Month: February 2017

We’re Back

mikemjensen cool stuff, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway) Tags: , , , , 3 Comments

Hey Kids,

Have you ever watched the sky to see the International Space Station fly by? It’s nothing but a bright moving star that seems to wobble its way from one corner of the sky to the other. A long sighting lasts only a few minutes.

Still, I find it exciting to see. I actually get geeky about it. Pointing at the sky like a kid spotting an oncoming ice cream truck, I make sure everyone sees it too.

One of my favorite movies is Apollo 13. I read the book too; Lost Moon was the original title. Outside of the incredible story of the successful failure, it was the short narrative at the end of the film. Tom Hanks speaking as Jim Lovell resonated with me and I share his question. He says that in the years following his return he watched other men walk on the moon and after the program ended wondered when would we go back?space-x

So you can imagine my thoughts when I read today that Space X is planning to start doing fly-bys of the moon. The company that has been testing and proving the reality and success of a privately funded space program, is taking the next step; as early as next year!

Nearly 40 years later, we’re going back. Maybe not to walk on the moon, but certainly to usher the dawn of new space exploration. I couldn’t be more excited.

 

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Too Soon

mikemjensen Uncategorized, Useless Observations Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

It’s funny how every year the same thing happens.

About the end of January, maybe early February, we have a little warm up period. The ground snow melts, the piles of plowed snow in the parking lots melt down, and a few foolish trees sprout buds. The sun get s a hint of heat to it on the clear days and a few people even start to sport shorts and t-shirts.

And then it snows again.

snowbike

Back on the bus today

Everyone complains how they are done with winter.

And it snows again. And gets cold.

Salt Lake City at an elevation of about 4500’ is not tropical.

Wait for it people. Summer will get here, just not in February or March.

 

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Changing the Future

mikemjensen Useless Observations, Vanity Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Based on a recent Redbox movie watched today, I have to ask the question whether I would change anything in my life if I could see the future and the end result of those decisions.

With the big ticket items like marriage and such, I think it’s important to avoid any second guessing. With kids and all, there’s too many implications to mess up and things you don’t want erased.

Some smaller things, however, I would change.unwritten-rules

I would’ve never lent my bike to Pete who, in Southern France, forgot to lock up my beautiful Peugeot 18 speed bicycle yet returned the unused bike lock from his backpack.

I would’ve slowed down those few times I got caught speeding and jacked my insurance rates sky high for a few years.

I wouldn’t have bought that Datsun 510. I spent way too much money on it and never did get it running well enough to get it registered before it was finally stripped clean by thieves.

There’s a few girls I wish I had been brave enough to kiss that I didn’t.

That one night in Modesto. I should’ve just went home early. OK, maybe a couple of nights.

I’m sure I could go on and on as memory starts to serve up the many screw-ups of my life. But in actuality, every decision I’ve made, good or bad, has brought me to this point.

And I’m doing OK. I miss my kids so much it hurts daily, but it also gives me hope that one day it might change and gives me a good reason to try and be a better person if it does.

I can’t change a thing anyway and it really wouldn’t be worth it if I could.

 

Post 3-058

Maybe Title, Maybe Not

mikemjensen Vanity Tags: Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I joked the other day that conformity equaled death.

It does.

At least for me. I’m a non-conformist at heart, a natural but mild case.free-thinker-satans-slave

On the surface I am a complete conformist. I have a long term job of 24 years, in a government department, and staying out of trouble. Yet I was blessed/cursed with a rebellious soul, an unwavering disgust to fall in line, and a penchant for testing, bending, and ignoring rules. It’s amazing I haven’t been fired but I live in the realm of safe nonconformity.

“If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it’s another nonconformist who doesn’t conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.” – Bill Vaughan

Just another way I don’t conform.

 

Post 3-054

A Little Understanding

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Quote Tags: , , , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

Norrington: “One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness.”

Jack Sparrow: “Though it seems enough to condemn him.”jack

Conversely, one misstep, one misspeak, one transgression, or even a series of them; does not negate the good person trying.

No matter how bombastic they might be, if the heart is right, you’re allowed a mistake or two.

I extend this to others because I’m pretty sure I need similar understanding and forgiveness.

 

Post 3-053

Hell May Not Be What They Say It Is

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Twain Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,huckfinn

“All right then, I’ll go to hell.”

The famous words of revelation spoken by Huck Finn.

When all your upbringing and all your peers and all your superiors are telling you one thing and your experience and your own ideas and your own heart say something else; are you willing to accept the consequences and follow your heart and do what you think is right?

Welcome to hell.

 

Post 3-052

Spring Fun

mikemjensen Motorcycles, Utah Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

It’s a battle I’m destined to lose.

On occasion I’m victorious but when I lose, the price is greater for me.

I’m talking about the ride home on the bike vs. the spring weather.

On these spring days where winter hasn’t let go and summer is raising it hand for attention, the weather going to work is not always equal to the weather returning home. When I leave I have to be prepared anything. Cold fronts, thunderstorms, and even snow can happen.

From my desk, I’m able to pull up the radar image from the local news channel. I can see the storms rolling in from the west. The colors will tell me if it’s rain or snow coming and how much. I can zoom in for a more detailed look. Depending on the time I remember to check this view, it can give me a great advantage. The challenge comes when the incoming storm is timed exactly with the ride home.

radar

Today’s Storm

My route home leads me directly west right into the face of any incoming weather fronts. At about half way and leaving the residential route, I turn north around the mountain point that divides my working county and my living county. The gravel pits release their bellows of dust and dirt with the always accompanying violent winds and the storm has the opportunity of a T-bone shot. It is at this point that the risk of getting caught looms greatest and my timing calculations either gave me enough time or not.

I’m a gambling soul and I find I like to push my luck and look for the edge of the radar blips and try to slip around the point of the mountain, make the quick broad side run, and slip under my covered parking spot right as the wet weather begins.

I’m pretty good at it. But not always.

Rain is not anything that cannot be dealt with, provided you wear your rain gear. But where would the victory be if I did that? No when I get caught by the rains, it’s wet and miserable. If it snows, it’s wet, miserable, and slippery dangerous. Lightning storms are all that, as well as the thrill of Russian roulette in wondering where the next bright flash will strike and counting the seconds until the clap of thunder roars. It’s all part of the fun.

It’s said that, in Utah, if you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes. The ride home is about 25. Sometimes the funnest 25 minutes all week. Sometimes not.

 

Post 3-051

Molehill vs. Mountain

mikemjensen cool stuff, History, Utah Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I like to think I’m adventurous.

In the hospital next to where I work, there are actual escalators descending down to the cafeteria level. Sometimes, I use the stairs to go down. Other times I’ll use them to walk up. I’m pretty proud of myself.

And then I learn what others have done.

There is a proposal to establish a state park in a place called the Hole in the Rock. It’s where a group of Mormon settlers took a short cut and ended up descending down a 2000 foot crack in the canyon rim with grades from 25 to 45 degrees. In wagons. 83 of them. And 1000 head of livestock.

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Hole in the Rock, Utah

Well, sometimes I take the stairs down AND back up on the same visit.

 

Post 3-050

The Inland Sea on a Whim

mikemjensen Interesting Stuff (to me anyway), Road Trip, Utah Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

We went to the movies this afternoon. That took a few hours. Good movie.

Not wanting to go home, we stopped at a home show and picked up a few items.

Still not wanting to go home, we decided to go out to the Great Salt Lake Marina. We slipped in just before they closed the gate. It left us within the State Park with few people, and fewer still as each car left.

Enjoying the hint of salt in the air, we walked the shore line of this Inland Sea. With the mirror finish of the water, the puffy clouds rolling in, and the mottled sunlight dispersed throughout, the lake didn’t disappoint.

img_20170219_171804640_hdr

It never does.

 

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