Author Archives: oregonmikeruby

Anyone who reads very much of this blog will know that 2023 was a difficult year for me. It may well have been the most difficult year of my life so far. Even so, there’s a lot to celebrate: So, given that 2023 was a year full of victories, my overall goal for 2024 is to keepContinue reading “Goals for 2024 and beyond”

Last night I had a dream that I (1) downed a pint of some hard liquor (I never had a sense of which kind) in a Costco parking lot, (2) in my inebriated state proceeded to enter said Costco with an armload of garbage from my car (including the empty liquor bottle), and (3) leftContinue reading “Dream Journal Upsilon: The Shoplifter”

When I die, don’t give me a spendy funeral. You need that money for chew, beef jerky, and beer. Let my shroud be a bright blue tarp, honoring the roofs and walls of my kind. Let my hearse be an old pickup truck, one that has been beat to hell but somehow still runs, oneContinue reading “Poem 1. Dying Request of Pacific Northwest White Trash”

My book has been out a couple of days, and while I haven’t been promoting it at all, friends and family know that it’s out and several have purchased it. It feels wonderful to have people read something I wrote and gain access to my thoughts (I don’t communicate all that well in person). ButContinue reading “Autumn of the Seraphs, or Shouting into Devoid Humanity”

Title says it all. I never thought I would be able to do this, but I just did it. Cross another one off the old bucket list.

I’ve been to several sporting events since Covid, but not a live music event until last night. I saw Lorna Shore, Mastodon, and Gojira (three metal bands, for the non-metal who may read this) with my son. I was a little nervous, but ultimately glad I went. I just recently got over a head cold,Continue reading “Going to concerts again”

Have you ever changed something in your routine out of necessity, only to find out you actually prefer the new way of doing it? That was my experience with bike pedals. I went from being a typical “platform only” bike rider to riding with the fancy cleat pedals once I started riding regularly. But becauseContinue reading “Learning to love platform pedals”

Over the past several years I’ve noticed a sensitivity to the full moon. No, I don’t turn into a werewolf. But I do have noticeably more energy in the days leading up to a full moon, and it’s tougher to get a good night’s sleep. Maybe it’s all in my head; maybe I convince myselfContinue reading “A Werewolf of Sorts”

I don’t yet own an e-bike, and I’ve never ridden one. With luck and a lot of regular riding, I won’t need to use one for many years yet. Still, e-bikes have already impacted my life. Most of the organized rides I register for allow e-bikes. And a lot of their riders register. You wouldContinue reading “Age of the E-bike”

Let It Snow (because I’m riding the spin bike this weekend) Well the weather outside’s been frightfulAnd the bike is so delightfulBut since it’s too cold to roamSpin at home, spin at home, spin at home With temperature I’m no chickenBut I pause when the rain starts to kick inGot no hair upon my dome,Continue reading “A holiday song in April?”