I haven’t blogged in several days because work had me in Nashville in charge of an event. It went well, but kept me really busy. The spirit of my dear friend who died last week was with me, and she would have been with me in Nashville had she not had to have surgery.

The return from Nashville to my home in Maryland on Friday night was an almost-disaster, with US-scareways canceling my return flight so I had to switch over to Delta and endure a layover in Atlanta. I got home at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.

After a fitful sleep, my partner and I headed over to the church where a memorial mass for my friend was held. Soon enough, the church was packed. Many dignitaries from all over the state and nearby jurisdictions were there. Bike cops lined the entrance and directed traffic, and a local fire company put up its ladders in a formation above the church driveway.

I had spoken with my friend’s husband and family and expressed my personal thoughts and love during formal visitation and also by phone, and shared my own eulogy for my friend and mentor during the service. I followed a couple elected officials whose eulogies were rather uninspiring, thus putting the pressure on me even more. I think I did okay. Thank goodness for years of public speaking experience, as I was composed and spoke fondly of my friend, using humor and joy, without breaking up (until I got home later.)

I shall miss my friend in many ways, but her legacy continues to move me forward. I just ask myself, “what would (M) do?” and then do it.

My mentor, friend, and hard-working local elected official about whom I referred in my blog post on Wednesday, died unexpectedly today as a result of complications from her surgery. I’m devastated.

Just remember, tell those you love that you love ’em, each and every day. Life is short. Wear your boots, wear your leather, but most of all, love those you love like there’s no tomorrow.

I love you, BikerBeef!

Life is short. I was reminded of that last night when a very close friend, mentor, and elected leader in the county where I live informed me that she is undergoing open heart surgery today to have a heart valve replaced. I have debated, engaged, and worked so closely with this elected official for the past 28 years that I am reminded not to take your friends and family for granted. I am sending messages to my family and friends today just to say “hey, I’m thinking about you, I love you.”

Life is short. Wear your boots. Pictured is what I’ve got on today, sans the tie. I thought about wearing the tie, but didn’t need to, and didn’t want to. I don’t like to dress up and find ties constricting. Lucchese 1883 brown cowboy boots with fancy stitching are on my feet today.
They are real comfy, and the soles are worn enough that they won’t slip on wet pavement since it rained last night.

I always wear boots, and usually don’t have to dress in a suit, but today is an exception. I’m wearing my Dan Post Black Ostrich Leg Cowboy Boots today. I will appear before a committee of our state senate to testify on a pending bill to restrict using a cell phone or sending text messages while operating a motor vehicle. A good buddy was killed several years ago by a cell-phone-yapping-SUV-driving-yuppie, who only got a slap on the wrist and no jail time for killing my friend. Personally, I think cell phones have their place, but not inside a 5,000-pound moving vehicle.

This bill hasn’t passed committee before because our part-time legislature is forever on their cell phones, and they don’t want to restrict themselves. It’s time for this practice to stop.

I have to say, though, that while this law has been on the books in Washington, DC, for a couple years, nobody abides by it and the cops don’t enforce it. I see cell-phone-yapping yuppies blathering away all the time while driving on DC city streets. Nonetheless, I think it’s time the law gets passed in Maryland, and the cops enforce it.