I have just embarked on a new stage of my understanding of the ethereal space of the world wide web, never really convinced that anybody might know me from Adam out there, except for the few people with whom I have learned to exchange e-mails, and companies who want my credit card details.
I am still not sure that I really want any of you to know me from Adam anyway, but I do hope that the next phase of life is going to be interesting and enjoyable for me, and that some people may also get some fun out of it too.
Why now? Why a blog? Well, I am just in the early stages of planning a long dreamed of motorcycle journey and, in the research stages, I have read blogs from several people around the ethereal space who have done them and "blogged them". I was impressed, although I doubt that I shall achieve anything like the standards I have seen. I suppose that it seems a good way for me too, to record how it develops and what happens, for my own interest and for that of my family and friends, and also a way perhaps of getting help and advice from all of you out there too.
I also have in mind to write a book, not about my planned trip, predominantly for my family rather than for publication of any kind, but I might just try bits of it out here too in due course to see what feedback I get!
Just a bit for now, about who I am and what am I up to:-
I was born in September 1946, and conceived, I am assured, slightly accidentally in the Christmas of 1945, when my parents stayed at my maternal grandparents' home immediately after the second World War and had to sleep together in the single bed of an Anderson Bomb shelter in the back garden...well they had to stay warm somehow. My Dad is just coming up 95 and is frail but well enough for his years, and my Mother sadly died 17 years ago. I have just turned 60 and retired from full time medical life and am now working part-time, which I hope to do for another few years, working in "lumps" and having "lumps" off. I am married to "wife" for the last 32 years and have "Son" now aged 28 who is an Army Officer and married last year, "New Daughter", who is a teacher, and a daughter, "Daughter" who is 25 and is in Finance in The City of London. (That's the London, for those of you who believe that anywhere in England should always be qualified by a Country title after it.) Now you will note, I have just had to make my first big blogging decision, whether to come clean with names and stuff, but I think on balance, that I will keep everyone anonymous for the moment, although that may gradually fall by the wayside. I know who they all are, and as long as my marbles keep going long enough, if I have to complete some names of the third parties in my blog, I can do so later.
So, four months into retirement, I am starting to plan my "roadtrip", although, as I see everybody philosophising their blogs, I suppose that you might say I am just planning the next part of my "roadtrip" of life. Incidentally, aren't such expressions quite obnoxious! Why can't I call it my "big adventure" or my "great motorcycle journey" or "my personal conquest of North America", which it will be? Why "ROADTRIP"? It seems to be what everyone who travels around the United States by road calls it nowadays. It's another Americanism again, like "Roadmap" as in "The Roadmap to Peace"....a ghastly and unfortunate term, used like parrots by all British and many European politicians in mimicry of their US supremo. It is such an unfortunate term in regards to any Peace Process. EVERYBODY gets lost on roadmaps! What hope can there possibly be in getting to one's destination over a rough terrain by using a roadmap? One needs to sit and ponder, stop, rest, talk, ask the locals, modify your plans, have a crap, avoid inevitable roadworks, and watch other maniacs on the route, especially if one is already driving with maniac drivers who think they own all the damn roads. No, maps are tough, and for roads. Talk, talk, more talk and lots of common sense, love, concern and lack of selfishness is for peace. Even a clever Satnav can't always do that for roads yet without cocking up. Anyway, that's enough on that subject. You will be wondering soon why I want to go to the USA anyway with that attitude. The English language has always been an evolving language, which is why it is such a rich language, but I hate how lazy and colloquial it becomes sometime with the use of "soundbites" produced by advertising companies, politicians and media. Even "Blog" hurts! ( but then some good ideas have to turn up sometimes, thank you to the originators, the San Francisco trio. That is, of course, San Francisco California, for the very few of you who may have contemplated that, not qualifying the State, would have been likely to mean anywhere else!)
So, the first object is to have a place to record the plannings and musings about my imminent huge adventure, and as some of you will realise by now, also to have a place to grump in by myself, and maybe to look back on the route I have come so far and record the rest of the route of my life. So, any of you who fancy following on for the ride, you're welcome and I hope to have many an ethereal grump together. For those of you who don't, I really can't blame you.
Perhaps, on this, my opening entry, I should state that, as a "Blogger", I don't guarantee much in the way of high standards, and I am not always quite politically correct, but I am friendly, and open and mostly honest, and respect all men and women of all nationalities, creeds and colour as equals, so if I ever make any comments which you don't like, it's not because I have any pre-conceived hatred of you, it's because I tell it as I see it. I see things from the point of view of a married 60 year old English/Christian white male with professional background and happily grown up family. I have been incredibly lucky in my life, and although in my job I have understood and worked with people who have had the most extraordinarily different lives from my own, I am limited in much of my outlook and understanding by these inbuilt values. Even my children tell me that sometimes too, so challenge will not be a first! Change my viewpoint if you can, or enlighten me and allow us to hold opposing opinions in harmony! I also reserve the right not to start entering in to difficult and highly confrontational discussions as these are much better handled over a cup of tea or a glass of decent ale face to face! Comments are very welcome, long arguments are not...This is a relaxing space not a boxing ring.
If this is all rubbish, then you may as well know I am stuck at home with the 'flu. It is getting better now but I have given it to "Wife" and she is in bed with it and I am just getting better . Hence I started to think amidst the hacking cough and rigors about Death Valley and the big trip. Maybe, just maybe, this stuff may improve as I get better, but then again....?
Best wishes, Doc
I am still not sure that I really want any of you to know me from Adam anyway, but I do hope that the next phase of life is going to be interesting and enjoyable for me, and that some people may also get some fun out of it too.
Why now? Why a blog? Well, I am just in the early stages of planning a long dreamed of motorcycle journey and, in the research stages, I have read blogs from several people around the ethereal space who have done them and "blogged them". I was impressed, although I doubt that I shall achieve anything like the standards I have seen. I suppose that it seems a good way for me too, to record how it develops and what happens, for my own interest and for that of my family and friends, and also a way perhaps of getting help and advice from all of you out there too.
I also have in mind to write a book, not about my planned trip, predominantly for my family rather than for publication of any kind, but I might just try bits of it out here too in due course to see what feedback I get!
Just a bit for now, about who I am and what am I up to:-
I was born in September 1946, and conceived, I am assured, slightly accidentally in the Christmas of 1945, when my parents stayed at my maternal grandparents' home immediately after the second World War and had to sleep together in the single bed of an Anderson Bomb shelter in the back garden...well they had to stay warm somehow. My Dad is just coming up 95 and is frail but well enough for his years, and my Mother sadly died 17 years ago. I have just turned 60 and retired from full time medical life and am now working part-time, which I hope to do for another few years, working in "lumps" and having "lumps" off. I am married to "wife" for the last 32 years and have "Son" now aged 28 who is an Army Officer and married last year, "New Daughter", who is a teacher, and a daughter, "Daughter" who is 25 and is in Finance in The City of London. (That's the London, for those of you who believe that anywhere in England should always be qualified by a Country title after it.) Now you will note, I have just had to make my first big blogging decision, whether to come clean with names and stuff, but I think on balance, that I will keep everyone anonymous for the moment, although that may gradually fall by the wayside. I know who they all are, and as long as my marbles keep going long enough, if I have to complete some names of the third parties in my blog, I can do so later.
So, four months into retirement, I am starting to plan my "roadtrip", although, as I see everybody philosophising their blogs, I suppose that you might say I am just planning the next part of my "roadtrip" of life. Incidentally, aren't such expressions quite obnoxious! Why can't I call it my "big adventure" or my "great motorcycle journey" or "my personal conquest of North America", which it will be? Why "ROADTRIP"? It seems to be what everyone who travels around the United States by road calls it nowadays. It's another Americanism again, like "Roadmap" as in "The Roadmap to Peace"....a ghastly and unfortunate term, used like parrots by all British and many European politicians in mimicry of their US supremo. It is such an unfortunate term in regards to any Peace Process. EVERYBODY gets lost on roadmaps! What hope can there possibly be in getting to one's destination over a rough terrain by using a roadmap? One needs to sit and ponder, stop, rest, talk, ask the locals, modify your plans, have a crap, avoid inevitable roadworks, and watch other maniacs on the route, especially if one is already driving with maniac drivers who think they own all the damn roads. No, maps are tough, and for roads. Talk, talk, more talk and lots of common sense, love, concern and lack of selfishness is for peace. Even a clever Satnav can't always do that for roads yet without cocking up. Anyway, that's enough on that subject. You will be wondering soon why I want to go to the USA anyway with that attitude. The English language has always been an evolving language, which is why it is such a rich language, but I hate how lazy and colloquial it becomes sometime with the use of "soundbites" produced by advertising companies, politicians and media. Even "Blog" hurts! ( but then some good ideas have to turn up sometimes, thank you to the originators, the San Francisco trio. That is, of course, San Francisco California, for the very few of you who may have contemplated that, not qualifying the State, would have been likely to mean anywhere else!)
So, the first object is to have a place to record the plannings and musings about my imminent huge adventure, and as some of you will realise by now, also to have a place to grump in by myself, and maybe to look back on the route I have come so far and record the rest of the route of my life. So, any of you who fancy following on for the ride, you're welcome and I hope to have many an ethereal grump together. For those of you who don't, I really can't blame you.
Perhaps, on this, my opening entry, I should state that, as a "Blogger", I don't guarantee much in the way of high standards, and I am not always quite politically correct, but I am friendly, and open and mostly honest, and respect all men and women of all nationalities, creeds and colour as equals, so if I ever make any comments which you don't like, it's not because I have any pre-conceived hatred of you, it's because I tell it as I see it. I see things from the point of view of a married 60 year old English/Christian white male with professional background and happily grown up family. I have been incredibly lucky in my life, and although in my job I have understood and worked with people who have had the most extraordinarily different lives from my own, I am limited in much of my outlook and understanding by these inbuilt values. Even my children tell me that sometimes too, so challenge will not be a first! Change my viewpoint if you can, or enlighten me and allow us to hold opposing opinions in harmony! I also reserve the right not to start entering in to difficult and highly confrontational discussions as these are much better handled over a cup of tea or a glass of decent ale face to face! Comments are very welcome, long arguments are not...This is a relaxing space not a boxing ring.
If this is all rubbish, then you may as well know I am stuck at home with the 'flu. It is getting better now but I have given it to "Wife" and she is in bed with it and I am just getting better . Hence I started to think amidst the hacking cough and rigors about Death Valley and the big trip. Maybe, just maybe, this stuff may improve as I get better, but then again....?
Best wishes, Doc
No comments:
Post a Comment