The Quote that Ate an Hour or Why Blogging Takes Time
"The object of life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, 'Holy Shit, What a Ride!!!'" -- Mavis Leyrer
This quote arrived this morning in an email from a friend. Damn, was it apt, I thought, as I looked at myself in the mirror this morning.
So, I wanted to share the quote, but it came without a source. I like a source. So to google I went. First return, there it was, in a person's blog. My morning's adventure had begun.
1. Jody posted it, and credited her friend ...
2. Katja who has a really cool avocado in her blog, which itself is quite a remarkable statement about disabilities, who had this ...
3. very cool map showing where visitors to the site IP's originate which reminded me that a link could take me across the world, but I had to go back to my...
4. Google search to see if the attribution hit on the first return was accurate, so I checked more site, where the quote seemed to travel around discussions of ...
5. motorcycles and more motorcycles...
5. which leaves me sitting here, wondering who Mavis Leyrer was, a motorcyle person? Back to Google. ..
5. According to a few sites, Mavis Layrer was an 83 year old woman from Seattle. It seems Mavis' quote has been very popular in blogs this fall, including this one, where the author ">went to Google Answers to find the source so...
6. I poked a bit further and found out Mavis was married to George, who has since passed.
Wow. So my story ends, for now, back at google.
And people wonder why blogging takes so much time! Now, to work!
posted by Nancy White at 8:12 AM
6 Comments:
...and yet even more time spent by your readers left hanging with the unresolved question of what kind of motorcycle did Mavis ride...and why would a tired old woman want to skid sideways into her grave yelling expletives anyway? It 'Harley' makes any sense at all! *grin*
As far as I know, my grandmother Mavis Leyrer has never been much of a motorcycle person. I must add that anyone who would refer to her as a "tired old woman" has definately never had the pleasure of meeting her. She makes life an interesting and exciting ride for all who are lucky enough to know her. Yelling, "Holy Shit, What a Ride!!!!" while skidding sideways into her grave would truly be her style, and that's what we all love so much about her!
Dear Anonymous -- VERY cool to hear about your grandma. Tell her the internet has made her famous!
Holy Shit! You're Famous!!
I just returned from the funeral of a much-loved Minnesota woman named Annie Keeler at which Mavis Leyrer's quote was read. Hearing these words for the first time meant so much to me- I left this sad and reflective event feeling like, "Yeah, that is absolutely how I want to live my life...and face my death." There were a lot of smiles and was a lot of head nodding as Mavis Leyrer's statement was read, and I'm really encouraged and inspired that the Web has served to spread this lovely thought around.
Christy, thanks for sharing that story. It is always a good reminder to cherish each moment of our lives.
And to widen the circle you ran, Mavis paraphrased Bill McKenna, a motorcycle racer, who said: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting 'GERONIMO!'" - Cycle Magazine, February 1982
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