I write, sometimes for the fun of it and sometimes to get paid. This summer has given me an opportunity to do both. This is my outlet for the fun stuff. So why bikes, books, broads and beer? Well, they’re all fun….

A few months ago a friend’s daughter expressed an interest in writing a book. She’s six. I’m 50. I thought to myself, “Self, you’d best get off your ass and write a book while you’re still hale and hearty, before the little squirt beats you to it and leaves you feeling very ashamed of all the time you’ve squandered reading up on Reddit and current events.”

So, challenge accepted. But merely jamming on the keyboard without a warmup will result in a ugly mess of disorganized rambling, and I’m too stinkin’ proud to let that happen. So I’ll do my semi-coherent rambling here, thankyouverymuch, and when the prose appears to take a polish and shine brightly, it’s book time.

I read, not so much now as a working man, but I’d put a good book right up there with sex as one of life’s great pleasures. This should not be construed as a knock on former or current lovers; you’ve all been great. You wanna play, I can read later. But I can read for three hours…play, on the other hand…I don’t wanna have a heart attack before my time, you know?

Biking – the pedaling kind – is another thing I don’t get to do nearly as much as I’d like. I’ve gone over the handlebars a few times without a helmet and had I landed a bit differently, I wouldn’t be here to tell you about it. As long as don’t fall on my head, it’s probably the one thing that will keep me healthy long enough to attain something resembling a retirement. There’s nothing quite like a ten to twenty mile ride to wash away the worries and restore a balanced state of mind, and I’ll have more to share about that as it happens.

Beer – I buy it, brew it, drink it, share it, compare it and get other folks I know to try it. My wife didn’t care for the stuff until I introduced her to Newcastle. (Travis, you’re next). My next brew project is a recipe from the White House, a honey ale prepared for the president’s pleasure. The biggest challenge is keeping all the pet hair out of  the brew process. With two cats and two dogs running the place – we’re merely their servants – I should probably screen off the kitchen on brew day.

Broads. No, it’s not pejorative. Broads are, in my estimation, the interesting women, the women who are bold, brassy and opinionated, but not arrogant. I may introduce you to some. They are not shy. They are not afraid of beer. They’re worldly, well-read, wonderfully amusing and great company. And some of them really should have their own blogs. (You know who you are!)

So. I’m a content monkey for a large publishing firm at the moment. There’s always work to do, but all work and no play makes me cranky. I’ll share other enriching interests that don’t start with B, so please contain your shock and play along. Coffee, astronomy, atheism, married life, fur-faced children, grown children, a red-headed stepson (yes, really), current events, it’s all going into the blender.