Cling and Clatter

October 16, 2006It's often interesting to compare what people say with how they say it.  Sometimes it seems that what someone says has less of an impact than how they say it.  I suppose it depends on the topic and audience.  Considering how rarely someone actually changes their mind in a "debate,"  I don't suppose it matters much what anyone says.  A debate ought to edify all of its participants.  Unfortunately, they are usually just lists of "reasons", "proofs", and bits of "logic" that just convolute the issue, leave questions unanswered, and generally irritate all involved.  No one comes away from a debate feeling like they made a difference, because no one debates unless they have already decided; and once you've already decided, why debate?

Rare Posts these days

October 16, 2006I'm sorry I haven't been around lately.  With all the stimulating discussion flying about, I'm just trying to get up in the mornings and make it home after work.  I'm getting up about 5am, out the door about 6am, at work at 7am, and home at about 5pm.  I'm not really enjoying work right now.  It's monotonous, and I get very little accomplished.  I don't like feeling like I have to struggle to make myself useful.

Motorcycle Riding - I've been taking the bike to work nearly every day.  In the last two weeks, I haven't missed a day.  Last Friday, it was about 25F.  It wouldn't be too bad for a short period, but an hour at 70mph is chilly.  I have the following, however, to keep me warm:
Thermal Pants
Thermal Shirt
Hooded Sweatshirt
Riding Jacket with Quilted Liner
Waterproof Riding Pants
Wool Socks
Waterproof Winter Boots
Neck Gator
Ski Mask
Ski Gloves
Cotton Glove Liners
Balaclava

I haven't yet reached the point that is "too cold to ride."  Even at an hour, I think I can do down into the the teens at least.  At 25F, I didn't have the balaclava yet and the only thing that was cold was my mouth.  That shouldn't be a problem now.  So why do I ride so cold?  It takes nearly 30 minutes to get suited up, secured, and on the road, but I save over $12 every DAY that I ride.  It's definitely worth it.  And though early cold rides aren't the most fun, it's still better than an hour in the cage (Sentra), and the ride home along Highway 70N is relaxing, beautiful, and generally superior to I-40.  I'm average about 55mpg, which would be higher if I could avoid the interstate altogether.

Today it rained.  It was in the upper 40's when I left the house so I had all of my cold weather stuff except the sweatshirt, thermals, and ski mask.  I was nice and warm.  On the way home, it started sprinkling as I was getting on the bike.  It was still in the 40's all the way home, and it rained or sprinkled most of the way.  I took my time because of the decreased traction, which basically put me riding in cold rain for about 2hrs.  Amazingly, I wasn't too cold at the end.  My hands started to get chilly once the water started to seep up the crack between the jacket and gloves, and my waste started to get a little wet, but I wasn't miserable.  Unfortunately, I was a little tired, as it took a lot of concentration to drive on those rodes safely, and I had to content with a mask that wanted to fog.  Tomorrow there's a 70% chance of rain, so I think I'll set this day out.  I considered it and still may if the weather looks different tomorrow morning, but I think I'd rather just take a day.  Overall, the whole motorcycle thing seems to be working out well.  I've made back several hundred dollars already.

Daniel is so amazing.  That little boy is growing up so fast.  Today, I heard him make a new sound (something like "choo") and I saw him open and close his Noah's ark toy, which is impressive considering that the mechanism is the springy button that I didn't think he could work.  He's getting around really well, and he has also grown socially, too.  Apparently he hugged a sad friend the other day just to cheer him up.  it so amazing watching him.  He's soooo talkative right now.  Most of what he says sounds like words, they're just not words I know.  He knows what he means, and much is starting to sound like English ( bob=book, caa=cat, cuh=cup, mih=milk, mama=mommy, dada=daddy, nana=Nana ), and some other sounds that make sense in context.  My favorite of all, though, is when he grabs a book.  I'll ask him if he wants me to read it to him, and he'll walk over, hand it to me, sit in my lap, and open the book.  Of course, we only get through a page or two before he's bored again, but it's still awesome.     

Wishlist Confusion

October 05, 2006There may be some confusion on the wishlist.

My name is listed as Josh Morgan, city as Cookeville

Wishlist

October 04, 2006
So I started an online wishlist so family members will always know what I want for B-days, holidays, etc.  I have some motorcycle accessories I want to add, but it's started at least.  Some of the stuff is pretty expensive, in the "none of us know what to get him so let's go in together and get this" category.  But there's cheap stuff, too.  So, family.... now you have no excuse.  No sweaters with reindeer and candy canes.  :)

Find mine and search for other wishlists here!

Cruisin

September 27, 2006I've been taking my bike to work every day I can since last week.  As of today, I've put nearly 1,000 miles on the bike, which is a lot considering I've only had it here in Cookeville for 2 weeks.  I guess you can really rack up the miles when you spend 2 1/2 hours on it most days.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I won't be riding, but I'll ride Friday, making this a 4/5 week.  I've started taking Highway 70N home from work.  It takes about 20min extra, but it's an awesome ride!  No crazy drivers or massive trucks, no congestion, no rush, and no monotony.  It's fun, comfortable, and I get MUCH better gas mileage out there.  On the highway, I get about 50mpg, but those back roads (going about 50 instead of 70), I get about 70mpg.  I take the interstate to get to work because it is still dark and I don't feel like doing back roads in the dark, but I get to have fun on the way home.


In related news, 45F at 70mph is really cold.  Any lower, and I'm gonna have to get something like this.  I've pulled out the wool socks, but have managed to do without them.


At 45F, I can get by with winter gloves, a neck warmer, my jacket with liner, jeans, riding pants, more jeans, and normal socks.  As the temp drops, I'll add other stuff to keep my head warm, add thermal pants and shirt, add wool socks, and add a thin pair of gloves to wear inside my winter gloves.  I'm not sure yet how low I can go, but I think I'll be able to do about 30F.  I can probably do lower if I can find a way to keep the wind off my hands.


Work is bearable.  I haven't gotten to do anything particularly cool lately.  I've spend some time chasing down parts and tweaking some databases, but it's going to be a couple weeks before anything big happens.  For now, I just twiddle away, looking forward to a great ride home and an evening with the family.  Liz is at school a lot of the time now, so I don't get to talk to her as much as I'm used to.  Earlier, I'd call her during breaks and/or lunch throughout the day.  Now, I'm lucky if I get to speak to her once.  It's lame.


Oh!  I made myself some heat shields for the bike.  I was melting my pants, and the only reasonably priced shields were on "indefinite backorder" so I made some.  Liz helped, too, by doing most of the rivetting. 





I'm off.  I need to return a movie, fuel up the bike (I do that every day, put in a whole 2 gallons-ish) and make a walmart run.