Life’s Truths

I Still Want to Blame the Bike

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Motorcycles, Vanity Tags: , , , 8 Comments

Hey Kids,

It’s a sad day. The Suzuki is sick.

It’s been sick for a little while, but it’s not really sick; it’s been damaged by my repair efforts.

A little while ago, I decided it was time for the valves to be adjusted. I’ve done it before and had no worries about it. The bike had been running just fine, but it was well past the recommended 7500 mile adjustment. So I took a Saturday afternoon and adjusted the valves. Upon reassembly, the warning light came on. I had done something wrong. I had seen this happen before and that time it turned out to be simply a sensor not hooked up right. No big deal.

Next week, I tore it apart again and found no such bad sensor. Hooked it together and warning light came on again. Fine. I’ll figure it out. The engine wasn’t working exactly correct, but I’ll get it, I thought.

Please save me from my owner.

Please save me from my owner.

After work one day, I had a tremendous writing session. So good I spent some extra time to ride out the literary wave, only to discover that I left the key in the bike with the ignition on. Dead battery. Great. Got a jump and headed home. With a quick off and on, I tested the juice. The bike started right back up.

The next morning not so much. The battery didn’t hold enough of the juice to turn the starter. So I took the other bike instead. And then continued to take the other bike for the past several weeks.

Today, the Suzuki had no juice whatsoever. I jumped it again, rode for a while to charge it up. Figured I wouldn’t stop until I got back home and then try to restart it. Unfortunately, I paid too much attention to the parked cop I passed speeding and noticed the stop sign ahead just a little too late. I locked up the back tire stopping and stalled the engine. Despite riding for the past 30 minutes, the battery was still bone dead. Had to call for an emergency, mercy jump.

The bike is back home and I’ll pull the battery out and have it checked or replaced. And then I can get back to figuring out the Error light problem.

The poor thing. It just wants to run and I’ve let it sit.

I’m really angry with myself to allow things to deteriorate to this point. But then again.

How angry can you be when life has allowed you to have a second bike to ride during this whole time?

I’m back to realizing I’m facing a first world problem. Relax says I.

 

Day 174

South Pacific Smiles

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Hey Kids,

I’m envious of people who belong to colorful subcultures.

By a subcultures, I mean those groups that make you talk different, act different, and/or share many insider ideals and insider jokes.

I belong to a subculture, but it’s not so colorful, although it does have some benefits and I can’t disvalue it completely.001859

Tonight I attended a wedding of a staff member. He is Polynesian. The wedding was a mix of Samoan culture within a Mormon church, but it is the Polynesian color that bleeds through.

Food. I never knew I could pile so much food onto one plate. I could feel the plate bend under the weight. And was it good? Even the things I had no chance of pronouncing were amazing. The joke was that you could go back for fifths, but if you sought a sixth portion they might tell you no. Might.

Dance. Many dances were offered to the new couple. Men and women. No long speeches, just Hula-type dances in their honor.

Laughter. You will never come across a more outwardly happy people that Polynesians. They smile, they cheer, and they laugh at any opportunity to do so. It’s impossible to attend a gathering such as tonight and contain a smile.

I know it’s all in your attitude. And I know it’s not imperative to be Samoan in order to enjoy life.

But apparently it helps.

 

Day 173

First World Problems

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Hey Kids,

First World problems, they call them.

Those difficulties we face beyond the need to eat to stay alive, find warmth to avoid freezing, and the fear of surviving yet another day.

Listening to a staff member talk of his struggles of being forced out of his house, trucked away, left on a river bank to fend for his life, watching others die of starvation and disease, spending 18 years of his life in a refugee camp, stuck between two countries that want nothing to do with his people, and experiencing members of his family die due to the indifference; I realize my problems are pretty simple.first-world-problems

They’re still problems and they are mine with which to deal. With real consequences. At least in the world I live in. In contrast however, nothing I’m facing compares.

It wasn’t a life-changing epiphany today. In fact, I’ve been telling myself lately to relax and keep things in perspective. Today, hearing this man’s story confirms I’m onto something.

3G Wi-Fi isn’t the end of the world.

 

Day 169

Local Indifference

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Hey Kids,

Bryce Canyon has stood in its place for thousands, if not millions of years. I’m not a geologist but suffice to say, it’s been there for a long time. I have been alive for 49 years.

Of those 49 years, I waited about 46 of them before I visited Bryce Canyon National park. I’m ashamed that for the vast majority, of the majority, of my life, I’ve lived within 4 hours of Bryce Canyon and yet never visited, never asked to be taken there by my parents, never took my own kids, and never gave it much thought beyond, “I should go there some time.”IMG_20150809_133557

I have been there now three times. The last time being yesterday. The true beauty of Bryce Canyon, I feel, is in the trails down into the canyon and standing on the bottom looking up. We hiked 6 miles yesterday and only scratched the surface of the things to see. I can’t wait to return, but I’m also waiting to get back to Arches. And Zion’s. And …

I bought a pass over the past several years and have visited all the National Parks in my area. And not just once either. My sweetie and I go as often as we can, exploring the different trails, sights, and revisiting our favorites. What a blessing to have so many awe inspiring places close to my home.

Sometimes I worry that I wasted my time before by not incorporating these wonders earlier in my life. Maybe I should have shrugged off the local indifference and made more of an effort to enjoy them.

Fortunately for me, they weren’t going anywhere.

 

Day 168

Haunted by Hummingbirds

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Shame on Me Tags: , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

I had a hummingbird stare me down.

Minding my own business, on the deck with my laptop, working, and minding my own business, a hummingbird took a hovering position in front of me, slightly above my head at a little over an arm’s length. It locked its beady little, albeit cute, eyes on me.

His little wings, a blur, flapped so fast they made that distinctive low tone hum. And he stared, waiting for me to get past my startled stage and come to a full recognition of what faced me.!CDgjYLQ!2k~$(KGrHqEOKkEE0,Q9ssr5BNO0+gn,4!~~_35

At first I thought “Aw, cute.” Then I became uneasy as it held its position for a little longer than I liked. And then I began to imagine its long needle-like beak poking my eyes out.

It surged forward an inch. I froze. It repeated the move. I panicked.

I waved my arms at it, guarding my eyes, while yelling “Shoo! Shoo little bird. You seemingly cute, iridescent agent of evil! Shoo!”

The bird pulled back, gain elevation, and took one last victorious look at me.

I wanted to run, but held my ground, waiting to see its next move. From between my fingers over my eyes, I saw that the bird elevated to the feeder. I kept a cautious, terrified watch.

I’m not sure what spurred the encounter but I felt silly, surprised, and completely owned by this bird, despite the fact I out-weighed it 1,500 to 1. I also thought I could hear a little chirping laughter through the hum of the wings and the thumping of my heart in my chest.

It slurped down some of our home made nectar and buzzed away out of sight as if nothing happen.

A few hours later, I awoke from a short dozing catnap to seemingly the same bird taking the same position. I nearly fell out of my writing chair in alarm. The bird happily buzzed up and bellied up to the nectar bar and had yet another pint and laugh at my expense.

The hummingbird feeder is no longer located near my writing chair.

And by that, I mean my writing chair is now inside the apartment.

On the other side of the sliding glass door.

I’m haunted by hummingbirds.

 

Day 161

10 Days Vacation

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Hey Kids,

Today is the last day of what was 10 days away from the day job.

When I return to the grind tomorrow, I am sure many people will ask how they were spent, what I did do, and did I bring any souvenirs back with me? The answer will not be as expected.

I did not visit any faraway place. I didn’t knock out any to-do list, and I visited as few living people as possible. The fact of the matter, I spent most of the days off, at home, with this laptop, writing.13 - 1CAAGXQAX

My company were my characters that spent many re-do’s, change of story lines, and redefinition of arcs.

My places of visit were the scenes that I arranged and re-arranged, many times over- near to the point of scene revolt.

My hours of work were as much as my battery would hold out. My time in between: thinking about it.

What did I bring back as a souvenir? A clear refreshed image of what I want to do for the rest of my life.

It was a great vacation.

 

Day 160

 

What Have We Done

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Hey Kids,

Today was the Jensen Family Reunion. 195 descendants of my Great Grand Parents gathered under the shade of the Gunnison Park Pavilion. That isn’t every one either.IMG_20150725_163530-1

My great grandparents are no longer with us, as well as most of their children, including my grandfather. I wonder what they would think if they could see this gathering. There’s no way they could imagine what they’ve done.

The family has begun to spread out. It’s arrived at the point that my dad admits that he doesn’t know about 50% of the people there anymore. Kids are growing up, getting married and having even more Jensen’s. By this rate, we’ll have bragging rights in the number of Jensen’s over Copenhagen.

I would imagine that eventually this gathering will split up into the different groups from the newest Great Grandparents. Many of the new families will decide to start their own traditions but it’s pretty amazing to see it as it is right now.

 

Day 152

Paper Towns, Solid Bridge

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Hey Kids,

Tonight is the US release of Paper Towns, the latest film version of John Green’s same named book. I’m usually not a mass public event type person but I’m making an exception tonight.51hgkNew+XL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_

I’ve read the book and I enjoyed it, knowing I don’t participate in the expected demographic. I’m too old, but I grew up once upon a time and I get the growing up part better than those without an extra 30 years of hindsight and experience; although, they might not believe it. The book contained plenty of items to which I could relate. It also contained references that had no part of my youth. Even the lack of cell phones changes the narrative dramatically.

Tonight, I’m going to pay my money, wedge myself between the “Nerd Fighters” that will pack the theatre and see how true the screenplay remained to the story of the book. I’m not going alone. That might be kind of creepers. My sweetie will be joining me but so will a few young’uns. Which might be the greatest reason to go.

It’s hard to bridge generation gaps. The biggest hurdle is the inability to find common ground. Watching and reading the same movies and books is a good step towards finding it.

In the process, and in the case of John Green movies, I find myself entertained as well.

 

Day 150

Be Nice

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Hey Kids,15 - 1

There are some wonderful people in the world. And the greatest thing about the Internet is that we can all meet a bunch of them. That wasn’t possible even just a few years ago.

There are also really bad people too. People who see the Internet as a way to hide behind their login and say whatever they want to say to hear themselves say it, argue to argue, minimalize to minimalize. Most, things they wouldn’t do face to face.

I’m sorry for these people, they’re missing a great opportunity and I think they hurt themselves. In a world trying to connect, these people will be left out. Being, excuse me, a d*ck, makes you a d*ck.

Don’t be a d*ck.

Be nice.

Compliment, thank, and friend the world. It’s a lot more fun world that way.

Walk away, ignore, or unfollow things that aren’t your cup of tea. Let people be wrong. Let them be ignorant. It’s OK and grammar isn’t that important.

Life’s too short not to recognize that we can be so much more one people now than ever before.

And while I’m thinking about it, thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog and allows me to share my thoughts. I really do appreciate it.

And while “your” at it, have a great day!

 

 

P.S.- Replace * with an “i” or “u”; however you see fit.

 

Day 128