Our coming vacation, and a look at the past.

It is easy, as we age, to fall into patterns. The comfort of routine provides a haven as worries about the struggles of aging are realized. It becomes tonic to find something pleasant and just let it wash over us. A cocoon of the familiar, wrap yourself in the cozy experiences you have lived before. Restful, peaceful and safe.

My wife is a little crazy, though, she thinks we should try new things, take a few chances, gamble a little on the unknown. And she is right. We spent years going back to visit our mothers, and when they passed away we have barely gone to the same place on vacation twice.

Last year we went kayaking on Lake Superior, the biggest lake of the Great Lakes. We took a kayak and a canoe and paddled around on the lake that never gives up her dead. Due to a last minute cancellation we had a huge cabin all to ourselves, and we found that we still like each other, after all these years, we are still friends. In fact, best friends. And we decided vacations alone are the way to go. 

So we have done some exploring. A friend of mine told me about a hidden gem in southern Ohio. Lake Hope, we rented a cabin, spent a long weekend kayaking, grilling, hiking, exploring the beauty of our state. It was illuminating. 

Since that was such a success we branched out, two weeks ago we went to Shawnee State Park.  We spent four days exploring the park, Portsmouth, small parts of Kentucky, Wayne National Forest. It was too cold to kayak, but there are two lakes just perfect for that. And we will go back.

Since we have no real plans for vacation this summer, and we have had such good luck with state parks we have decided to make that our plan. A week in a state park cabin. But, we decided to try something a little different, of course, my wife is crazy after all. Two years ago we vacationed in Holden Beach NC, a small haven on the eastern seaboard. To get there we had to drive through West Virginia. A rugged state, filled with majestic beauty. Deep caverns looking up at forest covered mountains that seem to climb straight up to the sky. When we drove through there were mists clinging to the mountain sides, haloing the tops and covering the valleys, it was beautiful. I am keenly fond of mountains. And it is only about five hours away.

Since it is right next to Ohio we decided to try it. We found several state parks with cabins and lakes made for kayaking. So, we are off. In June, sometime we are headed to WV to relax, kayak, and check out the area. I am excited to try something new, new sights, new places, a chance to immerse ourselves in different cultures, foods, and scenery. 

With that in mind I decided we needed a travel mascot. This little guy was trapped on a window in Portsmouth, and we liberated him.  He is traveling with us from now on.

Of course we still have the Traveling Sunnies show, thanks to Trina Emmerson.  

And, if you have been paying attention I am dedicated to making videos of all our trips, and we need a good introduction. So, this morning I spent a ridiculous amount of time making this opening. I borrowed most of it from the Grateful Dead movie, because I love the Grateful Dead. 

 

I remember one empty night in a cheap motel in Kansas, run down after a long day of construction work on a farm where they raised swine. We were building a new barn. I smelled even after the shower, I stunk for days afterward. Years later I still remember that smell. I was sore from toting heavy crap through the mud and offal. It was a very bleak night, and I was questioning the decisions I had made to get there.

Flipping through the channel there was an Uncle Sam Skeleton riding a chopper through a wild cartoon scene. I lit a joint and watched the movie and life was ok for awhile.  I still love that movie. The next day was awful, as was every day until we finished that small building in that smelly, muddy place, but for one evening, in one dumpy little room life seemed ok. 

Here is my intro video.

Welcome to the Future, Act I

With the rapidly accelerating pace of technological innovation our world has gone through some fundamental, remarkable, profound changes. Opportunity no longer knocks, it texts you "I am on the way, meet me out front." Of course, this is an exaggeration, it normally just honks as it speeds past. And the only people who get to join the party are the people who bought their ticket early.

You know, I live a comfortable life. I probably have reached the level of my incompetence. If I were to be promoted any further failure is probably assured. Given my age, stubbornness and complete lack of technical proficiency it is almost a foregone conclusion. Looking, realistically at my situation, I'm not sure I am able to perform the functions of my current job. Though, we should keep that between us, sanctity of friendship and all.

Anyway, the real problem is nobody understands where they fit anymore. People look around and talk in reverent tones about the good old days. Even people younger than me talk about the past in a way that makes me feel a little sorry for them. Maybe it has always been this way. Maybe so much change scares them.

More than anything they seem to be saying "things couldn't have always been this bad." But, they probably were, in many ways they were much worse. Polio was still a feared, deadly disease until the 1960's, Of course, effective vaccines drastically reduced the threat. Considering the rising swell of groundless opposition to vaccines we may in fact be able to summon at least some ghosts of the golden age.

I look around and think the present is a pretty good place. There are problems desperately looking for solutions, and tragedy is always a moment away, but that is pretty much the way it has always been. It is possible we have reached a nexus. Things have come so far, the next change is going to be of the same scale as the first home computer. It is thrilling to read the speculation. It is an exciting time to be alive.

We have devices that were unimaginable 40 years ago. We carry, in our pockets, or purses, or clipped to out belts computers that would have amazed engineers who designed the little craft that flew to and landed on the moon. We are linked, connected and wired in ways that boggle the mind. I can write this, save it to "the cloud" and edit it on a computer at home, or the gym, or the coffee shop. I can add pictures from another device, and music from a musician in the UK, who I "met" on twitter. And whose albums I buy using a company in Omaha that specializes in the electronic transfer of money. Tell me that ain't cool.

There are so many good things about history, and we should learn all we can from the past. But, what we should learn, more than anything, is if we are willing to embrace the present it ain't bad, and the future has some potential, too. And, I can't wait.

Change is Difficult

It was time to leave, but the past holds tight. Gripping and pulling, fighting, and cursing. Sometimes the greatest enemy lives inside. But, it was still time to leave, the future was waiting.

As the door opened the subtle scent of happiness teased gently, and the sun smiled kindly.

Goodbyes are never easy, and change is often difficult, but the potential for greatness has a powerful call.

Once the decision is made it is best to move quickly, decisively, don't look back. The regrets, sorrow, and pain of separation will pass, and the exhilaration of adventure, and the excitement of change will be intoxicating.

Stepping out of the shadow of he past is vital to grow and change, but trying a new burrito place for lunch shouldn't be this difficult.

The Secret History Of Labor Day, at least it was a secret.

With the approach of the three day weekend we, here at Life Explained, would like to wish you a happy Labor Day. It was not that long ago that we, here at Life Explained, invented Labor Day.

It had been a long, hot summer, and we had been killing ourselves to catch up. We had a pocketful of change, a powerful thirst, and a strong desire for grilled food. But, things were so busy, and we were so far behind.

Then it hit us, why not initiate a three day weekend. No matter how far behind you are, how busy things have gotten, no matter how overwhelmed, nobody expects anybody to work on a three day weekend. It's in the constitution somewhere. Right between bearing arms and equality. Look it up.

So, we started calling and emailing everybody we knew, "hey, what do you have planned for Labor Day?" People will never admit ignorance, and soon all of the people we had emailed and called were calling and emailing, texting and facebook messaging everybody they knew.

"Hey, what do you have planned for Labor Day?"

And nobody would say, "nothing, I've never heard of that."


Our government will never admit ignorance either. So they backdated a bunch of official documents, and memorandum giving credit to some long past official, who knows who.


Now, thanks to our culture of delusion everybody "remembers" ancient Labor Days with their families from years ago. But, really it only started in 1998, because we wanted beer and bratwurst, thank goodness we only use our power for good.   You can thank us later.

Time for a Change, and Time to Stay the Same.

It was a great workout last night.  I have added 15 pounds to all of the resistance machines, and two new exercises.  Today, I feel euphoric.  Exercise gives a great deal of pleasure, but it does demand a little pain.  It is worth every second, though.  I do need to use the treadmill, elliptical machine, or exercise bike with a little more vigor.  Tomorrow is my next trip, Look out Cardio, here I come.  

This gym is fantastic, it is free for one thing, and when I go there is hardly anyone there.  Plus, I am the only one who ever uses the resistance machines, at least during my visits.  Most of the people who use the gym are in a condition similar to mine.  They are older, and just trying to stay even with gravity.  I fit right in.  

Of course, it is in an auxiliary high school building, after school is dismissed, so occasionally you will have a couple of high schoolers winding up the treadmills to about 55 miles an hour, talking, and laughing, and just being all kinds of healthy and happy, and irritating as all hell!  Punks!  Just turn up the pod cast, wipe the sweat from my face, and think "someday that will be difficult for you, also."

Last night was the Mongol invasion of Jin China.  And, this post was supposed to cover that, but there are a couple of problems.  First, it was huge, way too big for one small post.  Second, it was brutal.  Since I have started working out, and listening to history podcasts, and reading to fill in details left uncovered, I have learned that people are animals.  

Yes, the Mongols fought savagely, and won barbarically, but they were not really unique.  Not in the results of the victory, certainly, they were probably unique in the number of conquests, but the results were unchanged.

From the earliest recorded times winners have been ruthless.  There is no reason to believe that it was not the same before someone started cataloging the events.  Assyrians, Huns, Vandals, Goths, probably as far back as Tuthmose, ("the Napoleon of Egypt) but I am still researching that.  And, it doesn't seem we have changed all that much.  Which makes me a little apprehensive about our future. 

I do plan to write about these things, but, this blog was created for me to have a little fun, lately I have forgotten that.  So, I am going to start another blog, for my headlong dive into the past.  I will post a link, if you want to follow.  And, I will get back to the nonsense that makes me happy here.  

Thank you, all it has been fun, and I view you all as friends.

Sincerely,

Tim 

Here we go again.

Last Saturday, November 15th, Nebraska participated in a football game against the Wisconsin Badgers.  It was not a good game for Cornhusker fans.  Normally, I try to maintain perspective, and keep a positive attitude, but it is difficult.  Against Michigan State Nebraska played well enough to win, sure, maybe the Spartans were overrated, and yes, maybe they  fell asleep in the 4th quarter, but to me the game was summed up in the thought "boy, had we played the rest of the game like we played the 4th quarter we would have won."  That could be the delusion of a fan, but it might be true, it is impossible to say which is correct.  But, Saturday there was no such illusion.

Yes, we had a 14 point lead, but it was mostly a gift, from the Badgers, Welcome to Madison, here have a couple of touchdowns.  After that it couldn't end quickly enough.  The Cornhuskers couldn't block, and they couldn't get away from blockers.  Melvin Gordon ran right, left, up the middle, right into serious Heisman contention, and it seemed like the Blackshirts never got close enough to see the number on the jersey.  "Who was that guy?"  I realize that they may get their Blackshirts pulled this week, but I am not sure that addresses the real problem.

On the plus side the defense only gave up 46 yards passing, and three third down conversions.  Those are bright statistics on a very dark day.  If only we could look at those in a vacuum.

Ameer Abdullah, who is the epitome of a student athlete, and Tommy Armstrong were hurried, harassed, and rushed all night.  Sometimes it seemed like the Badgers were lining up in the backfield with the Nebraska offense.  Yes, they had problems, but mostly, they were caused by constant, grinding, inescapable pressure, that kept coming, play after play, like the tide.

Earlier this year, I made the foolish statement Nebraska was the most underrated team in the top twenty.  It was a brash, silly statement, based on hopes, and dreams, and wishes.  Of course, I remembered the losses to Minnesota, and Iowa, that were really not as close as the score might indicate, the terrifying meltdown at UCLA, the narrow escape against Wyoming, and that was only 2013.  Also, I recall the superman like heroics of #FearAmeer, that saved the game against McNeese state, but hope springs eternal.  Now, I feel a little silly. It is foolish to overestimate our distance or difference from the past.

Particularly after reading the comments of the coaching staff after the shellacking on Saturday.  What happened, "I don't know." was the mantra coming from the coach, the offensive and defensive coordinators.  Isn't that their job to know?  I don't know, to be certain, I am nothing but a humble blogger, but they make a pretty decent living to understand the mechanics of a football game.

It wasn't an act of God that carried Melvin Gordon to a new record.  It wasn't an act of nature, it was something Wisconsin did, that Nebraska did not counter.  "I don't know."  Is really not a very good answer.  I would have been happier had one of them said, "I am just as upset as the fans, and the press, and I swear that it will not happen again, not on my watch."  But, they all mentioned the past wins, and the future games, without addressing the problems of the present.  And, to be sure the future is important, Saturday's game against Minnesota looks huge, and the Seniors class deserves a big win.  And the past is what all Nebraska fans cling to, in these troubled waters.  But, the constant claims of ignorance are beginning to irritate.

I am not sure what the best course of action, it is hard to justify firing a coach who wins with such workmanlike regularity.  But, it is difficult to watch games when you have to worry about such a one sided spectacle, and it is like the cold weather, you know it is coming, you are just not sure when it will arrive.  This is a dilemma that Athletic Directors must face.  There is no easy answer, but it is time for a change, there is no doubt, this is too awful to contemplate.  Fans really expect and deserve, better, players need to know that they will not be on the wrong side of new records.  There is a lot at stake with your decision, Mr. Eichorst.  And fans everywhere wait, with very little patience.

To quote the immortal Bob Dylan;

"The watchmen he lay dreaming,
Of all the things that can be,
He dreamed the Titanic was sinking,
Into the deep blue sea."