My Outlook
I have chosen to take a positive outlook on life.  One can go through life enjoying the roses or seeing the weeds and getting pricked by thorns.  I agree with Will Rogers. I've never met a person I didn't like.  Now I may not agree with that person's attitude towards life, themselves or me.  That does not give reason to dislike someone.  Communicating with each other is a basic skill that not very many people have mastered.  A book titled "How to Win Friends and Influence People" has helped me to improve at this important skill.  It is extremely difficult to succeed at anything if one cannot communicate effectively.  It is amazing how much can be learned by reading self-improvement books (improving value of ourselves).

Influence of Others
Do you believe that "you are who you associate with?"  Are most of your friends the same social-economic level?  I am not saying this is bad.  I just want you to know that each of has the ability to control our environment.  How many stories have heard about successful people such as athletes that have come from poverty.  One must be strong to break away from their existing environment, especially if its negative.  It is easier to stay in your "spot" and make others feel uncomfortable for trying to breakaway.  Kind of like keeping crabs in a basket.  If you throw one crab in a basket, he will take the initiative to try and figure a way to get out (keep the basket covered).  If you put two or more crabs in a basket the lid can be kept off.  They will pull each other in if one tries to escape.

I want to reinforce that I'm not saying you are hanging around with the wrong people or influence.  Just realize that who you hang around with does influence your thinking. Remember your parents telling you: "don't hang around with that group of kids or you'll be just like them."  That is almost always what happens.

State of Economy/Government
We live in the greatest country on earth.  We must make sure that government does not take us over.  I am sorry if you work for the government, I have nothing against you.  Many governmental services are necessary: Fire, Police, Armed Services and such.  I used to work for the government, I know. 

We must strive to support those that want less government.  You got it, Republicans.  Private industry works in a competitive environment, government a "survival" environment.  If a service could be provided by private industry it must have current technology and be innovative.  Do you think that politicians and those employed by government do not have a vested interest in maintaining funding and even growth within their field.  Unfortunately, there are purposeful agencies that cannot do their job even though they can demonstrate self-sufficiency because it would make a worthless agency look bad.  Just listen to a politician (usually a Democrat) that wants to create or expand a government funded/mandated service.  They make it sound as if money is already there and just needs to be redirected.  They are right; its there in your pocket.

I'm not saying that it is the end of the world; quite the contrary.  Even though my statements are rather harsh, I am not anti-government.  There is a lot of "fat" that can be cut.  America has THE highest standard of living in the world.  This is due to the fact that we have the lowest taxes paid when compared to any other country.  The poorest countries in the world are those with the highest tax rate.  Individuals are much more prosperous when paying less for government.  Lets keep it this way by keeping government from getting out of hand. 

Why, you ask, would anybody be interested in bodybuilding.  Here's how it caught my interest.  I worked out with weights on a regular basis as I found it really helped my motorcycle racing skills.  There wasn't a gym in our community, I worked out at the College gym.  In 1985, I joined a new gym that opened up in town.  One of the gals that worked at the gym asked me if I wanted to go to seminar being held in conjunction with the Northwest Natural Bodybuilding Championship.  There were three keynote speakers at this seminar.  The first, a doctor from Texas, talking about supplements, mainly "Sports Research," the company he worked for.  The next speaker was a chiropractor who talked about working out and getting adjusted.  Then there was the speaker that I found to be absolutely fascinating!  Terry Edwards, former Mr. Oregon, spoke about nutrition.  He started out his discussion with a statement I will never forget.  He said "If a successful bodybuilder were to tell you what to do, he would not tell you how to workout (remember this is a group of people that workout), he would tell you how he eats; that's the real key."

Motorcycling Experiences
Motorcycles still have a place in my heart.  I used to race motorcycles pretty seriously at a non-professional level.  I live in one of the best riding areas in the nation.  It is home of the Trask ISDE 2-days National Qualifier.  I primarily rode "Cross Country/Desert" and "ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) type" events.  I quit riding because I'm very competetive and I could not keep up with the cost of racing.

Memorable (Landmark) Events
1969 I saved my money and bought my first motorcycle at age 16.  It was a Honda SL 90, which at that point in time, was about as much of an off-road bike you could buy that wasn't a European brand.
1977 I rode my first Enduro, Elkhorn Enduro, on a 1976 Husqvarna 250 WR.  I got a trophy for 4th place in Open Class, Novice (there wasn't a 250 class, only 175 and Open).
1977 On my very first trip to the desert, we were practicing for the "start" of a desert race.  About 1/4 of a mile into the start was a fresh, main road, cut, perpendicular to the course.  The embankment from this 30-foot wide (min) road cut was nearly three feet high where I hit at about 50 mph.  After I regained consciousness, I didn't know what day it was, or where I was at!  I was in a seated position with my head between my legs.  During the time I was unconscious, it had snowed about 1/2 an inch and I had snow all over me.  I was located about 15 feet on the other side of the road.  My forks, handlebars, and wheel were drastically bent.  Although, I was able to ride back to the truck, about 1/2 mile away.  I wore a neck brace for about a week after that incident.

Day One had me (and all the Class 30 experts) starting in the first six minutes (4 riders per minute).  I believe I was on the second or third minute.  Although nobody believes this, I did not know where the course went, or did not practice it.  We did ride up there all of the time so I "knew" the terrain.  In fact I would get LOST if I got off the course.  After getting off the pavement and gravel roads, there was a 50+ mile loop that had to be ridden twice (total 100+ miles).  There was a checkpoint at the beginning of this loop.  A rider had to go through this checkpoint 3 times: at beginning of first loop; at beginning of second loop (this was also a gas stop); and end of second loop.

On the first loop I was getting into checkpoints anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes early.  I was in seventh heaven, that is until I got into the first checkpoint on the second loop about 4 minutes late.  Remember course conditions described earlier.  After 250+ riders had gone over this course, the second loop did not even begin to look like the first loop.  Many of the "late minute" riders were "houring out" (disqualified for being over 60 minutes later than prescribed time at a checkpoint) on the first loop.  Now the conditions I described wear-down your body very quickly.  You are constantly falling and picking up your bike and pushing it up hills (that you were riding over in 3rd gear on the first lap!!).  I kept getting later and later at each succeeding checkpoint.  I had mentally (and nearly physically) given up between the next-to-last and last checkpoint.  I encountered a bridge that had collapsed over a small creek crossing, which was more better described as a big mud hole.  At the easiest section to cross, it was about 6+ feet deep and 10 feet across.  There were many, many riders jammed up here and most of them turned around and called it quits.  I finally ended up helping a "qualifier" class rider through and he helped me through.  At that "bottom of loop" checkpoint, last check before finish, I checked in 62 minutes late (oooh).