Musings from “Life Is a Road” author–Daniel Meyer
Archive for December, 2007
And there but for the grace of God, go I
Dec 31st
That was likely seconds behind me…there were not many bikes out last night…and I passed one Northbound about 2 miles back from that exit…just before 2am…
I likely waved to this man…
Y’all be safe!
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer
Tailgunner?
Dec 30th
I think I could use a tailgunner. Folks last night were apparently practicing for the drive home after their New Years parties.
Practicing, as in, most were drunk or otherwise imparied.
Yep, I head home from work around 2:00am each night…we call that “drunk o’clock” or “drunk-thirty”. The hours between 2:00am and 4:00am are the worst…as my boss has said, “Nothing good happens then.”
Inside of 5 miles I had 4 different cages change lanes on or nearly on top of me. Expectation and staying alert to all available escape paths gave me plenty of room…but really folks….
Inside of 10 miles I had passed or otherwise encountered 10-12 cars where I could smell the alcohol (we bikers can do that ya knows…). Out of four more cars, I could smell weed.
In the 20 miles of freeway traveled, 5 cars came from behind so fast that had I, or the other cages in my area, not been alert and changed lanes, the fast moving oncoming moron would have taken us out. We’re talking speeds well in excess of 100mph. Two were weaving and barely in control. One bumped the wall. He managed to get it back in the lane, but didn’t touch his brakes or slow.
I can’t recall a night that I encountered so many drivers that I could easily identify as impaired.
I’ve got no problem with folks indulging whatever vice they may have…but they need stay out of their car when they do.
Y’all have a safe New Year’s Eve! I may just drive “Big Iron”, the 7000 pound, 4×4, jacked up, 450 horsepower pick-em-up truck, to work instead of the bike that night…I might stand a chance of surviving if one of these idiots manages to take me out.
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer
Oh, and tomorrow? I suppose the inevitable New Year’s resolutions are in order…
Grownups?
Dec 28th
Art Geekiness–Part the quad…
Dec 25th
Lookee what I got for Christmas!
Picture swiped from Blick art supplies site. I had to rush to work today and didn’t get around to taking pictures.
That’s an airbrush…the complete everything…and NOT a beginner’s gun.
The gun is an Iwata Eclipse series gun…a very versitle double-action, professional airbrush. It will shoot anything from food-color to heavy acrylics. I can do anything from enhancing my watercolor paintings to custom graphics on motorcycles (provided I have the skill, of course!)
This is just too cool. Easily my favorite gift of the year.
Why my favorite? Is it because it’s expensive? No, that’s not it at all. Expensive I can handle…I could buy it on my own.
Why then? It’s simply this…the people that love me got me something that has no other purpose than to help me create…
I love to write, I love art, I love music. I love riding, experiencing new things, and I love to create things…whether it’s art, books, buildings or whatever…
Of all the things in my life that I’ve accomplished…publishing my books is what I’m most proud of. I’m also excited about my dabblings in the visual arts…painting and drawing…
Examples of my artwork are here btw.
These are not things that pay my way. They are not things that are something someone with my defined role…my place in this world…would normally do. Society expects me to shut up and work at a corporate job until I drop dead. Expects may not be the right word…demands may be more appropriate. Step outside that role, and the pressures are immediate and not at all subtle to get right back inside…even, sadly, from friends and family at times. Lives of quiet desperation has somehow…become the required norm. That death of passion…when you finally abandon all your dreams…is when you’ve really “grown up.”
And yet, in experiencing and creating lies my passion. The people in my life got me something that enables that. This tool is for creating…that’s it’s only function. They went out of their way to get it for me. They got one that is not a cheap throw-away or short-timer, but rather a professional unit that will continue to serve even as my skill grows.
That’s affirmation…it says they understand…and it’s okay if I step outside my role, if even for a moment.
I can’t begin to explain how much that means…
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer
Tonight’s the night the world begins again…
Dec 24th
I’m working tonight…and completely alone. I’ll get off around 2:00am…earlier if I’m lucky…but what better way to connect with what tonight really means then to spend some time alone…and then ride through the magical Texas night under the bright stars, and home to loved ones. More >
Cheap and Dumb. It’s the trend.
Dec 22nd
So, I’ve been on a candy-cooking binge for the past few days. It’s the holidays, and I make lots of stuff for friends, relatives (hey, sometimes that’s the same thing!), and gifts/parties etc. More >
Candy-making…
Dec 16th
One thing that often surprises folks about me is that I’m a very capable cook. Interestingly though, I married a southern woman who generally won’t let me in the kitchen. Something has to be actually on fire, or something needs killed before she’ll let me at the cooking implements.
Holidays are the exception. One of my specialties is candy-making. I’m quite accomplished at it. I’ve even made home-made peppermint and candy canes. Around the holidays we tend to make large batches of stuff and package it into reasonable quantities for gifts to friends and family.
I guess if I can’t lose weight…maybe I can make everybody I know fat so I don’t have to worry about it!
Tomorrow is candy making day…one of several next week I expect. On this year’s menu, my famous peanut brittle, fudge, a load of layered peppermint bark (chocolate and white chocolate with embedded crushed peppermint), toffee, and chocolate covered toffee. These are all simpler recipes, just because I’m working a lot and don’t have much time to spend.
On the kitchen table right now…50 pounds of sugar, 10 pounds real butter, 2 quarts of corn syrup, 5 cans evaporated milk, 10 pounds of premium dark chocolate chips, 2 pounds of white chocolate chips, 5 jars of marshmellow cream (don’t have time to make my own right now), and about 5 pounds of uncooked spanish peanuts. Rounding it up are various small containers of peppermint oil, real vanilla extract, salt, soda, and some green food color in case I decide to tint the white chocolate layer of the peppermint bark.
Tomorrow I’ll apply some fire and see what happens.
Film at 11?
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer
To be near you…to be free…
Dec 11th
Can you hear me, can you hear me
Through the dark night, far away,
I am dying, forever trying,
To be with you, who can say.
Music has always kept me sane. I’m not sure what I’d do without it.
Y’all remember the classic, sappy song, “Sailing”?
“Sailing” was written by Gavin Sutherland in 1972, and I’m pretty sure just about every singer has done a cover performance of it at one time or another…
The past is present…
Dec 8th
Note:
This is an older post…I found it in my journal…it’s actually from 2005…but it pretty much sums up the way the current holiday season has been going…work and personal life included. Gad, scary how little things have changed. It’s rather educational to see that the problems exist, but I’ve not done anything about it. Gawd how the time flies…it’s from 2005!
More >
A date that will live in infamy…
Dec 7th
Today is for remembering.
It only takes a moment.
In that moment, many spent a lifetime.
(clicky clicky for a larger view)
Life’s short. Let’s ride.
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer