I was out looking for backgrounds for motorcycle photographs... see below.
I found this sign in downtown Fresno. It made me wonder... it had no context.
I knew I couldn't use it as a background. I was distracted... taken in by the colors and graphics. I took the shot, anyway.
Actually doing the things you set out to do is one definition of mastery.
For me, this sign turned out to be a living lesson... a reminder to stay focused.

Talk's cheap. You've gotta do something.

Everyone's talking about the economy. Yeah, the economy is bad. Some say it's about as bad as it can get. For me I can say I've been in worse places and times. I've learned that when you get knocked down you've got to get up, dust yourself off, get a plan and move on. It doesn't have to be a big plan or one that solves all the problems. It can be a little plan...but maybe it will be enough to roll you out of the bad place you're in and give you something to build on...

The headlines for the new Harley Davidson ads say "Screw it, let's ride." Now, this doesn't really qualify as a plan. It's more like a big fat diversion... but a good ride puts me in a place where I can think more clearly.

Yeah, for the kind of money I shelled out I coulda got a 4 door with fluffy seats. The thing is... I've always really liked having a motorcycle around. My first was a rat... a BSA 441 Victor. It was so stripped down I'd get pulled over about once a month. Lucky for me the cops thought it was a pretty cool bike and in all the years I owned it they only wrote one ticket ( I got nailed for having a headlight out. I was running a Schwinn bicycle headlight and the batteries had worn down. Yes, this was before the Energizer Bunny was born ). That bike was light and very fast ! There wasn't much back then that could keep up with it on the road or in the dirt. Later on my wife got interested in riding so I sold the rat and got Honda 125 and 250cc on/off road bikes. We had a good time putting around town and riding up to the lake on weekends. We sold those and last year I bought a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 custom. I had always wanted a Sportster. It was quick and looked great but it didn't handle right for me. Then HD had a special deal where you could trade in your Sportster for a large V twin so around the first of the year I traded for a 2009 Dyna Superglide FXD. I got it at Eagle's Nest Harley Davidson in Lathrop, Ca. The staff up there was really cool. It was a stretch to buy a bike in these rotten economic times but they went the extra 9 yards and kept me from feeling like a dope by telling me what a great deal I was getting. Anyway, I'm having fun with my new bike. That dyna is the #%& !

The Dyna is a sweet ride and I love the design. It's got a 1584cc engine, a 6 speed gearbox and a ton of torque. I took a couple of photos this morning (3.27.09) in downtown Fresno. We've got some cool looking old buildings in this city and they make great backgrounds for photographs.

While I was taking this photograph the businesses along the street were just beginning to open and I could hear the managers barking out last minute orders to their employees. I've had my own business for 22 years but before that there was a time I worked for "the man". I had a motorcycle then too. I used to park it outside the front entrance to my work instead of the employee's parking lot. Fortunately for me the boss didn't seem to care.