A Time for Questions
Ugh. It’s raining, it’s snowing, it’s hot, it’s cold. The change of seasons introduces so much change and confusion that it seems appropriate to commence a springtime blog cleaning.
Springtime blog cleaning is a softer way of saying “get your shit together Steve.”
Yeah, I need to do that. At least maybe shave and get a haircut.
There’s a lot going on and some of it stands in the way of riding, writing, photography, blogging, vlogging, and a host of civilian activities like rewiring light fixtures in the basement and garage and completing plumbing work in the bathroom.
Life is good.
My Dog Lily
Since Junior departed Lily has been strange. Sad. Confused. Depressed. She came to us when she was 13 weeks old and her Uncle Junior (her actual uncle) was 8. He’s always done the work around the house — sentinel, guard dog, doorbell, investigator, protector, and alarm clock for mealtime. With him gone, Lily is having trouble figuring out what to do.
And she’s lonely. Until a dog is gone you don’t really understand the bond they might have had.
So Kim and I decided to bring another Belgian Sheepdog into the fold. This time it’s Lily’s nephew (and Junior’s great-nephew), a 4-year-old Belgian male. He’ll be here in May and we’re excited to have another dog — for Lily, for us, and to fill the void left by Junior.
Moto-Maintenance
I recently completed the first, 300-mile service on the Royal Enfield Himalayan. It involved an oil and filter change, valve check and adjustment, cleaning and lubricating the chain, and an inspection of many of the parts of the motorcycle. While some may know I swore off maintenance, with the dealer so far away, I decided to do the simple stuff myself.
I’m not sure if I’ll take on any maintenance on the Vespa since there’s a dealer nearby that can do that work.
Here are a couple of videos I’ve made in regard to the Himalayan maintenance and post-maintenance test ride.
YouTube Channel
After years and years of resisting the idea of producing videos on a regular basis I’ve taken the red pill and am heading down the video rabbit hole.
So far it’s been fun to explore a different way of sharing a story. What I’m left with is an old, familiar dilemma of seeking a balance between writing essays to post on the blog and creating videos for my YouTube channel.
I don’t believe in perfection. Or perfect balance. I do believe in forging ahead and letting things happen.
I see a drone in my future. Probably a DJI Mini 2. Mostly for size and cost. For a while, I thought it would allow me to avoid staying off the FAA radar and not have to get a commercial drone pilot license as required in Section 107. If you fly a drone weighing less than 250 grams for recreational use you fall under the Section 106 exemption and don’t need that commercial license.
A little research revealed the error of my thinking. When it comes to licensing the FAA is all about intent. If I go out with my drone with the intent to just have fun I’m good. But if I take the drone out to inspect my gutters, the intent is no longer recreational. It has nothing to do with earning money. Same with footage that I shoot to include with a video on YouTube — the intent is not recreational.
So a drone will wait until I can educate myself enough to pass the FAA drone pilot exam.
So that’s where I am as I engage in my springtime blog cleaning. And I’ve carefully left out any references to the myriad frustrations of maintaining a self-hosted WordPress blog. Ugh.
More springtime blog cleaning.
Ah, Getting It Together: You, me, and Sisyphus never had it so good.
I’m still staring at two dormant blogs, an article I’ve meant to contribute to a scooter mag for over a month, and prepping content for a website I promised Le Wife I’d have together shortly (she’s had one of her own, for her photography, for the better part of forever, and is footing the bill for mine with the same provider), among other cool-to-the-touch irons left out of the fire a bit too long. And the usual household stuff to get to this time of the year. And Thelonica, my lovely new GTS SuperTech, is a mere 61 miles from its first scheduled service at the dealer, where among other things, it gets its original oil pan swapped out for a the sight-glass-equipped pan I bought in advance. In short, a ton o’ stuff to work on and ponder. But, you know what? I’m cool with it – I’m looking forward to rolling my sleeves up for all of it. Life can be much worse.
Very happy to know Lily’s getting a companion after losing Junior (my condolences on J’s departure). I’ve had this happen twice with cats, and it’s not easy at all.
And, it sounds like you’re truly getting on with the Himalayan. Again, the near-perfect counterpoint to the Vespa, keeping everything interesting.
I’ve hemmed-and-hawed about video content, and for the moment will content myself with resuscitating at least one of the blogs, although I might wind up shelving the photography blog in favor of the website. No hard decisions on that move for now. It’s always better, in my mind, to have just a bit more stuff to work on than time to get it done in…always remembering, however, to set aside a reasonable amount of time to do nothing in particular.
You illustrate the strange reality of at once being able to overwhelm ourselves with to-do lists of epic proportion and in the same breath understand that it’s not as bad as it could be. I do that sometimes and find it liberating, and at other times I just try to make things worse.
Perhaps I’ll always have dormant projects…
We’re excited about the new dog. In a few weeks, he’ll no doubt make an appearance here.
I love the Himalayan. As much as I do the Vespa. They are completely different but the feeling is the same. I’m sitting here this morning typing and feeling completely beaten up physically after the roughest off-road ride I’ve ever done. And sadly realizing that there are some things I should not do alone, and others I should not do at all.
It took me years to embrace video. Partly because I knew how much work it would be and I’m lazy. But mostly I couldn’t wrap my head around either story and approach. I’m feeling better about it now and see how practice helps!
Now I’m going to follow your plan and do nothing in particular!
I’ve been enjoying the videos. They don’t need to be perfect or artistic. Even the same narration that you would use on a blog post is fine. And multiple camera views, drone footage, background music synched to transitions are all nice additions but they don’t make a good video. Content…
Thank you Richard for your feedback. And Happy Birthday!
And thank you for the reminder about content. I need to remember that.
My little Yorkie is the last dog standing out of three. Her Lab sister and Yorkie brother crossed the rainbow bridge a couple of years ago. Over the last two years since she became a single dog her behavior has changed some. Unlike Lily, my little girl is not that perceptive. She didn’t seem to even notice the departure of the other two. She does seem to be around more and sleeps wherever we are. She has survived though and is doing well. Dogs are pretty hardy. Lily will get her feet on the ground soon.
Dogs are unique creatures and my experience is that their personalities are as unique as different people’s are. It’s fun to get to know them.
Lily has become more and more anxious about sounds. She’ll here the refrigerator “click” and run upstairs. Or if the wind knocks something down outside she’ll leave the room for a safer place. She’s nothing like Junior. He would investigate everything and seemed willing (and able for most of his life) to put his body between us and “danger.”
I love having dogs.
Reading your blog has me go to Years gone by, wasnt expecting the drone thing to be in the sticks, a little resadue of Amish I have. My ag colleagues that I get together with say, The FAA testing is harder than the CCA for crop products. I used to do a lot of field walking, and it was amazing what I would see in nature activities, like a garner snake taking in a huge earth worm and a small black snake had the end of the garner snake In its mouth. This is before cell phones, I would have to line up a county extinction ag photographer to capture that shot. Steve you were the best and still are. Peace.
Aw shucks Mike…
The FAA testing is rough. You will not pass without a ton of study. The Ag tests are more akin to show up at the test and we’ll make sure you pass. A nod toward the political power of the Ag lobby. There is no comparable drone lobby. If I decide to get a drone I’ll pay to take a drone training course online.
So, I’ll ask again, when are you getting a scooter? Or a dirt bike. Paul and I did some serious off-road riding yesterday up in the mountains where you, Neff, and I backpacked so many winters ago. It’s as rough and nasty now as it was back then. Only I’m way older now.
I think that is a good move with getting the new dog, when will you name him? A drone would be nice and some of the terrain I’ve been around lately, but sounds like there’s paperwork and requirements to be met, and I am feeling lazy about bureaucracy.
He’s arriving with a name in place — Aiden. He’s a 4-year-old Belgian Sheepdog. Related to Junior — his great nephew, and to Lily — her nephew. I’ll pick him up in a couple weeks.
I’m not ready to attempt the training and testing for a drone pilot license. Too much going on.
Good for you and Kim getting another pup. Dogs are so wonderful, can’t imagine life without at least one 😉
We’re all so used to the two-dog energy that we had to bring another into our home. Dogs make life brighter!
Since you retired, you haven’t been yourself. I wish you the best in the rest of your life.
Goidbye.
That’s an interesting idea. I’ve certainly changed since I retired. A lot of things that seemed important have slipped away completely. And new things have interested me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate them.