Some more musing...

Finally!! A Google search that makes sense!! (To me at least)

I was #15 for the person who was searching for:

["50 minutes" + blog + "good beer" + "good friends" ]

Now there’s a search I’m glad I came up on!!

This one took me a minute to understand how I even showed up, as #9 of 9

["frankie carr" + "las vegas" ]

Then I remembered I’d mentioned each of these items, but in two separate and fairly far apart posts…. I think I'll never stop marveling at the search engine results!!

*---------------------------------------------------------*

I worked from home again today; it truly is one of the better ‘perks’ with this contract. I get so much more done when I’m here, but I’ve told you all about that before.

So, about the possibility up in Central NY, so far, nothing. I know my resume was hand delivered on Monday, so I’m thinking at this point they’re not exactly ‘up against the bit’ with a need to talk to me. It’s ok though, our philosophy is, if it’s meant to be, it will happen, otherwise we should just let it go!

I have to admit to being a bit torn anyway. Between really being excited about the prospect of moving back, being close to my Mom (who's 78 this year), my oldest friends, and really enjoying the current contract.

The project manager has mentioned on several occasions that she’d like to see the company hire me on full time, and has been working to put that together. I'd really would like that to happen as well, if the fit is right!

On the other hand, contracting for the past year has me more relaxed than I’ve been in a decade. More focused on family, and time away from the office than I’ve ever been (Maryan has a lot to do with that as well) and in general pretty satisfied with the way things are going. The allure of a regular paycheck, paid time off, a 401K, company paid medical etc.. is strong though… very strong.

Regardless of what the ‘real job’ market brings, I’m continuing to work on finding market(s) for things I’d like to write about. I’ve got a piece about the truck project in the works, which has me wishing I’d taken 1,000 more photos!!

Another article/story about motorcycling, a fairly general piece, which has more to do with my philosophy about riding, and why it’s such a part of who I am, than with roads or destinations. No, it’s not the leather and chains (although it’s a nice bonus!)… for me it’s about a ‘one-ness’ and a totally ‘in the moment’ experience.

I wonder sometimes, how I got to that ‘Zen’ kind of motorcycling experience. It wasn’t the book (“Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance), I read it, enjoyed it, but never really adopted the author’s concepts at the time.

Back then I was consumed with speed, horsepower, blistering acceleration, and big ‘top end’ numbers. Finding me cruising down a 4-lane at 120+/mph was not unusual… nor was clipping off sub-12 second quarter miles (again on the street) on the Kawasaki…

Somewhere, between then, and here, I discovered the joy of the ride itself. So much so that I’ve told many folks that you’re never quite as alone as you are when riding a motorcycle.

You’re encased in riding gear, leather jacket and pants or a ‘riding suit’, either one equipped with ‘armor’ in the appropriate places. Gloves to protect your hands, above the ankle boots, and finally, your head encased in a full face helmet. This ‘suiting up’ has an interesting effect on me.

First, it all insulates you from the environment a bit, then helmet especially blocks out nearly everything but the sound of the bike, and the wind.

So there I am, cruising down some twisty mountain road, in and out of the dappled sunlight, picking a line for the next corner almost before I’m out of the last, yet, initially my thoughts are the loudest thing inside that helmet.

But, as the miles roll up, those thoughts are soon replaced by the wind, the rumble of the engine or the occasional scrape of a peg on the highway, until finally they’re quiet at last. The job, that leaky faucette, the credit card bills, problems with a neighbor... everything... evaporates... replaced by the process of riding, the 5 senses taking it all in and my body reacting, working with the bike.

Some folks take a pill, I take a ride… and when the weather will not cooperate, I head into the garage and let the sounds of the grinder, air ratchet, hammer on steel or a DA sander take its place.

That quiet, in the moment serenity, do you know it? How do you ‘get there’?