one year ago today my baby Snickers left me
I just cannot express how upsetting this event was
Thursday
one year
one year ago today my baby Snickers left me
I just cannot express how upsetting this event was
Wednesday
lost: defined
What choice can you make? When you are lost and do not know which direction to choose to find your way.
How could you make a choice anyway when your destination is just a hazy dreamy accumulation of images not quite up to being a vision?
Mostly we are unaware of being lost. We are living our lives and making the best of it and that is good enough. Lost in thought, not in place.
That works for the majority. And they are better off today then they might have been in the past.
What works for the rest of us is the discovery that we can have and use a compass. There is no GPS here.
It is one thing to find a direction and have a destination, it is another thing to move along that path everyday.
But if you don't then the realized potential of your life will be lost.
Lost to time.
How could you make a choice anyway when your destination is just a hazy dreamy accumulation of images not quite up to being a vision?
Mostly we are unaware of being lost. We are living our lives and making the best of it and that is good enough. Lost in thought, not in place.
That works for the majority. And they are better off today then they might have been in the past.
What works for the rest of us is the discovery that we can have and use a compass. There is no GPS here.
It is one thing to find a direction and have a destination, it is another thing to move along that path everyday.
But if you don't then the realized potential of your life will be lost.
Lost to time.
Saturday
back on the bike part 1
New battery.
Fresh gas.
Fire it up, short 20 mile ride to Geoff's.
Inner thighs about to short circuit. Always happens on the first ride of the year. It passes.
Over the next week and then some a days work will get done. Springs front and rear. New horns. New tires.
Geoff, call the shop up, see how much it is to change tires.
$34
Dropped the first one off. Be done in about an hour. We went to a Chinese buffet and talked.
4 hours later and Geoff has gone to work and I'm at the shop waiting for the job to get done.
That will be $42. This was the first sign that things would go awry. I didn't get it.
$34 plus tax, plus disposal, plus supplies.
Hmmm, 4 bikes in this garage, 3 more at home and 2 is running around on his Sportster. Tire changing equipment might be a good idea.
2 is Geoff's brother, his name is Greg, so is Geoff's father, my brother, a Greg, so is Geoff's father in law. Geoff's parents didn't like the Senior Junior stuff but they had to name son number 2 after dad, so he is Greg 2. I've called him Junior which seems to torque them off just a little so he can be 2 here.
Geoff's bike wasn't ready for the trip either. He needed plates, he needed his license re-instated, he needed the front wheel replaced. He had wheelied the bike once and lost it while looking at the clear blue sky and bent the front rim. We bought 3 before we got the right one, on the day before we were going to leave.
Friday morning I'm packing my gear when my sister comes around. I tell her that a raccoon has invaded our trash cans 2 nights in a row and she might have to pick something up if it happens again. That is too much for her and she treats me with an angry rant.
I stopped packing. Too bad I wasn't done.
Call Geoff, let him know I'm going to be a little bit late. He is still in bed.
I get to his house around 10, he's gone. I go to work, I have to replace a rubber foot peg.
This and that follows, you know how it goes, and we finally get under way. 60 miles south of Columbus we stop in McArthur for some pop, it's 12:45. A couple of small towns later we make a wrong turn. The plan has gone awry.
We t-bone into an east/west road unexpectedly. I can't look at a map because I didn't bring one, stopped packing, remember? The maps are sitting on my table at home.
We go one way then turn around to go another. Too bad, we were right the first time.
Stopped in Portsmouth for lunch, a late lunch, crossed the river into Kentucky and came back again because I thought it would be better to get back on the plan. If I had remembered my geography I wouldn't be compounding earlier mistakes with these later ones.
We catch a couple of traffic jams along here. It sure doesn't help.
Finally cross the river and work our way through Huntington WV. Route 10 south. It is really a nice road. Never saw any gravel in the corners. Road right through the heart of coal country. This is West Virginia. Crossed a mountain. When the yellow sign has a squiggly line and says 15 mph it means it.
30 towns later I know there is no way we are going to get to the hotel in good time. We pick up some maps and alter the plan.
I don't want to turn on 16 south because I think it might be too dangerous in the dark, we continue on 10, there is an interstate ahead. I ask Geoff to take the lead, my visor is tinted and it makes things a little harder in the dark.
We crossed the roughest mountain of the whole trip right there. One rising slow switchback after another followed by diving slow switchbacks on the other side.
By this time we are both sore and tired. Neither one of us has spent any time in the saddle this year and here we are putting in a 12 hour day. On top of that the Kawasaki that Geoff is on is shaking parts loose the whole way and we have to keep stopping to make repairs.
We arrive in Princeton WV and talk about stopping to figure our next move. This place is hopping! The music is pouring out of a bar on the corner, all down the street we pass hundreds of kids hanging out, it's Friday night!
Found our way to the interstate, Geoff is in the lead but he is going too slow, his speedometer cable has shook loose. I get out in front and we take off! He asks later about how fast we were going, well we were mostly just keeping up with traffic so it wasn't much, just more than you get used to in Ohio.
The road is wet, we are cold and tired, we stop again near the NC border, asked some locals about our destination. We were less than 25 miles from Sparta NC and no one could offer much help.
It took us 2 more hours to cover that distance, lost again, wet roads, wrong turns, fog. We were looking for the intersection of 2 highways, too bad they crossed each other twice. We found both of them, just spent a lot of time at the wrong one first.
We finally found the motel. 2:30 in the morning. I struggled up the stairs.
We got into our beds, cold, in a lot of pain, and laughing ourselves to sleep talking about our big adventure.
Fresh gas.
Fire it up, short 20 mile ride to Geoff's.
Inner thighs about to short circuit. Always happens on the first ride of the year. It passes.
Over the next week and then some a days work will get done. Springs front and rear. New horns. New tires.
Geoff, call the shop up, see how much it is to change tires.
$34
Dropped the first one off. Be done in about an hour. We went to a Chinese buffet and talked.
4 hours later and Geoff has gone to work and I'm at the shop waiting for the job to get done.
That will be $42. This was the first sign that things would go awry. I didn't get it.
$34 plus tax, plus disposal, plus supplies.
Hmmm, 4 bikes in this garage, 3 more at home and 2 is running around on his Sportster. Tire changing equipment might be a good idea.
2 is Geoff's brother, his name is Greg, so is Geoff's father, my brother, a Greg, so is Geoff's father in law. Geoff's parents didn't like the Senior Junior stuff but they had to name son number 2 after dad, so he is Greg 2. I've called him Junior which seems to torque them off just a little so he can be 2 here.
Geoff's bike wasn't ready for the trip either. He needed plates, he needed his license re-instated, he needed the front wheel replaced. He had wheelied the bike once and lost it while looking at the clear blue sky and bent the front rim. We bought 3 before we got the right one, on the day before we were going to leave.
Friday morning I'm packing my gear when my sister comes around. I tell her that a raccoon has invaded our trash cans 2 nights in a row and she might have to pick something up if it happens again. That is too much for her and she treats me with an angry rant.
I stopped packing. Too bad I wasn't done.
Call Geoff, let him know I'm going to be a little bit late. He is still in bed.
I get to his house around 10, he's gone. I go to work, I have to replace a rubber foot peg.
This and that follows, you know how it goes, and we finally get under way. 60 miles south of Columbus we stop in McArthur for some pop, it's 12:45. A couple of small towns later we make a wrong turn. The plan has gone awry.
We t-bone into an east/west road unexpectedly. I can't look at a map because I didn't bring one, stopped packing, remember? The maps are sitting on my table at home.
We go one way then turn around to go another. Too bad, we were right the first time.
Stopped in Portsmouth for lunch, a late lunch, crossed the river into Kentucky and came back again because I thought it would be better to get back on the plan. If I had remembered my geography I wouldn't be compounding earlier mistakes with these later ones.
We catch a couple of traffic jams along here. It sure doesn't help.
Finally cross the river and work our way through Huntington WV. Route 10 south. It is really a nice road. Never saw any gravel in the corners. Road right through the heart of coal country. This is West Virginia. Crossed a mountain. When the yellow sign has a squiggly line and says 15 mph it means it.
30 towns later I know there is no way we are going to get to the hotel in good time. We pick up some maps and alter the plan.
I don't want to turn on 16 south because I think it might be too dangerous in the dark, we continue on 10, there is an interstate ahead. I ask Geoff to take the lead, my visor is tinted and it makes things a little harder in the dark.
We crossed the roughest mountain of the whole trip right there. One rising slow switchback after another followed by diving slow switchbacks on the other side.
By this time we are both sore and tired. Neither one of us has spent any time in the saddle this year and here we are putting in a 12 hour day. On top of that the Kawasaki that Geoff is on is shaking parts loose the whole way and we have to keep stopping to make repairs.
We arrive in Princeton WV and talk about stopping to figure our next move. This place is hopping! The music is pouring out of a bar on the corner, all down the street we pass hundreds of kids hanging out, it's Friday night!
Found our way to the interstate, Geoff is in the lead but he is going too slow, his speedometer cable has shook loose. I get out in front and we take off! He asks later about how fast we were going, well we were mostly just keeping up with traffic so it wasn't much, just more than you get used to in Ohio.
The road is wet, we are cold and tired, we stop again near the NC border, asked some locals about our destination. We were less than 25 miles from Sparta NC and no one could offer much help.
It took us 2 more hours to cover that distance, lost again, wet roads, wrong turns, fog. We were looking for the intersection of 2 highways, too bad they crossed each other twice. We found both of them, just spent a lot of time at the wrong one first.
We finally found the motel. 2:30 in the morning. I struggled up the stairs.
We got into our beds, cold, in a lot of pain, and laughing ourselves to sleep talking about our big adventure.
Monday
take a good look
"Take a good look!" my mother would tell me as we left someones house after visiting on Christmas day.
"Take a good look at the gifts you bought those kids because they won't be here next time you visit."
Mother was always right.
Gifts have no meaning beyond monetary value for some people.
Why can't people be a little considerate and tell us, "Please don't get me a gift. I am much happier with money."
I've offered things to one of my brothers, "Hey brother, can you use this? Would you like to have it?"
"Yea! I like that, I can put it to use."
Two weeks later I come by and he has a price tag on it in his garage sale.
Sent another brother some well regarded CD's. "Do you like them?" "Yea, they sound good."
Noticed while reviewing my Amazon orders for this year that he sent half of them back.
My sister wanted to be a writer so I thought I would get her some fiction. Those books have never been read.
Got a niece and nephew who can't tell me about one gift I have ever given them, and I have been generous. Never kept anything long enough to form any memories.
It's all a matter of perception. If someone is special to you, you will remember the things they give you.
If you only see yourself as special than nothing given to you will ever be good enough.
"Take a good look at the gifts you bought those kids because they won't be here next time you visit."
Mother was always right.
Gifts have no meaning beyond monetary value for some people.
Why can't people be a little considerate and tell us, "Please don't get me a gift. I am much happier with money."
I've offered things to one of my brothers, "Hey brother, can you use this? Would you like to have it?"
"Yea! I like that, I can put it to use."
Two weeks later I come by and he has a price tag on it in his garage sale.
Sent another brother some well regarded CD's. "Do you like them?" "Yea, they sound good."
Noticed while reviewing my Amazon orders for this year that he sent half of them back.
My sister wanted to be a writer so I thought I would get her some fiction. Those books have never been read.
Got a niece and nephew who can't tell me about one gift I have ever given them, and I have been generous. Never kept anything long enough to form any memories.
It's all a matter of perception. If someone is special to you, you will remember the things they give you.
If you only see yourself as special than nothing given to you will ever be good enough.
Sunday
the secret
WOW!
Just published on November 28, 2006 and number one on Amazon with millions in print. I am of course talking about "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.
I was unaware of this new best seller until this weekend but such success cannot remain hidden for long and the media has jumped all over the story. In their time tested formula of presenting opposing views the media are trotting out 'experts' on both sides. We have the believers who have been promoting some or all of the ideas found in the book for a long time and we have the debunkers who are confusing the whole thing with Positive Thinking.
Well I find all of this very interesting. I have written a lot about self improvement on this blog and like seeing a best seller in this genre, flaws and all.
I have not read the book so will not comment on it. Seems to be enough of that going around already. I will just reprint something I wrote here on May 15, 2005. Says it all.
one thing
Just published on November 28, 2006 and number one on Amazon with millions in print. I am of course talking about "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.
I was unaware of this new best seller until this weekend but such success cannot remain hidden for long and the media has jumped all over the story. In their time tested formula of presenting opposing views the media are trotting out 'experts' on both sides. We have the believers who have been promoting some or all of the ideas found in the book for a long time and we have the debunkers who are confusing the whole thing with Positive Thinking.
Well I find all of this very interesting. I have written a lot about self improvement on this blog and like seeing a best seller in this genre, flaws and all.
I have not read the book so will not comment on it. Seems to be enough of that going around already. I will just reprint something I wrote here on May 15, 2005. Says it all.
one thing
Self improvement boils down to one thing, thinking.
All the self improvement, personal transformation and business inspiration books on the shelves spend all their time telling you that you just need to learn to think in a new way. This idea may be new to us but it is not a new idea.
Hearing it like this it might seem so simplistic as to be worthless. It's not.
The steps to success have worn a path through the world yet most people cannot find them.
Set goals, learn about your mind, train your mind and act upon your plan. It can be as simple as focusing on these four steps.
Choose to control your thinking, that's it, that's the one thing.
failure to see
AMERICA GOES BLIND!
Since I have lifted my personal ban on politics on this blog I started to do a little online research on our politics.
I thought I would start with that most basic of information, the values of the liberals and of the conservatives.
Unfortunately I was not able to nail these down because all I found were rants from one side against the other.
In the few places where I found anything it was always spoiled by an opinion of what the other side believed. I say spoiled because I could not believe what I read.
When one side writes about the other in this country they carry on as if they were talking about hated enemies instead of friends and neighbors. The vocal members of each group despise the other side and inspire their readers to do the same. There is no room for either discussion or compromise between these two sides. If they could get away with it they would kill each other.
Why this is I cannot say.
What I can say is that Americans today are blind. They cannot see who the real enemy is.
The real enemy wants to kill all of us and rule the world.
The real enemy wants everything now and to hell with the future.
We need to see the real enemies for what they are and start talking about what we as a nation are going to do about them.
Since I have lifted my personal ban on politics on this blog I started to do a little online research on our politics.
I thought I would start with that most basic of information, the values of the liberals and of the conservatives.
Unfortunately I was not able to nail these down because all I found were rants from one side against the other.
In the few places where I found anything it was always spoiled by an opinion of what the other side believed. I say spoiled because I could not believe what I read.
When one side writes about the other in this country they carry on as if they were talking about hated enemies instead of friends and neighbors. The vocal members of each group despise the other side and inspire their readers to do the same. There is no room for either discussion or compromise between these two sides. If they could get away with it they would kill each other.
Why this is I cannot say.
What I can say is that Americans today are blind. They cannot see who the real enemy is.
The real enemy wants to kill all of us and rule the world.
The real enemy wants everything now and to hell with the future.
We need to see the real enemies for what they are and start talking about what we as a nation are going to do about them.
Wednesday
an even more inconvenient truth
Today in the news Al Gore is catching some heat about the amount of electricity his house uses.
It's being pointed out that he is using far more energy than the average person.
It also points out that he can afford an increase in utility bills that would be the result of actions taken to stall global warming.
All of this exposes the even more inconvenient truth of all alternate energy ideas.
Everyone here wants to keep using energy at the same rate that they do now.
They just want to do it without the side effects of oil and coal.
People need to wake up and realize that this is a bunch of baloney.
The future will not be saved by turning corn into alcohol and running a car with it. The future will be saved by moving to within walking distance of work and the grocery. The future will be saved by living in condos where half the outside walls are the neighbors and the first floor is mostly below ground.
The future will only be saved when we use less and less energy per person.
Friday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
Well my mother celerbrated her 82nd birthday yesterday.
I did 2 things for her that my 3 siblings didn't.
1. I didn't complain.
2. I bought her a present.
Mom told me that my sister had sat down with her and complained for over 2 hours.
My older brother called and complained about his daughters troubles with her daughter. He said it was his ex-wifes fault that the girls were so messed up.
Mom set him straight.
"Maybe you shouldn't have moved out of state when you got divorced."
"Maybe you should have stayed in town and helped raise your own kids."
But my younger brother took the cake.
He brought some KFC over in the evening. He sat down while I prepared the plates. We had a nice dinner and a slice of cake.
Afterwards a conversation started.
He said that he listened to NPR.
"Wow! That's great." I thought.
"The British are pulling out." he said.
I replied, "Yea, the media are really trying to drum that one up. Still talking about it and I heard it at 5 this morning."
"Heard it yesterday." he answered.
Then he said, "Do you know why they are really leaving?"
"They've been planning this a long time." I replied.
Then, out of no where, my brother snapped. He started yelling.
"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU'VE RUINED MOMS BIRTHDAY!"
"What?!" I spoke.
"I'M NOT TAKING THIS ANYMORE!" he screamed.
Well, I could write some more dialogue but there is no point. He screamed and yelled all the way out of the house.
Neither mom or I could figure out what set him off.
And that is the kind of day my mom got for her 82nd birthday.
I did 2 things for her that my 3 siblings didn't.
1. I didn't complain.
2. I bought her a present.
Mom told me that my sister had sat down with her and complained for over 2 hours.
My older brother called and complained about his daughters troubles with her daughter. He said it was his ex-wifes fault that the girls were so messed up.
Mom set him straight.
"Maybe you shouldn't have moved out of state when you got divorced."
"Maybe you should have stayed in town and helped raise your own kids."
But my younger brother took the cake.
He brought some KFC over in the evening. He sat down while I prepared the plates. We had a nice dinner and a slice of cake.
Afterwards a conversation started.
He said that he listened to NPR.
"Wow! That's great." I thought.
"The British are pulling out." he said.
I replied, "Yea, the media are really trying to drum that one up. Still talking about it and I heard it at 5 this morning."
"Heard it yesterday." he answered.
Then he said, "Do you know why they are really leaving?"
"They've been planning this a long time." I replied.
Then, out of no where, my brother snapped. He started yelling.
"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU'VE RUINED MOMS BIRTHDAY!"
"What?!" I spoke.
"I'M NOT TAKING THIS ANYMORE!" he screamed.
Well, I could write some more dialogue but there is no point. He screamed and yelled all the way out of the house.
Neither mom or I could figure out what set him off.
And that is the kind of day my mom got for her 82nd birthday.
Thursday
back again
Well I was rolling along right as rain just a month ago, thinking I would keep up with my writing ambitions when I caught a virus that brought everything to a halt.
It was just a common gastroenteritis but it sure knocked me out for almost a week.
Time has always passed with little notice from me so here we are all these weeks later with another big gulf in my writing.
But I have been thinking about it so I will be back almost every day and I am going to put up backdated articles to fill in the gap.
I am also going to loosen some up some of my self imposed boundaries and put articles in here that I had intended to put in my other blogs. Everything rolled into one space.
It was just a common gastroenteritis but it sure knocked me out for almost a week.
Time has always passed with little notice from me so here we are all these weeks later with another big gulf in my writing.
But I have been thinking about it so I will be back almost every day and I am going to put up backdated articles to fill in the gap.
I am also going to loosen some up some of my self imposed boundaries and put articles in here that I had intended to put in my other blogs. Everything rolled into one space.
Wednesday
view camera
Well this ugly little thing is a view camera I just bought.Found it for sale on a view camera forum and the price was better than what I found on eBay.
Really, just what I was looking for. I already have lenses because I have a roll film field camera. I also already have film holders and tripod and a way to develop the sheet film so the last hurdle is getting everything in order and just doing it.
No breath holding please.
This little camera was made in Los Angeles in the late 40's. The bellows is supposed to be good and it has a revolving back. I will polish the rods and give it a repaint.
Look forward to see it again.
Tuesday
i like mashed potatos
Well I am throwing out one of my rules with this one and crossing a boundary that I really didn't want to cross.
But what the hell? These people don't read anything here anyway.
I took my sister to the grocery. I had to take her because of the weeks of bad weather we've had and she won't go out in it on her own.
She might be of a different mind about that if it was the first of the month.
Anyway she had a shopping list for our mom and I had a list of my own.
We went our seperate ways upon entering the store. I zip through the supermarket, check out and go. She talks to as many people as she can and reads all labels.
Anyway as I was checking out she came by and asked where the ready made mashed potatos were. I told her and also added that she could get any flavor as mom and I aren't picky eaters.
I carried my few items out to the truck and looked at some pictures while I waited. In a short while she joined me and off to home we went.
Well after carrying my stuff in I went back out for her items. Most everything gets carried up a flight or two of stairs, that is one of the negatives of living at our house.
When I started putting things away I was shocked to find that she had bought THREE tubs of mashed potatos!
That's FOUR POUNDS for two people.
I am eating mashed potatos every day this week.
I would like to write an explanation for her picking up four pounds of mashed potatos for us but I can't. All I can say is that mistakes are made when you don't think things through and this sort of thing happens all the time around here.
But what the hell? These people don't read anything here anyway.
I took my sister to the grocery. I had to take her because of the weeks of bad weather we've had and she won't go out in it on her own.
She might be of a different mind about that if it was the first of the month.
Anyway she had a shopping list for our mom and I had a list of my own.
We went our seperate ways upon entering the store. I zip through the supermarket, check out and go. She talks to as many people as she can and reads all labels.
Anyway as I was checking out she came by and asked where the ready made mashed potatos were. I told her and also added that she could get any flavor as mom and I aren't picky eaters.
I carried my few items out to the truck and looked at some pictures while I waited. In a short while she joined me and off to home we went.
Well after carrying my stuff in I went back out for her items. Most everything gets carried up a flight or two of stairs, that is one of the negatives of living at our house.
When I started putting things away I was shocked to find that she had bought THREE tubs of mashed potatos!
That's FOUR POUNDS for two people.
I am eating mashed potatos every day this week.
I would like to write an explanation for her picking up four pounds of mashed potatos for us but I can't. All I can say is that mistakes are made when you don't think things through and this sort of thing happens all the time around here.
Monday
fundamental #1
Well the anoying galoot who works next to me asked one day which way I voted on a recent referendum.
My answer was that I don't care what the question is on a referendum I vote against it.
You see I don't believe in referendums.
We live in a representative democracy. We elect people to represent us in the legislature.
Referendums are an indication that these people are not doing their job.
Referendums are also a device through which a majority can exercise tyranny over a minority.
For these simple reasons I am against referendums.
When faced with a referendum call your representative and ask him why you have to deal with this issue when you hired him to do it for you.
My answer was that I don't care what the question is on a referendum I vote against it.
You see I don't believe in referendums.
We live in a representative democracy. We elect people to represent us in the legislature.
Referendums are an indication that these people are not doing their job.
Referendums are also a device through which a majority can exercise tyranny over a minority.
For these simple reasons I am against referendums.
When faced with a referendum call your representative and ask him why you have to deal with this issue when you hired him to do it for you.
Thursday
spanish flu
In the news today there are reports that the scientists have resurrected the Spanish Flu.
They have done this to study how it worked because it is closely related to bird flu.
Good and bad.
Good to know that there are people working on the possibility of bird flu infecting humans. After all it has killed over 60% of people who have caught it.
Bad to know that the Spanish Flu is on the planet again. After all it killed upto 50 million people.
Nake no mistake about it, we are not at the top of the food chain. A deadly flu virus will take the honors someday.
They have done this to study how it worked because it is closely related to bird flu.
Good and bad.
Good to know that there are people working on the possibility of bird flu infecting humans. After all it has killed over 60% of people who have caught it.
Bad to know that the Spanish Flu is on the planet again. After all it killed upto 50 million people.
Nake no mistake about it, we are not at the top of the food chain. A deadly flu virus will take the honors someday.
Tuesday
deja vu
I had a number of things I wanted to write about tonight but I spent my time pouring over some maps and the hours flew away!
It was just like being a kid again!
It was just like being a kid again!
Sunday
photo of the week
These little kids are all grown up now and have FIVE kids of their own!
Click on the photo for a full size view.
There is anothe jump photo posted below.
Saturday
puzzled
A good soaking rain.
A dreary day.
Something for me to look forward too!
Days like this pay off richly if you are interested in the river system like I am.
I drove from work to a little village by the name of Jersey in Licking county. They have a small stream that you drive over before entering the village. The stream was full and flowing fast. What I found most interesting was how twisty the little stream was. Not only did it twist and turn and contort right there but it did it for a few miles down stream.
The nearest road does not go directly next to this stream but I could more or less keep it in sight as I cruised south. I crossed back over the water in Pataskala, it was considerably larger by then.
From there it heads east to Kirkersville and grows into a full blown river. I was surprised to learn when I got home that my county map identifies it as the South Fork of the Licking River as far north as Jersey even though it is just a little stream there.
I drove into the cemetary in Kirkersville hoping to get a look at a little stream that flows into Feeder Creek, the main source of water for the lake. I was surprised at the size of the stream I drove over on my way in. It was flowing a lot of water east. I couldn't see any stream at the back of the cemetary.
I left and went down to Swamp Road, the road on the left in the ariel view of my previous post on this subject. I expected to see water in those ditches flowing west but they weren't. Mostly they were not flowing at all and had flooded the fields. One had moving water, moving the wrong way, east!
Now I am puzzled.
Then again it might not be that hard to figue out. I think there my be a place where the water flows into feeder creek only when it is allowed to. After all the lake was built to control the water level in the canals something was probably built to control the water level of the lake.
A dreary day.
Something for me to look forward too!
Days like this pay off richly if you are interested in the river system like I am.
I drove from work to a little village by the name of Jersey in Licking county. They have a small stream that you drive over before entering the village. The stream was full and flowing fast. What I found most interesting was how twisty the little stream was. Not only did it twist and turn and contort right there but it did it for a few miles down stream.
The nearest road does not go directly next to this stream but I could more or less keep it in sight as I cruised south. I crossed back over the water in Pataskala, it was considerably larger by then.
From there it heads east to Kirkersville and grows into a full blown river. I was surprised to learn when I got home that my county map identifies it as the South Fork of the Licking River as far north as Jersey even though it is just a little stream there.
I drove into the cemetary in Kirkersville hoping to get a look at a little stream that flows into Feeder Creek, the main source of water for the lake. I was surprised at the size of the stream I drove over on my way in. It was flowing a lot of water east. I couldn't see any stream at the back of the cemetary.
I left and went down to Swamp Road, the road on the left in the ariel view of my previous post on this subject. I expected to see water in those ditches flowing west but they weren't. Mostly they were not flowing at all and had flooded the fields. One had moving water, moving the wrong way, east!
Now I am puzzled.
Then again it might not be that hard to figue out. I think there my be a place where the water flows into feeder creek only when it is allowed to. After all the lake was built to control the water level in the canals something was probably built to control the water level of the lake.
Monday
Sunday
gadgets
Shocking!
I have one electrical outlet behind my desk and I am forced to run twelve lines to it.
Such is the nature of gadgets that I am forced into such a dangerous situation.
Well, it really isn't all that dangerous. I have two rack mount power strips that I use for everything. Unlike the power strips that most people end up with for their computer gear these have on\off switches. So everything is almost always turned off at the source.
And never will everything be turned on at the same time.
But such is the must have nature of gadgets today that such situations develop. I could wax on about a time in my youth when a Schwinn in the shed and four channels on the TV were more than enough to keep me occupied but you have probably heard that lament before.
Instead I will remind you of the rule that if something doesn't get used then it should be gotten rid of.
That being the case I need to do a few more things everyday or I may have to git rid of some of my gadgets.
I have one electrical outlet behind my desk and I am forced to run twelve lines to it.
Such is the nature of gadgets that I am forced into such a dangerous situation.
Well, it really isn't all that dangerous. I have two rack mount power strips that I use for everything. Unlike the power strips that most people end up with for their computer gear these have on\off switches. So everything is almost always turned off at the source.
And never will everything be turned on at the same time.
But such is the must have nature of gadgets today that such situations develop. I could wax on about a time in my youth when a Schwinn in the shed and four channels on the TV were more than enough to keep me occupied but you have probably heard that lament before.
Instead I will remind you of the rule that if something doesn't get used then it should be gotten rid of.
That being the case I need to do a few more things everyday or I may have to git rid of some of my gadgets.
Saturday
lost
Right in the middle of the Zeitgeist.
At some point in life you find yourself right in the middle of everything that is going on.
But the Z waits for no one and is always on the move. For most of us it eventually becomes uninteresting, even silly and stupid.
Some try to keep up with it, they end up looking a bit silly.
Some try to maintain the characteristics of the Zeitgeist of their youth, they end up looking a bit silly too.
There is, perhaps, a middle ground. A place for us to go along side the evolving Zeitgeist. A neutral path where we are free to pursue the interests we have without the need to be part of everything.
The 'must haves' and the 'must be's' disappear. We can find freedom when we no longer have the need to make statements that have become irrelevent.
But river Z is always flowing nearby and many of us are stuck in it's murky waters. Unable to dive in with the current generation and unable to understand what happened to the clear flow we once were in. These are the lost ones.
At some point in life you find yourself right in the middle of everything that is going on.
But the Z waits for no one and is always on the move. For most of us it eventually becomes uninteresting, even silly and stupid.
Some try to keep up with it, they end up looking a bit silly.
Some try to maintain the characteristics of the Zeitgeist of their youth, they end up looking a bit silly too.
There is, perhaps, a middle ground. A place for us to go along side the evolving Zeitgeist. A neutral path where we are free to pursue the interests we have without the need to be part of everything.
The 'must haves' and the 'must be's' disappear. We can find freedom when we no longer have the need to make statements that have become irrelevent.
But river Z is always flowing nearby and many of us are stuck in it's murky waters. Unable to dive in with the current generation and unable to understand what happened to the clear flow we once were in. These are the lost ones.
Friday
sitting on a story
The media get things wrong, we all know that.
Regretfully this idea may be correct.
Where I live, there is a recurring story.
There is a river nearby that floods every once in a while.
The media springs into action when this happens. They jump into their vans and sprint out here from the city, often they end up right at my house, sometimes all at once.
Why my house?
Because I have a part of the river next door, a lake out in front and the flooding just off to the other side. (By the way, my house has never flooded.)
I and some family members have done numerous interviews for TV and the papers and without fail we have been surprised by the results. Why? Because the media had the whole story before they got here, they just needed some comments from the public to put it together.
Lesson: Even though you think you are saying one thing someone can take part of what you said and make it sound like something else.
Fact is the media can't be bothered much anymore with getting things right. That takes time.
They need to air their stories as soon as possible.
What good is the truth when it is the last one to show up?
Anyway when they come out here they point their cameras at the lake and blame it for the flooding.
It is an easy story to believe but it just isn't true.
You see this lake is one of those old man made resevoirs built for the canals back in the 1840's. It just doesn't have much of a watershed. Nevertheless some water can be seen splashing over the spillway when the river is high so the lake must be at fault.
Here is the rub. The part the media doesn't look for.
Since the lake is man made it needed water diverted to it. The state figured out what the height of the water level of the lake would be and then they went up the nearby river until they found a place even higher. The Irish workers started digging with their shovels and after a few miles a series of ditches were cut into the earth and water filled the resevoir.
What this means is that the water coming over the spillway when the river is in flood is always water from that same river!
Here is an ariel view of it. I put this together from Yahoo maps, give them a try. I colored in the river and the creek that feeds the lake. Included some directional arrows too.
Regretfully this idea may be correct.
Where I live, there is a recurring story.
There is a river nearby that floods every once in a while.
The media springs into action when this happens. They jump into their vans and sprint out here from the city, often they end up right at my house, sometimes all at once.
Why my house?
Because I have a part of the river next door, a lake out in front and the flooding just off to the other side. (By the way, my house has never flooded.)
I and some family members have done numerous interviews for TV and the papers and without fail we have been surprised by the results. Why? Because the media had the whole story before they got here, they just needed some comments from the public to put it together.
Lesson: Even though you think you are saying one thing someone can take part of what you said and make it sound like something else.
Fact is the media can't be bothered much anymore with getting things right. That takes time.
They need to air their stories as soon as possible.
What good is the truth when it is the last one to show up?
Anyway when they come out here they point their cameras at the lake and blame it for the flooding.
It is an easy story to believe but it just isn't true.
You see this lake is one of those old man made resevoirs built for the canals back in the 1840's. It just doesn't have much of a watershed. Nevertheless some water can be seen splashing over the spillway when the river is high so the lake must be at fault.
Here is the rub. The part the media doesn't look for.
Since the lake is man made it needed water diverted to it. The state figured out what the height of the water level of the lake would be and then they went up the nearby river until they found a place even higher. The Irish workers started digging with their shovels and after a few miles a series of ditches were cut into the earth and water filled the resevoir.
What this means is that the water coming over the spillway when the river is in flood is always water from that same river!
Here is an ariel view of it. I put this together from Yahoo maps, give them a try. I colored in the river and the creek that feeds the lake. Included some directional arrows too.
Thursday
photo of the week
These grainy jump photos were shot with a Minolta 110 SLR.
The camera was stolen Thanksgiving weekend 1987 in a break in while we were away.
The little boy in the middle is the singer in the picture of the band below.
Wednesday
Tuesday
fundamentalist politics
Living in Ohio I have met my share of fundamentalists. Even have some in the family.
However this is not an entry about the effect of fundamentalists on American politics.
In the U.S. when we say the word fundamentalist we are most likely talking about Christians.
I am not.
I am talking about living your life according to fundamental ideas that you believe in versus living your life in turmoil because the world does not belive in your ideas.
Many people today are polarized from one another because they cannot listen to each other. This happens because they have staked their claim and cannot budge one way or the other.
I think this is a self destructive stand to take.
The ability to talk about something is one of God's blessings upon us. Fundamentalists throw this gift away.
My anchor may have a firm grip below but the line to the boat is long and I can drift around a lot to listen to others.
You should give yourself this freedom too.
However this is not an entry about the effect of fundamentalists on American politics.
In the U.S. when we say the word fundamentalist we are most likely talking about Christians.
I am not.
I am talking about living your life according to fundamental ideas that you believe in versus living your life in turmoil because the world does not belive in your ideas.
Many people today are polarized from one another because they cannot listen to each other. This happens because they have staked their claim and cannot budge one way or the other.
I think this is a self destructive stand to take.
The ability to talk about something is one of God's blessings upon us. Fundamentalists throw this gift away.
My anchor may have a firm grip below but the line to the boat is long and I can drift around a lot to listen to others.
You should give yourself this freedom too.
Monday
promise much, deliver little
A blog entry starts with as little as a phrase.
A phrase leads to an idea and the idea develops at the tips of your fingers as you tap away on the keyboard. You may not even be aware of where it is going.
Some people drive cars like this and some don't. This driver must always go the same way while the next one will turn down any road just to see what is there.
The start of a new year brings us the two R's. Reflection and Resolution.
Reflect on what has been gained and lost, done and undone, said and unsaid.
Resolve to do the things that will bring satisfaction upon reflection.
The life we see in advertising is promise. We can live like that if we do this or buy that.
The life that we see around us is reality. We get up early to go to work. The cars we drive are not so new. The products we use do not make us so beautiful. The house is not as nice or as clean. The job is not so fun.
And there is nothing wrong with any of that.
Nevertheless frustrations build up in a great many people. Their perception of what their reality should be and what it is just doesn't jive.
That is like choosing to be unhappy.
I don't know about you but I can't put up with any of that.
So as I reflect on the recent past I see few gains and some genuine losses but I also see a resolution growing inside to build on what I have.
Work on the things that you have already expressed an interest in. Get a few accomplishments before distractions pull you away.
The promises made are great but they depend on the recipient for delivery.
A phrase leads to an idea and the idea develops at the tips of your fingers as you tap away on the keyboard. You may not even be aware of where it is going.
Some people drive cars like this and some don't. This driver must always go the same way while the next one will turn down any road just to see what is there.
The start of a new year brings us the two R's. Reflection and Resolution.
Reflect on what has been gained and lost, done and undone, said and unsaid.
Resolve to do the things that will bring satisfaction upon reflection.
The life we see in advertising is promise. We can live like that if we do this or buy that.
The life that we see around us is reality. We get up early to go to work. The cars we drive are not so new. The products we use do not make us so beautiful. The house is not as nice or as clean. The job is not so fun.
And there is nothing wrong with any of that.
Nevertheless frustrations build up in a great many people. Their perception of what their reality should be and what it is just doesn't jive.
That is like choosing to be unhappy.
I don't know about you but I can't put up with any of that.
So as I reflect on the recent past I see few gains and some genuine losses but I also see a resolution growing inside to build on what I have.
Work on the things that you have already expressed an interest in. Get a few accomplishments before distractions pull you away.
The promises made are great but they depend on the recipient for delivery.
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