Birthday, Motorcycle, and Rant about GREEN people.

So my birthday slowly approaches, I'll be 26 in January. Not a scary thought so much as wow, I'm still alive. So many years of contemplating suicide, and even attempting it a couple of times - once with a gun, and once with the pills. The gun didn't go off, which is in hindsight good. The pills Really fucked me up. It was first promising Dad I'd not kill myself when I was 19 after a LONG conversation - and then having Sam die in my arms that changed the idea of suicide from the final solution - which it IS - to.. well to something that causes SO much pain to those who love you. I am not sure what will have to happen to me now for me to kill myself.

So anyways I like most people had been contemplating what I want for my birthday. A tattoo, some random motorcycle part that I need, who knows... who knew. Then one day I was showing mom a Pipe website - which she had brought up. Mom doesn't mind that I smoke. She knows why I smoke, she agrees with why I smoke. Tobacco for those of you who *points* "Pothead!" No - not at all, don't touch the stuff.

So we're browsing the site, and I see it! I see the most beautiful and glorious pipe I have ever seen. A English Racing Green, Peterson Pipe - made in Dublin. I have NEVER seen anything like this before. It is like when I discovered vinyl records that had artwork on them. I saw it and I said "Mom, I know what I want for my Birthday" and she saw it and said "Yeah" and I told her we had to order it now - no way of knowing how many they had. We did - and turns out it was the only one they had in stock. It is possible that I will be one of maybe 20 people in the entire country who will be smoking THIS pipe.



Then on the other side of my passions... we have motorcycles. In particular my last great attempt at Dad's Norton - to which you might know I intend to install my 500cc Enfield engine, which I have been working on. I made this picture yesterday to show how it should look. Thats just a great side view shot I found of an Atlas - but that is MY engine with my primary covers from the Norton - from Dad's Norton.

Showing just how she'll sit, and just where the battery will be, and the carburetor - as well as the size, and what will vanish under the tank. No clutter, only love and attention.

I asked a favor of my friend Jon, I don't know if he'll go through with it - if not I'll ask Liam. I need a friend, a local friend with a good Ebay and Paypal account (mine are both in the tank) to make a $100 purchase for me, and I'll pay them back in cash. There is a part I need for this engine that is only available in two places - India for $70 + $25 S&H, or England for $350 + $30 S&H. It is the full distributor which is basically the Ignition for the motorcycle. With that all I'll need is a stator for the Alternator, the Boyer Power Box I already have - and then I have a fully working electrical system.

So with all of that, I need new piston rings, a few nuts and bolts, I have a wire harness and exhaust for it. I'll need to make engine plates. I'll need to get a primary drive and a clutch. Then I have a fully running engine - I have a carburetor for it.

Once I have a fully running engine, I put it into the Norton chassis, add fork oil, link up the rear wheel, and well... I have a motorcycle. I have a Poor man's Norton ES2 - which was Norton's 500cc single.

The bike is not GREEN in the sense of pollution though it pumps out FAR less than most cars from mid 90s back, but it IS fuel efficiant, I will get 70+ Miles per Gallon on regular fuel.

Thats with an engine of 1955 design, and a chassis built in 1967.

Now you tell me something. You tell me what we should be doing about Global Warming? What should we be doing?

I think all of this buying new GREEN products is Bullshit. We have Enough vehicles and motorcycles from back in the day that can be adapted using parts we already have to run better. The world and Society is fucking all of this up by thinking backwards.

We build and we build and we build, and we buy and we buy and we buy. Every new product that rolls off the line is making a footprint. Leaving its mark. If you want to be GREEN you should be doing with what we already have.

Buy old cars, buy old houses, ride old motorcycles, buy old books or read new books online. Older stereo equipment that is already here that sounds just as good as much of the new shit. Wear old clothes that are already here. Old furniture. Old blankets.

Do what ever you can to keep your footprint on this planet as small as fucking possible. Thats what I'm doing. And once my body is strong enough I will ride my 1967 Norfield and my 1982 Suzuki made out of 2 one I got for free from a kid and the other half found behind a dumpster. I will drive my 1986 Oldsmobile until it won't drive anymore and then I will get another.

These people who talk about Living GREEN who buy these new hybrids where the factories pump SO much shit into the air. They drink their GREEN water out of their GREEN plastic bottles. It's all bullshit.

Am I GREEN? No. But I do stay warm primarly with old army blankets, the laptop sits on a cut up Pepsi box, my vehicles already existed 2 before I was born, I draw on old printer paper, etc. I have been wearing the same pair of glasses for 8 years. When the rubber came off the ear pieces did I replace them? No - I used the insulation from 18 gauge wire. I have worn the same wool jacket for 6 years, and the same leather boots for 10.

We all do our own bit, but when the ice caps melt and my house becomes beach front property dont come crying to me because your 2018 Ford Explorer sank along with your new GREEN home full of your GREEN plastic bottles, and your recycled clothing.