Labor Day

mikemjensen Useless Observations 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

Labor Day.

I’m not so savvy as to the beginnings and meaning of Labor Day but taking it at its face value, it’s to honor and celebrate the workers of the country.comfort-knowing-pressure-fun-labor-day-ecard-someecards

Some observations:

1) The higher you get paid, the more likely you get Labor Day off.

2) If you get the day off, not only are you higher paid normally, you are more likely to get paid for the day too.

3) Those who are off and getting paid are very likely to visit places where those who are not off have to work. And not very forgiving to those places closed or short staffed today.

4) Summer is declared over, yet good weather will continue for weeks to come. Many will ignore the good weather and bemoan how short the summer had been.

5) Nobody knows what Labor Day is; other than the “official” end of summer.

6) 50% of people still struggle if this week was Labor Day or Memorial Day.

7) I cannot prove any of the points above. But I’ll take any and all three day weekends offered.

 

Day 196

The Dark Angel

mikemjensen Hiking, Road Trip, Vanity Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

A few years back, on my first visit to Arches National Park, I saw a trail on the map that led to a formation called the Dark Angel.

I was intrigued.

It wasn’t the right time to make the 6 mile or so hike on that visit so I bookmarked it in my brain as a hike I wanted to do.

I made several more trips to Arches over the past several years and each time there were others sites to see or too little time to make the hike. So on the last trip last spring, I mentioned that the next trip, we were making the hike.

Today was the next trip.

We set out just after 10. The sun was already hot and there was plenty of people parked at the trailhead. Luck on our side, we found a spot immediately. To increase our luck and good karma, I flagged down a motorcycle circling the lot and welcomed them to park behind our car. We knew they would leave well before us, so no harm done and it got a Harley off the road sooner. 😉

Arches NP is beautiful and the arches are always awe inspiring but at last we reached the northern most part of the main hiking trails. And before us sat the monolith known as the Dark Angel.

Standing out by itself, like a pillar to a building that isn’t, the giant slab of red sandstone towered over the brush and dirt below it. A King of the desolate, a Monarch of the lowly.

In its simplicity, the tower reigned over the interest of all who ventured the distance to see it. No fancy arch, no balanced rock, and no other formations close enough to call it brother.IMG_20150906_121018_164

No one stayed very long to gawk at its beauty or praise its natural wonder. Instead, the people took a quick photo, and went back the way they had come without fanfare or comment.

We stayed a little longer than most. We walked around it to see all of its sides. We took our pictures and also returned back the way we came.

I worry about being drawn to an unknown exhibit simply because it had a name such as it has.

It worries me more, that I find similarities between the two of us.

But not that much. After all it’s just a rock.

 

Day 195

Maybe Your Baby Ate the Dingo

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Hey Kids,

Did you know that Netflix was offered to Blockbuster for $50 million dollars?

In the early 2000’s, Netflix hoped to be purchased by industry leader Blockbuster to help take it into the future. Unfortunately for Blockbuster and fortunately for us and Netflix, they passed.

I understand that Blockbuster felt that their data suggested that mail-order video rental was not what the customer wanted, let alone streaming. 56K modems were already as fast as the internet could deliver for most people. Movies online was fanciful. The shopping experience and the chance meeting with friends and neighbors were what that people wanted.netflix-blockbuster-slice

Blockbuster didn’t see the future. They lost. Netflix did once they looked past Blockbuster and they won. At least for longer than Blockbuster. Other challenges and challengers now threaten Netflix.

I doubt that had Blockbuster bought Netflix, Netflix would be the same company as what we see today. If they struggled to decide whether to buy the baby company that when left to its own devices would eat them; then I doubt they would have done the things that made Netflix the industry leader.

We the consumers won because Netflix offers to us a better service than Blockbuster ever would have. I miss the video stores, but then again, I don’t. Picking out movies from the couch is a luxury I would not give up now.

I have my own dinosaur ways of doing things. Some might think a blog is a thing of the past. I constantly ask myself if the things I do is because it’s the best way to do them, or is it just the way I’m doing them.

Do what’s right now and know that right may be different tomorrow.

Or, don’t let the baby grow up and eat you.

 

Day 194

Rebellion Ended

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , , 1 Comment

Hey Kids,

What’s all the hurry?

Recently I’ve been nearly run off the road with cars in a rush to get somewhere. The practice of guarding your lane while on the motorcycle has become more important than what I have experienced in the past. If you’re not using that side of the lane, they’ll pass you in it.

The speed limits on the highways have gone up from 65 to 70 in the city and 75 to 80 out of it.

I Can't Drive 55, and now I don't have to.

I Can’t Drive 55, and now I don’t have to.

Cars, simple cars, like Corolla type cars zoom around at 75 like it’s nothing.

I’m not opposed to speed, mind you.

No, the thing that bothers me the most is that it’s no longer rebellious to go fast.

It’s the standard.

 

Day 193

Blaming Others

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

Hey Kids,

When something is my fault, I’ll own up to it.

I expect the same from others; however, this has been a source of disappointment.Blame-300x298

I don’t believe there’s much to gain in allowing someone off the hook by erroneously shifting blame to others, including yourself. I know it might seem like a good diplomatic move, to gain trust and all. But it’s lying.

It’s as much lying as blaming someone else for your mistake.

I hate the blanket statement, “we all have part of the blame”. If it’s not true, it only means that diplomacy is more important than a solution.

So don’t look to me to accept your mistake, all or part, as my own. I’ll help try to fix it and even help guard your secret if needed; I’m all about teamwork, loyalties, and making things right without the drama.

And I’ll take my lumps for my failures.

If they’re known, of course.

I’m not an idiot.

 

Day 192

Bike Therapy

mikemjensen Vanity Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

Hey Kids,

Work has sucked.

The day job anyway.

What to do?

Get on my bike and ride.

Instead of the normal 10 mile ride from the school to the home, I decided to turn right where I usually go straight.

The slight turn ultimately lead me out of town and up a canyon and up into the mountains.

Over the first summit and reverse following the path the original Mormon pioneers followed into the Salt lake Valley, I looked out across the first lake. Being Wednesday, no one was enjoying the lake that I could see.

View from Big Mountain

View from Big Mountain

I took the next turn and continued up higher until I reached the summit of Big Mountain at 7400ft.

I didn’t stop. I cruised the downhill side of the mountain range until it passed yet another reservoir and flattened into farmlands and a winding road strolling from one field to the next.

A quick jaunt down an interstate and another highway brought me back out of the mountains and into the populated North Davis County part of the Great Salt Lake valley.

A few more miles south and I found myself at home. A nearly 100 mile commute.

I burnt some fuel that warmed the planet .000000000000001°, but with that sacrifice I found peace in the sound of my own wheels. I watched the pines parade past. I watch the blue sky darken and threaten rain, but restrained.

I saw some deer that stayed well away from the road and I mooed at a cow and meowed at a cat that watched me roll by.

Most of all, I thought. Not of work, but of people, of projects, and my place in this thing called life. Not in a deep way, but in a soothing, relaxing, take-it-easy way.

It was also a good road test for the newly repaired bike.

The Suzuki received its official clean bill of health. And so did I.

 

Day 191

Abandoned

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Hey Kids,

Driving through the countryside, I see abandoned houses slowly melting back into forgotten history.

I wonder how they got to be like that.cbe372c403d1a5c4c0c465f54c0b960a

What happens to a home to make it no longer a home? How does a person walk out the door and never return. Did he or she know they would be the last resident?

I wonder if memories remain. Is there anybody who still remembers living in the house? Does the house still remember the people that lived within it?

I can’t recover the history, but by noting the buildings as I see them, I feel I somehow pay my respects.

And somehow that makes the abandoned home a little less abandoned.

 

Day 190

A Mountain by Any Other Name

mikemjensen Alaska, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway) Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

President Obama is scheduled to officially change the name of North America’s tallest mountain from Mt McKinley to the native name of Denali. Here are my thoughts:

Mt. Denali-Bolshaya Gora- Densmore- McKinley- Denali

Mt. Denali-Bolshaya Gora- Densmore- McKinley- Denali; elevation: 20,320- 20,237ft

One, I flew past Mt. McKinley, err, Denali once. It is the most impressive mountain you will ever see. Seemingly right off the wing of the airplane, it is as tall (20,000 ft.) as it is massive. The mountain is huge! If I can ever find the photo I snapped of it, I will add it to this blog.

Two, I didn’t know it was up to the president to do that kind of thing. Does he do this kind of thing often? Seems like a little outside of a president’s priority, but who am I to judge?

Three, The poor mountain is going to develop an identity crisis, if it doesn’t already have one. It’s gone by more names than a Cold War era spy. And had its elevation officially lowered.

Four, do all mountains already have previous names that merit changing them back? Is this going to be a new thing? Or is it only because it being #1?

Five, I really wish I was in Alaska right now too.

Six, I wonder if the fish are biting.

Seven, what was this blog about?

Eight, oh yeah, I’m OK with Denali, but I wish the state of Alaska would’ve done it instead of needing a president to do it. It’s a state rights thing for me.

Nine, I feel sorry for William McKinley. He had to be proud to have a mountain, and such a big mountain, named after him. Of course, he’s dead now so I doubt he’ll file any protest, but I hear Ohio has.

And ten, I’ve always thought Denali was a better name for the biggest mountain in North America, especially since it means Big Mountain. It’s better than McKinley, and way better than the third alternative, Suburban.

 

Day 189

Local Tourist

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

Hey Kids,

It’s so easy to forget where you live.

Maybe not your street address but exactly where you live in relation to the great things around you.

Time and routine wear a person down and the wonder of the mountains, the natural places, the parks, the historic sites, and the cool places, slip our minds.IMG_20150830_142154

Not to the point we forget they exist, but we stop thinking of going to them and enjoying them. People in Salt Lake have a huge problem with it. It doesn’t bother me so much because I don’t forget them and I enjoy enjoying these places without the 2 million people who apparently have forgot.

Today we visited a place called Cascade Springs. The road to the springs is not very trafficked because of the $6 entrance fee. We own the Interagency Pass so we had already paid our money and got waved through like celebrities.

Cascade Springs sits up somewhere around 7,500 ft. From the side of the mountain, water gushes out and forms a series of waterfalls and pools before funneling into a stream and tumbling down the mountain. The Forest Service has since built walk ways and board walks that crisscross and encircle the springs.

It’s beautiful! IMG_20150830_140036

On this trip, we took two of the kids with us that have never visited the springs before. It’s rewarding to share with the excitement as they experienced the place for the first time. And as an added treat, a young moose joined in with us too. I had never seen a moose there before. I love living so near to the mountains.

What places are around have you been neglecting? I recommend playing tourist every once in a while and enjoy locally what others travel long distances to see.

And take lots of pictures to review so you always want to return and never forget.

 

Day 188

A Modern Miracle of Recovery and Repentance

mikemjensen Motorcycles, Shame on Me Tags: , , 2 Comments

Hey Kids,

A tremendous weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Can I get a Hallelujah?

I have sinned and I have repented. And more than repented, I have been redeemed.

Or at least my motorcycle has.

My dear C50, He who died, has been raised again.

He who had good health taken away, has had it given back.

The Good Book

The Good Book

The Suzuki and the owner induced error has been resolved.

The Throttle Position Sensor- justified.

The blemish of the FI light on the dash no more.

A new battery has been blessed and restored the power. As if granted from on high, the starter now starts.

The 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50 has been restored thanks to the good book and further revelations bestowed by the great Internet.

I, its tormenter, have been severely shamed and admonished to go and sin no more.

At least until the next time I decide to tinker.

Amen.

 

(What am I talking about? https://mikemjensen.com/2015/08/16/i-still-want-to-blame-the-bike/ )

Day 187