Backseat - From Where I Sit

January 2005

By: Michelle

Wishful Thinking

I don’t know how it happened but January arrived immediately after October this year. Or at least it was only Halloween the last time I noticed. Not to sound completely cliché but this time of year seems to roll around faster every year. It’s not that I am complaining. New Year’s provides us with the perfect opportunity to reflect what we have accomplished. The problem is every year I seem to remember less and less or maybe I accomplish less and less and there isn’t that much to remember. I am not sure which of those two options is worse.

The distressing thing is that I have always assumed since I am younger than my husband Kent, his mind would go first. In fact, I always believed that I would have plenty of time to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up but somehow without my knowing it, I have completely overshot that mark and leapt from prolonged immaturity to racing headfirst into progressive senility. But before my mind goes completely blank, I have a few things to accomplish. I have decided that this year instead of tormenting myself by trying to remember all the things I may or may not have accomplished, I will instead focus optimistically on the future.

2005 is going to be the year when I finally drop that last 20 pounds (and I don’t mean that I am finally going to clean out my purse). I know it will really happen this time because I have joined a weight loss program that actually allows me credit for motorcycle riding. I don’t want to give any free advertising but a certain nationally known weight loss program will credit you with 6 “activity points” just for riding a motorcycle for one hour! No lie! This means if I hop on the bike and ride to a Pizza Hut about 30 miles away I can have half of a personal sized pepperoni pizza for “free” (point-wise that is). It’s all legal on the program. Heck, if I decide to go on an iron-butt ride to Maine, I would practically be obligated to spring for the entire lunch buffet or run the risk of upsetting the delicate balance of points earned vs. points burned. With a plan like this, it will only be a matter of time before the only saddlebags I have are actually the ones on the bike. All I have to do is what I want to do anyway. What could be better?

This isn’t all just wishful thinking on my part; there are other tell-tale signs that this is going to be my year. In fact, according to my email inbox today alone I have won a free: LCD touch panel phone, an iPod, a new desktop PC, a Louis Vuitton Bag, a life insurance quote, approval on 3 loans, and a sample of Viagra – all without even asking. With a start like this, the year has got to be a winner. Yep, 2005 is definitely going be my year. It will be a year where Kent and I ride off on many new adventures. A year where money is no object and the entire world loves bikers. If I can just remember where I left my keys…

Here’s wishing you a memorable 2005! Ride safely.

Thanks for visiting VirginiaWind.

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