Tag: #HokaHey

December 29th, 1890 – 124 years ago today.

One hundred and twenty four years ago today (DEC 29^th 1890) 150 Native Americans were shot dead at Wounded Knee. Some historians estimate the number killed at twice that amount. There is little debate over the fact that regardless of the number of dead, over half were women and children. The event was originally referred to as a battle but in reality, it was a tragic and avoidable massacre. Two weeks prior to this an arrest of Sitting Bull ended in his death leading many Native Americans to believe it was an execution rather than an arrest.

During the late 1880s and into the 1890s the Native Americans believed they had been defeated and confined to the reservations because they had angered the gods—this due to an abandonment of their traditional ways. It was believed a return to their traditional ways would create a new world where all non-believers (as well as non-Indians) would be destroyed. Many Sioux believed the Ghost Dance would bring about this new world. The Ghost Dance worried the US Government which lead to the “arrest” of Sitting Bull, the Sioux Chief who they mistakenly believed was the main instigator of the Ghost Dance.

On December 29^th, 1890 the US 7^th Cavalry surrounded the weak and predominantly unarmed Sioux. An order was given for all Indians to turn over their weapons. It is unclear who fired the first shot, but the discharge of the first round was quickly followed by a barrage of rifle-fire from the soldiers of the 7^th Cavalry.

The now iconic photograph of the frozen body of Chief Spotted Elk at Wounded Knee.

It is prudent to believe that the 1^st shot was not fired by a Native American. A number of assumptions can be called upon to sustain this belief. The Indians were mostly unarmed and they had to know any adverse action would result in what transpired. It can also be surmised the Native Americans were all too weak to put up much of a fight since they had been living with no shelter or food for a number days in the very cold harshness of winter in South Dakota. It is hard to believe that this band of Indians—under Chief Big Foot after Sitting Bull’s death—would have intentionally started a fight. Many speculate the 7^th Cavalry’s action was deliberate—retaliation and revenge for the regiment’s defeat at the Little Bighorn.

History is written by the victors and regardless of which version you believe it is worth noting the plight of the Native American continues today. If we fail to acknowledge this present day fact we are doomed to relive it and guilty of this continued atrocity.

This is a very short and only slightly detailed bit of history. I highly recommend you read the book, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” written by Dee Brown.

2014-12-29
This Blogger’s Nemesis

When I started this blog I made a commitment to myself to blog at least once a week and preferably once a day. Well, the once-a-day thing fell to the wayside rather quickly for obvious reasons—who has time to blog daily? If you blog daily I will assume you do not have a day job that also interferes with the daily duties that come with other self-imposed projects. My self-imposed projects include my involvement with the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, work I bring home, reading and TV—as well as the ever-present “honey-do” list. I love watching TV. I used to tell myself I was not a TV addict, but I think I am. I love old movies and I thoroughly enjoy watching a good action movie and the suspenseful intrigue of a “who-done-it” crime show. To prove a point—if I were to take a week off from work and do nothing but watch every episode of every season of “24” I would not consider the time wasted.

I also have a 1946 Dodge pickup truck that I am restoring—but haven’t started that project yet so really can’t add that to the list of distracters; yet.

Most of the things I want to write about are the thoughts that roll through my head—especially those thoughts that fill my mind while I ride. But I can’t do that. I can’t do that because most of the more prevalent thoughts are outlined in my book “Solitary—Without the Confinement” and I do not want to put them here. At least not yet. I want to wait until the book is published then expound on those thoughts once the book has been in the public for a while. Who would want to buy the book if they can read it here for free?

I know I will never sell enough books to get rich (and that was never the intent) but I would like to sell enough to make my money back. As a side note, I plan to write a blog about my publishing experience as some of it was good and some of it was bad—and it was all expensive. If I “break even” on sales I will consider the project a stellar success. Actually, breaking even has never been my objective either, since I am not confident enough in my abilities to warrant a sale of over 4,000 copies—Stephen King I’m not. In fact, based on an educated guess, I will need to sell 10,000 copies to break even.

Please consider this particular narrative as a two-pronged plea. One—is to ask those select few who follow my blog to continue to do so because it will get better. Two—this is a plea to buy my book. I think you will be pleased with it and will not consider the money spent as wasted.

“Solitary” has completed the editing phase and is currently in the design phase. I anticipate the book hitting the streets before the 1^st of February, but I’m guessing since this is my first published book I am really unsure of the time-line. If you like adventure, if you like facing insurmountable odds, if you take pleasure in facing an obstacle where failure is a distinct possibility, then you will love “Solitary—Without the Confinement.”

Ain’t but two things to do while riding. Think and look for State Troopers.

I would like to ask a favor. If you read my blog and find the narratives worthwhile please tell your friends and share on Facebook. I figure the more exposure this blog gets the better my odds are of selling books.

Can I count on you?

2014-12-22
Give Thanks??? FOR WHAT!!!!

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. We live in one of the richest and most prosperous countries in the world. However, there are some who do not understand just how well they have it. A few years ago I was in Iraq and I was talking with a man who was born and raised in a little town on the western end of Iraq not far from the Syrian border. He had never traveled more than 20 miles from his place of birth. In fact during this conversation he was only a few blocks from the house he was born in.

This conversation took place around Thanksgiving of 2005. I was explaining to him our concept of the Thanksgiving Holiday. He found it odd that we would isolate a date to be thankful each year and wondered if we were not thankful at other times of the year. Contrary to popular believe “Thanksgiving” is not a holiday celebrated around the world. I tried to explain the concept to him and told him it was just not this single day that we were thankful. He laughed at my explanation and said from what he had seen most Americans were the most unthankful people he had ever met.

I found his actions odd and asked him to explain them to me. This is a paraphrased rendition of what he said.

“Americans expect things to be given to them and if they are not given then they feel violated. Americans make a thousand dollars a week and still consider themselves as poor. Their arrogance blinds them to what they have because they are never satisfied with what they have; they always deserve more.” This man made the equivalent of about $1000 a year; he could not image making $1000 a week.

His explanation was much more elaborate than what I just put here, but virtually everything he said was true. We do “expect” things and often feel no need to work for it; if we want it then obviously we deserve it.

If you make $10K a year you make more than 84% of the world’s population. If you make $50K a year you make from than 99% of the world’s population. I know the first thing someone out there is thinking is, “Yea, I make money but things here cost way more than other places.” Sorry, not true. Some things are more expensive for sure, but most items are not in other developed (or for that matter un-developed) countries. I could make comparison to some of these items, but I suspect if you are the type of person who has read this bit to this point then you probably already have a web-link open to make your own comparison; you can start with the price of gas if you like.

This Iraq man I was talking to was the same man who believed the pictures he saw of grocery stores in the US were nothing more than propaganda. There is no conceivable way there could be that much food in one location, let alone in several locations in a single town. And if it were true then truly Americans were the richest people in the world. From his perspective of life that is something that is just not possible. Most of you will never be able to see things from his perspective.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see with my own eyes what poor is. No social programs to pay you money if you refuse to work. In many countries, if you do not work, your only recourse is to be a beggar on the streets.

Be thankful this Thanksgiving Holiday. And be thankful for something more than just a day off from work. Put your outlook in perspective and you will see we have so very much to be thankful for. Try to imagine you existence from the perspective of someone who is really poor, but I suspect you will not be able to do that because we cannot imagine what poor really is. If you are thankful for the “things” you have then you have missed the point. It’s not about possession of things, but rather a possession of an understanding of just how things are in other places and an appreciation for how things are here when compared.

2014-11-25
Push Your Boundaries

When was the last time you pushed your boundaries? What can we claim as a victory if there was no risk to the endeavor? Many are content to spend their days in a routine; get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to sleep… day after day after day, week after week, year after year. I think many of us do not even realize we are in a rut.

Try something daring and see what happens. Yea, you might fail and that’s OK. Fail with a smile on your face knowing you got out of the rut for just a little while. You might be amazed at just how fulfilling that failure can be.

I recommend you start small; maybe try a new way to make brownies (box mix not allowed) or take a different way to work. Turn the TV off for just one night and read a book. The right book will stir your soul and create in you a desire to step out of your comfort zone. Great accomplishments come with great risk.

I refuse to live in a rut… even something as simple as taking a different way home from work will brighten your day because you will see things that will be missed if you stay in the rut.

2014-11-24
Excerpt from, “Solitary – Without The Confinement”

A short excerpt from my soon to be published book, “Solitary-Without The Confinement”

…There is a memory in my head that is as clear as if it happened this morning. When the grandparent’s house was filled with grandkids it was a special treat to be the one who got to sleep on the couch in the living room. On one particular weekend I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of that treat. I was quite young, perhaps seven or eight years old. I woke up very early one morning before sunrise and saw my Grandfather sitting in his chair looking out the window. There was no radio playing, no lights were on and the small black and white TV was turned off. The only light in the room came from the glow of his pipe as he smoked it.

As he put the pipe to his mouth the increased glow of the pipe illuminated his face and gave it an uncanny glow; highlighting the lines and features of his face. It was apparent to me, at this young age, that his mind was intently engaged, but I had no idea what he was thinking about. I laid there and watched him for a time then drifted back to sleep; to this day I wonder what he was thinking.

I miss them both and regret the times I could have spent with them but did not because of some event I felt was more important; like spending time with friends. The sad truth here is I can’t remember the names of most of these “friends” now. Little did I know I had missed an opportunity of a lifetime; an opportunity that is gone now and can never be reclaimed…

Hope you enjoyed this little tidbit… more to follow, but not much more, just some teasers. You’ll have to buy the book to get the whole story. Anticipate the book hitting the streets around the middle of January.

My book is illustrated by Lacey King; an up and coming graphic artist.

2014-11-18
The Bumper Sticker Epidemic

It is not my intent to insult, but evidence points to a drastic problem in our society. When I write a BLOG it automatically posts to Facebook. My BLOGs range from 500 to 1000 words which, based on what I have seen, is rather common for a BLOG. I believe, albeit a biased assessment, my BLOGs have worth and make a statement. So it saddens me when only a few (if any) make a comment or click the “like” button. This tells me few if any take the time to read them.

If I post a 5 word comment or a picture that really has no value in the grand scheme of things I will get multiple likes and several comments. Everyone is looking for an answer that will fit on a bumper sticker and that is not going to happen. If you want the truth you will have to work for it; you will have to read more than a bumper sticker.

Do yourself a favor and work for it, get the truth, don’t rely on the cute little posters that are so prevalent on Facebook. Find the answers for yourself and don’t rely on someone else’s bumper sticker. More often than not a bumper sticker is designed to hide the truth, not proclaim it.

2014-11-17
Words Speak Louder Than Action

Wait, that’s not right. I can say anything, but if my actions do not bear witness to my words then my words mean nothing. Sadly, sometimes our words paint us into a corner and we fail. Our words out-maneuver our intent. Other times we accept the words of others as truth without first verifying their intent and we fall prey to foolishness.

Let’s talk about a few words and see how they play out:

Integrity – Does not mean you never make a mistake. But what it does mean is if you make a mistake you claim responsibility for that mistake and act proportionality to correct it.

Endurance – Many claim to possess it, very few actually do and even fewer still put it to the test.

Honor – Has nothing to do with words. But has everything to do with actions.

Wisdom – Has nothing to do with how many big words you know. But has everything to do with how you act in a difficult situation that words have created.

Compassion – Has very little to do with how you think, but that’s where it starts. Compassion with no action is pity.

Strength – Has nothing to do with holding 100 pounds over your head for long periods. But what it does mean is an ability and desire to help a friend hold that 100 pounds.

Kindness – Has everything to do with a kind and charitable act… so long as you don’t expect anything in return.

Purity – None can claim it, but many do.

Courage – Is not being fearless, but acting even though you are scared to death.

Leadership – The ability to win the trust of people around you to such an extent that they want to follow you. Forced leadership is not leadership; it’s tyranny.

Verbally claiming these traits is contrary to the trait being claimed. These traits are assigned to us by those who know us best.

2014-11-16