cdsdave, if you haven't taken the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse please do so ASAP. The classroom portion will provide a basic outlook on defensive riding, outlining mindsets and thinking strategies for dealing with road hazards that most people never consider. There is a reason some people seem to have a crisis situation every time they get on a bike and other people ride the same roads and never have a crisis situation. Different mindsets and thinking strategies are the reason. You probably won't have any problem with the riding portion, so pick a cruiser or sport style bike to raise the challenge quotient.
More info
here.