Title: The Thrill of the Ride: What Makes Motorcycling So Much Fun
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Few activities match the adrenaline, freedom, and sheer exhilaration of riding a motorcycle. The experience of gliding through the open air, with the world rushing by, is unlike anything else. But what exactly makes motorcycling so much fun? Beyond the obvious thrill of speed and adventure, there are deeper elements—both physical and emotional—that explain why millions of people are passionate about this form of transportation.
One of the core appeals of motorcycling is the sense of freedom it provides. Unlike cars, motorcycles strip away the barriers between the rider and the environment. Without a cabin encasing you, there’s an unmatched immediacy to the experience: you feel the wind on your face, smell the fresh air (or sometimes the rain), and even sense the texture of the road beneath you. For many, riding a motorcycle evokes a sense of liberation and connection with the world that is hard to replicate in any other vehicle.
The physical sensation of riding a motorcycle is another powerful draw. The balance, coordination, and skill required to handle a bike effectively make the experience physically engaging. The lean into corners, the quick shifts in body weight, and the control of acceleration and braking offer a full-body experience that engages muscles and mind alike. For many riders, it’s a dance with the machine, where precision and flow are part of the fun. The feeling of mastering your bike, gliding through turns, or perfectly executing a maneuver brings a sense of accomplishment and joy.
Speed and adrenaline also play a key role. The rush of acceleration and the sensation of velocity on a motorcycle are incredibly thrilling. Even at relatively modest speeds, a motorcycle can feel much faster than a car because of the exposure to the elements and the direct feedback from the road. Riders often describe the experience as a form of controlled risk—a mix of excitement and focus that gets the heart pumping. It’s this combination of adrenaline and control that makes motorcycling so addictive for many enthusiasts.
Beyond the sensory experience, motorcycling offers a unique form of mindfulness. Riding demands focus and attention, making it almost meditative. The need to be fully present while navigating the road, especially on more technical routes or in traffic, leaves little room for distraction. This immersion in the moment allows many riders to escape the stress of daily life and find mental clarity.
Finally, there’s the community and camaraderie. Motorcycling is often as much about the people as it is about the ride. Riders form strong bonds with one another, whether they’re cruising in a group or simply sharing tips and experiences. The sense of belonging to a tribe, united by a shared passion, enhances the joy of riding.
In the end, what makes motorcycling so much fun is its multifaceted appeal. It’s the combination of freedom, physicality, thrill, mindfulness, and community that draws people to the open road again and again. Riding a motorcycle is more than just a mode of transportation—it’s an experience, a lifestyle, and for many, an expression of pure joy.
I have written multiple posts here about my professional life. The summary if you’re new here, and to my ramblings, is that I have a lengthy nonprofit fundraising background. In 2019, I landed what seemed to be my dream job. But just like an actual dream sometimes does, after a while if became more like a nightmare. I landed on my feet, in a position where I’m doing great things, being valued for who I am, what I bring to the organization and being fairly compensated for it all. However, again, just like flashes of nightmares rear their ugly heads during waking hours, my old job pops in to haunt me every now and then.
When I left my previous role, I can count on one hand – actually, one finger – the number of people I chose to give permission to contact me personally. We occasionally send messages to check in, say hello, catch up. It had been months since I last heard from them. Until a few weeks ago. “Kat, I miss you. There is so much to tell you, can I call you after work today?” You bet I cleared my plans for the rest of the night to take that call. I am so glad I did.
Let me back up quite a few paces to when I was still working for the previous organization. In many companies, a change in leadership often leads to some staffing changes, people leave, new people start, positions change, structure changes, policies changes. It’s not at all unusual. However, when the changes start to feel heavy and unnecessary, and good people are forced out, it’s hard to stay positive. That’s what happened to my dream job. The chosen replacement for the individual who hired me, encouraged and trusted me, and built an incredible team of passionate talented people, was abruptly removed from the position.
Shortly after the beginning of that end, one of the newer members of my team suddenly took an interest in me and my role. They often came to my desk to talk about my work, my workload, and unprompted by any of my words or actions, expressed that I must be stressed and overwhelmed with it all. That became the frequent theme of conversation; and it was odd. Something about it, just wasn’t sitting right. I kept asking myself, are they trying to make me feel stressed? Should I be responding to my job in a way other than I am? What is the point of this repeated conversation? It was enough for me to keep them at a distance and stay wary, while still working together as needed.
It was right around this strange time when the new boss was announced to replace the one I had built such a wonderful working relationship with. I tried to stay open minded. Within the first few weeks, each person was scheduled for a one-on-one introductory meeting. Mine was the last on the agenda. I came prepared with everything about what I did on a daily basis, prepared for any questions they might have. We had an hour. The first question I was asked threw me for a bit of a loop. It was about the organization I worked in prior to this one, and one person in particular from that team. The tone of the question made it feel like my answer would set the stage for not only the rest of this meeting, but my position with the team. I carefully acknowledged, yes, I knew that person, but we never worked very closely and they left before I did. I left out my feelings relating to the absolutely unhinged series of accusations and comments lodged at me by this person regarding someone else’s inappropriate behavior toward me! I also watched in absolute horror as the indicators on my new boss’s smart watch flashed over a dozen new text messages from the very same person. Yikes, not a good start.
Life over the next few months in and out of the office wasn’t great. Home repairs and family stress on top of increased pressure and unvoiced expectations from my new boss were making me ill. The colleague I had kept at arms length had been given a wildly unexpected promotion within our department. It was abundantly clear that the role was by far outside of their scope of experience. It wasn’t my call but I congratulated them all the same. Work that had been done by the person in that role previously, though, suddenly was finding its way onto my desk with no instruction on how to complete it or the technical access needed to do so. I made it clear that this had never been a function of my role. I would be happy to learn it and eventually adopt it, but needed time to learn and understand it. That statement was met with the ultimatum of do it now or don’t work here anymore. By the time I walked the dozen or so steps from the boss’ office to my shared cubicle space, there was an email message to HR summarizing and documenting the discussion about my failure to meet the expectations of my job. There was nothing constructive, there were no official action steps, progress improvement plans, or even consequences stated. I was in panic mode. I pressed the newly-promoted colleague for assistance as the new to me tasks were formerly theirs. I got very little help directly. I found out quickly that they couldn’t help because they didn’t know how; which explained how it got onto my desk in the first place. A consultant eventually provided the solution and I carried on with my newly assigned work.
I wish I could say that was the end of it and I continued happy along with just an increased workload. But sadly, that’s not even close. Human Resources never even acknowledged receipt of the “failure to perform” email. I had no follow up meetings about it. In fact, it was never again mentioned. Meetings with my boss were rare, and rarely longer than five minutes unless the boss had strong feelings about a project, and by that I mean absolutely disagreed with everything I had done and demanded it be redone. I felt ignored and unsupported unless I was being reprimanded. Yet, every project I led was successful, raising literal millions of dollars.I was confused and stressed, preparing every day to be fired. The only upside was that the strange conversations stopped. My concerned colleague was ignoring me too, but was always in the boss’ office. My gut was screaming at me that something wasn’t right. People all around us were resigning, often being escorted out of the building instead of working out their two weeks’ notice.
I confided in the one trusted person I mentioned previously. They absolutely agreed with me that something had shifted. We commiserated daily about how much of a downhill slide morale had taken and took every opportunity to make one another laugh through the frustrations. When even those laughs weren’t enough, I began to look for a new position and soon I announced my resignation. The sheer relief on the boss’ face that day was off-putting, I had never seen them so happy. The joyful congratulations given to me by the other colleague I was wary of was equally disturbing. They were chatting animatedly, and very quietly and privately, for a good portion of that day. They even arranged my farewell happy hour, strangely insisting on a particular place I had never been and couldn’t enjoy much offered on their menu due to dietary restrictions. I went, and was for the most part ignored by them which was fine by me. I made it out. And very shortly after that boss was gone too, though I didn’t much care.
Back to present day. When the phone rang that night, I immediately picked up. After exchanging all the normal pleasantries one would expect of former colleagues who haven’t spoken in months, we dove right into it. The colleague I was wary of resigned but not before letting slip something extremely interesting. Back when that ‘new’ boss had been announced, this colleague reached out to them on a professional networking channel to unofficially welcome them to the organization. They met for dinner prior to the official start date informing and inviting no one else from the department. They discussed, at length, the weaknesses of the team. Guess who topped that list? Guess who, coincidentally, thought they would be great at the job if given the chance? I suppose this person felt a sense of “what are they going to do fire me?” once their resignation was tendered especially since neither I nor that boss were working there any longer. They held this knowledge in for nearly three years. I wonder if it was relief or pride they felt in finally expressing it to someone else.
I sat on the phone absolutely dumbfounded for a minute after the story (and a few intersecting stories, because you know a proper catch up session is never a linear occurrence!) ended. And then it all just came spilling out in an expletive filled rant that I can sum up in four words: I F*CKING KNEW IT.
From the first strange conversation, to the introductory meeting centering on my relationship with a previous colleague, to the already drafted email that went to HR immediately after an unplanned meeting about my failure to perform tasks that were never mine, my gut was warning something wasn’t right. As paranoid as it seemed, I felt as if there was a plot brewing against me.Every day the feeling progressively grew, intentionally fostered by two other people, until I had to remove myself from the situation. And I wasn’t paranoid or crazy. I was right. My gut was right, I am so glad I trusted it. I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t have been fired if I didn’t leave on my own. They were actively setting me up to fail. I don’t have to imagine to what end.One person believed another’s made up claims about me and I was in the other’s way.
I never wish ill on anyone. I just hope that one day, the way they treated – and mistreated – others in the act of self-service is delivered back to them and they get everything they deserve, nothing less. Do unto others and all that…
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Kitchie Ohh. Photo: Michael Bann, Copyright 2024
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Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.
In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.
You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once. To access additional articles by Kitchie Ohh, link here:https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-overwhelmed/
Hello, again. I’m not sure you even noticed, but last month’s blog contained no spillage from my brain onto your screen. I literally lost track of the days, they blurred together. I lost track of time, and, if I’m honest, myself. Did August even happen?
It wasn’t just last month. This entire year has been difficult to say the least. Sure it had it’s absolutely wonderful moments, but for someone like me who lives for balance, the scale seems to have, so far, been tipped entirely in the favor of the not so great. From starting the year with an emergency phone call about an injured parent to multiple stressful shifts in my professional life, an entirely unexpected death that I am still processing, and the sudden and steadily declining mental and physical state of my only living grandparent, the zillion other things resulting from these events, and so many additional things on top of it all with more to come, 2024 has steadily provided me with more things to worry and overthink about than I’ve ever experienced.
The worst part about all of it, for me, it twofold. First, knowing I have absolutely zero control over anything that has taken place. Being fully aware of that but unable to stop myself from the “what if” thoughts can be almost paralyzing at times. Second, I have a near-daily battle with myself that I shouldn’t be stressed or complaining about anything because other people have it so much worse than I do. While the second thought started as a way to psych myself OUT of oncoming downward emotional spirals, it has turned into yet another weapon to beat myself up with. Instead of shaking me out of the funk with thinking about all the good, it has been driving me deeper. I find myself feeling guilty for, well, feeling. Trust me, I realize how ridiculous that sounds.
Ok, maybe the issue is threefold. I have always found it incredibly difficult to express big emotions, or to ask for help when I’m stressed and overwhelmed. I would rather take everything on myself rather than show that I’m struggling. I’m fine. This is fine. Everything is fine. I got this. My go-to self-preservation act is to pull back into myself and away from everyone the second I don’t have to be “on” anymore; after work or family engagements, I’d say social activities too, but if I’m being honest here, they haven’t been a thing for me in ages. I realized, just recently, why that is: keeping up the appearance, the expectation that Kat’s great, she can handle anything, is absolutely exhausting. My brain feels like an ancient overheating desktop computer with dial-up internet and too many browser tabs open and I can’t tell which one is playing that annoying music. It’s no wonder I can’t recall a single day in the past few months that I was awake beyond 830pm, or that I got up as soon as my alarm went off to start the day instead of hitting snooze at least three times. I handle the bare minimum of what’s expected of me, with smile plastered on my face, and sometimes accomplishing that is even a stretch.
I think the most important thing to come from the chaos of this past year, is some solid reminders that despite all my best efforts to convince the world I’m perfectly fine, a handful of people still see through my bullshit. They catch me off guard with expressions of love and support, seeming to know exactly when I need them. They force me to accept help that I refused to ask for but desperately needed. They listen when I vent, or allow me to sit in absolute silence without expecting me to say a thing because I just need to not be alone with my thoughts. They don’t judge or tell me I shouldn’t feel what I’m feeling because others have it worse – they know I do enough of that to myself. Most importantly, they don’t make a big deal out of being there for me. It’s just between us, not a demonstration or unveiling of all I’ve been hiding from the world. They also accept my grumbled words of appreciation that come paired with variations of “you did’t have to” and “this is my mess, not yours” type statements and sarcastic, self-deprecating comments on my own mental and emotional state. Because they know, they really know, what I mean and how hard it would be for me to say any other way.
There’s a lot that I have to process and more to come, that’s just how life works. I’m alive. I’m grateful. I’m loved. I’m not exactly fine, but I will be.
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Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.
In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.
You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once. To access additional articles by Kitchie Ohh, link here:https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-a-muse-in-grief/
Swipe Right, Swipe Wrong: The Successes, Risks, and Failures of Online Dating
In today’s fast-paced, digitally-driven world, online dating has emerged as a popular avenue for finding love, connection, or even a fleeting encounter. With millions of users globally, platforms like Tinder, Bumble, and Match.com have revolutionized the way people meet and form relationships. However, the journey from a virtual match to a real-life connection is fraught with both potential successes and significant risks, as well as the possibility of failure.
The Successes: Love at First Swipe
The success stories are compelling. Many couples have found long-lasting relationships, marriages, and even families through online dating platforms. The accessibility and diversity these platforms offer allow users to connect with people they might never have met otherwise. For those with busy lifestyles, online dating offers a convenient way to meet like-minded individuals. The ability to filter potential matches by interests, values, and goals increases the likelihood of finding a compatible partner. For some, the anonymity of online communication can help build confidence and foster open, honest dialogue that might be difficult in face-to-face encounters.
The Risks: The Double-Edged Sword of Anonymity
However, the anonymity that facilitates open conversation can also be a breeding ground for deceit. One of the most significant risks of online dating is the potential for encountering dishonesty. From fake profiles to catfishing, where individuals pretend to be someone they’re not, the online dating world can be a minefield. There’s also the danger of scams, where fraudsters exploit emotional vulnerabilities for financial gain. Moreover, online dating can expose users to harassment and unwanted advances, with the safety of personal information becoming a major concern.
The Failures: When Expectations Meet Reality
Despite the potential for success, not all online dating experiences end well. The reality of meeting someone in person can starkly contrast with the carefully curated online persona. Misaligned expectations, whether about physical appearance, personality, or intentions, often lead to disappointment. Additionally, the sheer volume of choices on dating platforms can lead to a paradox of choice, where users find it challenging to commit to a single person, always wondering if someone “better” is just a swipe away.
In conclusion, online dating offers incredible opportunities to find meaningful connections but not without its pitfalls. Success requires careful navigation of the risks and a healthy dose of realism when translating a virtual relationship into real life. For every love story born online, there are tales of caution that remind us that the digital age of romance is as complex as it is convenient.
The Roberts Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., has significantly influenced the landscape of American law, impacting the freedoms and rights of citizens in profound ways. Since Roberts’ appointment in 2005, the Court has navigated a complex array of issues, from voting rights to religious liberties, that have far-reaching consequences for the future of American democracy.
One of the most notable aspects of the Roberts Court is its conservative tilt, particularly following the appointments of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. This conservative majority has led to decisions that have redefined the balance between state and federal powers, individual rights, and governmental authority. For example, in Shelby County v. Holder (2013), the Court dismantled key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had been instrumental in protecting minority voting rights. The decision shifted the responsibility of oversight from the federal government to the states, resulting in a wave of new voting laws that critics argue have made it more difficult for some citizens to exercise their right to vote.
Religious freedom is another area where the Roberts Court has left its mark. The Court has expanded the scope of religious liberties, often at the expense of other constitutional rights. In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014), the Court ruled that closely-held for-profit corporations could refuse to provide contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act if it conflicted with the owners’ religious beliefs. This decision marked a significant moment in the intersection of religious freedom and women’s rights, raising concerns about the potential for religious liberties to be used as a basis for limiting other freedoms.
The Roberts Court has also played a pivotal role in the ongoing debates over Second Amendment rights. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Court affirmed an individual’s right to possess firearms, striking down Washington D.C.’s handgun ban. This ruling set a precedent that has been instrumental in subsequent cases, shaping the national dialogue on gun control and individual rights.
Looking forward, the Roberts Court is likely to continue influencing the direction of American freedoms, especially as it confronts issues related to technology, privacy, and executive power. The decisions made by this Court will have long-lasting implications, determining how future generations of Americans understand and exercise their freedoms. As the nation navigates a rapidly changing social and political landscape, the rulings of the Roberts Supreme Court will remain central to shaping the future of American liberties.
