Here’s a bunch of stuff I did for the first time in 2018. 

• Saw a US president
• Fixed an exhaust leak in a downpour, a hundred miles from home
• Shaved with an antique straight-razor, built in Germany when the Kaiser ruled
• Became a collector of antique, straight-razors (Thank you, SL!)
• Owned fewer guns than the previous year
• Visited the Colorado Capitol & Statehouse 
• Filed for unemployment
• Listened to a Wu Tang record
• Visited Border State Park
• Saw the inside of a RedBox machine
• Visited Friendship International Park
• Rode an e-assist bicycle
• LimeBiked 
• Rode one of those city e-scooters
• Listened to an entire Fleetwood Mac album (Kiln House)
• Learned a dead friend was, actually, alive. (Welcome back, G!)
• Reverse grieved for a not dead friend 
• Installed a domed, sapphire crystal
• Fixed a propane heater
• Removed a dump switch to fix a propane heater 
• Learned what a “dump switch” was 
• Caught a wild snake and put it into a cotton bag by the tail. Twice.  
• Trapped a possum 
• Trapped a skunk 
• Bathed a cat 
• Bought a full set of metric wrenches 
• Got a drill press 
• Saw where Predator drones come from 
• Sold a backyard remodel 
• Sold windows 
• Had two hurricanes named after me 
• Got a personalized license plate (LANER)
• Changed ATF in a tranny 
• Watched a roomful of people become US citizens 
• Learned guitar chords 
• Figured out how to use a Speedlight as a slave
• Replaced a fork in a vintage mountain bike 
• Toured the Creation & Earth History museum in Santee 

Here’s to a long list for 2019 …. Have a great year!

#SeekFirstThings

–Michael Lane
01 January 2019