Ahhhh... It never seems to quit. The requirements of life consume the dreams of your heart.
As a bent and broken economic system continues to squeeze a good portion of the population... I feel that squeezing on my own ass. Problem is... my heart ain't in, and never has been, keeping my nose to the man's grindstone... so it complicates the generation of income...
I'd just as soon take that grind stone and break it over the bastards head.
Buuuuuut... they give you an all expenses paid long term vacation in a state run resort for that... so I leave the dream of busting the man's head in wonderland and just keep on keepin' on.
How-some-ever... the thinning income of the last three years and the rising cost of the slowly failing effort of keeping the rig together is pushing a couple of unpleasant decisions into my world.
The first is that come the spring our traveling is pretty much suspended for the foreseeable future. Heidi already returned to Colorado in December to go back to working in her store in an effort to get it back into healthier shape. That seems to be showing promise.
But, that effort is likely to continue for months and months. I stayed south... simply because I have come to detest, hate, revile... did I say HATE? Snow and cold...
Buuuuut... as much as I dislike that reality has a way of beating you into submission. Even if you are the most stubborn son of a bitch that came out of the womb.
Even if I wanted to keep on wandering... The old truck and fiver is just not reliable enough to make wandering with 'em an enjoyable situation any more. You go down the road holding your breath waiting for something to break... knowing there ain't no cash to fix it again. That and the simple truth that the dinero to make it reliable got consumed, what little there was of it... just trying to keep it running at all over the past year.
The second is the cost of correcting that thinning income.
Some folks are prospering these days... a whole lot more I believe are subsisting, pretty much hand to mouth... I'm in that second group, as the 18 cent a package Ramen soup that constitutes 'bout 40% of my diet these days attests.
I have to go back to work at a more "regular" job than I've been doing with my writing and such. So, I have the choice of working for the man directly or putting my custom leather shop back together and going after that again.
Now... the direct for the man option, for any sustained length of time almost certainly guarantees a visit to the "State Resort"... so that's pretty much a no go from the get go.
That only leaves restarting my leather shop... which ain't gonna be a cheap option. Leather stitchers aren't cheap, and I sold off the "heavy" equipment when I shut my old shop operation down. Considering the way our outfit has drained all the assets to an empty well over the last year and a bit... there's only one thing left in which there resides a material value that can be sold...
:( ... My Raider...
UGH... You're born... you get beat on for a while... often Life sucks big... and then you die... yeah I'm in a pretty pissy mood.
So... unless Amazon really gets with the program in the next six weeks or so and one of my lil' westerns for some unknown reason turns into a breakout... It looks like this Ol' Buster is gonna be sitting at a leather bench again... and bikeless... Tooling leather is fine, I enjoy that... but... the rest... just bites. :(
Maybe I can figure a way to squeeze the dinero I need... solidly into four digits... out of thin air... I offered some tender kisses and my sweet Ol' Behind for a small fee to a couple of gals... they called the Poh-Leece... no sense of humor at all... so that's out...
... and like I said... workin' for a "Boss" any more... for more than a few days is... well... lets just say... that dog don't hunt... so we'll keep on keepin' on and see where I end up.
Real Mixed Emotions about the whole deal
Brian
... Splitting the wind on a Motorcycle... Feeding my soul with the Healing power of the Open Road... following that twisting, Ribbon of Highway that leads me on...
7 comments:
Sash may actually pay a pretty penny for your "sweet Ol' behind", but you're gonna have to tolerate handcuffs and a severe whacking!
I wonder if that fiver will result in better dinero than that Raider?
Those are not easy decisions to have to make, especially harder when working for the man will crush you.
Although I've heard they don't serve ramen in those state run places. Do you like PB&J?
I could try and sell you a silver lining that better days are ahead and once you get the leather shop going you'll be able to buy another bike, but I don't want to blow smoke and I am sure you don't want to hear it.
Any buddies want to purchase her and hold her as collateral until you could pay them back?
Steve; bahahahahahahaha ;) Fact is, that old 5er is the nearly cost free "House" and it's value worn as it is, is maybe half the scooters?
Trobairitz; PB&J... another 10% of my diet :) with Oatmeal at 25 cents a package filling in another great chunk :)
Maybe another bike before I'm too old to straddle the saddle. Don't know what will happen till I look back and see where I went.
as for being collateral...most all my "buddies" are as broke or broker than my stubborn old kiester ;)
I wish I had something positive to say. I'm in the blue mood too. . . so I'm no help.
I know you love the Raider. She loves you too. It is what it is. Maybe Katy Perry is right (GASP!!)
"Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road. . ."
Don't laugh too hard. That song changed my entire life at one point.
We'll be heading to Colorado in May. See you then perhaps!
Smooches,
Sash
Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Brian:
working for the man isn't so bad, less stress. Just bite your tongue and endure for a while. At least you would be able to keep riding to relieve your stresses.
I keep thinking about those Sash handcuffs, maybe a substitute for stress relief . . .
hang in there, it always works out. It always does
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Brian,
As I'm sure you know, things always have a way of working out (usually for the best).
I just try to ride that wave out, take a good look around at those worse-off, and count my blessings!
And hey, if you have to drain the $'s out of that big red monster, you can always sneak just a little aside for a gas sipping, great looking 650 Classic! Still giving me alot of grins per mile, cruising around on a very tight budget!
All the best to you,
Scott in New England
Geez Man, that's a sad tale. I couldn't survive without my bike. Right now I live in a cold climate (Newfoundland Canada) like you describe.
I dream of retiremnt and heading down Souther to where one can ride all year. Knowing my bikes are there when the snow finally subsides is the only thing getting me through this winter. I hope you find an answer that allows you to keep riding and find a way to live comfortable. Best of Luck!
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