2011 Maintenance and Modifications and More

I was looking for my notes on the valve adjustment I did (more of a debacle, really) back in 2007. I’m overdue for another (minus the debacle part, hopefully). I have several posts over the years of “things I’m going to do to my bike,” most of which never happened. It was all bullshit. Life tends to get in the way. But I do have a much shorter, and realistic, list of things planned for my bike this year, as soon as it warms up a bit out in the garage.

Maintenance

• The aforementioned valve adjustment is close to the top of the list.
• Probably overdue for an oil change.
• The front tire is probably in decent shape. I’ll have to keep my eye on the rear tire. It wears quicker and was installed earlier than the front.
• Clean the K&N air filters
  • If I’m feeling froggy I might redo the battery box under the seat so I can install a different set of larger airfilters I got from Zdenko.
• Red (thicker) fluid in the Scottoiler chain luber
• I’m about 99.5% certain my ignition module got soggy and stranded me in the squishy, sloppy, wet Pacific Northwest last September, so a new Procom CDI is on tap. Haven’t purchased it yet, however; didn’t want to tie up the cash for several months. Nods to Eddy.

That’s about it for maintenance. That’s certainly enough. I wonder about my clutch but I haven’t noticed any slippage. I’ve replaced other consumables like the chain, the battery and the tires, but I’ve got 52,000mi on the original clutch. Better order a clutch cover gasket just in case as that’s the only part of the job that has to come all the way from Old Blighty. Better order two or three…

2010 In Review

[I wrote this originally about a year ago. Not quite sure why I didn't publish it. Perhaps I briefly discovered an aversion for self-indulgence. We'll never know (probably just because it was unfinished). I'm going to date this for the beginning of 2011, just to maintain the integrity of my mindset and the blog timeline. --FJ, 01/03/2012]

Standard disclaimers apply. This isn’t really for you. It’s for me. My memory is going to shit. I’m losing some of my hypervigilance for remembering facts, dates and places.

Health

More of the same. No new hospital visits like 2009. Still fat. Still have sleep apnea. Etc. Etc.

Relationships/Family

Nothing has really changed with family. Parents are healthy if not happy. That’s about it.

Late Spring I finally decided to break up with Sherri. Actually, I had decided probably a year prior, but finally pulled the trigger. At the time she was on a trip to Vegas with her daughter so I managed to wait until after that. I can’t point to any one thing, just a lot of little things, being nibbled to death by mosquitoes. Immediately I felt lighter. Freer. I think I’m just not meant to be in a committed relationship. I’m not willing to compromise or change my lifestyle in a significant manner. And relationships are nothing if not an exercise in compromise. Of course, a wise man once said, “If you have to compromise you’re with the wrong person.” Enough said.

I half-heartedly reentered the online dating scene late Summer but other than making a few new friends not much has come out of it. Frankly, I’m pretty ambivalent. Maybe it’s too soon, I don’t know.

House

Big progress. Mid-year I decided to refinance when I learned interest rates were a full two points lower (4%) than my previous mortgage. I took that opportunity to delete the PMI and take some money out to kick-start the remodel. This lead to a mad scramble to prep my house for the appraisal. Luckily they valued the house at what it will be when finished and it all went off without a hitch. In December I had a new furnace installed in the crawlspace (netting me a very nice tax credit for the year) and added central A/C. I’d ordered a tankless water heater around the same time but when I unpacked it just after the first of the year I found that it was damaged, necessitating it’s return and replacement.

Career

My day job was firing on all thrusters all year. New projects, new roles, new responsibilities. I’m loving it, and it’s a far cry from the furlough in 2009. Not sure what the future holds but 2010 was an awesome ride.

Freelance Web Design Solutions Business

I pretty much crushed it on the side business, having one of my best years yet. I rechristened my business “John Bedard Web Solutions” and worked with some really good clients. Hair Hair Salon and Spa, Davis Homes, Dennis Loveless, Stratevative, East Helena Volunteer Fire Department, etc. Not a bad apple in the bunch. I also continued my relationships with prior clients like Women’s Leadership Network and Dan Ellison, Helena City Commission.

Cars

The Shelby Dakota had been serving me quite well, but late in the year I decided I wanted an upgrade, nothing new and nothing too expensive. When I found a 2003 Chrysler 300M, high highway miles but meticulously cared for, with the right price, I jumped. A far cry from the truck or old Volkswagens, this thing is a dream to drive. I’ll likely be selling the VW Golf in 2011.

BonnevilleAmerica.com

In the Fall I offered to become an administrator for the site, since for all intents and purposes there was none. Not long after that I contacted the owner of the site and offered to take it over. He agreed and we started that process, which had not been completed by the end of the year.

Motorcycle

Unfinished. Peruse my blog posts…

Wrap it up, Friar

Overall a great year. I’m probably supposed to say the breakup was painful, but it really wasn’t.  Probably makes me a dick. I can live with that.

2009 In Review