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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming:
"WOW, what a ride !!!"

If We do what We did,
then We get what We got

When I first heard this truism my head tilted like a dog and I stared up into the sky spying on the Orgone swirling in and out of that particular blip in time. I mean, I get it, but it really sets my all too simple mind into a tailspin of thought. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome and of course while I ponder this, I just had to question my particular brand of sanity. Not one of my favorite cerebral festivities, but we’re all forced to do it from time to time.

Well…. Ok, I’m comfortable in my own skin, believe in my own convictions and I do learn from my mistakes. Among other things it’s that ‘every-so-often racing mistake that makes me shake my head afterwards and say to myself; you jerk! Why did you take that turn in a different line than every other lap and go down so hard it’s like being at the receiving end of an off-the-ropes body slam by Hulk Hogan? What is it that occasionally causes us to make the wrong decision when we know better? I don’t mean those several times a year that you stub your toe on the coffee table leg, threatening to throw it out onto the front lawn. It’s that momentary lapse of reasoning I’m talking about that makes us go against what we know to be the correct thing to do. It drives me crazy.

!#*%!#*!- Gad Dang it! I just spilled a 20oz coffee all over my desk, keyboard and me! Idiot! Second time this month! Uggg…. A roll and a half of paper towels later…Now why did I put that coffee in-between my mouse and keyboard…Again?! Maybe it’s time to clear more space on my desk, or quit coffee…or take a break and go hang out with Firko in his column for an hour or so. This action quirk really bugs me! I’m certainly not a total perfectionist, smarty-pants or too anal when it comes to a ‘life’ practice, so I just feel stupid when I make mistakes, not guilty. It’s those pesky mind-glitch’s followed by a good “I’ll never do that again” that gives me a soothing peace and I just keep on moving along…until the next time it happens.

All right guys, let’s see if we can figure out what this space demon is. It must be self contained …..There may even be a pill you can take to prevent the implementation of those neuropaths from firing right down the barrel of embarrassment. Luckily these events rarely cause harm to others, unless of course they read, hear or see you completely wrong and then perhaps it’s their every-so-often mistake as they take turns with us in looking stupid. I thought that Hollingsworth, in his infinite wisdom, had the answer. I’ve been leaving him voicemails containing my cosmic question, but he’s avoiding me…owes me twenty bucks for over a month now…… wanker. I Know, I can call Siege! he’ll absolutely know exactly what this time-shift quagmire is! ugg…not home…left him a voicemail too, he’s racing the first of the Hammer & Tongs series as I type. I’ll just have to wait till he calls me back.

Damn, I’m miffed about this. I raced at Thunder Ridge this past weekend and asked guy’s right and left this mysterious question. Everyone knew what I was talking about but nobody could put a finger on just what the hell it is. If I was a driver in an FIA Road Rally I could blame my navigator for making a zig when a zag was in order, but we’re all alone in our funny looking electro-chemical water bags so the blame is solely and positively guilty as charged.

I phoned around some more….talked with Stu, Dr. Abbate and Rad-Randy Smith. We had great conversations, always do……in circles we went, coughing up one example after another as if they were war badges of honor, but our colorful attempts to hit the nail on the head never hammered out to a black and white answer. Then my cell lights up…….206-526--…..Siege! C’mon Bro….I have this question for you….here’s my dilemma…..Dude, Hammer & Tongs….one part of the track was….I was talking with the promoter about it and…..Whew, tough track eh?…Yeah my Elsie ran great at Thunder Ridge, won Historic 125….. Cool, I tried to do absolutely nothing with the girlfriend today….I mean we intentionally worked at doing nothing….ended up on the side of this road under the trees…..Going to make Athena? ….What the hell happened with Stu and that launch? He’s a bit busted up but Ok….one of those moments, grabbed a bunch of throttle at the wrong time and…..

Drama? Self-fulfilling prophecy? Human nature? Fate? Is my chain tight enough? This is the 40/1, right? 12lbs in my tires… Maybe more Blue Loctite and a slathering of SPF 30 will help…..Where are my gloves.. damn….The gate drops.

I just don’t know. Do you?

Cheers,
Michael

Next Issue: It’s All that Noise behind You.


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