Searchin’ For You…In The Cold Kentucky Rain…
It’s not raining and it’s not cold in Kentucky today. But every time the kids show me a picture of their grandma’s dock and water, I think of that Elvis song. This is the first picture my son, read it again, my son, sent me from his new phone. He was the only one in our very crazy, extended, mixed-up marriage family, that did not have a smart phone. He is on his dad’s contract and had to wait for his upgrade, and it’s finally here. Good fortune too that he got it in Kentucky. Lots of good stuff to take pictures of. Like the above for instance. Sometimes you need a little boost from technology to enhance the natural talent. My kids definitely have something. Anyway, in case you were wondering he also has the Galaxy S4. He deserves to have something really great once in a while. Hopefully there will be more pics I can share. I saw my daughter posted some more underwater pictures. I am hoping to get those too and then I will get back to posting all the stuff I said I was going to post. The pics are all ready. I’ve been working on the ideas and set up for a week now, but I chose to be social and go out and hang with the BF this weekend. Now it’s Monday. And I have to work every day. But I seem to accomplish more in my tight schedule, so, expect greatness. No, wait. Let’s not over sell this. Expect…”good”ness. And some interesting visuals. Time is almost up. Thank you, my son, for the beautiful picture! Daughter, send me those swimming shots! Everyone else, have a fab day in the temperate weather. This holiday week is supposed to be nice. Get out in it, but be safe. Later.
Floating Rain Logs
Two extra days off. Let’s make the best of the free time. All the posts that I want. With all the pictures of nature that I have. Finish that laundry for good. Do all the chores on the list. Drag around the two kids, plus one, that I have for these two days. I inherited my brother’s step-daughter for a few days. And they want to go to the video store and rent The Walking Dead–Season 3. And get pizza.
If available. Otherwise scary movies. I’ve committed some of our night to The Dukes Of Hazzard movie, per my son. So, I will have plenty of time to get that laundry done and all the other stuff too. I wasted my last days playing this damn game:
I revamped my Tiny Village to make it more profitable and visually appealing. And since I’m anal and have OCD, it really took a lot of my time. Oh, and I have fishing day pics too. Less typing, more action. More later.
As promised: Higher level thinking! Stink Bugs!
And it’s a crappy pic to boot. But I was so surprised and shocked that I had to hurry and take it with the phone. I have never in my whole life seen one in person. Weird right? And there it was just sitting on the garbage can. I only know what it is because the kids are always talking about them and their shield shape. And there it is! And you thought this was going to be just another lame ass Friday. As I was trying to take its photograph it started walking away from me so I got one more pic and it picked up and flew away. And I haven’t seen another one since?
Here’s another question: Where do stink bugs live? Like, in trees? The ground? They must be hanging out somewhere when we don’t see them. Any bug people out there want to help me out?
I guess I could look it up on the internet seeing as I seem to have all this free time. Should have researched that first huh? Anyway, here’s the other Stink Bug picture:
And ready to bring it home…
Last semester. Schedule secured. Paid in full. ID updated. Lucky pen pack purchased. Said goodbye to my friends and headed out the door.
Drove to the local White Castle (I know right? but for some reason it hits you when you drive past it) and got a bunch of crap I definitely don’t need to eat. With the DIET Coke. I mean, come on, the food is really enough. And they shorted me on three of my chicken rings. Which is actually fine because instead of being able to type this I would probably be in the bathroom throwing up, wondering why I ever ate all that food in the first place. I don’t have any kind of eating disorder, I just wanted something nasty before I starve myself for the next month! Seriously…it sucks too because of Christmas and all that.
The reason I will not be eating more than grains and water (and exercising like a fiend—don’t worry purists I still need some muscle tone) is because I have a picture to take in January. Late January, early Feb. It is probably the most important and most meaningful picture I will ever take in my whole life, and I’ve been married! Like all formal and stuff! This picture is actually going to be forever!! So you see…no food.
It’s fine though, I can eat after! And I am even pretty sure I don’t have to buy any more books! Which is fine because the ones I have are plenty.
I will be taking a little break from the books for now, but only very short. The new material gets posted every day and the “encouragement” to look over the new readings to be prepared is subtle but unmistakable. None of us want to fail now.
Oh look! The snow they said was coming last night has just arrived. I might actually enjoy a flake or two of it while sweating my butt off and listening to my stomach growl…ha…but that won’t be until tomorrow. I am seriously going to need, like 24 hours, to digest all that food I just ate.
And it’s Thursday! Start of Football Week! I have developed a real love problem with football this year. It started last year but it’s really full on now. I even bought a jersey! My family is sick of it already…well ONE person in my family anyway—you know who you are (hahaha!) so I am just hanging out waiting for my kids to get home from school because we got some stuff to go do. Then some dinner (I will be eating today—obviously…) some football, and then…that’s it. Tomorrow is a free day. Aren’t you all lucky! I’ll post all the crap I haven’t and I will let you follow me along on my journey of hunger and yearning R/T one singular photo. Sounds fun doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, in other, non-money-costing news, I can ride a motorcycle!
This is the bike they let me ride for the program! This pic is from the Honda image bank so thank you very much…please let me keep it! I was so excited, nervous, sweaty, etc, etc, that I never even thought to take a picture of the actual bike I was riding! I have to say I felt very cool, and grateful that I had a bike that looks and feels real “motorcycle-y”. I know that’s not a word, but the guys were riding dirt bike type motorcycles because of their height. I had a bigger type bike, that looks more like what you see on the street. And as a bonus, I was able to fully plant my feet on the ground. I was comfortable and in a good position on the bike so I didn’t feel like I was struggling. Thank you Honda!!
And even bigger thank you to the MSF, Motorcycle Safety Foundation: www.msf-usa.org
And the State of Illinois Motorcycle Rider Program: www.mrp.illinois.edu
I was literally starting from scratch. The BF heard about the classes from another one of his friends who was taking it, so we signed up too! (It cost $20 dollars but you can get it refunded to you at the end of the course if you choose. Or you can donate it to the program to keep up the quality. That money is well worth it!)
I have never operated a motorcycle in my life. I didn’t even really know how they worked. That may seem stupid to some, but I was a passenger, like a billion years ago, and that was only for a short time. Life ya know? I will admit, because everyone seems to think it’s funny and I can laugh at myself, I did not even know that the throttle rolls IN. Dumb huh? Everytime people fake ride a motorcycle they turn the throttle right? Well, I thought it was OUT, like, vroom vroom, roll your hand forward. HA! Nope, It’s in, towards your body. Luckily, that was the only really scatterbrain thing I didn’t know. They asked at the beginning, who knew how already and who has NEVER ridden. Three (including the BF, knew) nine of us did not. I have been kind of going over this in previous posts when that damn tree hasn’t interrupted me, so I won’t rehash too much. But I will say, we started with twelve and ended with eight. Some people make it look so easy and I admire them. It is “easy” to learn how. It’s not easy to control and steer and turn. That takes practice. But the class moves fast. 4 days, about 20 hours, written test AND driving test. If you can complete the program and pass the tests you get your “M” (That’s the letter they put on yer license to say you can drive a motorcycle!)
Did I pass??? I was nervous! Once you complete the exercise portion the instructors are no longer trainers but representatives of the DMV. Pass the test, get the M. And…we had to take our written test AFTER the riding part because of a participant hold-out. (Had to be unanimous, one gal didn’t want to take it on Sat., and then she ended up leaving anyway, but it was too late, we had to wait until Sunday) You don’t get to know if you passed the drive part until after the written part. So we all trudged in and took our test and waited.
All eight of us PASSED!! YAY!! The BF and I now have our licenses!! It was actually very exciting! And a relief! The nerves were pretty high. It’s so weird, but I am so glad I did this and was able to complete it!
But, as the instructors pointed out: “You are all now all officially licensed and certified parking lot motorcycle operators! Keep that in mind when you actually hit the road.” Good point. We have been on a range, with adult supervision. Probably not quite the same once we get out onto the streets.
Since I don’t actually own a motorcycle, it is kind of hard to practice these new skills, but if we can find a good deal on a small bike, then we are going to try and buy it. I never realized that motorcycles can be kind of expensive, even used and smaller ones. The BF is looking everyday! It is kind of addicting and I see why people love it so much. I am mostly interested in skill improvement right now until I can ride pretty confidently. Besides winter is on its way in the Midwest and that cuts my season short, plus with school starting I’m not sure falling off a motorcycle in the street is a good idea. Just kidding…I never dropped the bike or even had trouble holding it up. When you don’t know, balance and weight is critical, and I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but it was ok. Better than I thought it would be.
Anyway…I could go on and on, but I won’t. (That’s for my sissy. Just seeing if you are paying attention, especially since you already heard my story on the phone and sounded so thrilled…yeah, I could tell. You were un-interested. But as you know, I don’t care. I’ll just talk anyway! haha)
If you already have a license, good for you! If you don’t and you want one or you want to learn and all that good stuff, I highly recommend the program. It’s time out of your life for sure, you have to do the work and give a little bit, but it really is the best way to learn in my opinion. I even got a cool t-shirt!
And a bumper sticker!! Awe…..some……!!!
just shy of pretty 