One of the features of being retired is that I don't have to carry a cell phone, answer my voicemail until I'm good and ready to hear whatever bad news has been lurking on the machine for the past week, or check up on the comments on my blogs until I've had at least two cups of coffee and a donut. I get that some people think I'm giving up on a lot of my old "life" because they are right. I was tethered to a cell phone for 20 years, on-call in two industries and with four different companies and if I never have to answer another phone call it wouldn't bother me at all. We lived with an interstate practically in our backyard for almost 20 years, I don't miss the noise or the traffic and, surprisingly, I don't miss the immediate access to the Cities. I have absolutely left that life behind.
What I haven't (yet) left behind are the good relationships from 53+ years of work. I stay in contact with many of my old friends (especially the ones still alive) and we're living a lot more social life in Red Wing than we had for the last few years in the Cities. I've even recorded two CDs in the last month; one for Southeast Technical College and one for a local songwriter. I'm working regularly for a local performance theater and doing a little work for two other facilities. I got involved in the Red Wing Red Hot Hack! last month and was even part of a group that developed some interesting tourism software.
Motorcycling in southeastern Minnesota is exceptional, but we've been so overwhelmed with our new home and the work (we think) that is required to make it our place that I've barely broken 200 miles so far this year. Last year about this time, I'd ridden the 250 7,500 miles or more during the same period. My first MSF class is this weekend and it's going to be chilly. I gotta get out in the next couple of days and put in a little practice time.
My old MMM editor, Sev Pearman, sent me this link with some points of disagreement with the author: NoiseOFF -Motorcycle Noise Pollution . We had to agree to disagree. I didn't find a single statement off base. I'd like to hear your opinions.
21 comments:
It reads as pretty accurate to me. Personally, I'm considering lobbying my town to enforce the noise regulations on motorcycles, since they clearly aren't at the moment.
Yesterday, I saw a hippo of a cop pull a kid over for a "seat belt violation" while a thunderous parade of pirates rolled by without a glance. Red Wing's police force are beyond lazy and couldn't care less about a disturbance of the peace if there is a micron of risk to the cops involved. And we know pirates are pretty much gangsters who don't even bother with disguises.
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