A new car…. at least for me is a commitment of 7-10 years. I look to what and where I will be on the road into my early 70’s and I find I still think to going along back roads and far off places to see the wonders of America!
On my bicycle I ride a mile… then another; then over time I have ridden 27,923 miles (and counting). Each word I type leads to a page and at 1,004 (and counting) I find that the adventure is not so much as what I say but in the thinking. Like striking of a flint the words spark new thoughts and images and creativity takes hold and newness creeps into a old brain and new growth occurs.
We live in a time when other’s want to know what we think; but only if it is a yes/no answer. We agree with the question or we do not. My problem is often the question… I question the question and wonder how yes or no is a true answer!
After taking the survey I was asked to make a contribution… my ego is such that my insights and knowledge is a better contribution than money.
At the typewriter… I press keys and start to think. I keep finding out this is fun… both thinking and typing. Much better than anger… insult… protest without thought… I should do this more often.
I learned to drive a car on a 1962 Ford. It had power windows, power steering and brakes. A 3 speed automatic transmission, AM radio and no seat belts. It was my fathers car… and all these years later I still think of my father when I go looking at new cars. My father had a pet peeve…. he did not want his car to have a decal from the dealer on it. It was free advertisement for the dealer… and unless the dealer was willing to lower the cost of the vehicle to keep its decal on the car… why have it.
I find dealers will not lower the price to keep their decal on the car… but always point out it help’s ID the car when I come in for service…. helps them make a living… why not display a dealer decal… Just following a family tradition I say…
After 7 years, I reach 1,000 typed pages posted to this blog. I feel happy that I can still roll paper into a machine and place words on page. The words are often worth less than the paper they appear on but still the produce comfort & smiles for the author… that is enough for me.
Just completed my 21st bicycle ride across Iowa. I thought hard about not going, I had enough training in (900 miles) but felt out of unsure. Yet once on the ride; I felt better before and after each of the 7 days (440 plus miles) than I ever did; during most of my training.
I’ve reached 900 miles of bicycle training miles… I feel 1,000 would have been better but reaching this number does feel good… good to go as they say…
The 4th of July has come and gone…. but every day is a day to think happy thoughts about the country of one’s birth.
I typed this post on a 1962 Royal Futura… the same year that Duke Ellington recorded an album with Coleman Hawkins. I have found that listening to this recording and typing on a typewriter lifts my mood.
I will also add I listened to Duke Ellington with Count Basie… and found on the INTERNET a 1969 video of Johnny Hodges playing “Black Butterfly” and he was smiling… I had forgotten how easy it is to be amused… to become captured in the sound’s and mood of great performances of good music…
