A Lesson from a Dog (and Scooter)

Junior. Patiently waiting for me to take his picture with my iPhone. Later, at home, I process the image further in the same device with PhotoForge. It reflects the soft and blurred vision experienced shortly after leaving bed, before breakfast, before shower, before really being ready to be in the world.

Patience is his lesson for me. An insistence that I examine my own measure of it. Something I find less of than I would have guessed. I've read a dog appears in your life when there is something for you to learn. I'm convinced it's true. His simple requirements demand little more than my time but his lessons are tough. He forces me to make choices and they bring me face to face with my lack of patience. The lessons are not dissimilar from those taught by the Vespa.

New Year's Day 2010. Morning. A quiet ride through the snowy countryside not far from home. Roads mostly clear with only patches of slippery surfaces. Unexpected slick spots require patience. To make choices. The road makes demands in the same manor Junior does. Can you accept this now?

I'm long past the simple lessons of patience while riding -- those experiences with drivers on autopilot who raise my risk, of bullying horns at a traffic light when I hesitate a moment too long before moving. But alone, left to my own plans and schemes, there lies the challenge today. The Vespa instructs me and so does Junior.

I feel fortunate for two such demanding teachers.

Grey Riding

I was struck how colorless the world can be during my ride to work. Makes sense how those shades of grey can pile on to your brain in winter. A glimpse of blue sky and sunshine is cause for celebration. The grey on the ground reeks havoc on the metal and machinery and I'm sure it was responsible for the failure of my rear brakes. All that salt silently chewing and gnawing as those fine machine parts. Perhaps I should wash the Vespa once in a while. I missed the blue moon at the end of December.

It was nice to ride without snow on the road. The only other two-wheeled vehicle in the parking lot was a colleague's Yamaha Vino. He got the good space.

Falling Off the Grid

This morning, like every morning for the past few months Junior and I go for a walk. I made the pictures in this grid before breakfast today. Before going further I need to acknowledge Texan photographer Matt Nager for the inspiration in making these little story grids using the iPhone. It takes advantage of the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone camera.

No posts here since the end of December. Still struggling to find balance between my competing responsibilities and interests. When push comes to shove the Vespa can wait. Junior can't. All those riding hours have transformed into dog hours. Still, I have been riding and writing. I just can't seem to pull the trigger to post. I've developed a manifesto length piece that would rival the postings of some unnamed fellow riding bloggers. It needs work. And it needs to be cut into pieces. So I just started from scratch this evening with this. A note from the sticks that life goes on.

Did ride in the rain this morning to meet my friend Gordon at the Pump Station. And have been on the Vespa a few times in the past couple weeks. Have lots of pictures to go through. And a post to complete reviewing a 2010 Triumph Tiger I had for a few days.

So not to worry. I will wade through the work and responsibilities and be posting more frequently. I'm working hard to get Junior to transcribe my thoughts. Or at least hold still while I take pictures.

Would it be wrong to have him run alongside the Vespa too? *grin*