The Other Side Of The Edge

I've seen the other side of the edge, now I just have to figure out how to go over the edge. As you know, I've had a couple of posts recently where I've mentioned some things going on in my head. It has to do with some little visions, or flashes of thoughts that I just haven't been able to explain. The first line of the Declaration Of Independence have been coming to mind for some strange reason, and how I wondered if it was going to be part of a story lurking in the back of my mind that was going to finally come together. In those posts I talked about how I hoped it would all come together while on vacation. Well, I think it did, kind of. It wasn't part of a story, but it has left me with the motivation to pursue an idea I've had for my stories.

The visions were sentimental/emotional flashes of being back in Florida. The moment we walked off the plane and I could see the palm trees through the windows of Orlando International I felt a sense of relief. I knew the vision question had been answered. I had been away too long. I needed to be there, for me, for the experience for my kids. They are growing up in South Dakota, and that's a clean, wholesome lifestyle, but I also want them to experience the culture I grew up in. As I think about it, our lives are reversed. They don't know winter without snow and frigid cold. I didn't even see snow 'til I was 16, and it didn't even cover the grass, but we made a snowman anyway.

If you remember, the Declaration Of Independence starts out by saying "When in the course of human events..." Well, it basically goes on to say that the new America is separating themselves from England. I think our trip was the opposite. Everyone I talked to thought it was so weird that the kids mom and I would go on vacation with the kids even though we're separated. Remember though, it was only the first line that kept coming to mind. It wasn't until I read it that I noticed the separation part. It wasn't a final separation that happened. No, it wasn't a reunion either. I think it did teach a lot of people a very important lesson. Just because life doesn't go the way people see as normal doesn't mean there has to be bitterness. I think the reason that first line kept coming to mind was so I could continue it this way. When in the course of human events there is no room for selfishness and ego. A decision should be based on what is best for that particular situation.

I learned that since my kids LIVE the midwest lifestyle I also want them to grow up knowing the southern lifestyle not just experiencing it once in a while. As I say in many of my posts "Thanks for searching with me." Life is a series of searching and discovering. Thanks for sharing this one with me, Paul

What If It's True?

The other day my alarm clock went off, and as I was waking up I felt a sharp pain on my foot. It wasn't inside like a cramp, it seemed to be outside. You automatically think spider when something like that happens. If you've ever seen pictures of Brown Recluse Spider bites, you know that is nothing to mess around with. After checking it out, I didn't find any fang marks, or anything that looked like I had been bitten. It did remind me of something I heard recently. I heard on a radio show that has trivia segments, that over the course of our lifetime we will swallow about eight spiders while we sleep. So, if you've ever woke up in the morning with a scratchy throat, or if it feels like there is something in your throat and you need a drink....maybe that was one.

Sturgis Rally Week

I have been writing a christmas program, so the first thing that came to mind for this title was "No room at the inn." This week in the Rapid City, Sturgis area there is no room at any of the inns. The motorcycle rally is the first week of August, but this is the second week you say. It's weird, it's like trying to calculate when Easter is going to be. You eventually just give up and look on the calendar. I guess the rally is the first week of August, but it has to start on the first Sat. This year Aug. 1 was on Sun. so it had to start on Aug. 7. Summertime is always crowded no matter where you live, especially if you live in a popular tourist area. We have Mt. Rushmore here, so tourism is big business here. To put it in perspective for you, Sturgis has about 6000 people, Rapid City is about 1/2 hour away, and it has about 80,000 people. The Rapid City Metro Area including Sturgis, towns in the Black Hills, and Ellsworth Air Force Base, has about 125,000 people.
I remember twenty years ago at the 50th anniversary of the rally, everyone here was surprised that 100,000 people were predicted to be here. This year I heard half a million people are predicted. A couple of days after that I heard 800,000 people. I don't see very much of it. I drive to work, drive home, go get the kids, and go home. Monday I suggested we drive around and check license plates to see how far people have come on their motorcycles. Brent, my 12 year old said he had already seen enough. They had seen probably 5000 motorcycles on Sunday. I had accused him of exaggerating but then he said they went with their mom through the state park where there is a large buffalo herd, and I figured that was probably pretty accurate.
As you can imagine, the hospital is fully staffed this week, especially since South Dakota doesn't have a helmet law. I never really thought about the retail stores. The cashier I had at Wal-Mart Saturday said he was working every day this week too. It can be frustrating, if you forget and don't allow yourself enough time to get to where you're going, but it can be fun watching the sights. So if you've never experienced the Sturgis Rally, or Daytona Bike Week, you need to check it out at least once.