Category: learning

And Now, For Something Completely Different…

On By JohnIn education, learning, workLeave a comment

Alternate title: “Old Dog, New Tricks”

With age, it becomes difficult to learn new concepts, methods, techniques — new tricks. We often become very set in our ways and that’s reinforced from our own interpretation and acquired experiences.

It makes it rather awkward to absorb new concepts.

I have decades of experience driving cars, trucks, motorcycles and sidecars of all types and sizes; with and without trailers of highly various sizes; manual transmissions, automatic, even semi-automatic. I have driven countless miles across varied terrain, weather, and traffic — and, yes, motorcycles in heavy snow, at night, during rush hour in Denver.

So, yes, it is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks.

But I’m happy to say that this old dog has indeed learned a few tricks. I’ve recently obtained my Class A CDL and learned to drive large trucks — 18-wheelers, tractor-trailer trucks. That also requires no restrictions, so I’m qualified to drive anything with Air Brakes and Manual transmissions.

Why? Because I wanted to.

The mileage in this thing sucks.

Can I work in trucking? Maybe. My schedule for school eliminates the possibility of working Monday through Thursday. But it’s certainly a possibility should I find something tolerant of my schedule commitments and that’s local or possibly regional.

Next Spring, I’ll see about adding endorsements for Doubles/Triples and Tanks.

Getting Back On the Horse

On By JohnIn human condition, learningLeave a comment

A year and a half ago, I rode my bike for the first time since the fall.

I fell.

Yes, again. No, not on my head, nor from 4m above concrete.

But, I fell.

Instantly recalling the old adage from my youth, if you fall off the horse, get back on. So, I promptly picked myself back up and rode it again.

But I drew the line at the motorcycle. I most certainly didn’t have the physical coordination or psychological confidence to take the risk. I decided that I’d leave the Wee Star parked — safely garaged — and on her own wheels for however long was needed to return to riding.

Fast-forward 18 months to today:

  • 63F, clear, and windless.
  • I ran 8km as the sun rose.
  • Had an appliance repair I had to tend to.
  • I took care of the batteries in the one outlier smoke detector in the house.

Then thought there was something else — something more — that I needed to tend to before the weather quickly turns rather cold…

A safety-check on the Wee Star, started it up, and donned my helmet to give it another go.

Yes, U-turns were a bit shaky. I need to spend some time practicing them far more and get back to the 3.5m diameter idle U-turns. It was a rather quick spin around the neighborhood. A bit of quick-stop practice. And she still remained on her tires and quite unblemished. I’m rather happy about that.

I’m extraordinarily pleased that I had opted to garage the Wee Star until confidence had returned.

Sometimes, getting back on the horse will take some time.

—

Also, I still refuse to let the Wee Star show up at a home on a trailer. She’ll be ridden there under her own power.

How to Reduce Value

On By JohnIn education, learning, sociology, workLeave a comment

I’ve recently been reminded that there are still people out there who become increasingly impatient and abusive when people don’t reciprocate their impatience and abuse.

In related news: raising your voice and throwing verbal hand-grenades into conference calls when somebody doesn’t understand your perspective doesn’t make you right. It makes you abusive and reduces your value to the organization.