The Meaning of the Word Friend and Other Devaluations of the American Langauage

I saw one of those 'meme' doo dads the other day. A picture of a fella commenting on the dilution of meaning in our words. We Need to Restore the Power of our language.

Words in a careless society have come to have shallow meaning. Promises carry no weight. It is a simple thing to say; "I changed my mind"  So a promise in 2013 has degenerated to little more than static.

"I apologize" is as over used and valueless. How many do whatever pleases them, consciously thinking; "If I get caught I can apologize?" It's like a game of tag when we were kids. "I apologize"... SAFE!

How often have you heard the phrase; "I got your back!" ? and how many times have you seen it done? Rather you hear; "Help!" and the one who "has your back" replies; "Uh dude! I'm getting my teeth cleaned! sorry!"

They should speak more accurately; "Dude I have your back!...  as long as backing you is convenient and risk free!"

We denigrate the power of language with the subtraction of Value from the words we speak.The loss of value in our words... reveals the deeper loss of character among people.

A few abused words;
Love, Friend, Amazing, Awesome, Incredible.

Sandwiches are; good, excellent, tasty, delicious, favorite or toothsome. They can be flavorsome, flavorous or flavorful. They've been known to be tangy, sweet, sour, bitter, nasty, disgusting or tart. They can be delicately nuanced and artfully displayed.

But How-some-ever, there are things a sandwich, a shoe, a rifle or a handbag can not be. A sandwich or those other articles of possession cannot be; Awesome, Incredible or worthy of LOVE.

While the craftsmanship of a shoe or handbag can be incredible in its detail, the article itself cannot. They can only rise to the level of a beautiful piece.

People are Awesome or Incredible. There are places and views on Earth that are Awesome and incredible. Acts of courage or love can be incredibly awesome; Inspiring and Amazing. Even music can be Awesome and incredible, though some is indeed unworthy of even remembrance. Sandwiches however, along with shoes, paint colors and your mother-in-laws hairdo... are lesser creatures.

Love ya! is so carelessly thrown about that its meaning in most cases has become as valued as a trash bag.

Love should be a declaration of commitment and devotion.

Friends; a person can be likeable, a companion, an acquaintance or crony. They can be talented, inquisitive, inspiring, awesome, amazing, even incredible... They can be neighbor, intimate, fellows, bunkmates, bed mates, fwb's, classmates, teammates and playmates.

But Friends?

...very few rise to that special place where they can be called "Friend"... a Friend is one who will give you the last swallow of water in the desert, one who will stand between you and the Grizzly and tell YOU to GO! One who will die before they betray you and one who's life is lightened by your presence in ways for which they have no comparison.

A Friend is one who might be so angry they want to club you... but the idea of abandoning you is a thought foreign to their soul.

Be careful what you say. People are listening. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and apply an appropriate emphasis with your adjectives.

If you are careless in your choice of words, you may find that you are making noises... but you have stopped communicating anything of any Value.

Just Sayin'
Brian

The "Leaf" Blew over to Grand Coulee... and Got Burnt to Ashes!

HooooolllllllllEEEEEE CRAP! I fergot jussss how hot HOT is! ;) Been on the coast so long I got un-acclimated to the ree-al-i-TEEZE of "Mans' Country"!

Whew! Comin' across the midsection of Washington on a sunny August day is gar-uhn-teed to warm up yer surf chilled tootsies... :)

Pullin' away from the Columbia River Gorge when we left the Wenatchee area there's a long long grade...

Considerin' the age of this Ol' rig and her OH-Kay-shun-al infirmities, pulling a stiff grade, it makes me a mite nervous, what with her tippin' the scales at approaching 20,000 lbs, to look up at the thermometer on the roof of the cab and see numbers that say stuff like 99... or ... 100...

But with my tender coaxing and her actual solid self we climbed up out of that ditch with nary an issue.

Somewhere along in there we got a pretty good look at one of the fires we made the cut north to go around...

That smoke was all east and south of us... which was the plan... one finally worked!

We'd been thinkin' that we'd do a casino night up at Grand Coulee... Well... sure... if you're a mountain goat and a small one at that. There's a casino there but you'll be better off to be drivin' a car, and one with a decent parking brake... 'cause the only flat spots (or close) are only gonna fit something with four wheels.

If you've got 10 like us... and don't like sleepin' standing up? you'll keep on looking.

We'd already passed a "community" park where they wanted 25 bucks for dry camping in a gravel lot... yeah... uh... No.

We found, three miles east of Grand Coulee, a Park Service camp... set up mostly for Morris Minors pulling tear drop trailers I think... and managed to squeeze in for a $5 night.

Managed to get unhitched and brushed up in the shade under some trees in the center of the place until the sun went down enough to think about goin' down for another episode of the Grand Coulee Dam Light Show...

* Grand Coulee Dam *

I tried... I truly tried to capture the light show with a camera... It turns out that doin' such a thing is like chasing a humming bird with a freight train...

They open up the gates across the spillway a bit, so that there's a sheet of white water running down the face for a picture screen... then cut loose with a battery of laser projectors...

Your free to guess at what these were...

... cuz I ain't got no recollection...

They do make kinda nice abstract pictures though...

... when those lazers are dancing all over the face of the dam... a digital camera just can't keep up.

We got up fairly early... took care of some secret business ;)

... and hit the road for wherever we were to end up...

Now, one word of warning... iffn' ya'll are in a hurry, and you're travelin' through Spokane? get on the Interstate and roll on... The thing is... somebody in that burg has an affinity for two  things; Traffic lights and... RED ones.

I mean... they've got 'em every 12 feet and then their engineers have 'em set so you get to look at each and every one of 'em for about two minutes. Lordy... I had two birthdays gettin' through there!

But, we did... and then dodged up to Priest Lake in Idaho and found THE LAST CAMP from what I'm told in the Luby Bay area. And only got THAT one, cuz a young couple who was grabbin' camps for three couples, decided they could all fit into one site and let us have the only non-reserved that would be available for more than one night!

That'll leave us plenty of time, I'm hoping, to scout around and find us a boondock to set up for a couple of weeks maybe. Still haven't recovered from all the repairs... and need to let the bank recharge... if I can figure a way to get something flowing to it! ;)

... and, just like Klbexplores advised a week or so ago... I got 4G bangin on the air card so I can work! in this one lil part of Idaho we've not dipped into before...

Anyhoo... after putting a dent in my head... again... from that #&%$@  *%#%@ fiver nose unhitching... and cooling out with a Full Sail brew and a nice cool, Rocky Mountain night... I'll be bustin' the keyboard on that next book today... and tomorrow... and tomorrow...

* Another Grand Coulee Abstraction *

* Grand Coulee Relections *

Well.. that and ride the bike back down to Priest River for some of those Huckleberry Shakes we saw on the sign boards when we rolled though...

Back in the Rockies
Brian

A Leaf in the Wind

Another place we're slow to leave. So many camps along the road have grown on us. We pull into a place thinking we'll only stay for a day or two. Then extend, and extend again another day.

This camp at Nason Creek, along the Wenatchee River is one of those.

*Bridge over the Wenatchee*

We've walked the trails above the river and over to the lake. We've met new road friends here, Brian and Sharon, camp hosts that recognized my show off Motorcycle as it rumbled out of the camp. ;) and we've shared conversation with Jim and Pam, camp hosts as well.

I've ridden some fine roads and sipped some excellent Washington brewed Beers in weather that's warmed up hot and dry as we pulled away from the coast that's held us for so long.

I'm not sure how far away Lake Wenatchee pulls people from, but I've seen boat trailers with British Columbia plates on 'em. I expect salmon hunters travel a good ways in search of their passions.

I've ridden that scooter thousands of miles in search of mine!

They launch their boats off a single ramp into the river just where it exits the lake. Around the corner is a nice swimming beach where families play... and a small store...

But even the boat ramp isn't reserved for just big ol' power cruisers... If you have a yen for quieter means of floating... that seems to fit the place too...

They called this a Kayak... looked more like a thick surfboard with a paddle to me... and I believe that's the first time I've ever seen a life preserver for a dog!

I have to say... that being her second day I believe on the water, and with a passenger to boot... she was doing a lot better than somebody else I can think of...

I think maybe I'll stick to wheels? :)

... and sitting on the beach, eating ice cream from that lil' store... watching a day wind down...

Buuuut... Montana and the Rockies keep calling... so today, we'll get loaded and move on. We aren't sure where, or how far other than toward Montana.

We can't go too fast or we'll get there too early... which is kind of odd... how do you know you're early if you don't even really know where there is? ;)

I guess we'll know it when we see it. Till then, we'll just keep moving along finding whatever happens to turn up.

Just a Restless Rover
Brian