Upgrades...

So winter has kept me busy dreaming about the day I'll be able to get back on the bike. A fact you've probably gather from my ramblings about the bike and my hatred for winter. Pictured are some of the goodies I've gather during the cold months to keep me entertained and ready for spring. A new front tire, new LED turn signals, stiffer front springs, new chain, gloves and a chain cutter/press/rivet tool. Not pictured is also a pair of AVG riding pants that I got for Christmas. While all of this stuff is fun to look at it is also torturous. :) Well this small collection has kept me sane for the first half of winter, let's hope it can do the same for the last half.

Operation

I spend a good hour today disassembling a customer's laptop in preparation for a motherboard replacement, just another typical day off. :) As tedious as this process is I really love it. I'm not sure where I get it from but I love learning how things work and my computer repair business is a great outlet for that very thing. If I could spend my days off doing nothing but tearing down and rebuilding things I think I'd be pretty happy. :)

Where have you been all of my life....LastPass

Do you use the same key for your house, car, storage, work, and bank security box? Of course not! I mean if that key were ever lost or stolen it would at least mean some sleepless nights and at worst cause some real lose. So why use the same 1 or 2 passwords for all of your online accounts? Because who wants to try and remember 15 different passwords right? LastPass has taken the pain out of that problem for me and can for you too.

LastPass makes managing unique and secure passwords for every site you use as easy as could be. All you need to remember is 1 very good password that will give you access to every other password you need. I know this post probably sounds like an ad but it is actually just that this product has saved me a lot of work and given me a much more secure presence on the ever growing web. It is free so give it a try and I'm sure you'll never look back.

Someone stop me...

Sure, just as soon as I finish writing about how I'm going to be positive and try to embrace winter I have to run across something like this that makes me hate winter once again. You are seeing a Buell 1190 Typhon by Pegasus Racing, one of the many bikes of my dreams. I guess the upside is that not being able to ride for 5 months or so really builds up my anticipation to ride again and gives me down time to fix the bike up for the season again. Right now my beloved SV650 needs some TLC, new front tire, new chain and sprockets and some random work and the electrical system. I should have more than enough time to get it all sorted out by the time any decent weather returns. Until then I'll eagerly await the day when riding is again a possibility.

Hello Winter

Nothing tells you winter is here like a freezing lake does. I think I've been in denial about winter for a while now but I have to admit that it is finally here. Snow is predicted several times over the next week or two and as you can see the lake is no longer swimmable.

Its easy to find things to complain about during winter, and I'm probably more guilty of that than anyone, but I'm going to make an attempt to see the positive of this time of year. Hmmmm, let's see. It is like the bug and insect apocolypse, gotta love that. Good time to get a little creative and try some new activity a bit out of the norm like painting, writing, reading, etc. Of coarse all of the holidays are great with getting to see family, giving and receiving gifts. Don't forget great food, Christmas music and hot cocoa. I guess when I look at all the the winter has to offer it isn't so bad after all. Maybe a little less like the grumpy old neighbor and a little more like the old forgotten friend.

What I am thankful for...

Well Thanksgiving has us by for 2010 so I realize that this is a bit late but still. This year maybe more than any other I feel as if I have a better sense for all the things I have to give thanks for. The list is quite exhaustive so I’ll give to give the condensed version.

My Salvation

I have to say that the single most important decision of my life took place when I was 13. Even at that age I realized that my disobedience to God’s commands, be they small or great, separated me from God. Thankfully Christ paved the way in a way that I could not by both taking the punishment for my sin on the cross and conquering death in the resurrection. By God’s grace He is still working on me and what He wants me to be but I am I rest assured that I would not be the person I am today had I not made that decision.

My Wonderful Wife

The second most important event of my life took place on August 27^th, 2005, the marriage to the love of my life. Nina and I have been married 5 years and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. The Lord knew what He was doing when He brought us together because the last 5 years have proved that we draw on each other’s strengths and balance each other’s weaknesses. Sometimes life has been easy and sometimes life has been very hard but I will always be thankful that I had Nina to go through it with me. I love you Nina.

My Family

I have always been thankful for my immediate family and blood relatives but I never really expected to be as close to my in laws as I am. In marrying Nina I inherited a wonderful group of people that I have learned a great deal from and am privileged to call my family. Mom Tanner, Jeremy & Mandy thank you for your love and acceptance of me, you guys are great!

Everything else

Church family, small group bible study, Lucy (the dog), the cabin, our health, steady jobs, God’s provision, etc. Again far from exhaustive but I had to rattle off a few more.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

It is coming...

If there is one weakness I have it is trying to keep secrets that I am really excited about, that said I am having a difficult time of it right now. If it were up to me I think we would be smashing Thanksgiving and Christmas into one big event this year and just get it all over with on the 27th. How could that be so bad right? In reality that won't be happening but I'm just saying.

Not sure if this can qualify as something worthy of a blog post but it is on my mind all the time so it qualifies for me.