30 Year Warm-up

mikemjensen Useless Observations, Vanity Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

30 years ago, between the dates of January 14th and 16th, I left the United States and ventured to Geneva Switzerland and ultimately into France. old-laprovence-logo-fullcolor

30 years ago I struggled with the french language, I struggled a little with the bizarre assignment of a 19 year old to preach the gospel, and yet had my entire life in front of me.

I’d spend the next two years living among the French people and learn their language. I’d learn it enough that even today, a French word can displace an English word from memory when I least expect it.

30 years ago, the world became a little smaller place and possible to conquer in the immense time I expected life to give me. I was an American abroad. I walked with a Reagan swagger. Contrary to the reported politics of the day, I was welcomed into more French homes as an American than one was was lead to believe.

Kids on the street would ask if we knew the popular celebrities they saw on American TV shows and movies. When they learned I also hailed from California, and even larger excitement an hope would emerge. It was fun. It made me believe I was special and that the world was at my command.

Then life happened.

Other than a short business trip to Quebec, I have yet to leave the country again. I don’t and never did know any celebrities.

So did any of that stuff 30 years ago matter?

I pursued some endeavors but I could’ve done it with more hunger and assertiveness. I could have stayed up on my French better. I might have even gone back to France. But I did none of these things. And now there is no way to reverse that time.

Spilled milk I say.

Looking back to the events, feelings, and memories 30 years ago I can take away one thing:  I did it then. I actually went to France. I learned and spoke a foreign language. I could do it, and many other things  again. And I can do new and equally exciting things too.

I can finish another book or 100. I write blog posts and articles. I can be my own celebrity. People already ask me to sign my books they buy. And the world is excatly the same size today than it was 30 years ago.

Nothing has changed bit my own perspective.

There was no special magic 30 years ago.I just pursued my dream at the time. I can do that now.

 

Day #326

Phone Blues

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Useless Observations Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Hey kids,

For the second time.within a year I dropped my phone and shattered the glass.

The first time was a fluke but this second time I asked for it.

The lesson: keep the promises you make to yourself.

A long time ago I promised to never run for a bus. I swore I would never degrade myself to be one of those people chasing down a bus, running along side, or banging on the side begging for the door to be opened.

I most definitely would not be the one running like a beggar running across a patking lot, despritly trying to flag down an approaching bus, like a dog begging for a scrap of meat fat fron the dinner table.

But I did this morning and out of my pocket flopped the phone and onto the cold asphalt, face down.

It still works but the lesson was not lost. Never run for buses, they are not worth it.

Ever.

 

Day 325

And Then It Snowed

mikemjensen Motorcycles Tags: Leave a comment

Hey kids,

The bike tire held. Tomorrow would be the day to be back on the road.

I tuned in to the weatherman and he says snow tonight and continued for the next couple of days.

I’ve found that I need about 3 days of sunny weather for the snow to clear the asphalt with minimal risk of ice.

I will not get that yet. The bikes will sit a little longer.

Who told this winter it could be winter?

 

Day 324

Bike update: they’re clean.

mikemjensen Motorcycles Tags: Leave a comment

Hey kids,

The weather has turned and although it’s still cold, the snow is clear from most of the roads and there’s a bright glowy thing in the sky.

And my bikes sit needing new tires.

I pumped up the rear tire on my big bike and put some sealant into it. I know I need to get it to a shop, but I couldn’t stand to see it sit so flat. It sickens me to think how Mich I paid dornit too. K don’t want to be told it’s bad already.

I did sneak the bikes down the road and got some of the winter dust offnof them. I think they appreciated it.

Tomorrow I’ll be back in the bus. My hope and the prayers I request is that the tire stays to pressure and Thursday morning I rejoin the commute.

 

Day 323

Life on the Bus- a song

mikemjensen Vanity, Words that Rhyme Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Standing at the bus stop many nights, I hear the first line of this song in my head with a little change in the lyrics.

Tonight, I decided to share this little chuckle and complete, officially, the full changes. Enjoy.

(To the tune of Love on the Rocks by Neil Diamond.)

Life on the bus ain’t no big surprise
Read me the schedule
And I know they’re all lies
Another hour to lose,
So you just sing the blues, at the stop

Bought me my pass, gave you my soul
You left me alone here
With nothing to hold
Last day’s bus is gone
Now all I want is to cry

First they say they want you
How they’re here to serve you
Suddenly you find you’re out there
Walking in a storm

When they know they have you
Then they really have you
Nothing you can do or say,
Will bring back the bus that drove away.
We all know you’re screwed

You need what you need
You can say what you want
Not much you can do
When the trax train is gone
May be blue skies above,
But it’s cold
When your life’s on the bus.

Day 322

The First Car

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

Hey Kids,

My step son got his first car.

He brought it over to show us today. A 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier.10583977_1007545462639575_4287510148877560909_n (1)

It looks, rides, runs like a first car does for a 17 year old; a little on the rough side. But I don’t think he could’ve been more proud. His mother as well.

It makes me think of my first car. A late 70’s Camaro. Nothing fancy, nothing powerful, and it definitely would prove to have a few mechanical issues. The odometer read 99,500 miles. And that was back when 100K was the supposed death sentence for a car.

It would keep running until the day I traded it in. Albeit with a repaired tranny, replaced heads, and many hours tuning and fixing all the auxiliary parts and pieces. I even broke the shifter cable and learned to shift gears on the automatic transmission by turning the steering wheel housing. It became natural for me, but it would freak anyone riding with me.

But it was my car and it was my first.

I put a lot of miles on that car. A few road trips and a few tickets. I loved it and it was only the available Corvette that drew me away from it.

I would never buy that car today. I’m too adult, too responsible, too cerebral. The gas mileage would be too low. The insurance cost would be too high. The back seat would be too small and barely bigger than the ridiculous trunk. The high miles would be a concern; a little more than the concern about maintaining the Burgundy paint. There would be no sense to it.

I’m sure glad I wasn’t me back then.

 

Day 321

Out There

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Hey kids,

I’ve written before about Utah’s west desert but I’m going to do it again.

For the first time we ventured out into a snow covered landscape. The recent storms had left nearly a foot of snow on the ground.

The tracks in the road marked those that had passed before us;,it really hadn’t been that many. Tracks in the snow marked where the many critters had passed as well. Cow, wild mustangs, jack rabbits, and small rodentish tracks criss crossed the road. We ended up seeing at least one of each, minis the rodent but plus one coyote.

We took a trail unknown to us and even less traveled. We had no idea where it led and the sun sunk lower with each mile.

Eventually we found our way back to a paved road and then one with a highway number. We had covered about 100 miles on unknown dirt, snowpacked roads.

It still sets me in awe how much open land there exists, how much life lives in those harsh environments, and how few people explore any of it.

I love going out there.

 

Day #320

When It’s Deserved

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

McDonald’s has always been home to the cheap burger. I’ve lived on the dollar menu during certain times of my life. In fact without MickeyD’s and Del Taco, I’m not sure how I would’ve survived.

But it’s not quality food.

Today we did the build your own burger thing. It cost us $20, which I cringed over for a moment. We took our seats and waited our 8-10 minutes.IMG957474

Wow! I expected very little and instead had a delious, restaurant quality burger. No, really. It was real quality. Better than my last 5 Guys or Chili’s burgers.

I ordered two patties, pepper jack cheese, grilled onions and mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and Mac sauce.

I hated to finish. I was full but something that good, I’d be willing to hurt myself.

Yes it was McDonald’s, yet it wasn’t. The base burger is $5, add-ons add on from there. We got the large combo as well. The food proved itself worthy of the cost.

If you haven’t tried it, do yourself a solid and do it. McDonald’s did itself proud this time.

 

Day 319

Just When You Thought You Were Original

mikemjensen Useless Observations Leave a comment

Hey kids,

Just when I thought I was so clever and creative, I find the word I believed I had pinned and used in such a unique way is just another word in a dictionary to be featured as the word of the day.wotd

My dad once told me that no matter what you ever do, think, or say; someone, sometime already has.

This has proved itself over and over.

I like to think that, despite the repetitiveness and lack of originality, I still get to rub my own funk on it.

And no one but me gets to do that.

You know, with my own funk. Because they would have their own funk.

Never mind.

Day #317