The things that I have to be thankful for are many, my family, my health (sort of), and most importantly my friends. There are many other things I can list but those are the top few. Friends are the family God never gave you. There's the saying that "you're born into your family, but you chose your friends". I feel I've made some great choices. I'm lucky I guess. I'm thankful I know.
It's amazing that this year is almost over. I swear this year has been one of the shortest years ever! I think February had only like 8 days, I mean that's the only way I can explain the shortness of this year! It must have been one of those "leap" years. Well whatever the case, I'm telling you this year seems amazingly short to me. This year was also very trying for me. It by far has been one of the, if not the hardest year of my life.
Last year I left a great paying job on the verge of receiving a large raise. I wasn't happy. Last year I realized I didn't want to live my life doing something that didn't make me happy, no matter how much money I made. I took a "part time" job, actually now that I think about it, it wasn't really part time. I mean I worked 38 hours a week so I was just 2 hours shy of being "full time". I quickly realized that 15 units of school and working 38 hours was a bit more than I expected.
That was the reason I left, I was returning to school to follow a dream that I've had since I was a child. I want to work with cars. When I was a kid I dreamt of designing engines for automobiles. I wanted to look at cars driving down the street and say "I made that". After attempting to become a Mechanical Engineer, I quickly realized that math wasn't my strongest subject. So that dream faded away, but the desire was still in me. After achieving a point in my "career" that I thought I'd be happy with, I realized I wasn't. I realized that I wanted to be happy and money wasn't everything in life. That's when I quit and went back to school. Mechanical Engineering was out of the question but I still want to see an automobile either rolling down the street or on television and be able to say "I made that".
I'm going back to school to learn Auto Technology, or in easier to understand words, I want to be a mechanic. My goal is to open my own shop in the not too distant future and lean towards performance oriented work. Eventually I'd love to be somewhat of a "So-Cal Speed Shop". I want people to bring in their cars and intrust them to me so that I can turn them into the tire melting power plants that will capture the attention of all people within ear shot of my creation. It will take time, but the excitement I get from just imaging it is proof enough that I'm doing the right thing.
The decision to leave my previous job was hard, but I did it with a goal. I immediately enrolled in school and told myself that I would give myself at the most 2 years to be employed in some type of auto repair/performance related field. I told myself that if in 2 years I hadn't done this then this would have been the single worst decision I have ever made. If you know me, you probably know I trust my decisions unconditionally. I believe in myself, I've gotten myself this far, I can push myself further, I know I can.
Last week I accepted a job as an Auto Tech in a reputable car shop, more than a year ahead of the time frame that I had given myself. I start my new job in about 3 weeks. I'm happy. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I gave myself to be happy. I'm thankful that I believe in myself enough to take a risk. My life has been full of decisions, hard ones, but I feel I did my best in every situation to be true to my dreams and beliefs. It has been a hard year, I'm sure I'll mention it again but like I told a friend of mine last night "with every door that closes a new one opens". I know it's an old cheesy saying but this year more than any, it rings true for me. There are doors that have not fully closed for me yet but I'm okay with that too, I still move forward towards my dreams.
I'm thankful that I've had this year to grow. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy, I loved that song the first time I heard it, now it will always remind me of this year. I'm thankful that I've met the people that I have this year. I'm thankful for the experiences I will never forget. There is no amount of money that could have bought me the memories that I will have forever from this year. I'm thankful.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Safety In Numbers
It is said that there is safety in numbers. Well how about 20,000. That sound safe enough? I tell you that it sure as hell felt safe. What am I talking about you ask? I'm talking about the largest single-day motorcycling event in the world, The Love Ride.
I love riding my motorcycle, it's one of the things in life that I know that every time I do it I'm going to have a great time. I go out and I can be feeling like crap, but when I'm out there riding I have to focus on just that, riding. I'm cautious of the people around me, I enjoy the world, I feel the wind in my face, I can enjoy all of the feelings that come with riding, I take it all in fully and gratefully. Man do I love riding.
I go out and I am very cautious of other motorists on the road. I mean I'm just a lone rider on a small (compared to the huge SUV's out there) vehicle. So I always keep an eye out in anticipation of what other people are and aren't going to do. I've had some close calls but thankfully I'm still here in one piece.
This past Sunday was different though. This past Sunday I met up with 20,000+ other riders in Glendale for the Love Ride. I've ridden alone for the 2 years that I've owned a motorcycle. Let me tell you going from riding alone to riding with thousands of other bikers is an amazing difference. The event blocked off about 6 city blocks in Glendale. The streets were full of motorcycles, mostly Harley's. In middle of it all there I was.
The day started early with all riders meeting in Glendale where we were treated to a small concert and the joy of watching almost every kind of bike imaginable ride down the street. Cruisers and sport bikes alike. It was amazing. At 9:3oam the ride was to begin to Lake Castaic, about 40 miles north of Glendale.
I used to describe the sound of a Harley as a man made thunderous roar that could be heard rolling down the street, a beautiful sound that brings joy to my heart and many others that love to ride. On Sunday my description changed, the sound of not only one but twenty thousand plus Harley's rolling down the 5 freeway was more like the crack of lightning multiplied hundreds of times per minute. The sound is impressive, amazing, deafening, beautiful, it's everything you can imagine pure uninhibited mechanical power to sound like. I loved every beat of those engines rolling down the highway on our forty mile journey to Lake Castaic. That day I didn't have to worry about the other vehicles on the road, that day the other vehicles on the road had to worry about us! It's a feeling that I will never forget and one that I plan on repeating for years to come.
The day ended with a concert from the Black Crowes which was great to watch. The people were great. Everyone was happy, no problems arose and all the chrome was beautiful as it created a glistening river down the road. I had a great time. Maybe next year one of you will be able to share in the experience with me, I'm sure you'll remember it for a lifetime.
I love riding my motorcycle, it's one of the things in life that I know that every time I do it I'm going to have a great time. I go out and I can be feeling like crap, but when I'm out there riding I have to focus on just that, riding. I'm cautious of the people around me, I enjoy the world, I feel the wind in my face, I can enjoy all of the feelings that come with riding, I take it all in fully and gratefully. Man do I love riding.
I go out and I am very cautious of other motorists on the road. I mean I'm just a lone rider on a small (compared to the huge SUV's out there) vehicle. So I always keep an eye out in anticipation of what other people are and aren't going to do. I've had some close calls but thankfully I'm still here in one piece.
This past Sunday was different though. This past Sunday I met up with 20,000+ other riders in Glendale for the Love Ride. I've ridden alone for the 2 years that I've owned a motorcycle. Let me tell you going from riding alone to riding with thousands of other bikers is an amazing difference. The event blocked off about 6 city blocks in Glendale. The streets were full of motorcycles, mostly Harley's. In middle of it all there I was.
The day started early with all riders meeting in Glendale where we were treated to a small concert and the joy of watching almost every kind of bike imaginable ride down the street. Cruisers and sport bikes alike. It was amazing. At 9:3oam the ride was to begin to Lake Castaic, about 40 miles north of Glendale.
I used to describe the sound of a Harley as a man made thunderous roar that could be heard rolling down the street, a beautiful sound that brings joy to my heart and many others that love to ride. On Sunday my description changed, the sound of not only one but twenty thousand plus Harley's rolling down the 5 freeway was more like the crack of lightning multiplied hundreds of times per minute. The sound is impressive, amazing, deafening, beautiful, it's everything you can imagine pure uninhibited mechanical power to sound like. I loved every beat of those engines rolling down the highway on our forty mile journey to Lake Castaic. That day I didn't have to worry about the other vehicles on the road, that day the other vehicles on the road had to worry about us! It's a feeling that I will never forget and one that I plan on repeating for years to come.
The day ended with a concert from the Black Crowes which was great to watch. The people were great. Everyone was happy, no problems arose and all the chrome was beautiful as it created a glistening river down the road. I had a great time. Maybe next year one of you will be able to share in the experience with me, I'm sure you'll remember it for a lifetime.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Do you believe in Ghosts?
Ghosts, a paranormal phenomenon, spirits in the night. Things that go bump in the dark cold space between here and there. That chill that you get when you think you're alone, but not really. A sudden drop in temperature? Or something from your past that lingers in your own soul.
Does everyone have Ghosts? Literally or figuratively? Is there something that haunts us day in and day out? Do we get over these lingering impressions, or do they haunt us forever? Better question, should we want to be rid of the ghosts that linger? Maybe we shouldn't try to get over ghosts from our past. Maybe instead of forgetting our past and dooming ourselves to repeat it, we should confront these ghosts. Using our past to better our future is always better than burying our past and conjuring the same phantoms that we "buried" before.
Don't be afraid of the dark. Don't be afraid of Ghosts. Don't exorcise those spirits. Instead confront them and let them make you a better person.
My shit is still here, inside my head. It's there to remind me of the things that I should do. It reminds me that I have enough of that shit in my head that I don't need any more.
Does everyone have Ghosts? Literally or figuratively? Is there something that haunts us day in and day out? Do we get over these lingering impressions, or do they haunt us forever? Better question, should we want to be rid of the ghosts that linger? Maybe we shouldn't try to get over ghosts from our past. Maybe instead of forgetting our past and dooming ourselves to repeat it, we should confront these ghosts. Using our past to better our future is always better than burying our past and conjuring the same phantoms that we "buried" before.
Don't be afraid of the dark. Don't be afraid of Ghosts. Don't exorcise those spirits. Instead confront them and let them make you a better person.
My shit is still here, inside my head. It's there to remind me of the things that I should do. It reminds me that I have enough of that shit in my head that I don't need any more.
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