Useless Observations

Common Interest

mikemjensen Useless Observations, Utah, Vanity Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I checked snow levels at the local ski resorts today. 140 some-odd inches of snow, roughly 12 feet.

It’s as deep now as it’s been all winter and March is still a snow month, especially for the major resorts whose starting elevation is at least 8-9000’.

Ironically, many of these resorts will start closing this month. Not because of the snow, but because of lack of interest. People have been skiing since Thanksgiving in November and the days down here in the lower elevations are getting longer and warmer. Which brings me to my interest.

I don’t ski. My interest in the snow levels is purely based on the water content, and more importantly in the water content that will flow down and into Lake Powell. The fact that none of the snow at the local results will actually flow into Lake Powell is not lost on me. Our snow, nonetheless, is indicative of the snow in the Rockies that does. The more snow we have, the more snow they have. In general.

You see, I also notice the warmer and longer days. I know that winter still has some blustering to do, but I’m ready to hit the lake and I want it as full as it can be for this season and again for years to come.

lakepowell

My interest in Lake Powell, however, will last longer than 3-4 months.

 

Post 3-061

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.

 

Post 3-059

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

Flooding is the New Drought

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

So last I heard, California was in a drought. The lakes were dry. The trickles of water flowing across dry cracked mud puddles passed as reservoirs.pc-140820-california-drought-01_df9e66504eb531798626153aae549f70-nbcnews-fp-1200-800

To my astonishment, when Google listed stories I might be interested in, the announcement of one of the bigger dams in Northern California is facing possible failure due to erosion on the spillway while trying to keep the water behind the dam from breaching the top.

Wait. What?

I don’t mean to get on those people who cried that we may just have to accept that this drought might never end; but if before the snow pack even has a chance to melt, we’re already worried we can’t hold it all- maybe someone didn’t know what they were talking about.920x920

Or maybe I might be in denial.

 

 

 

Post 3-043

Making it Known

mikemjensen Fishing, Football, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway), Internet, Life's Truths, Motorcycles, Sports, Useless Observations Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

It’s political times. 5508Everybody has an opinion and not always based on information, reason, or understanding. Here are some of my political beliefs:

For: American League, American Conference, and Western Conference.

Against: Fan voted All Stars.

For: Motorcycles. They don’t have to be Harleys either.

Against: Gold Wings. Just kidding, I’m for Gold Wings too.

For: Cheap gas and fast cars. Real ones. Classics.

Against: Smart Cars. Not kidding.

For: Buy low and sell high. I don’t do this much in practice, but I’m for it.

Against: Places that don’t have a Value Menu.

For: Lake Powell

Against: Anyone against Lake Powell

For: Fishing. Fly, bait, or lure. If there’s fish to catch, I’m in.

Against: People catching bigger or more fish than me.

For: Free speech.

Against: Long lists of “for and against”.

 

(Please note, I don’t always agree with everything that I say.)

 

Post 3-037

A True Humanitarian

mikemjensen Fishing, Useless Observations, Vanity Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I don’t eat trout.

At least I haven’t for a long time. So long that I can’t even remember when the last time was.

I don’t like the taste of trout. I used to try to pretend like I did. Like I wasn’t a real fisherman unless I caught and cooked my prey. But I’m ok now to admit it.

Nowadays I’m catch and release.limpit

Some make the argument that catching and releasing the fish is crueler than catching and killing. I firmly believe that the fish doesn’t like either method, but if an opinion could be obtained, the fish would prefer living.

I’m only happy to oblige.

 

Post 3-033

Twice Baked Beetles

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , Leave a comment

bHey Kids,

The Beetles are not my favorites. In fact, I really don’t like them very much.

I know I’m in the minority but it’s how I feel.

Their early stuff was OK, but then it drops off quickly.blackbeatlen11

I do think that Beetle songs, when redone by someone else, turn out pretty good. Sometimes it’s the arrangement, sometimes, it’s the vocals, and sometimes it just needs some tweaking.

Let me give you an example.

“All you need is love” is a fan favorite.

Meh.

But make one little change and the improvement is amazing:

“All you need is fish.”

See? It’s already in you head.

Ba-ba-da-da-da.

 

Post 3-024

Magical.

mikemjensen Useless Observations, Utah Tags: , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

Snow came to the valley today.

It’s like the same snow that falls every now and then. White flakes, sometimes big, sometimes small.

It covered the sidewalks and the grass and of course the roads.snow-wreck

It’s magical, the snow. It makes dull gray days white. It brightens the otherwise drab and dormant flora. It gives a feeling of purification, a cleansing, or a reset.

It’s also magical as in it casts a spell on drivers and makes every one of them forget how to drive.

 

Post 3-021