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Resolution – A formal expression by a meeting, agreed to by a vote; a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner.

Resolutions. Its the time of year when we all begin to think about ‘New Year’s Resolutions’. Gym memberships across the country skyrocket. We resolve every year to pay the credit cards down and get the weight down, and spend less time watching TV. We set goals on how many books we are going to read instead and recommit to reading the Bible through, for real this time. We think of the new year as a new beginning; A time when things can change for the better. Maybe this year will be different – maybe we will stay committed to reading the Bible and watching less TV, maybe we will pay off the credit card and start taking off the extra pounds. I doubt it! (more…)

I went for a bike ride today to try out some new equipment I purchased. I picked up a new pair of cycling shoes and the clipless petals and cleats. For those that don’t know, the cleats screw into the bottom of the cycling shoes and clip into the clipless petals. Yes, they clip into the clipless petals (maybe I’ll save that for another post). Anyway, I headed south on the canal for a short ride. At first I was only looking to get the feel for clipping in and out of my new petals, but I quickly realized that I haven’t been on my bike in a while and despite the fact that it was only 54 degrees, I decided to make it into a longer trip than I had first planned.

In all I rode about 25 miles taking the canal as far south as it would go. I passed MetroCenter and the Castles and Coaster theme park, I passed several families out riding their bikes together. My feet began to hurt because of the new shoes. They fit great, but using them caused me to work muscles in my feet that I don’t normally use. I found myself wanting to quit after just ten miles, but I pushed on. (more…)

My brother Jeremy was in town for Christmas and we were able to spend time with his family for presents and dinner – but yesterday I got the extra privilege of going golfing with Jeremy and Dad. After 18 holes (Par for the course is somewhere around 72 – I golfed an 85… ON THE FIRST 9!) Jeremy and I (Dad bowed out) went to dinner and then to smoke cigars.

Dinner was OK – but it was Mexican (Jeremy’s choice) so I wasn’t thrilled, but the company was great. We picked up a couple of cigars, Jeremy paid, and we headed for the Ritz where there is a great cigar lounge that we have been at a few times before. Now there was a statewide ban on smoking in public places that passed in November by liberal tree hugging smoke nazis, but it doesn’t go into affect until January AND it doesn’t affect establishments that sell tobacco (like cigar bars and lounges) so we THOUGHT we were in good shape to head for the Ritz. We were wrong. (more…)

If you read my recent post I got hit by a car! then you already know the story behind the title of this post. But to recap – I was recently hit by a car while riding my bike home. It was a very low speed collision and no one was hurt. My bike had some damage, but nothing major. When it happened it was after sunset and at the moment of impact my first thought was “I have my light on!” I even shouted that fact out as I pulled my bike out from under the bumper of the truck. The driver got out of his vehicle and was very shaken by the impact. I can only image what was going through his mind at the moment he hit me. But the question I find myself asking is what was going through my mind. Let me explain what I meant when I shouted “I have my light on” – I wasn’t in shock, I was upset.

I know it was dark but the street was well lit and my bike had my laptop pannier (saddle bag) that is a bright reflective yellow color on the side as well as the fact that I had the required-by-law headlight on the front handle bars. When I said “I have my light on!” what I was really saying is “How did you not see me! I’m 300lbs of mass heading your way AND I HAVE A LIGHT ON!” (more…)

Now this is funny!

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Stephanie and I went to pick up my bike tonight.  I was pretty excited to get it back.  It has been tuned up and now has a new computer.  Stephanie was coming out of Target and I was putting the bike rack on the back of the car.  Then out of nowhere – POP! followed by what sounded like Rice Crispy’s Snap, Crackle, Pop.  Small pieces of glass had been thrown in every direction including directly at Stephanie and Zander who were standing directly beside the rear glass at the time.

I looked over and saw the entire rear glass was shattered and the sound of crackling continued.  Stephanie called Dianne while I started to pull the rear glass out piece by piece.  I had gone back into Target to get a couple of trash bags and a pair of gloves.  We both took it in stride but Stephanie was not overjoyed with the situation.  I called Safelite AutoGlass – after 8 years as an employee there, I couldn’t call anyone else, even if I’m no longer eligible for the employee discount.

The window will be replaced tomorrow and the total cost of my bike collision just went up to over $300.  Merry Christmas Us.  Check out the rest of the clean up effort in the picture gallery – http://sackrider.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=6282

Tonight at a gas station named “On the Run”, I spent over an hour with six teenage skateboarders and a homeless man named Kelly…

It was almost 10pm on Christmas day when Stephanie asked me to go to the store. I didn’t want to go, but I did want something other than water to drink. Sitting just outside the gas station was Kelly playing his harmonica. Kelly was drunk and smelled like it, but he wasn’t bumming for cash. He was talkative, but friendly. I passed him as I went into the store, and I passed him as I left the store. I went home even, but when I got home and told Stephanie about him she suggested I go back. (more…)

It happened on the 14th – and I should have written something then, but better late than never…

I was going to ride my bike all the way to and from work that day, but I got a late start. Often when I am running late (i.e. over slept) I just take the car, but today Stephanie had to have the car for a doctor’s appointment. So I offered a compromise that Stephanie would take me and my bike as far as she could on the way to her doctors appointment and I would ride the rest of the way. In the confusion that followed I forgot to get my helmet and gloves. Stephanie took me about twelve miles toward my work — I rode (without a helmet) the other seven miles to work. It was uneventful, except for the fact that I had never taken this route before and there wasn’t a bike lane for most of it. After work, I was not so lucky. (more…)

OK – Before you get all worked up, I didn’t physically attack Santa, but I did SLAP him.  Let me explain – do you remember the “Pay It Forward” movie with the concept of paying good deeds ‘forward’ to strangers rather than ‘back’ to your friends or family?  Well ‘SLAP It Forward’ is based on the same idea.

Social Liability for Actions in Public (SLAP) is based on the idea that although we have the right to act like jerks in public, it cannot be without consequence.  The next time you see someone acting like an idiot in public, SLAP ’em!  Call them out on it; let them know its not OK to act that way.  I know people say you can’t do that now-a-days because you could get shot, but I say the fact that we don’t hold people accountable for their actions is why you could get shot.  I’m going to be part of the solution, not part of the problem – I SLAP’ed Santa! (more…)