Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

My older brother has been blind in the left eye since the age of 6, he's now 72. He and our sister were walking home from school and took a shortcut across a playground at another school. This is back when Westerns ruled prime time TV and some other kids were playing cowboys and Indians. Some kid had a home made sort of bow and arrow with some sticks and string and a sharpened stick for an arrow. Through some absolute f'd up twist of fate the kid shot the arrow and it went into my brother's left eye coming within less than a centimeter of penetrating into the brain cavity and killing him but destroying his left eye. He's had a glass eye since childhood.

Eye care and eye safety is huge. He's gone on to do just about anything a fully sighted person can do but 2 eyes are needed for depth perception. 3D movies and such are totally lost on him. Backing up a trailer is a bitch but he can do it, probably better than I can. He's just recently suffered a stroke. Getting old sucks so put it off as long as possible.

 

I would have been giggling right along with him

 

I picked this up from another long distance riding friend but you might appreciate.

When you have a few bucks to spare pick up some inexpensive toy motorcycles, like Hot Wheels or some off brand, and keep a couple with you in a tank bag or somewhere accessible. Next time you encounter a situation like that, get the parents permission and give one to the child. I've been doing this for the past year or so and it's awesome. Had more than one instance so far where the kid was crying and having an awful day but when offered a new toy the tears stopped and the smile came out. Parents thank you too. It will even make your day a whole lot better.

 

That's a great idea. I think I'll start doing that. If there's one thing I was reminded of yesterday it's that bringing others joy brings yourself joy too.

 

The grom has ran its course (more than likely) for me, I have had it since 2015 I believe, building it up was fun, fun times have been had on it, just onto something new and the XT225 is it for now.

 

Holidays are an interesting time for sure for multiple reasons. Im in the thick of it right now with personal life stuffs that havent been great, but I tell myself as long as I wake up healthy and am able to do things like motos, its a good day.

Making a Kids day like that always brings a giddy smile to my face as well!

 

My g/f bought a case of like 50-60 small motorcycle toys on Amazon that came to less that a buck each. We've given away probably 15-20 in the past year? Never fails to brighten up some kids day and usually relieves some stress for mom and dad.

 

I think that's what makes it worse. Logically, I know life is good, things are going well, and I have no real reason to be down. Which makes me feel guilty for feeling that way, and compounds on itself lol.

But you are correct. I am healthy, I can ride, I'm not broke, starving, or destitute. Life is good.

If you can manage to find a link to that, i'd definitely snag a pack.

BMW S1000RR die casts are a bit too pricey for my blood lol

 

tbh its going... work is very tense with the whole thing going on now... company not happy others not happy lots of rumors going around so ya fun times lol

 

That's an awesome idea

 

That stated, gotta keep the "it can always be worse" mentality in check. While absolutely yes there are those that are worse off and there are those that are better off BUT you cant compare that way too much, gotta look at your personal status quo to assess the reason for the change in mindset (positive or negative) for what its actually worth in your own life.

The saying of its a "good day" when you wake up healthy enough to walk and do moto things etc is a personal wholistic view of life because you NEVER know when those simple things can be stripped of you (like eyesight or simply breathing) in the blink of an eye... lots of things have to go right to wake up in the morning. In this view of life the only "bad day" you have in your life is the day you cease to exist on this earth.

This is ABSOLTELY NOT to say that you cant have a frustrating / sad / emotional / down in the dumps / melancholy / off / not great /meh day.... probably more days than not are like that and its damned good to recognize those days, but the "good day" attitude helps ground me from falling DEEP down the hole.

Which is honestly ironic and quite funny I say the stuff above as I have been struggling quite a bit with mindset of my life (successes, positioning etc) for sometime now... likely to the detriment of my 5yr relationship.


Guess I need to start practicing what I preach a little more HAHA.

 

Not to take anything away from @TacoTyusday but I was just thinking the opposite - this has been a rough year for me with my job loss and other personal issues but I finally feel like I’ve got a good job, good friends, and a really supportive partner and I’m happier than I’ve been in a while.

I am thankful for every day I get to ride and come home safely. Having been on the other side of that (several accidents and months of recovery), it’s not something I want to experience again and is something I think about every time I put my helmet on. I think that’s why I wasn’t really very upset when the engine blew on the Versys. I was able to stop it safely despite riding at a high speed when it happened and the rear wheel locking on me (while passing a car in the oncoming lane). Could have been so much worse.

 

it's hard to practice what you preach lol. emotions are a real bitch especially when they come in full force. Normally I'm pretty optimistic and positive and do a good job of keeping that mentality regardless what happens but sometimes it just blindsides you.

I also agree comparing to yourself and not others, as that's just a recipe for either feeling permanently inadequate, or letting your decent standing go to your head.

Adam Driver made a statement recently that resonated with me, on receiving criticism on his work. He said he tries not to absorb any of it, because if he takes the good, he also has to take the bad, so its best to focus on his own perspective and let others make their judgments as they will.

Doesn't take away at all, it makes me happy to hear that man. We can't all be down in the dumps lol, I'm thankful your versys debacle wasn't worse and you are able to continue riding, just as I'm thankful my track crash wasn't worse and the BMW, my pride and joy, is still running strong.

There's always wins to be had, just gets hard to remind myself of them on occasion. But keep them in mind we must.

 

Now if you found a good deal on the $250 s1000rr diecast it would put a smile on your face. This reveal had my rolling, like any motovlogger revealing a new bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9pNaAP436Q

Best thing you can do is put your head down and do more than adequate when it comes to workload. Uncertainty is the worst, but keeps you on your toes, complacency is the the workplace killer.

 

Lots of people get depressed this time of year for no obvious reason, I think it's called seasonal affliction disorder SAD and generally isn't a real concern unless you stay there into the spring. For me, it's the shorter days/less sunshine and colder temperatures every single day, starts to get me down quite a lot. Also I don't get on the motos as much this time of year. Staying busy with work or whatever will distract me for a few days. Yes attitude and perspective both make a big difference, and being grateful... so does getting out with my friends, and I try to get some sunshine during the day whenever possible. Also my girlfriend is a ray of pure sunshine so that's nice

 

This is along the lines of what my (metaphorical) location "above the storm" refers to. And also a song by Stick Figure, who's music has a good message and can be therapeutic. Life is stressful but maintaining perspective helps you not get overly consumed by everyday problems. For me I'm always thinking back to my accident and spending 18 days in the hospital then months of physical therapy. So glad I'm still here and able to ride and do what I love.

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German psychologist Carl Jung argued that the most important problems in life are insoluble — that they cannot be solved, only outgrown. And this “outgrowing” manifests itself as a new level of consciousness where “some higher or wider interest arose on the person’s horizon, and through this widening of view, the insoluble problem lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms, but faded out when confronted with a new and stronger life-tendency.”

Jung provided commentaries for ancient Chinese, Taoist writings. His thoughts on problems are related to an excerpt from Secret of the Golden Flower, “The wildest conflict seen from a mountaintop looks like a storm in the valley. That does not rob the storm of its reality but instead of being in it, we are above it.” In the psychic sense, Jung would state that we are both the storm and the valley. The storm doesn’t disappear; we are simply looking at it from a different perspective. Rather than being in it, we are above it.

 

yup basically just do my best and hope they dont start cutting people off since the contract was turned down but who knows

 

well I sorta know what catalyzed this instance for me, but it's so insignificant it isn't really worth mentioning, and I doubt you guys wanna hear my unfiltered ramblings lol. But seasonal affective disorder is definitely real, and certainly contributes. During weekdays this time of year I get maybe an hour of sunlight a day and most of that is my ride to/from work. By the time I'm off it's already dark.

I like that a lot. I've realized this (without being able to put it into words) many a time, when you move on from one problem to another, you realize just how small the scope of the original problem was and wonder why it weighed on you so much.

 

Yup shorter days suck. Depression sucks too, I've struggled with it for years. Most people really don't understand it. I have situational depression at times. Most times it just makes me a grumpy old man, other times the anxiety can get really bad, I know when it's too tough to handle on my own now and I seek treatment if need be. I haven't had to do that in many years, last time was brought on by a divorce. I went and saw a doctor, got some meds and it really helped. As I got better I was able to get off the meds. Anxiety is the worst part of it for me. It often feels like your going to have a heart attack. But most of the time I'm a happy dude. In the winter I can't ride so I work in my woodshop for therapy, it works! I got a new machine for my wood shop today, new tools help too, lol.

 

Ha ! Reminds me of my busted up shins back in the 80’s doing the BMX/Freestyle stuff with the old Bear Trap, pedals. Those things left a hell of a mark, and for a long time. We’re talking taking meat off yourself.

pic for reference. mine were blue.