling inside. I hope my own club the Swamp Ratz will also see the teddy bear ride as a must do from this year forward. This ride is held every year in September. I’ll get more info out on this when it gets passed on to me.
After leaving Jerry and Jacks behind I rode through the little town of Cleveland. You would almost expect to see Barney with his one bullet walking his beat through the small town. Little towns like this are what makes America so beautiful, they are the reason I probably ride to begin with. I hope to one day have stopped in or passed through everyone there is. My next stop was over in Oneonta. A little bigger town, but not much. I like going to their courthouse because it’s small and simple. I am in and out in no time at all. A few minutes later I once again had my knees in the breeze.
On my way home I took 160 over to county rd. 9. These are two more great bike roads with plenty of long sweeping curves. I waved at quite a few bikers traveling on 160, I was not alone enjoying such a fine day. This route is one I would recommend to anyone. I ride it often when I just get the urge to ride a little but don’t have all day to be gone. I guess it’s kinda a good thing my riding time is somewhat limited. Usually, when there’s no time restriction on me, I end up in another state. Have a great day.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Written very late last night
Today, was one of those days that makes me wonder if I just wasted an entire day of my life. Got up a little later than usual, so naturally I started the day feeling rushed and behind. Matter of fact, I have felt like that all week. It seems that every time I have had my crew working and on track something has happened to completely screw it all up.
I guess my week started out so rough because my counterpart on the other shift had a really bad previous week himself. This is a normal thing for us. Fortunately, we have walked in each others shoes and don’t spend too much time playing the blame game. Playing that game almost always solves nothing and only helps us succeed in wasting time that we don’t really have to waste.
I guess as I ramble on about my sorry day, I need to look a little deeper and find a bright spot that I can focus on. Well, I guess the brightest thing about today would be that the crew hung in there and left the workplace better than they found it. This will hopefully in turn act as sort of a pay it forward kinda deal. It will make the next shifts work easier which I hope will benefit our shift next week. Sometimes, the best thing for a bad work week is to just get through it the best you can. Hold your head high, press forward till the job is done, then take time off to recharge yourself. Chin up to all of you still working this week…it’ll be over soon.
I guess my week started out so rough because my counterpart on the other shift had a really bad previous week himself. This is a normal thing for us. Fortunately, we have walked in each others shoes and don’t spend too much time playing the blame game. Playing that game almost always solves nothing and only helps us succeed in wasting time that we don’t really have to waste.
I guess as I ramble on about my sorry day, I need to look a little deeper and find a bright spot that I can focus on. Well, I guess the brightest thing about today would be that the crew hung in there and left the workplace better than they found it. This will hopefully in turn act as sort of a pay it forward kinda deal. It will make the next shifts work easier which I hope will benefit our shift next week. Sometimes, the best thing for a bad work week is to just get through it the best you can. Hold your head high, press forward till the job is done, then take time off to recharge yourself. Chin up to all of you still working this week…it’ll be over soon.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
My Online Presence
With rain coming and spoiling my plans for the evening I’ve decided to attempt to build up my online presence. How and why would I do such a thing you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you. You see I’m writing this book, one of these days I hope to actually finish said book and get it published. If and when that day comes who will buy my book? As of right now probably no one. Now on the other hand…if I have a strong online presence maybe thousands will buy my book…or more.
I have been told by several published authors [that I respect a great deal] that a good online presence builder is blogging. Blogging lets you reach out an touch hundreds and even thousands of perspective down the road book buyers with the click of a mouse. As you blog each day your readers begin to know you. They get used to your style of writing, how you communicate and basically whether or not they like you or think you are full of…well you know.
What you hope and dream of as a writer is to be read. What I hope for as a writer goes even farther than that. I hope to stir something up inside you. I hope you either like me or you don’t. My worst fear is to bore you…I’d rather piss you off than to bore you. Bored readers don’t care what you have to say and they don’t come back. Now I have been blogging for some time now and have a few people following me…I want more. I’m going to step up my game from this point forward to add the whole world to my subscriber list. Are you a writer? If so this is the attitude you and I must have to succeed in this business. Blogging is a powerful tool-Use it!
For all of you that seem to find and read everything I do God bless you, you are awesome and so very much appreciated.
I have been told by several published authors [that I respect a great deal] that a good online presence builder is blogging. Blogging lets you reach out an touch hundreds and even thousands of perspective down the road book buyers with the click of a mouse. As you blog each day your readers begin to know you. They get used to your style of writing, how you communicate and basically whether or not they like you or think you are full of…well you know.
What you hope and dream of as a writer is to be read. What I hope for as a writer goes even farther than that. I hope to stir something up inside you. I hope you either like me or you don’t. My worst fear is to bore you…I’d rather piss you off than to bore you. Bored readers don’t care what you have to say and they don’t come back. Now I have been blogging for some time now and have a few people following me…I want more. I’m going to step up my game from this point forward to add the whole world to my subscriber list. Are you a writer? If so this is the attitude you and I must have to succeed in this business. Blogging is a powerful tool-Use it!
For all of you that seem to find and read everything I do God bless you, you are awesome and so very much appreciated.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Good morning world
It’s a beautiful cool Spring morning here in Alabama. For those of you reading in other parts of the world I hope your day is equally as gorgeous. For me I think at least part of my day will be spent doing yard work. Grass needs mowing and weeds need trimming. At least it won’t be hot today.
As April is just getting started I can’t help but remember this time last year. Violent weather seemed to rock the entire nation in one form or fashion. The evidence of that weather is still painfully with us today. At the same time I can’t help but remember how each and every community came together to help each other. People that didn’t know each other working side by side helping one another. There was no race, gender or political issues, only people helping people. Friends were made that will last lifetimes. The pay it forward attitude was abundant the weeks following the tornadoes and the amount of good done was immeasurable. To all of those who helped someone in need…thank you and God bless.
As April is just getting started I can’t help but remember this time last year. Violent weather seemed to rock the entire nation in one form or fashion. The evidence of that weather is still painfully with us today. At the same time I can’t help but remember how each and every community came together to help each other. People that didn’t know each other working side by side helping one another. There was no race, gender or political issues, only people helping people. Friends were made that will last lifetimes. The pay it forward attitude was abundant the weeks following the tornadoes and the amount of good done was immeasurable. To all of those who helped someone in need…thank you and God bless.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
So...What is a Hero?
Since the passing of Whitney Houston I have grown tired of the negative comments about her. She was one of the greatest singers the world has ever known and should be remembered as such. When her home town lowered their flag to half mast it caused such a huge public outcry across our nation that really kinda makes me sick. Does anyone out there truly believe that the town intentionally tried to dishonor even one single soldier by doing this? They were simply showing love for one of their own. I just can’t even force myself to find fault with that.
There are those that want to argue that the flag should only be lowered for real heroes…not celebrities. The meaning of hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Whitney Houston certainly had ability and was admired by millions, so unless we change the technical meaning of hero, Whitney actually was one. Doesn’t matter that everything in her life wasn’t perfect and in order. She had a disease she couldn’t beat and had an addiction she couldn’t control and she paid a terrible price for it…her life. None of which in my eyes makes her a all bad person.
To all the little girls out there that imitated Whitney Houston during her hey day…she was a hero. Just as growing up we all had our own heroes. I can remember being young and to my moms horror I wanted to be Evel Knievel. He rode a motorcycle and jumped over things and that’s all it took for me and millions of other little boys. We didn’t care that he drank a lot, gambled on sports and blew lots of cash…he was still our hero. As I got older my heroes changed. Learning guitar as a teenager, Eddie Van Halen came along and took over the top spot for me. He remains there to this day. Does he have his faults and weaknesses, of course he does…we all do. Doesn’t take away from his ability.
What happened over the years to turn this nation from a compassionate one to such a angry spiteful one. Well the media plays a pretty significant role in this. Compassion stories simply don’t sell as well as bashing and name calling stories. Selling copy has become more important than real writers writing real stories. I agree that the men and women that fight on the front lines of war for us are heroes. But, so many others out there are heroes to others only in different ways. I believe every fallen soldier should be honored by not only their home town but by the whole nation. These soldiers simply aren’t known worldwide and don’t receive the same amount of attention and media longevity that the celebrities do. Doesn’t make it right, it’s just how it is. So…what is a hero? Guess that depends on who you are doesn’t it? We should all take the “pay it forward” concept and run with it. A little respect for others can go a long way.
There are those that want to argue that the flag should only be lowered for real heroes…not celebrities. The meaning of hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Whitney Houston certainly had ability and was admired by millions, so unless we change the technical meaning of hero, Whitney actually was one. Doesn’t matter that everything in her life wasn’t perfect and in order. She had a disease she couldn’t beat and had an addiction she couldn’t control and she paid a terrible price for it…her life. None of which in my eyes makes her a all bad person.
To all the little girls out there that imitated Whitney Houston during her hey day…she was a hero. Just as growing up we all had our own heroes. I can remember being young and to my moms horror I wanted to be Evel Knievel. He rode a motorcycle and jumped over things and that’s all it took for me and millions of other little boys. We didn’t care that he drank a lot, gambled on sports and blew lots of cash…he was still our hero. As I got older my heroes changed. Learning guitar as a teenager, Eddie Van Halen came along and took over the top spot for me. He remains there to this day. Does he have his faults and weaknesses, of course he does…we all do. Doesn’t take away from his ability.
What happened over the years to turn this nation from a compassionate one to such a angry spiteful one. Well the media plays a pretty significant role in this. Compassion stories simply don’t sell as well as bashing and name calling stories. Selling copy has become more important than real writers writing real stories. I agree that the men and women that fight on the front lines of war for us are heroes. But, so many others out there are heroes to others only in different ways. I believe every fallen soldier should be honored by not only their home town but by the whole nation. These soldiers simply aren’t known worldwide and don’t receive the same amount of attention and media longevity that the celebrities do. Doesn’t make it right, it’s just how it is. So…what is a hero? Guess that depends on who you are doesn’t it? We should all take the “pay it forward” concept and run with it. A little respect for others can go a long way.
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