When I take a step back

And look at the past year I am sad to say that I have come to the difficult decision to sell my beautiful motorcycle. I guess just about anyone who is reading this probably knows that I had to have surgery on my neck for the second time in 9 years last November. The surgery has not left me with the result I had hoped for and now that I am still having to live with pretty much constant pain in my neck and upper back I hardly ever ride my FZ at all any more.

I bought the bike about 14 months ago after first seeing one like it at the International Motorcycle Show the year before. It was love at first sight for me and I knew at that moment that I would one day have one. I purchased the bike new from Lawrenceville Honda Yamaha and I also purchased several accessories to make it both more comfortable and more powerful. The end result was (for me) the perfect mix of style comfort and performance. It has been very hard for me to come to this decision but seeing it sitting there in the garage every day and not being able to ride (especially now that the weather is so nice) is really a lot worse then passing it off to someone who will get to enjoy the ride. And I guess if things improve with my neck, and I feel like I can get back in the saddle, I can always try again later. Who knows, maybe they will come up with something even better then my beloved FZ down the road.

With baited breath

I am sitting here with this funny taste in my mouth and thinking about where it came from. Is it my snack of Fritos and peanut butter cookies or the allergy meds I am taking to battle the wonderful life giving pollen, or is it the anticipation of tomorrows (hopefully productive) doctor visit? I guess all of these things effect me in one way or another. Tomorrow I will be visiting my surgeon to find out what he and the radiologist think about the results of my last MRI (last week). I am not sure what to expect, I guess I want to try an remain hopeful that they will be able to pinpoint the cause of the ongoing pain I am dealing with but at the same time the cynic in me expects to hear the usual run around and double talk instead of direct answers. I don't know if it is just bad luck with picking doctors or the doctors fear of repercussions from assholes but something seems to cause them to clam up when it comes to giving straight answers to my questions. I wish there was some way to weed through all the b.s. in these situations, I guess there can't be though, too many lawyers, too many idiots that want everyone but themselves to be the cause of their problems, too many doctors who honestly believe they are incapable of making mistakes, and way too many far removed insurance company officials and politicians who do not care what the effect of their actions will be on their customers well being as long as there is a way for them to deny benefits and or line their pockets somehow, that are making too many decisions without a single caring thought about the people who will be harmed in the bigger picture. It is the look out for #1 and fuck everyone else attitude that we all see on a daily basis in every aspect of our society that will eventually be the end of us all in one way or another.