The Beginning Of A Great Adventure

So. Life Is Good.

But it’s complicated, too.

I’ve had it pretty good for the last fifty-four years. I’ve worked hard, played harder, bummed around the country, climbed mountains in just about every state which has them, had a loving wife, raised two beautiful daughters of whom I couldn’t possibly be more proud, and dodged many of life’s bullets, even when my own careless actions could have put the target boldly between my eyes.

Thank You, Mother Earth. Thank You, Father Sky!

But nothing is ever free, nor should it be. And while my life has been good, lots of people have been carrying heavy loads. And many of them haven’t gotten to travel around the country or hang loose in the desert or sleep under the stars on an un-named peak.

So the Wheel turns, and it’s my turn.

Seems my left shoulder needs work. Surgical work.

Like a LOT of surgical work. With a couple of weeks of serious unpleasantness, followed by a couple of months of being one-armed, and a year of “recovery,” culminating, as I understand it, in a not-insignificant chance that it won’t be worse than it is now.

That is to say, I may be able to lift my elbow off my side, a year from now, if I get lucky and do everything right.

Not exactly the prognosis I had hoped for, but you know, we don’t always get to make those calls, do we?

Not to fear though (leave that to me!) I’ve been counted out before, and I’m still here. I shattered my forearm in 2005 and was told I’d be out of work for six months and would never climb again; I took the rest of the week off and was back to climbing in two months.

Admittedly, this is different – I have one of the country’s top surgeons on my case, and he looked pretty discouraged as he gave me the news.

But he doesn’t really know me, so I’m not totally buying it. I’m a rasty little bastard, and I’m gonna fight like a rabid chihuahua to get back to good.

Wish me luck.

Meanwhile, as Lou Reed (remember The Velvet Underpants?) said, “It’s The Beginning of a Great Adventure!”

Yesterday I drove my five-speed stick shift around all day with one hand. Steer with the knees, shift while you’re going straight. Takes a bit of planning, but it’s not magic. Learned that trick back when i was a joint-rolling hippy. “Look Ma, no hands! ”

And shoveling snow? Done it. Saturday. Took a bit longer, but hey. I’m young, right? Right??

Oh, and for a real hoot, time yourself tying your shoes with one hand. Best effort so far: both shoes, one minute flat. I’m sure that will suck when I’m late for work, but fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke!

Then there’s the Alternate Solution: Ctrl+Alt+Del had me bummin’ ’till I noticed the right-hand Ctrl – voila! Like magic! I just needed to look a little harder.

But the real Bottom Line is, I’m nowhere near throwing in the towel. I intend to be able to tuck my shirt in again, and I intend to be able to get a glass down out of the kitchen cabinet again, and I intend to climb again.

And while I’m working toward those things, I have a lot of other things I’ll be working on. Like photography. Like writing. Like learning to read again. All those things my Type-A hyper personality hasn’t let me do for the last fifty years.

So if you notice I’ve been absent for a while, it’s ’cause I’m in an opiated coma. Consider it a blessing.

And if you notice I’m back and I sound like I’m drooling, it’s ’cause I am.

But don’t count me out, and keep checking back every once in a while, because people, I like you too much to stay away, and I like me too much to stay down.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, I might even come out of this a better person, broader, stronger and In Sh’Allah, wiser.

Hey, I can Dream, can’t I?

It’s the beginning Of A Great Adventure.