Inky Spots
posted by Scott Hsu-Storaker at 12:00 AM
Funny, huh?
Well, that's me. Yup, I got a skateboard a couple years ago and I take it to and from work every day. Having rarely skated as a child, it was all pretty new to me. I'm getting better, but I still have only one trick. It's called "not falling on my ass". And, well, I'm not always successful. If for a moment you think I am cool for riding a skateboard, just stop yourself for a moment and remember that image, that gorilla on wheels. So. Not. Cool.
But, that's not exactly the point of this post -- it is, but only in a cursory way. This time of year, I often end up skating home in the dark and the path I ride on is usually littered with gravel and wood chips kicked up by the overnight rain and wind. It's really a crapshoot whether I am going to hit something I can't see in the roadway. There are long stretches without lamps that are basically the same as skating blind with my eyes closed. My elbows and knees show the evidence of the numerous times I have planted myself in the asphalt. Of course my first response is to approach the inky dark spots with care, proceed with utter caution. But going slowly doesn't work -- it actually increases the danger of crashing. With proper speed, fast but still in control, a lot of obstacles become minor blips. I either run over the rocks or they shoot up from under the wheels. The strategy that works the best for me is to run up my speed when I am in the pools of light, hitting top cruising speed near the edge of a dark strip and coasting through to the next pool of light. I've been on the path before. I know what the path holds... in general. There are bumps and surprises along the way, but proceeding with confidence, power and speed more often than not, pushes me through safely. At least more often than if I hesitate with fear and over-caution.
Well, there's a moment like that coming up in my life, one of those dark uncertain periods. My wife is expecting our third child soon. We've traveled this path before, we kind of know what to expect, but we know that there are bumps and unseen obstacles coming. This will affect my involvement with the projects here. There will be an extended period where I won't be here as often and short-term goals may shift and drift. But, beyond this time, over on the other side of the dark spot, my overall goals remain the same. The path continues up ahead even though I can't see exactly where I am going moment to moment. What you are seeing now is the run-up to this time. I’m trying to crank out as much work as possible while I can, for about another month, maybe six weeks. All ahead full.
Feel free to cruise with me through the inky dark spot or pick me up on the other side.
Stay free.
~shs~
I have a little picture to implant in your head, and it's not a pretty one. Picture a 250-pound man in his thirties riding a skateboard. Imagine he's not very good, kind of wobbly, barely avoiding obstacles. You wonder how it is that he is still vertical and remind yourself to watch out tomorrow to make sure he doesn't come up behind you and tangle himself up in your dog's leash.
Funny, huh?
Well, that's me. Yup, I got a skateboard a couple years ago and I take it to and from work every day. Having rarely skated as a child, it was all pretty new to me. I'm getting better, but I still have only one trick. It's called "not falling on my ass". And, well, I'm not always successful. If for a moment you think I am cool for riding a skateboard, just stop yourself for a moment and remember that image, that gorilla on wheels. So. Not. Cool.
But, that's not exactly the point of this post -- it is, but only in a cursory way. This time of year, I often end up skating home in the dark and the path I ride on is usually littered with gravel and wood chips kicked up by the overnight rain and wind. It's really a crapshoot whether I am going to hit something I can't see in the roadway. There are long stretches without lamps that are basically the same as skating blind with my eyes closed. My elbows and knees show the evidence of the numerous times I have planted myself in the asphalt. Of course my first response is to approach the inky dark spots with care, proceed with utter caution. But going slowly doesn't work -- it actually increases the danger of crashing. With proper speed, fast but still in control, a lot of obstacles become minor blips. I either run over the rocks or they shoot up from under the wheels. The strategy that works the best for me is to run up my speed when I am in the pools of light, hitting top cruising speed near the edge of a dark strip and coasting through to the next pool of light. I've been on the path before. I know what the path holds... in general. There are bumps and surprises along the way, but proceeding with confidence, power and speed more often than not, pushes me through safely. At least more often than if I hesitate with fear and over-caution.
Well, there's a moment like that coming up in my life, one of those dark uncertain periods. My wife is expecting our third child soon. We've traveled this path before, we kind of know what to expect, but we know that there are bumps and unseen obstacles coming. This will affect my involvement with the projects here. There will be an extended period where I won't be here as often and short-term goals may shift and drift. But, beyond this time, over on the other side of the dark spot, my overall goals remain the same. The path continues up ahead even though I can't see exactly where I am going moment to moment. What you are seeing now is the run-up to this time. I’m trying to crank out as much work as possible while I can, for about another month, maybe six weeks. All ahead full.
Feel free to cruise with me through the inky dark spot or pick me up on the other side.
Stay free.
~shs~
posted by Scott Hsu-Storaker at 12:00 AM
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