Disclaimer # 1: This week’s title is not adjective. Not about being controlled and pushed along. Nor is this an introduction to a written seminar on how to become more ambitious and hard-working at work or other endeavors. This verbiage is purely driven in the past participle.
Disclaimer # 2: There may be some things mentioned here that may be tempting to attempt. Neither HCSWT, The Focus nor members of the Focus staff will be held accountable if you do something or given time, some things stupid. Anywho…
Somewhere in traffic. Amidst sporadic blares of horns. A young boy addresses his teeth-clenched, white-knuckled, red-faced father from the back seat inquiring- “When can I drive? I already know all the words!”
Hey, how’s it going? How’ve ya been? What-cha doin? Nothing? Well hop in, let’s go for a ride. Sit-back, shut-up, buckle your safety belt- because you can learn a lot from a dummy. Where are we going? Hell, I don’t even know where we are.
Besides it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey… right? Maybe metaphorically speaking. However, when it comes to literal travel, that is merely a matter of perspective.
For some it is all about the destination. Point B is their sole interest, journey and rose fields be damned. For others it’s not about the drive but the driving. How far and how fast without getting caught. Running over any roses that may get in the way along the way. Then, of course, there are those who do enjoy the journey. Whether out to the corner store or on a cross country jaunt, they savor the roses and may metaphorically pluck a few along the way.
1… 2… 3… red light! And not the kind that suggests horizontal innuendos. Now here’s a neat trick (one of those aforementioned “things”) -how to legally run a red-light in extremely light or no traffic. Move to the right, come to a quick complete stop. Signal, then turn right. Promptly do a U-turn which places you facing the opposing green light. Now simply turn right. It’s not running, it’s merely going around. Moving on…
Whether you’re along for the ride behind the wheel. Go speed racer go! Or “Are we there yet?” In the grand scheme it’s not about the ride, arrival or drive, it’s how it is driven.
Now we could oh so easily go off on a metaphorical tangent here. Comparing drive, driving and driven to live, living and livin’. Is that what’s happening? Maybe, but for now let’s just keep it between the lines… unlike this car in front of us.
Slowing down, speeding up. Casually swerving from left to right. It’s okay to drink and drive -drink pending, but driving drunk is a big no-no. Fortunately that’s not the case here. By the iridescent glow on the headliner, we can divulge that they are too preoccupied with phone functions to bother with proper driving etiquette. Don’t drink, don’t dope, don’t text and drive- you could kill a friendship… you might be that friend.
The lines on the road- stay between them. That big circle in front of you, that should have both hands on, can keep you there. Any variation should be indicated by using the stick on the right of the big circle. No, that’s the windshield wipers… the other one.
Those big white signs with numbers- are how fast you should go. The gas pedal is the long vertical one on the right- it makes you go faster. The octagonal red signs mean stop. The vertical on the left is the brake- it slows or stops you.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let us deal with the tailgater we’ve picked up. The kind that won’t pass, even in the zone or if you slow down. They just seem determined to push you over the road. What to do? Here’s the other thing. The backwards pass- Accelerate quickly, then jerk into the other lane and slam the brakes, then swing back in behind them! You will freak them out… and maybe get yourself killed in the process. On second thought you probably shouldn’t do that. If their need to draft bothers you, there’s no shame in pulling over.
It might not be about the destination, but if you die along the way you’ll never know.
I welcome almost all questions, comments via through the Focus, or E-mail me at [email protected]. Hope to hear from ya, until then try and stay focused! See ya.
