R.L. Geer-Robbins's Blog, page 18

Today in History- Police kill famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde

Interesting facts that I found about Bonnie and Clyde:

Big trouble comes in small packages.

According to research by John Guinn, a reporter for the New York Times and author of Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, Bonnie stood at only 4’11, while Clyde was 5’3.

Toes are optional for a criminal.

Clyde was so desperate to break out of his 14-year sentence at the Eastham State Prison Farm and escape the sexual abuse he was suffering from his cellmate that he cut off his own big toe and some of the second. He claimed it was an accident and hoped for parole, unaware that his mother had already convinced the judge to release him just two weeks later. As a result, he had a distinct limp and had to drive cars in just his socks.

They never got rich off their spoils.

Bonnie and Clyde and the gang preferred to hit up smaller grocery stores and gas stations. That meant their pockets weren’t all that full, usually only taking home about $5.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, they even resorted to robbing the occasional gum-ball machine.

Photos were stagged even then.

Bonnie never smoked cigars and never shot a gun. Undeveloped photos found at the gang’s hideout were used to paint the picture that Bonnie was knee deep in the killing and looting. However, her primary job was navigation and driving.

They were not good people.

According the FBI website, at the time they were killed in 1934, they were believed to have committed 13 murders, and several robberies and burglaries. Barrow, for example, was suspected of murdering two police officers at Joplin, Missouri and kidnapping a man and a woman in rural Louisiana. He released them near Waldo, Texas.

Numerous sightings followed, linking this pair with bank robberies and automobile thefts. Clyde allegedly murdered a man at Hillsboro, Texas; committed robberies at Lufkin and Dallas, Texas; murdered one sheriff and wounded another at Stringtown, Oklahoma; kidnaped a deputy at Carlsbad, New Mexico; stole an automobile at Victoria, Texas; attempted to murder a deputy at Wharton, Texas; committed murder and robbery at Abilene and Sherman, Texas; committed murder at Dallas, Texas; abducted a sheriff and the chief of police at Wellington, Texas; and committed murder at Joplin and Columbia, Missouri.

A gang members dad is who tipped off the police.

In January 1934, Bonnie and Clyde help bust Henry Methvin and four other inmates out from Clyde’s old residence: the Eastham State Prison Farm. According to FBI records, it was Henry’s family who tipped off the Texas Rangers, who gathered the posse that ultimately gunned down the notorious couple.

Even in death, people wanted a piece of their lives.

After being shot multiple times — some claim over 100 bullets between them — passersby near the death scene attempted to take parts of the couple’s body, notably trying to snag Clyde’s trigger finger. Authorities were able to fend the mob, but not before a persistent man cut off some of Bonnie’s hair, swatches from her dress, and one of Clyde’s ears.

The funeral was one for the books.

The bodies were taken to a local funeral home, operated on in the back of a furniture store in nearby Arcadia, Louisiana. Ironically, the undertaker Dillard Darby and his assistant Sophia Stone had been kidnapped by Bonnie and Clyde earlier. Bonnie laughed when she found out what Darby did for a living and said that, who knows, one day, Darby might work on them!

Darby indeed embalmed their bodies, although not without some difficulty. The bodies had so many bullet holes in them that the embalming fluid kept leaking out. But they were able to make them presentable enough for an open casket funeral.

Clyde is buried in Western Heights Cemetery in Dallas, next to his brother Marvin Ivan (Buck). It’s estimated that 30,000 people came to see his body at the Sparkman-Holtz Brand funeral parlor and/or attended the funeral.

Bonnie was buried in northwest Dallas at Crown Hill Memorial Park. It’s estimated that 40,000 to 50,000 people lined up to see her body. In fact, so many people attended the funeral that the family had trouble reaching the gravesite.

So, what do you think? Modern day Romeo and Juliet or one of the worse type of criminals- careless and thoughtless?

The post Today in History- Police kill famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in History- Amelia Earhart becomes 1st woman to make solo transatlantic flight. But she was more than just a pilot!

To mark the occasion of woman’s first, I stumbled across this neat piece of knowledge. We can get too focused on the negative sides of a story, neglecting all the good that someone has accomplished.

So here are so amazing facts that I found out about Ameila Earhart!

Aviator

Earhart became the first female vice president of the National Aeronautic Association, which kept tabs on official conventions and contests. She was able to persuade this organization to create records specifically for women since they lacked the financial resources or planes necessary to challenge men for global titles.

Lobbyist

Earhart championed a number of causes in Congress. She advocated for birth control rights, supported female political and business involvement, and even called for draft enrollment of men, women, and the elderly alike to promote equality and pacifism.

Educator

In 1935, Purdue University president Edward Elliott asked Earhart to join the staff at his school. She accepted the invitation, taking on the role of visiting professor and lecturer in aeronautics. Additionally, she provided guidance for female students interested in areas such as engineering or science, considering her own background in pre-med.

Interestingly- Amelia had to cease her education on several occasions. The first was due to her desire to become a nurse, which she did not enjoy. Later, she reunited with her father and dropped out again. Finally, financial hardship caused her to abandon school for good.

Businesswoman

During the 1930s, Earhart developed her own range of clothing. As a child, she already possessed a gifted talent for sewing and would often craft her own samples. Aimed at women wishing to appear fashionable whilst still being comfortable, her line was only available from Macy’s and Marshall Field’s

Even though she loved flying, Earhart was not a fan of coffee or tea. Instead, her favorite drink was hot chocolate, so much so that she carried around a thermos of it on flights.

This is just a small tidbit of an amazing life that I am proud to highlight. What do you think?

The post Today in History- Amelia Earhart becomes 1st woman to make solo transatlantic flight. But she was more than just a pilot! appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in history- Mount St. Helens erupts.

Some fascinating facts regarding the Mount St. Helens eruption:

1975—U.S. Geological Survey geologists forecast that Mount St. Helens would erupt again, “possibly before the end of the century.”

March 20, 1980—A magnitude 4.2 earthquake signaled the volcano’s reawakening after 123 years.

Spring 1980—Rising magma pushed the volcano’s north flank outward 5 feet per day.

Morning of May 18, 1980— The largest terrestrial landslide in recorded history reduced the summit by 1,300 feet and triggered a lateral blast. Within 3 minutes, the lateral blast, traveling at more than 300 miles per hour, blew down and scorched 230 square miles of forest. Within 15 minutes, a vertical plume of volcanic ash rose to over 80,000 feet.

Afternoon of May 18, 1980—The dense ash cloud turned daylight into darkness in eastern Washington, causing streetlights to turn on in Yakima and Ritzville.

The volcanic ash cloud drifted east across the United States in 3 days and encircled Earth in 15 days.

Lahars (volcanic mudflows) filled rivers with rocks, sand, and mud, damaging 27 bridges and 200 homes and forcing 31 ships to remain in ports upstream.

The May 18, 1980, eruption was the most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history.

Small plants and trees beneath winter snow, and roots protected by soil, survived the May 18, 1980, eruption and now thrive. Thousands of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and millions of hatchery fingerlings perished in the eruption. Wind-dispersed spiders and scavenging beetles were among the first animals to return to Mount St. Helens.

Late spring through fall 1980—Explosive eruptions on May 25, June 12, July 22, August 7, and October 16–18 rocked Mount St. Helens and sent ash to distant communities.

1982—Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was established for all to observe both the awesome destruction and the remarkable recovery of plants and animals.

October 1980 to 1986— Over the course of 17 episodes, lava eruptions filled the crater, building a lava dome that reached 876 feet above the crater floor. Since 1986, snow and rock have accumulated in the deep, shaded crater and formed Crater Glacier, the youngest glacier on Earth.

September 2004—Mount St. Helens reawakened, and it erupted continuously until January 2008.

Today you can visit Mount St. Helens, a few hours’ drive from my home. What do you think? Would you want to see it?

The post Today in history- Mount St. Helens erupts. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in History- Brown v. Board of Education Decision.

Some interesting facts that I found out about the case and those who supported it:

-The Supreme Court justices did not agree on the legality of school segregation when the case initially arrived. During their first meeting in December 1952, four justices were against it, two were undecided, and two wanted to keep it. Earl Warren, the Chief Justice, put forth a convincing argument that segregation was unconstitutional, and he also argued that a unanimous ruling was crucial for such a divisive issue. Eventually, all justices ruled unanimously against school segregation.

-Many Americans remember Earl Warren as the Chief Justice who delivered the Brown v. Board ruling, but he was not on the bench when the case was first heard. Instead, Fred M. Vinson from Kentucky represented the court until his death due to a heart attack on September 8, 1953. Most sources suggest that Vinson would have voted to keep segregated classrooms in place, and many believe his death caused this essential decision to be overturned.

-The Brown v. Board Supreme Court ruling will always be remembered for its landmark implications; however, the actual integration of schools was not an instantaneous occurrence. The court determined that all institutions must “desegregate with all deliberate speed”. This ambiguous phrase was taken as a sign of leniency and dragged feet.

-In 1958, for example, Virginia closed some public schools instead of allowing Black students to attend, and in 1963 Alabama Governor George Wallace declared his famous motto of “Segregation now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation forever!” That year, only 1% of African American children living in the former Confederate states attended integrated schools, and those that did were faced with consistent hostility. Real desegregation efforts didn’t start taking place until much later during the decade.

-After the lawsuits were filed, a number of plaintiffs and their family members lost their jobs, while others had their credit cut off. South Carolina experienced the worst of the repercussions; whites burned down the home and church of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, and took shots at him one night, prompting him to abandon the state for good. Judge Julius Waring was another casualty of the retaliation; despite his efforts to promote civil rights – such as school desegregation – he was forced out after facing death threats. He retired from the bench in 1952 and moved to New York City.

What are your thoughts?

The post Today in History- Brown v. Board of Education Decision. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in History- Kidnapped Charles Lindbergh baby found dead.

Interesting facts that I found out about this horrible case.

-In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh made history when he flew solo and nonstop from the US to Europe— something no other aviator had achieved before. But five years later, he experienced a horrifying new reality: his 20-month-old son, Charlie, was kidnapped right out of his crib on the night of March 1st, 1932.

-It wasn’t until the second day of April that the kidnappers gave instructions for delivering the ransom. When the money was handed off, they said that Charles was on a boat named Nelly off the coast of Massachusetts. However, after an exhaustive search of every port, there was no sign of either the boat or the child.

-72 days later, a badly decomposed body authorities identified as Charlie’s was discovered in the woods nearby.

-The investigation went cold until two years later when a ransom bill revealed the case’s first clue. Suspicious of the driver who had given it to him, a gas station attendant who had accepted the bill wrote down his license plate number.

-This resulted in Bruno Richard Hauptmann, an immigrant from Germany, being charged with extortion and first-degree homicide. Hauptmann denied any involvement in the crime.

-The trial of Hauptmann began in January 1935, transforming into a giant media event. Charles and Anne Lindbergh testified, as well as the ransom go-between, John F. Condon (nicknamed “Jafsie”). After three weeks of proceedings, an uneasy Hauptmann was finally called to the stand. He acknowledged providing false statements to law enforcement agents but maintained his innocence.

-The jury declared Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of the murder charge and he was consequently condemned to die by electrocution chair. On April 3, 1936, his sentence was carried out in Trenton State Prison, New Jersey.

-On June 17, 1932 – months after the Lindbergh family tragedy – the US Congress passed a bill that would become known as the Federal Kidnapping Act. It established harsh punishments for kidnappings where the abductee was taken across state borders, even in cases that could potentially be punishable by death. President Hoover officially put it into effect on June 22, which happened to be Charlie’s second birthday.

What are your thoughts?

The post Today in History- Kidnapped Charles Lindbergh baby found dead. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in History- Hoover begins his 48 years as FBI Director.

Interesting facts about J. Edgar Hoover that I found:

-In order to conquer his problem with stuttering, he came up with the technique of speaking quickly, which earned him the nickname “Speed.” He then decided to join the debate team in high school as another way of honing this skill.

-In 1924, Hoover achieved the role of director of the BOI at age 29 following a major political scandal. In order to combat the criticism that followed, he let go of any agents who he thought had been employed for their political connections or were not adequately skilled for the job.

-The BOI’s only two female agents also departed in the exodus. J Edgar Hoover did hire Lenore Houston as a special agent shortly after, yet she ended up leaving in 1928. Women would not be welcomed back into the agency until after Hoover had passed away.

-Hoover capitalized on the Bureau’s wins to build its reputation, with agents referred to as ‘G-Men’ becoming famous figures. The agency had such a sterling name that, per Kenneth D. Ackerman, a Hoover biographer, it was tougher to become an FBI agent than get accepted into an Ivy League college.

-In 1935, the Bureau of Investigation officially changed its name to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). With World War Two on the horizon, President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned Hoover to investigate Nazi and communist espionage in the United States. The FBI apprehended its first German agents in 1938 and continued to track down spies and saboteurs during the war period.

-In 1956, the FBI established COINTELPRO, an undercover initiative to discredit certain American political organizations. It utilized aggressive techniques such as surveillance, infiltration, anonymous phone calls and letters, harassment, and even violence to undermine its targets: the US Communist Party, feminist movements, civil rights advocates, Black Power activists, and the Ku Klux Klan.

-J. Edgar Hoover was acutely aware of the power of information. As such, he collected files on various individuals, ranging from politicians and government officials to celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Charlie Chaplin, Muhammad Ali, and Albert Einstein. These files contained surveillance data as well as speculation about their personal lives and political affiliations.

-By 1960, there were over four-hundred thirty-two thousand open case files in his office. He kept the most sensitive ones nearby or in his possession to threaten his rivals and maintain his post as FBI director.

-Following his passing, Hoover was chosen to ‘lie in state’ at the US Capitol Building. This was a sign of respect, and he is still the only government official to be given this recognition.

What are your thoughts? Saint or sinner?

The post Today in History- Hoover begins his 48 years as FBI Director. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

So, it’s time to design your book cover? Here’s a story of what not to do!

Friends,

When I published my book in January, I was on a high. An emotional and spiritual high because I had done something I had always wanted to do. I took full control of the process, watched every YouTube video, read every article, and wrote out a plan and cost compared until I was blue in the face.

In hindsight, there are some things I would have done differently. Today I want to share my experiences and the realization of how critical the cover of the book is.

Some might argue that the cover is even more critical than what lies within.

If you’re setting out to write a series, 2-4 books, it’s a wise idea to look at other book series covers. See how they flow together, take note of the designs and colors. How do they look sitting next to each other? Does it draw the eye?

My original cover was neat and uncomplicated, and quite inviting. However, it gave off more of an old-fashioned grandmother-knitting club vibe than that of a middle-aged woman who is totally dependent on coffee but still believes in magic…but I was still pleased with it.

The issue was that the design didn’t match my idea for the series as a whole. I hadn’t considered how the book cover would look paired with the other titles in the collection. I also didn’t think about how it would look sitting on the top shelf of a bookstore. 

My book jacket was as vague as the fog on a chilly autumn morning. Creams, browns, and grays, some decorative writing, and absolutely no bling.

Think 1930’s Great Depression.

Think foggy fall morning on the ocean shore.

Think your grandma’s cream couch that she has had since the 1950s.

That is what my book reminds me of.

When my cover artist sent me the first mockup of the cover, I jumped all over it. I said “Yes, to the dress”, because I was caught up in the excitement of seeing my name on a book. I impulsively accepted it without considering the contents or giving it a 24-hour wait period.

Never make a big purchase without a 24-hour waiting period!

I learned this past weekend when I headed to the local brick-and-mortar bookstore which agreed to sell my masterpiece.

I walked in with my head held high, confident that someone would recognize me as an author. I couldn’t help but imagine the scene of 15 people scrambling to purchase my book. Or maybe I would find someone curled up on a chair, my book in their hand, as they sipped a cup of coffee.

That’s not what happened.

After a 20-minute scavenger hunt, I was torn between disappointment that they had already taken it off the rack and excitement that they had sold out their stock.

I couldn’t find the damn book anywhere! Not on the first floor where all the ’employee favorites’ are, or in the ‘up and coming’ section. Not in the ‘your local artist’ area. Not in the YA area- even though my editor swears it is YA.

Climbing to the second floor, dragging my feet, I headed to the fantasy section.

Nothing.

Then I slowly crawled to the fiction section- and the clouds parted.

TADA!!!!

I found it! Where you might be asking? On the top shelf, blending into the soft vanilla-colored bookshelf itself because it is a plain cover. I almost missed it because I am short and couldn’t see that high, so my eyes skipped right over it.

The spine had nothing that screamed- “Pick Me Up!”

Tears. Large, unfiltered tears because I knew in the deepest part of my heart that I would never pick up my book as a reader because it looked boring. The book spine looked like a dry research manual found in a forgotten library.

My husband thought it was amazing. My sister even took pictures of it and quickly moved the books to a more pleasing area of the bookstore. The support I received from them was awesome, and I will always be grateful for it.

But I knew.

As writers, we know…. the first glance sells!

So I had to go home and rethink my whole life and my book cover.

And that started a two-week battle that left me with persistent migraines and heartburn.

Changing book covers can be a very time-consuming and expensive endeavor. Not only do you have to pay for the redesigned cover design, but you also need to wait for the various online platforms to review and accept it before it can be published.

All your social media accounts need to be updated. You have to re-promote. You need to explain why your early supporters had one edition, but another exists.

So, what can you do to save yourself from this heartache?

Go to the bookstore NOT to buy books. Take a look at your favorite authors’ earlier titles. These will not be found front and center- but rather tucked away and stacked up against the thousand other books.

What does their spine look like? What do you like? What do you not like? Walk up and down the aisle and take pictures. Which one calls to you?

NOW- take that idea home and think about what you as a reader want to see and mesh it up with what you as a writer want to see.

Get an artist, or a company, or design it yourself. Get three different versions and hang them on your fridge. For at least 48 hours, every time you open the door or walk in to grab another cup of coffee see which one draws your eye.

Don’t rush this process – as much as people may deny it, books are judged by their covers.

Friends, this was a difficult lesson because I had a lot of support for my book cover. But I wasn’t being true to myself. Your first book is going to be the most difficult book you will ever write because you want to please everyone.

You want validation because you are taking a huge leap.

But be careful when looking for approval. Are you allowing your friends and family to have the power to create a book that they want to see, or are you giving them a sneak peek?

There is a big difference.

My family does not read the same genre as I do. They are amazing because they will read my work- but it’s not their favorite.

And that is fine…. but I wanted their approval. I gave them the power to sign off on my creation. Because I didn’t want to fail. And if I gave them a piece of the pie, and the book failed, it wouldn’t have all been on my shoulders.

Take that power and leap into the unknown.

Let’s be realistic. What if it fails?

What does it matter? Just like painters, authors can go back to the drawing board and rework.

I know this is true because I redesigned my cover!

But it’s all going to work out and the only person who sees the stress and heartache is us. Readers don’t know. All they know is that they are curling up to a good book by a fantastic author and for a few minutes, they can escape this crazy world.

So there you have it. A personal experience with the cover of a dread book. Looking back, I am adding this to the bulletin board of mistakes I have made over the last 7 months. It’s a large board! Full of mistakes and ‘oops.’

What are your thoughts?

The post So, it’s time to design your book cover? Here’s a story of what not to do! appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

Today in History- The father of Scientology publishes his first book.

Just a few interesting facts that I was able to find out:

-One of the most enigmatic and mysterious religions in the United States is Scientology. Its secretive nature, mixed with its connection to Hollywood stars, make it a highly intriguing topic.

-Scientology was founded by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer who holds the Guinness World Record for Most Published Works By One Author.

-The word “Scientology” is derived from the Latin scio, meaning “knowing,” and the Greek logos, which translates to “the study of.” Taken together, it means “the study of knowing how to know.”

-Believers of Scientology reject the concept of psychology and oppose taking psychiatric medications.

-Wikipedia has blocked any organization connected with Scientology from making changes to their articles. The church is said to persistently try to delete any negative reviews or comments about them.

What are your thoughts?

The post Today in History- The father of Scientology publishes his first book. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

A clean bathroom and a cup of coffee can fix any problem.

Friends,

It has been a month since my last blog. I have been lazy. I have been writing book 2. I have been trying to get social media under control. I have been working hard trying to keep up with my husband’s business. Time slips away like sand flowing through my fingers and I can’t keep up.

It hasn’t been an easy month. I am not complaining. I can’t say I am bored, which is where I was a year ago.

Nope.

I miss being bored.

Now I am so tired at the end of the day that after dinner is done, I sit on my uncomfortable couch and watch matchmaking shows like ‘Love is Blind’, ‘Married At First Site’, and ‘Indian Matchmaker.’

But there have been so many highlights to the month…

1. I dropped my bike. If you follow my social media, you will know that it was a whirlwind of unfortunate accidents that landed me face down in the middle of an intersection- but thankfully I survived. My leg saved the bike from serious damage, and I had a lovely modern art painting of colors and textures to look at as my leg healed.

That was fun.

2. I am almost done writing The Myth and the Monster- Raven Society Book 2. I sent the first 3/4th to my editor to get the process started for my launch day in June. I was optimistic. My mother read the rough draft and said it was great.

Of course, she only read a couple of chapters before abandoning it for something more her style. However, still…. she gave me a weak smile and a halfhearted thumbs up, so there’s that.

My editor, however. My friend and my wingman sent me a message after only three chapters and told me to harden my heart and be prepared. She took her job seriously and my book now looks like it was the victim of a back-alley street fight. Red ink just flowing everywhere.

That was fun.

3. My husband’s business is booming. He is out there making a name for himself and getting invites and high-fives from across the country. It is surprising how many people like him. I mean, I think he is pretty cool- it’s different seeing how well he interacts with others.

Which means, my house is a full-on warehouse for his business needs. Right now, he has an office, the garage, the kitchen table, and the kitchen counters all dedicated space to his needs.

Random cage doors, hammers, containers, food, drills, and business paperwork- all scattered from one room to the next. On top of the animals that take up about 1/4 of my house.

What can I do? I need to support him. This is his dream, and so my default- now mine. So, I stopped cleaning. I was getting in trouble for moving things around to make room for petty things like cooking dinner. Between my husband, my son’s art projects and equipment, and the dogs, I gave up.

So that’s been fun.

3. Dark Rose Publishing Company’s business license was approved. That’s exciting! It’s been a dream of mine for a couple of years now. Of course, I have no clients, and it costs me more to have it than what I am bringing in with my book that hasn’t sold a copy in a month and a half.

But at least I have the business license to hang on my wall.

I have no room to hang it anywhere- but it’s the thought that counts.

Of course, yesterday, my Facebook author page got banned for violating community standards. Apparently, my memes about coffee drinking, reels promoting my book, and pictures of my family offended someone. I don’t know- because Facebook doesn’t tell you. There isn’t even an email or phone number to call and ask why.

It’s not like I have a book launch in progress. Maybe it is a sign that my editor destroyed my work in progress so much that I couldn’t hit ‘publish’ on time anyways.

That’s been really exciting.

So what did I do today to combat the feeling of discouragement and failure? I took the day to nurse a headache by getting on my hands and knees and cleaning every square inch of my floors. My bathroom had a makeover filled with bleach, comet scrub, and a refreshment of toilet paper. My laundry room no longer hosts a pound of dryer link and dog hair. I even folded clothes and put them away.

There is nothing like a clean house to make you feel better.

Then my husband and child came home and an explosion of backpacks, sweatshirts, and empty candy wraps undid all my hard work.

My house represents my life right now. All the good intentions and dedicated work in the world will sometimes not be enough.

So tomorrow I will try to contact Facebook again and convince them that I am a trustworthy person. I just have an addiction to coffee.

I will not give up on my book. Since the cover has been created, I must add something inside.

But right now? Right now I will watch Julie and Julia. Or is it Julia and Julie? If you haven’t seen it, you must stop what you’re doing and turn on Netflix. Two middle-aged women who feel lost in the world and rediscover their passion through cooking and writing.

I hope you find your passion friends. Even on dark and gloomy days. And if you need a friend- I will bring coffee!

The post A clean bathroom and a cup of coffee can fix any problem. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.

My failure. My success. My journey to becoming a licensed motorcycle rider.

Friends,

Sometimes failure is the right option. As much as it pains me to admit it.

Let me tell you a story. Back in September, I decided on a whim to buy a 2022 Harley Davidon Sportster 48. I had no motorcycle license. I had no permit. Hell, I didn’t even know how to turn the thing on. But there it was- standing proudly in my garage waiting for me to gas it.

A week later, I was attending a 3-day mandatory course, where I learned the basics. How to start it. How to put it into gear. How to make it go straight. I graduated (barely) knowing how to stop, weave, do a figure 8, and corner.

What they didn’t teach me was how to get out of second gear. I left that for my husband to suffer through.

Fast forward to a week ago. I now have upgraded to 2023 Harley Davidon Heritage and had ridden about 500 miles of Washington state back roads. The world was my oyster. I was confident, self-assured, and look sexy driving down the road. And I haven’t crashed or hit an unexpected bird.

I was ready to get my license. I signed up for the endorsement test and anxiously waited for my time to shine. I got this! It is only a 25-question test and 2 skills. A quick stop and cornering. Something I am proficient at.

What could go wrong?

Well, let me tell you…. everything!

First let’s start with I didn’t know I needed to be at the testing site at 11:00am for the written test. It wasn’t in the email or on the website. Unfortunately, you can ONLY do the written test at the testing site on a Friday and the DMV doesn’t do motorcycle testing (so I was told). So, I would have to wait another week to knock that out. No worries. I decided to do my skills test and then return.

I lined up with 6 other riders on what was a cold and rainy evening and received my beautiful European model motorcycle to test on. Now something should have triggered my spidey senses when I heard some of the other students say that our testing official was known for failing people. But I didn’t put much stock in that. I had ridden 500 miles of backroads….I was damn near ready to race professionally on the circuit.

As long as the other riders didn’t go above 70 mph and there were no curves.

I had this in the bag.

The only skill I was iffy about was the quick stop. I am a cautious driver and really don’t like waiting until the last minute to brake before ramming into something. But it is an essential skill to know how to do it correctly. But it was raining, and the wind blew like Zeus himself was mad about something, so I was a little more cautious then usual.

We all lined up, me in the back, and headed to the start line.

First guy centers on the start line, on his own bike that he had drove to the test on, looking confident and assured of success. He flies down the testing lane landing a perfect quick stop.

Fail.

He lines up again, flies faster down the testing lane and stops again in the magnificent glory of rider awareness and skill.

Fail.

What is going on here?

Now I am nervous. I bite my gloved nails and wait for my turn, sweating through my shirt, sweatshirt, and leather jacket in 42-degree rainy weather. I really didn’t want to do the walk of shame on the first run. My husband wouldn’t let me live it down.

I lined up, put the motorcycle in gear and flew down the center lane in a blaze of fiery and frozen glory.

I passed.

Ahhhh, shit. This is in the bag.

That was my first mistake. I forgot that I am not an effective test taker. Never had been. One of two things will happen. I will overthink it and stress myself out. Or I will be overconfident and miss a key task. Let’s just say both happened on the second test.

I line up at the start line and visualize running the course in pristine form. I saw myself crossing the finish line and the testing official high-fiving me. I would skip to the truck and head to go get ice-cream in celebration.

Nope…

What happened was I got lost on the three turns that are clearly marked. I veered the wrong way, forgot to shift, and thought the testing official was yelling at me- so I slowed down.

Did I mention that this was a timed event?

Fail. No second chances.

Come back again when you don’t suck.

No biggie. I wouldn’t be able to get my license anyway because I didn’t take the written test. So, I made an appointment to get my permit renewed and I would try again in a week.

That’s where everything went really wrong.

At the DMV I found out that I was hours past my permit expiring. Now I had to do the permit skills test and written test AGAIN along with taking my endorsement skills test and written test. Which by the way, is not cheap in the great state of Washington.

So, I signed up for a two-hour private lesson to review the skills I apparently sucked at and then took all SEVEN skills tests again. That was yesterday. 8:00 in the morning! And guess what- it’s raining again in Washington. GREAT!

At the end of my two hours, I had passed all seven tests with only 1 point being docked from me. I was even asked if I would consider getting some riding hours in and maybe returning next year to learn how to be an instructor. Apparently, I have good form and understand the skills well. I am honored. I am on cloud nine. Of course, I will be there!

But it wasn’t my riding skills that got me through all of that. It was the amazing coach who noticed my improper riding habits and corrected me. In a way that I understood and could fix. He explained the reason why riders do things a certain way, and what would happen if I continued doing what I had been doing. And even though I was soaked to the bone and couldn’t feel my fingers, I would take the lesson all over again.

Failure made me a better rider and more confident on my bike.

Lesson learned!

Sometimes in life, it is difficult when we fail at something desperately wanted. Negativity can sometimes make us give up. I almost gave up after the DMV. I would ride dirty. I wasn’t going back. But that night I failed and got home, my child was waiting for me. He was excited about my achievement. And I decided to tell him the truth.

Mom didn’t pass her test.

And then I told him I would do it again. Because it was the right thing to do. Not just because of the laws. But because I wanted my son to know that even adults fail and have to try again until they succeed.

Now I have my endorsement. And I did it the right way. I asked for help and came into the lesson with an open mind, clear heart, and ready to be in recieve mode.

Failure in this case was the jumping off point for my success.

So next time you fail, don’t give up. We got a new generation of humans watching us and waiting to see how we react. Lets teach them what our parents taught us- we don’t give up. We don’t listen when people tell us that we are not good enough. We work harder and prove them wrong.

And then head out for a motorcycle ride!

The post My failure. My success. My journey to becoming a licensed motorcycle rider. appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.