Sidetracked Charley

On the Edge There was an advertising campaign some years back about which applauded risk. My favorite t-shirt they generated boasted the slogan: If you are not living life on the edge you are taking up too much room.  Playing it safe is not exactly an established life style for me but from time to time I find myself inching away from the risky in life and being careful. It is probably something which I am more exposed to with my current set of older friends (my age) and a health issue or two to deal with. Yes, I probably should not attempt to trim the blue spruce in the front yard by standing on the roof of the pickup. But I didn't see signing up for all night movie shoot in Las Vegas as risky until after listening to the reactions of some friends. The town has hotels I could stay at if I got too tired to drive home. And I threw in my bedroll and an extra blanket in case I wanted to pull over at one of two state parks in root. And yes I was walking down dark alleys in the n...

Wayfaring Stranger If I had to pick a theme for 2012 up to now it would be revisiting my youth. No, I did not go back to disco dancing in bars. But I have reconnected to a past forgot in a step by step and sometimes painful process. A funny thing happened December 24, 2001. I had a ski accident. Not one caused by skiing too fast or otherwise pushing the envelope of my abilities as a downhill skier. Another skier slammed into me while I was teaching a lesson. At least that is what the accident report says. I don't remember it. Except for one or two out of body flashes four hours of my life was instantly gone. A half hour before and 3 1/2 hours afterwards is not unusual in a closed brain trauma. Eleven years ago we didn't know as much about CBT's as we do now. The Iraq War has taught us a lot about them and their different manifestations. But then I was treated and streeted because it was Christmas Eve and I was walking and talking. Now we know about walk/talk/die CB...