SCOTT hamilton

Riding the Bike So Far

It’s getting much more fun. I’m regaining the youthful agility I once had on a two-wheeler. With this comes the temptation to take risks. It won’t be long before I am sporting some road rash.

The hills aren’t so steep. It’s amazing the amount of erosion that takes place in a few short weeks. I’m surprised the Rocky Mountains aren’t the Rocky Plains by now. Oh well I’ll let God worry about that. My first trip time was 64 minutes. Today was a lightning quick 49 minutes.

I received my first middle-finger-of-fellowship today. I guess it was provoked by my palms-up-shoulder-shrug-what-gives gesture. We were on a road with exactly 3 inches of shoulder (no exaggeration). I was splitting the white line and the edge of the blacktop. The guy in the biggie-sized SUV couldn’t wait another 4 seconds to let oncoming traffic by so he could maneuver around me with a little room. Had I swerved just a few inches I’d be missing an elbow right now. He didn’t even slow down. It startled me to the point of me letting out a little *#@!

But alas, I am alive to ride another day . . .

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Well today was the second time I rode my bike into work. I decided not to whine and moan sitting at the gas pump, as I do absolutely nothing to change my life style.

 

For now, my goal is to ride to work at least two days a week (22 miles round trip). No, I’m not turning into one of those fanatical tree huggers who worship nature. However, Gen 1:28 does say:

God blessed them:

"Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!

Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,

for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

 

There now that I’m done spiritualizing it let me tell you the real reason. $4.06 at the pump today. That’s why. I’m done getting gazumped at the pump.  So I am trying to reduce the $$ strain on my wallet and do a little cardio at the same time.

 

And cardio it is. My first ‘test’ run ended with me at the church facility calling my wife to come rescue me (note to self: don’t do dead lifts at gym day before). This past Tuesday was my first official trip. It wasn’t too bad coming in. I had been doing some ‘training’ on the stationary bike at the gym. Going back home on Tuesday was the killer though (note to self: fill up water bottle and eat something before trip).

 

I know that it’s against the laws of physics but I was going uphill both ways. I was bonking so badly I had to walk the last three blocks to my house. I was hurting in places I haven’t thought about in years (note to self: reconsider dorky looking biker shorts with padding on the ‘bum’ area).

 

“Wow Scott it sounds like a lot of pain. Is it worth it?”

 

You betcha! Spite is a strong motivator. Thumbing my nose at OPEC feels wonderful. It’s empowering to tell OPEC that I want to start “seeing other people”. Hopefully this leads to a complete break up.

Family Vacation 'The End'

We got back home today around 3:45pm. As we drove up everything looked in order. This was only a façade on what lie inside. As we entered the house a pungent aroma slapped us in the face and sucked the oxygen out of our lungs. Let me give you a short back-story clip and give you one guess as to what happened…

The day before we left Penny, out hamster, wasn’t looking so well...

Any guesses…?

This afternoon we buried Penny in the backyard and I mustered all of my parental/pastoring/grief counseling skills and spent some quality time with my girls. There’s a small part of me that will actually miss that rodent Penny.

Thought from today:  “Will we see Penny in heaven?” I would argue to the affirmative.

Family Vacation 4

We visited Bear Country on Friday. It’s a drive-thru zoo where you can observe animals that are native to South Dakota from the safety of your car. I wasn't too impressed. The older I get the less captivated I am with animals in captivity (yes – corning pun intended).

Friday afternoon we went to Beautiful Rushmore Cave. The name didn’t oversell it. It was truly beautiful and a tad dangerous. There was a low hanging mineral composite (rock) that stabbed into the air immediately overhead as people made their way up a steel ladder.  It was aptly named “Headache Rock”. We were all forced to take an oath to call it by name if by chance we were to strike our head against it lest some other profanities would slip out and scorch little ears accompanying the group.

Yes I hit (impaled, lacerated, flayed, bashed) my head. No I didn't keep my promise.

Not to worry moms my select profanities were muffled under my breath.

Here are some pics:

Thought from Friday: The only person to hear my colorful vocabulary was God and he even winced when my impaling on Headache Rock took place.

Family Vacation 3

(The Wi-Fi went down at the hotel so I couldn't post until I got back today)

 Well like I said the rest of the trip was pretty anticlimactic after the helicopter flight on Thursday. Friday we traveled Needles Highway through Custer State Park. It was beautiful but also packed full of people. It seems the older I get the less tolerant of crowds I become. Here are some pics:

 

Thought from Thursday: God’s creation truly reflects his glory.

Family Vacation 2

The rest of the trip is pretty much shot for me. We still haven’t been to Rushmore yet and I’m like, “yeah, yeah…whatever…” It’s all downhill from here. I’m 20 minutes into the movie and I’ve seen all the good stuff. Everything will be anticlimactic after this morning.

This is what I got to do this morning:

It has been a dream since childhood to be a helicopter pilot. I’ve had several failed attempts at pursuing that path and for one reason or another it didn’t happen (I think I know now but that’s a different show). Today I got to experience a helicopter flight from the inside for the first time ever. It was incredible – everything I had imagined and more!

It wasn’t planned and came as a complete surprise. It was as if my heavenly Father planned a surprise gift for me. He and I have been talking about it all day. What a cool dad I have! And here’s the kicker. It went beyond just a cool experience, beyond a dream realized, and became a special memory I get to share with people I love the most.

Here are some more pics then I have to get ready for that boring pyrotechnics show over one of America’s most impressive monuments ... yawn . . . whatever.

Thought from today: Cool things in life are best experienced with people you love.  Thank you family and thank you Dad!

 

Family Vacation 1

After 6+ hours of driving we finally arrived in Custer, SD.  Tomorrow is the big day at Mt. Rushmore to see the fireworks display.  We will likely be joined by 30-50 thousand other people in the park.  It should be interesting, and definitely a once-in-a-life-time event (not for lack of opportunity but willingness).

Highlights from today:

• 1881 Courthouse museum where we saw, among others things, Custer's rifle and flag, a section of a tree that was here when the pilgrims landed, and a gun that was used to shoot a disrderly drunk at one of the town parades (he lived).
• Not too many places accept credit cards - but they do accept personal checks (Hmmmm...).
• Smores at the In-laws' campsite.

Thoughts from today:
SD definitely attracts a 'certain' type of tourist - "An bee-ins dat ahm heer ah gess dat makes me wun a dem."

Cowboy Up . . . What's That?

Remember back in ’04 when that ‘documentary’ came out called Super Size Me?   It was about Morgan Spurlock’s exposé on the dangers of a McDonald’s-only diet. It sparked outcry against corporate fast food bullies who force this toxic waste down our throats (yes I’m being facetious – but only slightly). Through the melodramatic ‘reporting’ I kept asking myself why is everyone missing the fact that he chose to eat at Mickey D’s every day?

But alas it boiled down to sensationalized blame game – as usual. Interestingly a guy made the news today who also chose a McDonald’s-only diet. He ended up losing 80+ pounds. This illustrates the fact that it all really boils down to personal responsibility – a fading concept today. Accepting the consequences for our actions is rare.

Little Jimmy isn’t doing so well in school because he doesn’t do his homework

I’m going to go have a talk with that teacher!

I’m dying of lung cancer because I’ve been smoking the past 25 years

It’s the tobacco industry’s fault

We’re putting out a known toxic product that kills people and we’re making a huge profit

It’s the end user’s fault if they die

I can’t get a job because of my felony record

Those idiot cops and that stupid judge! I’m struggling now because of them.

And of course the classic . . .

I got burned from coffee that I was precariously squeezing between my legs while trying to drive at the same time

It must be McDonald’s fault for serving coffee the way I demand it – HOT!

 

Sadly the list is seemingly endless. Cowboying-up and taking personal responsibility – WOW, what a concept.

"Ah... Yea... I'm Having a Pedicure That Weekend... I Don't think I can Help"

I had the opportunity to help a family move-in yesterday. It was an easy move. Most of the stuff was unloaded and stacked in a storage facility. It got me to thinking though, about all my previous experiences helping others move – the good and the bad.

If you’re asking people to help you move here are some helpful tips that will increase your chances of remaining friends and maybe get them back for a second move.

1. Have everything packed. Don’t start throwing things in a box when people show up at your door. It communicates to them that their time is not worth you being prepared.

2. If you are moving locally have most of the small stuff relocated already. There is no reason you can’t make some car loads of small boxes before people show up at your door.

3. PROVIDE LEADERSHIP! This is absolutely the most important but hardest for people to do. People show up because they are willing and expecting to do some grunt work. They are there to help but want it to get over as soon as possible –nobody likes moving – especially stuff that’s not theirs. I know you want to help do the grunt work to show that you are taking responsibility for your stuff, but it does no good for 8 people stand around waiting for instructions while you wrestle with the box springs. This just prolongs the agony for everybody. You are the only one who knows where things go. You can honor people’s time by not lifting a hand but coordinating to make the work go efficiently and quickly. It might not feel good to stand around giving instructions, but believe me, it’s the best way to appreciate the people who showed up expecting to do manual labor.

4. Don’t inappropriately take advantage of having people willing to help. Make decisions quickly. You can tweak things later. It’s not the time to move the 600lb dresser 4 inches to the right (while 6 other people are standing around waiting for instructions and thinking that they are wasting their day).

There’s my tips on moving. They come from being on the receiving end of people doing it correctly but, unfortunately, more so from people doing it wrongly.

Pointing the Whiny Finger

I saw a recent poll asking “Who is most responsible for high oil prices?”

o The US government

o OPEC

o The US oil companies

o The American people

I was blown away when the running results revealed that the people polled thought the fault rightfully lay with the US Government and the least responsible were the American people.

I don’t understand that line of reasoning apart from a spoiled, entitlement mindset.  I’ve heard so many people gripe and complain about gas prices all the while driving these big gas guzzling behemoths (including myself).

There is a simple solution. It’s called the law of supply and demand. If we don’t use as much the lack of demand will drag the price down. But instead of owning up and taking responsibility for our actions we simply scream and stomp our feet all that much more as one hand grips the gas pump feeding our 10 mpg Suburban.

Lay the blame where you want (there’s plenty to go around), but the power lies squarely with us, the consumer. We can chose where, when, and how much of our green backs to hand over.

Consider this proverb as we turn down the volume on our whining.

"What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson-

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