Fellow Bengals Fans:
We have to do something. My friends and i are proposing a simple yet impactful protest by making the Brown family, the coaches, and players the only people in PBS for the last game of the season vs. the KC Chiefs.
What will this accomplish some may ask? Imagine if you will, as a player or coach: Walking into an eerily silent stadium that typically holds 60k screaming fans!
Imagine as an owner hearing the tv executives start to say, "We are not paying for this crap!" And the other NFL owners saying, "Alright, Mike Brown and Brown Family! Now this is going to affect all of us!"
DON'T BE "that" ONE! Don't be the apathetic fan!
If nothing else it sends the simple message that without US - the fans, the game is pointless! Without the Fans they are playing with themselves! Without the Fans they are nothing! And until they start managing the team, coaching the team, and playing like it we are will no longer support their stupidity, at best mediocre coaching, and heartless effort!
This is just the start! As a season ticket holder i have gone as far as giving my tickets to Stealers fans!!! (After years of pleading w/ those around me to not even SELL them to Stealers fans i GAVE them away to Stealers fans!) If EVERYONE will do it on Sunday, December 28th, vs. KC Chiefs and forgo even WATCHING the game we will COLLECTIVELY send an extremely important message to MB, The Brown Family, the coaches, AND the players!!!
For FAR too long we have done nothing. For far too long we have supported MB and the Brown family w/ our loyalty and money and received NOTHING in return!
If it takes getting rid of my season tickets, i will do it. My life is worth far too much to waste my Fall Sundays on this team...the man...this family...these coaches...or these players (a few notwithstanding - namely Carson, Keith, and a few others).
PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
We are on facebook under the group: "Bengals Fans Revolt".
PASS THIS ONE TO ANYONE & EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT WILL JOIN US!!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Song/Video of the Week: WWW by Wreckless Eric
Hello Everyone! (keyword being...one.)
i am starting a new segment of Carpe Diem: The weekly song/video.
The very first is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9_cB3JoP5A .
ENJOY!!
i am starting a new segment of Carpe Diem: The weekly song/video.
The very first is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9_cB3JoP5A .
ENJOY!!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
facebook...What a WILD Thing!!
Well, i have been on facebook now for less than a month and have reconnected with at least three friends from my past. One of which is my very first girlfriend. After exchanging facebook emails (as i call them) we were both on facebook at the same time the other night and decided to chat live...via that old-fashioned contraption called a telephone!
It was late so we did not chat long but we did decide to meet up for dinner this coming Monday (July 27th?).
Then one of my high school friends responded to another thread of fb emails and we are going to shoot for getting together for lunch sometime soon.
Then a third friend and i will, hopefully, do the same. And these are just the ones i am meeting with; there have been others that i would never have been able to re-connect with if it weren't for facebook!
This facebook is the best internet-invention since email!! If you are not already, get on facebook. It will improve your life by reconnecting you to old friends!
Also, keep an eye out for an upcoming post about my recent 'requestioning' of my faith, my religion, and God as well as my latest obsession: the debate about Intelligent Design and evolution. Should be a good one!
Brian
It was late so we did not chat long but we did decide to meet up for dinner this coming Monday (July 27th?).
Then one of my high school friends responded to another thread of fb emails and we are going to shoot for getting together for lunch sometime soon.
Then a third friend and i will, hopefully, do the same. And these are just the ones i am meeting with; there have been others that i would never have been able to re-connect with if it weren't for facebook!
This facebook is the best internet-invention since email!! If you are not already, get on facebook. It will improve your life by reconnecting you to old friends!
Also, keep an eye out for an upcoming post about my recent 'requestioning' of my faith, my religion, and God as well as my latest obsession: the debate about Intelligent Design and evolution. Should be a good one!
Brian
Monday, July 21, 2008
LESS Maxbps
i am getting there...slowly but surely.
After six and a half months of running i finally turned my ankle this past Tuesday about 1 1/4 miles into a 7.5 mile run. The coach assured me i would not do it anymore harm by running on it. i have turned it so many times in my days of playing basketball, softball, volleyball, etc... that i do not think i have any ligaments nor tendons left to damage anyway. So...i finished the 7.5 mile run; albeit about 2hrs later.
This past Saturday - July 18th, after my tennis match i weighed in at 209.0 which is the lowest i have been in years; maybe five years. So my goal now is to get to 205.0 by August 1st.
My eating habits are getting better and better though i still have to fight-off the fast-food cravings but that is getting easier and easier to do (he says after polishing off a Big Mac Meal).
Anyway, i have an 8 mile run tomorrow night w/ my running group and am getting the desire to run on my own so i will likely do so Thurs or Fri night.
Enjoy your week/end!
After six and a half months of running i finally turned my ankle this past Tuesday about 1 1/4 miles into a 7.5 mile run. The coach assured me i would not do it anymore harm by running on it. i have turned it so many times in my days of playing basketball, softball, volleyball, etc... that i do not think i have any ligaments nor tendons left to damage anyway. So...i finished the 7.5 mile run; albeit about 2hrs later.
This past Saturday - July 18th, after my tennis match i weighed in at 209.0 which is the lowest i have been in years; maybe five years. So my goal now is to get to 205.0 by August 1st.
My eating habits are getting better and better though i still have to fight-off the fast-food cravings but that is getting easier and easier to do (he says after polishing off a Big Mac Meal).
Anyway, i have an 8 mile run tomorrow night w/ my running group and am getting the desire to run on my own so i will likely do so Thurs or Fri night.
Enjoy your week/end!
Shark Bites: Getting Bigger
Sharky is doing great. She is getting bigger - taller not necessarily heavier.
She seems to be going through a second childhood already as lately she goes into rooms and approaches items she is familiar w/ in a way that suggests she is seeing it for the very first time.
She also has cat-fits where she will tear-off around the living room as if she is both chasing something and as if something is chasing her. She will stop for a few seconds then...BAM...she is off again like bat atta hell.
i pet her everyday...whether she likes or not...most days not.
Her favorite toy is a shoestring. Oh, and pulling up the corners of the carpet on any given step on the stairs.
i am trying to train her to jump higher and higher. Our goal is to get her into the Cat-O-lympics in the high jump category both standing jump and three step jump.
Later.
She seems to be going through a second childhood already as lately she goes into rooms and approaches items she is familiar w/ in a way that suggests she is seeing it for the very first time.
She also has cat-fits where she will tear-off around the living room as if she is both chasing something and as if something is chasing her. She will stop for a few seconds then...BAM...she is off again like bat atta hell.
i pet her everyday...whether she likes or not...most days not.
Her favorite toy is a shoestring. Oh, and pulling up the corners of the carpet on any given step on the stairs.
i am trying to train her to jump higher and higher. Our goal is to get her into the Cat-O-lympics in the high jump category both standing jump and three step jump.
Later.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Happy 4th of July Everyone!
Happy 4th of July E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E!!!
Not just Americans as this is the birth of democracy, of freedom, of the dream that is now reality for billions of people all over the world!
The 4th of July has long been a reason for celebration in the Storn-Scheidt family for about 70 years, possibly eighty+. About 75 of us gather each year at the Storn-family pharm in southern-Northern KentuckY. (Pharm b/c my grandparents were both pharmacists.)We visit, chat, talk, debate, discuss, share stories; play games like cornhole, horse-shoes, volleyball - though we have not played vball in years, ever since the under-30's started beating the over 30's over a decade ago; we eat all kinds of foods including KentuckY fried chicken, watermellon, home potato and pasta salads, as well as homemade desserts.We also, of course, celebrate with fireworks...lots of them. Our family tradition is that all the kids, young and not-so-young, get their own bag of fireworks. The simple rule is: If you want a bag, you get a bag...regardless of age. (Kids' bags go to their parents for supervision purposes.)
In all our years of celebrating w/ fireworks it has been nearly 25-years since i can remember even a semi-serious accident. In the afternoon we gather all the young kids (age 2 - 12), and shoot up parachutes that the kids race to get. The taller/older kids usually get them first, of course, but we always have enough for everyone; including the 'older' kids that often continue their childhoods in this race for a parachute.
In the late afternoon, just as the sun starts its fall, we break-out the sparklers, fun-works like tanks, frogs, hens, etc..., and other fun-works like pagodas. This is again focused on the kids but all enjoy it; if not holding a sparkler themself, watching the kids as they enjoy the fun.Then the night comes!
Our family fireworks show has been described by some as the best private fireworks display in America! I dunno about that but we do one heck of a job starting w/ the stewardship of purchasing the fireworks. My dad has been the de facto fireworks leader for forty years and has done a fantastic job of finding the best, most affordable fireworks in the tri-states. We annually analyze the fireworks themselves and rate our own so as to further get the most from our firework finances.
When it comes to The Show we have grown from designed sets (groupings of fireworks shot off together by 'lighters') to 'wired' boards where those fireworks (cakes and towers) were designed then duct-taped or screwed on to 2"x8"'s and/or plywood pieces as big as 4'x8'. The wick would then be lit from either one, two, or three locations then burn to the cakes or towers setting off a designed display. This, however, took quite a bit of time. Lately we have gone 'old-school'; back to having a leader design the sets and send lighters up to orchestrat the set by lighting all of the pieces at the same time so a large display would go off together.
Our original night-works display area included everything: cakes, towers, rockets, and mortars. (Descriptions of what these 'type' of fireworks are is below.)For years we used an old door set on wooden-horses for the low fireworks then board stretched b/n two ladders as the higher display. Some years back on a great idea from my cousin Joe, we decided to section off the mortar fire but still coordinate the show. Last year we expanded this concept to include a new section where the rockets are shot. With this complexity we are experimenting w/ how to still coordinate all three locations to produce a coordinated show for our audience.
After twenty years of leading the fireworks display, i have turned over the reigns to my cousins Erin, who just graduated from Presbyterian College in S.C., and Jayne, who is an oncology nurse at Christ Hospital. They had a great start and, i am sure, will continue to design great fireworks shows for years to come despite the added complexities of the multi-locational groups.
DESCRIPTION OF FIREWORKS:
Cakes - are the fireworks that look like large birthday candles taped together and shoot low displays.Towers - are the ones that stand on a base and shoot up high before going off.Mortars - are tubes that have multiple balls that are dropped into the tubes then lit; then repeated. These often go higher than the towers.Rockets - self-described but these are bigger ones that often go even higher than the mortars.
FOR THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO VIEW A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA:
Here is a short 10 minute tribute to one of the world's greatest leaders of freedom and the American way and perfect way to say "Thank You!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8_G-mlKxTY.
And here is another often missed example of freedom from the same man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpOgYbr234Q&feature=related.
Not just Americans as this is the birth of democracy, of freedom, of the dream that is now reality for billions of people all over the world!
The 4th of July has long been a reason for celebration in the Storn-Scheidt family for about 70 years, possibly eighty+. About 75 of us gather each year at the Storn-family pharm in southern-Northern KentuckY. (Pharm b/c my grandparents were both pharmacists.)We visit, chat, talk, debate, discuss, share stories; play games like cornhole, horse-shoes, volleyball - though we have not played vball in years, ever since the under-30's started beating the over 30's over a decade ago; we eat all kinds of foods including KentuckY fried chicken, watermellon, home potato and pasta salads, as well as homemade desserts.We also, of course, celebrate with fireworks...lots of them. Our family tradition is that all the kids, young and not-so-young, get their own bag of fireworks. The simple rule is: If you want a bag, you get a bag...regardless of age. (Kids' bags go to their parents for supervision purposes.)
In all our years of celebrating w/ fireworks it has been nearly 25-years since i can remember even a semi-serious accident. In the afternoon we gather all the young kids (age 2 - 12), and shoot up parachutes that the kids race to get. The taller/older kids usually get them first, of course, but we always have enough for everyone; including the 'older' kids that often continue their childhoods in this race for a parachute.
In the late afternoon, just as the sun starts its fall, we break-out the sparklers, fun-works like tanks, frogs, hens, etc..., and other fun-works like pagodas. This is again focused on the kids but all enjoy it; if not holding a sparkler themself, watching the kids as they enjoy the fun.Then the night comes!
Our family fireworks show has been described by some as the best private fireworks display in America! I dunno about that but we do one heck of a job starting w/ the stewardship of purchasing the fireworks. My dad has been the de facto fireworks leader for forty years and has done a fantastic job of finding the best, most affordable fireworks in the tri-states. We annually analyze the fireworks themselves and rate our own so as to further get the most from our firework finances.
When it comes to The Show we have grown from designed sets (groupings of fireworks shot off together by 'lighters') to 'wired' boards where those fireworks (cakes and towers) were designed then duct-taped or screwed on to 2"x8"'s and/or plywood pieces as big as 4'x8'. The wick would then be lit from either one, two, or three locations then burn to the cakes or towers setting off a designed display. This, however, took quite a bit of time. Lately we have gone 'old-school'; back to having a leader design the sets and send lighters up to orchestrat the set by lighting all of the pieces at the same time so a large display would go off together.
Our original night-works display area included everything: cakes, towers, rockets, and mortars. (Descriptions of what these 'type' of fireworks are is below.)For years we used an old door set on wooden-horses for the low fireworks then board stretched b/n two ladders as the higher display. Some years back on a great idea from my cousin Joe, we decided to section off the mortar fire but still coordinate the show. Last year we expanded this concept to include a new section where the rockets are shot. With this complexity we are experimenting w/ how to still coordinate all three locations to produce a coordinated show for our audience.
After twenty years of leading the fireworks display, i have turned over the reigns to my cousins Erin, who just graduated from Presbyterian College in S.C., and Jayne, who is an oncology nurse at Christ Hospital. They had a great start and, i am sure, will continue to design great fireworks shows for years to come despite the added complexities of the multi-locational groups.
DESCRIPTION OF FIREWORKS:
Cakes - are the fireworks that look like large birthday candles taped together and shoot low displays.Towers - are the ones that stand on a base and shoot up high before going off.Mortars - are tubes that have multiple balls that are dropped into the tubes then lit; then repeated. These often go higher than the towers.Rockets - self-described but these are bigger ones that often go even higher than the mortars.
FOR THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO VIEW A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA:
Here is a short 10 minute tribute to one of the world's greatest leaders of freedom and the American way and perfect way to say "Thank You!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8_G-mlKxTY.
And here is another often missed example of freedom from the same man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpOgYbr234Q&feature=related.
Monday, June 30, 2008
The July Challenge
i have recently come up w/ an idea to issue challenges to myself and allow others to join me.
The very first challenge is this: For the month of July (starting now, though - Monday, June 30th), we have to exercise at least 30 minutes per day.
This exercise can consist of cutting one's grass, gardening, walking, whatever physical exertion you choose as long as lasts at least twenty minutes. (Sex does not count for this one.)
And exercising for one hour on Monday, for example, does not absolve us from another 30 minutes on Tuesday; so no accumulation of exercise time.
Feel to leave comments on this challenge, how you do w/ it, encourage me and/or others, etc... in the comments section.
Good Luck!
The very first challenge is this: For the month of July (starting now, though - Monday, June 30th), we have to exercise at least 30 minutes per day.
This exercise can consist of cutting one's grass, gardening, walking, whatever physical exertion you choose as long as lasts at least twenty minutes. (Sex does not count for this one.)
And exercising for one hour on Monday, for example, does not absolve us from another 30 minutes on Tuesday; so no accumulation of exercise time.
Feel to leave comments on this challenge, how you do w/ it, encourage me and/or others, etc... in the comments section.
Good Luck!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The McCain Train - A Town Hall Meeting @ X
Hello!
For those that do not know, i was invited to attend Senator John McCain's Town Hall Meeting at Xavier University (one of my alma maters) in Cincinnati this past Thursday (June 26th, 2008) and what an experience it was.
For a little personal-historical background, i also saw Al Gore speak at The Commons @ Mississippi State University (another am) back in 1992. Gore's speech was attended by about 3 high school classes and about 20-30 other attendees on a rainy day; though by no stretch a Mississippi rain which can be torrential. i received an invitation to Gore's speech by being in the 'right' (?) place at the right (?) time. While in my theatre design class, it was an elective that fit well w/ my major in Architecture (turned out i was pretty good at as the teacher asked to keep one of my designs for the complex comedy - Tartuffe), the head of the 'Young Democrats' came in and offered the professor two tickets to the event. After he left, the prof immediately offerred them to me. i was not really personally interested in going but a friend of mine was a Clinton/Gore supporter and i thought he would appreciate it and i have always been open-minded enough to go and listen; so i took the tickets.
Anyway, Gore was rambling on about how he and, at the time, Governor Bill "felt everyone's pain" (btw...in Arkansas Gov Bill was known as Slick Willy as my best college friend's father told me when i first inquired about this then unknown Arkansas Governor; my best college friend's family is from Magnolia, Arkansas) ". Meanwhile, standing not two feet from him in the pooring down rain was a woman translating his speech into sign language. He went on and on for several minutes while someone held an umbrella over his head w/o offering her the courtesy any gentleman should have been aware enough to offer her.
Of course, i could not just stand by and let this poor lady get soaked; after all she was translating for the deaf for God's sake. So, i started to take my umbrella up to her by stepping over the yellow rope strung up to provide space b/n the crowd (as i mentioned it was more like a small group most of which were forced to be there; sad state of our society really; when a potential and as it turned out actual VP of the USA comes to speak and less than 75 people show up). The Secret Service, of course, did not like my coming closer to Mr. Gore. Two SS agents came over to me very, very quickly i might add. i pointed out that this poor lady was getting soaked and suggested someone hold an umbrella for her as they were doing for Gore. Ten seconds later an SS agent comes out and holds an umbrella over her. It just goes to show that it takes a Conservative Republican to actually do what Liberal Democrats only talk about.
Jump forward to The McCain Train's Town Hall Meeting at X...
Earlier Wednesday a very good friend, Jennifer Miller, sent me an email about this Town Hall being held at our mutual alma mater. Later that night i received a phone call, answered their questions then was invited to attend. The meeting was for 'Undecideds' which i was at the time; leaning one way but still undecided. (BTW...i will continue to go to Sen. Obama's website to learn more about his policies, experience, and ideas but at this point, i just cannot imagine voting for him over a man like Sen. McCain. Feel free to contact me about my reasons for my vote.)
So i arrived early enough that i was able to choose a good seat that turned out to be the one best positioned at the door where Sen. McCain would enter/leave. At 11:50A.M., a voice said that the program would begin shortly and asked everyone to turn off their phones. At 12:01P.M. Senator McCain came walking in w/ zero fan-fare or even an introduction; not that he needed one. He spoke directly if not eloquently for about fifteen minutes then opened the floor up to questions. i will not run down all of the questions for you here (again if you would like more detail feel free to contact me or click on the links below).
The format was simple, respectful: those that had a question raised their hands, Sen. McCain choose people at random, they asked their question, he answered/had a conversation w/ them; then he choose someone else.
Something that has not been reported that occurred that i thought was really cool was when someone, obviously to me a plant, rudely tried to jump in and ask a question, Senator McCain cut him off by saying he was calling on people who were respectful and had their hand raised then went on to ask if he was an undecided voter or a reporter. After the guy/jerk admitted being a reporter, Sen. McCain respectfully but directly pointed out that this town hall was for voters and, as such, he would continue answering their questions. At this point, i and others started clapping and the whole room joined in sending the message that this kind of disrespectful badgering was unacceptable. (He did get back to him, though, which was another interesting altercation.)
After answering some uneducated, barely articulate professor's question that was more a personal statement about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars (sadly to say the prof was, of course, from X); Sen McCain went back to the rude reporter's question which involved some Arizona professor that sat outside Sen. McCain's office for 16-days w/o eating demanding that Sen. McCain meet w/ him for two hours; about what i have no idea and, frankly, i don't care.
Sen McCain said that the Arizona professor was "happy", his issue apparently being resolved to his satisfaction, the reporter beligerently tried to follow-up saying w/ an accusatory tone, "So, you met w/ him for two hours?"
At which point, Sen McCain very non-challantly yet directly said, "I don't respond to threats!" ending their conversation to another round of applause. In case i am not painting this picture as clearly as it was in-person, Sen. McCain's last comment made it clear that he was not going to be disrespected nor bullied by this type of accusatory questioning nor bow to someone's inappropriate demands of him or his time. Whether Sen. McCain had met w/ this Arizona professor was irrelevant.
For a composite video of this Town Hall click on this link (http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage ) then scroll down, you will see Senator McCain. BTW...i am in this video - about half way through, and the "in60" video where there is a pic of Sen McCain and i; when you see the woman taking a picture then looking at her camera in the composite video of the Town Hall - not the "in60" video; you will here my voice then see me. Watch to the end when he is just chatting w/ a few people about reading different books.)
After casting my vote for Dr. Condoleezza Rice as his VP and giving him the opportunity to announce who his VP candidate will be (this part is in the vid above); i asked him how he will differ from President Bush specifically in the areas of foreign and educational policies?
His first response was that "no one will be tortured under his command" and that he will close Guantanamo prison at which point i asked him what he would do w/ the combatants. He replied, "They are enemy combatants. I will bring them to the U.S., to prisons here. We have the" resources to hold them here. He went on to explain that Guantanamo is viewed by some here and around the world as a black-eye. Whether we won't those people guiding American policy and war-time solutions to difficult problems is, in my humble opinion, a question worth asking. In other words, we cannot just change when a few people express their opinions but Sen. McCain obviously thinks it is time to come up w/ a different solution and i can respect that particularly from a man that was a P.O.W. for seven years.
Personally, i disagree w/ the Senator on this point. Guantanamo was a perfect military solution to a military problem. If torturing occurred at Guantanamo, and one's definition of what is and what is not 'torture' obviously can vary, then that should not take place at Gitmo or anywhere else. But as far as a military solution to a military problem it was and is very, very sound.
(For more on this from someone that was there and knows: http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=1898138&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,373842,00.html .
It would be interesting if they do bring the enemy combatants here and put them in general population. If they do, the enemy combatants will be begging to go back to Guantanamo; if they make out alive. (BTW...have you heard/read that many of the enemy combatants are gaining weight at Gitmo b/c they are getting more food/nourishment than they were getting previously? How very interesting.)
Going back to the professor's semi-question about the Iraq War: The point Sen. McCain made about the Iraq War was that regardless of the reasons to go to war w/ Iraq in the first place, we are there now, and pulling out would simply be foolish and cause a much bigger problem now and down the road. Sen. McCain said we need to continue what we are doing and that despite the lack of media attention on it, we are having more and more successes in Iraq. (Another did you know from the book "Saddam's Secrets" by an Iraqi general: they have built 12,500 new schools in Iraq and teachers are now getting paid 100x...i will say that again, 100x what they were being paid during Saddam's regime!?!)
His answer to the other part of my question was short and lacked details. He simply said that President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" was a good program that he would keep but that it need a few "changes". He did not (could not b/c of time) elaborate on the details of the pros/cons of President Bush's "No Child Left Behind."
In short, i think the concept of a Town Hall is great and accomplishes the task of getting someone like Senator McCain to speak to and, as he pointed out - more importantly, to hear from those on the 'ground-level'. Town Halls simply need to be longer, w/o the media hovering around, and allow for more a conversation which Sen. McCain tried to do and did very well given the constraints.
As for my vote, i will say this: Senator McCain was and now definitely is the first and ONLY politician in my voting era which started w/ the first President Bush that i KNOW i can trust to do what is best and right for American and has the highest level of integrity of any modern-era politician.
In closing, i will say that Sen. McCain took a few well aimed shots at Sen. Obama. (If you care to hear what he said, again, feel free to contact me.)
Regardless of whether we agree on which candidate is best to lead our great country in a crucial period of our and the world's history, get out and vote! Learn as much as you can about both candidates. Talk to people from both sides of the aisle before, during, and even after you have decided. Take a stand but never stop the discussion!
It is ALL about furthering the discussion of life, liberty, the pursuit of happyness (and yes that is a reference to the great Will Smith movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" which everyone should see at least once), and the experiment that is our free-market economy and political republic-democracy; that we call these United States of America!!
Amen and GBA!
For those that do not know, i was invited to attend Senator John McCain's Town Hall Meeting at Xavier University (one of my alma maters) in Cincinnati this past Thursday (June 26th, 2008) and what an experience it was.
For a little personal-historical background, i also saw Al Gore speak at The Commons @ Mississippi State University (another am) back in 1992. Gore's speech was attended by about 3 high school classes and about 20-30 other attendees on a rainy day; though by no stretch a Mississippi rain which can be torrential. i received an invitation to Gore's speech by being in the 'right' (?) place at the right (?) time. While in my theatre design class, it was an elective that fit well w/ my major in Architecture (turned out i was pretty good at as the teacher asked to keep one of my designs for the complex comedy - Tartuffe), the head of the 'Young Democrats' came in and offered the professor two tickets to the event. After he left, the prof immediately offerred them to me. i was not really personally interested in going but a friend of mine was a Clinton/Gore supporter and i thought he would appreciate it and i have always been open-minded enough to go and listen; so i took the tickets.
Anyway, Gore was rambling on about how he and, at the time, Governor Bill "felt everyone's pain" (btw...in Arkansas Gov Bill was known as Slick Willy as my best college friend's father told me when i first inquired about this then unknown Arkansas Governor; my best college friend's family is from Magnolia, Arkansas) ". Meanwhile, standing not two feet from him in the pooring down rain was a woman translating his speech into sign language. He went on and on for several minutes while someone held an umbrella over his head w/o offering her the courtesy any gentleman should have been aware enough to offer her.
Of course, i could not just stand by and let this poor lady get soaked; after all she was translating for the deaf for God's sake. So, i started to take my umbrella up to her by stepping over the yellow rope strung up to provide space b/n the crowd (as i mentioned it was more like a small group most of which were forced to be there; sad state of our society really; when a potential and as it turned out actual VP of the USA comes to speak and less than 75 people show up). The Secret Service, of course, did not like my coming closer to Mr. Gore. Two SS agents came over to me very, very quickly i might add. i pointed out that this poor lady was getting soaked and suggested someone hold an umbrella for her as they were doing for Gore. Ten seconds later an SS agent comes out and holds an umbrella over her. It just goes to show that it takes a Conservative Republican to actually do what Liberal Democrats only talk about.
Jump forward to The McCain Train's Town Hall Meeting at X...
Earlier Wednesday a very good friend, Jennifer Miller, sent me an email about this Town Hall being held at our mutual alma mater. Later that night i received a phone call, answered their questions then was invited to attend. The meeting was for 'Undecideds' which i was at the time; leaning one way but still undecided. (BTW...i will continue to go to Sen. Obama's website to learn more about his policies, experience, and ideas but at this point, i just cannot imagine voting for him over a man like Sen. McCain. Feel free to contact me about my reasons for my vote.)
So i arrived early enough that i was able to choose a good seat that turned out to be the one best positioned at the door where Sen. McCain would enter/leave. At 11:50A.M., a voice said that the program would begin shortly and asked everyone to turn off their phones. At 12:01P.M. Senator McCain came walking in w/ zero fan-fare or even an introduction; not that he needed one. He spoke directly if not eloquently for about fifteen minutes then opened the floor up to questions. i will not run down all of the questions for you here (again if you would like more detail feel free to contact me or click on the links below).
The format was simple, respectful: those that had a question raised their hands, Sen. McCain choose people at random, they asked their question, he answered/had a conversation w/ them; then he choose someone else.
Something that has not been reported that occurred that i thought was really cool was when someone, obviously to me a plant, rudely tried to jump in and ask a question, Senator McCain cut him off by saying he was calling on people who were respectful and had their hand raised then went on to ask if he was an undecided voter or a reporter. After the guy/jerk admitted being a reporter, Sen. McCain respectfully but directly pointed out that this town hall was for voters and, as such, he would continue answering their questions. At this point, i and others started clapping and the whole room joined in sending the message that this kind of disrespectful badgering was unacceptable. (He did get back to him, though, which was another interesting altercation.)
After answering some uneducated, barely articulate professor's question that was more a personal statement about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars (sadly to say the prof was, of course, from X); Sen McCain went back to the rude reporter's question which involved some Arizona professor that sat outside Sen. McCain's office for 16-days w/o eating demanding that Sen. McCain meet w/ him for two hours; about what i have no idea and, frankly, i don't care.
Sen McCain said that the Arizona professor was "happy", his issue apparently being resolved to his satisfaction, the reporter beligerently tried to follow-up saying w/ an accusatory tone, "So, you met w/ him for two hours?"
At which point, Sen McCain very non-challantly yet directly said, "I don't respond to threats!" ending their conversation to another round of applause. In case i am not painting this picture as clearly as it was in-person, Sen. McCain's last comment made it clear that he was not going to be disrespected nor bullied by this type of accusatory questioning nor bow to someone's inappropriate demands of him or his time. Whether Sen. McCain had met w/ this Arizona professor was irrelevant.
For a composite video of this Town Hall click on this link (http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage ) then scroll down, you will see Senator McCain. BTW...i am in this video - about half way through, and the "in60" video where there is a pic of Sen McCain and i; when you see the woman taking a picture then looking at her camera in the composite video of the Town Hall - not the "in60" video; you will here my voice then see me. Watch to the end when he is just chatting w/ a few people about reading different books.)
After casting my vote for Dr. Condoleezza Rice as his VP and giving him the opportunity to announce who his VP candidate will be (this part is in the vid above); i asked him how he will differ from President Bush specifically in the areas of foreign and educational policies?
His first response was that "no one will be tortured under his command" and that he will close Guantanamo prison at which point i asked him what he would do w/ the combatants. He replied, "They are enemy combatants. I will bring them to the U.S., to prisons here. We have the" resources to hold them here. He went on to explain that Guantanamo is viewed by some here and around the world as a black-eye. Whether we won't those people guiding American policy and war-time solutions to difficult problems is, in my humble opinion, a question worth asking. In other words, we cannot just change when a few people express their opinions but Sen. McCain obviously thinks it is time to come up w/ a different solution and i can respect that particularly from a man that was a P.O.W. for seven years.
Personally, i disagree w/ the Senator on this point. Guantanamo was a perfect military solution to a military problem. If torturing occurred at Guantanamo, and one's definition of what is and what is not 'torture' obviously can vary, then that should not take place at Gitmo or anywhere else. But as far as a military solution to a military problem it was and is very, very sound.
(For more on this from someone that was there and knows: http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=1898138&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,373842,00.html .
It would be interesting if they do bring the enemy combatants here and put them in general population. If they do, the enemy combatants will be begging to go back to Guantanamo; if they make out alive. (BTW...have you heard/read that many of the enemy combatants are gaining weight at Gitmo b/c they are getting more food/nourishment than they were getting previously? How very interesting.)
Going back to the professor's semi-question about the Iraq War: The point Sen. McCain made about the Iraq War was that regardless of the reasons to go to war w/ Iraq in the first place, we are there now, and pulling out would simply be foolish and cause a much bigger problem now and down the road. Sen. McCain said we need to continue what we are doing and that despite the lack of media attention on it, we are having more and more successes in Iraq. (Another did you know from the book "Saddam's Secrets" by an Iraqi general: they have built 12,500 new schools in Iraq and teachers are now getting paid 100x...i will say that again, 100x what they were being paid during Saddam's regime!?!)
His answer to the other part of my question was short and lacked details. He simply said that President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" was a good program that he would keep but that it need a few "changes". He did not (could not b/c of time) elaborate on the details of the pros/cons of President Bush's "No Child Left Behind."
In short, i think the concept of a Town Hall is great and accomplishes the task of getting someone like Senator McCain to speak to and, as he pointed out - more importantly, to hear from those on the 'ground-level'. Town Halls simply need to be longer, w/o the media hovering around, and allow for more a conversation which Sen. McCain tried to do and did very well given the constraints.
As for my vote, i will say this: Senator McCain was and now definitely is the first and ONLY politician in my voting era which started w/ the first President Bush that i KNOW i can trust to do what is best and right for American and has the highest level of integrity of any modern-era politician.
In closing, i will say that Sen. McCain took a few well aimed shots at Sen. Obama. (If you care to hear what he said, again, feel free to contact me.)
Regardless of whether we agree on which candidate is best to lead our great country in a crucial period of our and the world's history, get out and vote! Learn as much as you can about both candidates. Talk to people from both sides of the aisle before, during, and even after you have decided. Take a stand but never stop the discussion!
It is ALL about furthering the discussion of life, liberty, the pursuit of happyness (and yes that is a reference to the great Will Smith movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" which everyone should see at least once), and the experiment that is our free-market economy and political republic-democracy; that we call these United States of America!!
Amen and GBA!
Monday, June 16, 2008
"She" Says Alot!
i do not know who "she" is but "she" talks alot. She was all over during a recent trip to Vermont to run the Vermont Cover-Bridge 1/2 Marathon - yes, my second in five weeks.
My good-friend, Al, invited me to come along w/ a contingent of great people heading to Vermont to stay with a friend's family to run this 1/2 Marathon. The ultimate hosts was the Tibbits family: Mr. & Mrs. Tibbits, Alison - the leader of this 1/2M running contingent, her brother - Jesse, and her sister - Brittany. They set the stage for a fantastic weekend despite our arriving at ALL hours of the night, actually Saturday morning.
McQueen, Colleen, Michelle, and i arrived about 1:30A.M. after my flight came in from Cincinnati, Dayton actually...well Detroit technically, about an hour and a half after their flight came in from Midway. (Thanks, again, ladies for waiting.) Midway was clearly the airport of choice coming out of Chicago as the second crew flew out of O'Hare and arrived in Manchester, N.H., about 4A.M. putting them at the Tibbits Household about 5:30A.M. This crew included Alison, Al, Berna, and Chris; who were all, well, how should we say it..."lit" having out-waited the five hour delay at an airport bar.
So that is how the weekend started w/ four of us arriving at 1:3oA.M. taking a quiet tour of the house led by M&M who had been there multiple times. A key word describing our tour being "quiet" after which we settled into our sleeping locations downstairs. As we looked at some of the family photos in the downstairs living room, though, i felt as if i were a thief in the night looking in on a family that i had never known as this was the case. The awesome Tibbits family included me on this adventure despite the fact that i had never met even Alison at the time they extend the invitation. i was fortunate enough to meet Alison, McQueen, and Michelle and later Colleen over the Shamrock Shuffle weekend, also known as Alison's 30th Birthday party weekend.
After our tour we settled in, the ladies in a back room and me on the downstairs couch...w/ one of the family cats, Nilly who took a liking to me and slept...well let's not discuss the details, besides it was apparently just a one night stand. (Nilly, i am still expecting at least a phone call!)
The second group arrived just before the sun came up and took a 'more lively' tour of the Tibbits household at 5:30A.M. Their tour involved barely muted giggling and attempts at a quiet discussion of getting a glass of warm water to be used for nefarious reasons. After their tour came to close all settled in for a couple hours of sleep; though i was visited shortly after the 'giggling' tour ended by the Tibbits family puppy which is a 50+ pound golden retriever named Cabot.
Our morning started with an excellent breakfast including fantastic French Toast made by Kevin (Mr. Tibbits aka Popa Tibbits). We then took a quintessential tour of Vermont stopping at Suger Bush Farms where we tasted cheeses, sauces, and jellies galore. Then we purchased our favorite cheeses and maple syrups (i have had waffles w/ Vermont maple syrup almost every day since being back; it's almost time to go back to get more maple syrup!). We then went 'downtown' to the Simon Pearce glass-blowing shop-restaurant-artisan center where they actually blow-glass, make pottery, and weave blankets all on-site; all very cool and very high quality pieces.
That night we had a pasta/carb-loaded dinner back at the Tibbits household. Mr. and Mrs. Tibbits were even kind (or foolish?) enough to allow me to make a traditional Italian sauce that eventually included nearly everything in the fridge sans peppers including 1/2 a large bottle of Olive Oil. It ended up even better in the Monday morning in omellettes.
The organization of the race day festivities, specifically the line(s) for the buses, left a little to be desired but the scenery was incredible. We crossed one Covered Bridge and ran past two more. We also ran what seemed like 1/3rd of the course along what i thought was the wide, gently flowing Ottauquechee river that seemed to help us (or me, at least) along the course when my legs wanted to just give up and jump in the river. (BTW...It turns out that what i thought was river was a long, wide Pond called Dewey's Pond.)
Everyone finished the race, some twice. It helped a ton having Mrs. Tibbits and Brittany's boyfriend, Chris, yelling for us at three different locations along the race path and then again at the finish line.
While waiting for our carriages to come carry us home we met a few ladies that were looking for the path back to where the cars were parked. Unfortunately, none of us that were waiting new where to point them; in fact we pointed them in the opposite direction that they needed to go. After Alison and M&M picked us up, we saw them walking...trudging up the hill toward their car. They had a ways to go yet and after a 1/2M that would have been a looooonnnngggg walk. At the top of the hill, i jumped out of our car that M&M was driving to explain their predicament to Alison who, of course, agreed we should go back and get them; so we did.
While i was chatting w/ Alison, the car-suv b/n our two cars starting honking at me/us despite the fact that they had plenty of time before the stop sign as we were four or five cars back. On the way back to M&M's car, the driver that was honking at me tried to explain that they were following the car in front of Alison to which my immediate response was, "Relax. You'll get there." Not sure why i said that but here we were trying to do a very nice thing and this yahoo was honking at us as if his world was going to end if they fell 100 yards behind their lead car. Of course, this was the same SUV that Alison nearly cut-off after picking us up.
Anyhow, we went back and picked the three very appreciative ladies up and drove them to their car. Having accomplished our good samaritan task for the day, we headed back to base-camp for some R&R, and later, a fantastic steak dinner and 20+ different flavors of Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream to celebrate. After grilling our steaks, Mr. Tibbits started a fire in their fire-pit by the pond, Cabot tried to run away w/ all the Smores' sticks, we eventually did roast smores, and talked well into the night while Chris and Al played w/ their cameras. What a picture perfect day!
My good-friend, Al, invited me to come along w/ a contingent of great people heading to Vermont to stay with a friend's family to run this 1/2 Marathon. The ultimate hosts was the Tibbits family: Mr. & Mrs. Tibbits, Alison - the leader of this 1/2M running contingent, her brother - Jesse, and her sister - Brittany. They set the stage for a fantastic weekend despite our arriving at ALL hours of the night, actually Saturday morning.
McQueen, Colleen, Michelle, and i arrived about 1:30A.M. after my flight came in from Cincinnati, Dayton actually...well Detroit technically, about an hour and a half after their flight came in from Midway. (Thanks, again, ladies for waiting.) Midway was clearly the airport of choice coming out of Chicago as the second crew flew out of O'Hare and arrived in Manchester, N.H., about 4A.M. putting them at the Tibbits Household about 5:30A.M. This crew included Alison, Al, Berna, and Chris; who were all, well, how should we say it..."lit" having out-waited the five hour delay at an airport bar.
So that is how the weekend started w/ four of us arriving at 1:3oA.M. taking a quiet tour of the house led by M&M who had been there multiple times. A key word describing our tour being "quiet" after which we settled into our sleeping locations downstairs. As we looked at some of the family photos in the downstairs living room, though, i felt as if i were a thief in the night looking in on a family that i had never known as this was the case. The awesome Tibbits family included me on this adventure despite the fact that i had never met even Alison at the time they extend the invitation. i was fortunate enough to meet Alison, McQueen, and Michelle and later Colleen over the Shamrock Shuffle weekend, also known as Alison's 30th Birthday party weekend.
After our tour we settled in, the ladies in a back room and me on the downstairs couch...w/ one of the family cats, Nilly who took a liking to me and slept...well let's not discuss the details, besides it was apparently just a one night stand. (Nilly, i am still expecting at least a phone call!)
The second group arrived just before the sun came up and took a 'more lively' tour of the Tibbits household at 5:30A.M. Their tour involved barely muted giggling and attempts at a quiet discussion of getting a glass of warm water to be used for nefarious reasons. After their tour came to close all settled in for a couple hours of sleep; though i was visited shortly after the 'giggling' tour ended by the Tibbits family puppy which is a 50+ pound golden retriever named Cabot.
Our morning started with an excellent breakfast including fantastic French Toast made by Kevin (Mr. Tibbits aka Popa Tibbits). We then took a quintessential tour of Vermont stopping at Suger Bush Farms where we tasted cheeses, sauces, and jellies galore. Then we purchased our favorite cheeses and maple syrups (i have had waffles w/ Vermont maple syrup almost every day since being back; it's almost time to go back to get more maple syrup!). We then went 'downtown' to the Simon Pearce glass-blowing shop-restaurant-artisan center where they actually blow-glass, make pottery, and weave blankets all on-site; all very cool and very high quality pieces.
That night we had a pasta/carb-loaded dinner back at the Tibbits household. Mr. and Mrs. Tibbits were even kind (or foolish?) enough to allow me to make a traditional Italian sauce that eventually included nearly everything in the fridge sans peppers including 1/2 a large bottle of Olive Oil. It ended up even better in the Monday morning in omellettes.
The organization of the race day festivities, specifically the line(s) for the buses, left a little to be desired but the scenery was incredible. We crossed one Covered Bridge and ran past two more. We also ran what seemed like 1/3rd of the course along what i thought was the wide, gently flowing Ottauquechee river that seemed to help us (or me, at least) along the course when my legs wanted to just give up and jump in the river. (BTW...It turns out that what i thought was river was a long, wide Pond called Dewey's Pond.)
Everyone finished the race, some twice. It helped a ton having Mrs. Tibbits and Brittany's boyfriend, Chris, yelling for us at three different locations along the race path and then again at the finish line.
While waiting for our carriages to come carry us home we met a few ladies that were looking for the path back to where the cars were parked. Unfortunately, none of us that were waiting new where to point them; in fact we pointed them in the opposite direction that they needed to go. After Alison and M&M picked us up, we saw them walking...trudging up the hill toward their car. They had a ways to go yet and after a 1/2M that would have been a looooonnnngggg walk. At the top of the hill, i jumped out of our car that M&M was driving to explain their predicament to Alison who, of course, agreed we should go back and get them; so we did.
While i was chatting w/ Alison, the car-suv b/n our two cars starting honking at me/us despite the fact that they had plenty of time before the stop sign as we were four or five cars back. On the way back to M&M's car, the driver that was honking at me tried to explain that they were following the car in front of Alison to which my immediate response was, "Relax. You'll get there." Not sure why i said that but here we were trying to do a very nice thing and this yahoo was honking at us as if his world was going to end if they fell 100 yards behind their lead car. Of course, this was the same SUV that Alison nearly cut-off after picking us up.
Anyhow, we went back and picked the three very appreciative ladies up and drove them to their car. Having accomplished our good samaritan task for the day, we headed back to base-camp for some R&R, and later, a fantastic steak dinner and 20+ different flavors of Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream to celebrate. After grilling our steaks, Mr. Tibbits started a fire in their fire-pit by the pond, Cabot tried to run away w/ all the Smores' sticks, we eventually did roast smores, and talked well into the night while Chris and Al played w/ their cameras. What a picture perfect day!
On Monday, minus Colleen who flew out on Sunday night after dinner - Thanks again, Colleen, for your steak!; we went to the Quechee Gorge. Everyone agreed we could have spent an entire afternoon just hanging out on the rocks enjoying the flow of the creek-river, maybe occassionally dabbling our feet in the cool water. But, the rest of the ladies had to fly back while the boys remained to venture on to Ascutney State Park (see the post "Adventures @ ASP" for more).
Another heart-felt and huge "Thank You!" to the Tibbits Family particularly Alison for inviting me/us and Mr. and Mrs. Tibbits for being such great hosts (be on the look out, Mr. & Mrs. T., something is on its way via the mail as more tangible "thank you"!)
Thank you Al for inviting me. Thank you Alison for extending the invitation to someone that, at that point, you had never even met. Thank you Colleen, McQueen, and M&M for waiting for me on Friday night. Thank you all for a fantastic and very memorable weekend!!!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Rocky Mtn/Denver - Bandolier/Santa Fe Trip
The Camera Trip as i am now calling it; or The Picture Trip depending on the circumstances.
Between the four of us i am certain we took over 1,000 pictures easy. And if my pictures are any indication, about 40 to 50 good ones; well, ones worth showing to people. Why is it that a tree or mountain or flower looks cool in person but then the picture it just looks boring? i am, of course, being a little facetious but of the 250+ pictures i would say 50 of mine are really good.
The Rocky Mountains were amazing. We saw a coyote (a 'beggar' coyote we think). It looked like a big white/grey fox; some elk including a few walking around the town and across the street right in front of us; more elk grazing about 20-30 yards away; an elk herd chillin' by the RMNP (Rocky Mountain National Park) Visitor Center; no snakes; no mountain lions - Thank God; and no bears - Thanks Al.
Al was our official bear-scarer. Al made sure we had no morsel, no crumb of food in our rented Jeep Commander so as not to invite any 'just-finished hibernating' hungry bears to us. When we hiked, which was seldom, Al brought up the rear thinking this to be the safest place in a line of hikers but not realizing it is actually the position most likely to get mauled. We, of course, neglected to tell Al this tiny morsel of information.
During one of our longest hikes around a pond-lake (about 1.4 miles around it), we nearly lost Kevin to a snow drift. With one leg knee deep in snow about 3-feet from the edge of the lake, Kevin good-naturedly 'posed' for pictures before we extricated him from his predicament.
We let Jason drive briefly on Friday night to drop Al off for his massage/moon-lit bath and then to the movies (to see Speed Racer b/c i am a huge 'Speed' fan and wanted to see this movie on the weekend it opened - it did not disappoint, but then again it also did not live up to its potential). And we quickly realized why he was not driving more often. In the matter of about 15 minutes of driving, Jason nearly ran a stop sign, BLEW through another stop sign w/o even hesitating, and almost turned up the wrong (left) side of the street. He nearly gave back all five of his points he earned w/ the group the previous night when he noticed as someone else, whose name will remain anonymous...but it was NOT me...nor Al...nor Jason, was driving that the gas gauge was on E which sent a shock-wave through the car. The gauge was, in fact, below E. Regardless despite the worry from some, the likelihood of us running out of gas was remote; still there particularly given that we were somewhere b/n Denver and Santa Fe in the New Mexico desert w/ nothing but the blackest death of night surrounding us for miles and miles and miles.
Speaking of driving, i drove the majority of our tours to RMNP/Boulder, Pike's Peek - or at least to the COG Railway that took us up to Pike's Peak, 2/3 of the way to Santa Fe, and to Alberquerque. This may not seem like much but those that have driven with me previously know that this is sometimes more nerve-wrecking than facing a mama bear who is looking for her cubs...or a hungry mountain lion as i can...sometimes drive beyond the legal, posted speed so-called 'limit.' The drive after RMNP through Denver during rush-hour on toward Santa Fe was, i would hazard a guess, the most...'interesting' for my passengers. The only likely exception to this was Al who particularly liked my actually driving below the speed limit through the meandering hills and mountains of RMNP. I did try to warn my passengers early on, though, by informing them that i am very, very good at getting from point A to point B in a minimal amount of time and suggested they not, i repeat, NOT look out the front window while i am driving. But, not everyone headed my warning.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip. i half expected to experience those 'Arggghhh' moments when personalities rub the wrong way after traveling together for 7 days but...was pleasantly surprised to find that there were none (at least not for me save a few times when i nearly dumped a bucket of freezing cold water on Al b/c he woke me up w/ his incessant snoring). Now if you asked my travel companions you might get a completely different response but i enjoyed a very relaxing and fun-filled trip w/ very little, if any, aggravations. We, of course, had our moments that all travel will present to travelers but none were travel companion(s) related.
i think we set the tone of our trip when during our very first venture we were in search of our hotel. Following the direcdtions of Kevin's "Magic Phone" (that would be an i-Phone w/ Internet access), we found ourselves first behind a biker's gang then driving through Denver's projects which was located precisely where the "Magic Phone" said our hotel should be. As we passed a few more questionable characters, the command came from the captain's chair to, "Lock'em UP!!"
We then used the 'old-fashioned' means of directions: we called them w/ a cell phone to get directions directly from them. A short time later, after breaking out of Denver's down-side, we arrived at our hotel which turned out to be out all by itself sitting just outside the parking lot of Denver's new football stadium.
In the end we all chipped in, Jason w/ pre-planning-hotel reservations-directions; Kevin with pre-planning-directions-on-the-spot directions w/ the Magic Phone; and Al with Jennifer and the Rockies game and inviting me in the first place; and my driving and planning the Jeep Tour.
All-in-all i think the highlights of our trip were up front and at the end; meeting Al's friend Jennifer in Denver and the Jeep Tour with our guides Roch (pron. Rock) and Jerry south of Santa Fe where the Rocky Mountains begin at Valle Caldera - the result of an old volcano. i will post the best of my pictures soon - as soon as i can figure out how to upload them.
(Let me know what you think of this post or what questions you have.)
ALL MY BEST!
Brian
Between the four of us i am certain we took over 1,000 pictures easy. And if my pictures are any indication, about 40 to 50 good ones; well, ones worth showing to people. Why is it that a tree or mountain or flower looks cool in person but then the picture it just looks boring? i am, of course, being a little facetious but of the 250+ pictures i would say 50 of mine are really good.
The Rocky Mountains were amazing. We saw a coyote (a 'beggar' coyote we think). It looked like a big white/grey fox; some elk including a few walking around the town and across the street right in front of us; more elk grazing about 20-30 yards away; an elk herd chillin' by the RMNP (Rocky Mountain National Park) Visitor Center; no snakes; no mountain lions - Thank God; and no bears - Thanks Al.
Al was our official bear-scarer. Al made sure we had no morsel, no crumb of food in our rented Jeep Commander so as not to invite any 'just-finished hibernating' hungry bears to us. When we hiked, which was seldom, Al brought up the rear thinking this to be the safest place in a line of hikers but not realizing it is actually the position most likely to get mauled. We, of course, neglected to tell Al this tiny morsel of information.
During one of our longest hikes around a pond-lake (about 1.4 miles around it), we nearly lost Kevin to a snow drift. With one leg knee deep in snow about 3-feet from the edge of the lake, Kevin good-naturedly 'posed' for pictures before we extricated him from his predicament.
We let Jason drive briefly on Friday night to drop Al off for his massage/moon-lit bath and then to the movies (to see Speed Racer b/c i am a huge 'Speed' fan and wanted to see this movie on the weekend it opened - it did not disappoint, but then again it also did not live up to its potential). And we quickly realized why he was not driving more often. In the matter of about 15 minutes of driving, Jason nearly ran a stop sign, BLEW through another stop sign w/o even hesitating, and almost turned up the wrong (left) side of the street. He nearly gave back all five of his points he earned w/ the group the previous night when he noticed as someone else, whose name will remain anonymous...but it was NOT me...nor Al...nor Jason, was driving that the gas gauge was on E which sent a shock-wave through the car. The gauge was, in fact, below E. Regardless despite the worry from some, the likelihood of us running out of gas was remote; still there particularly given that we were somewhere b/n Denver and Santa Fe in the New Mexico desert w/ nothing but the blackest death of night surrounding us for miles and miles and miles.
Speaking of driving, i drove the majority of our tours to RMNP/Boulder, Pike's Peek - or at least to the COG Railway that took us up to Pike's Peak, 2/3 of the way to Santa Fe, and to Alberquerque. This may not seem like much but those that have driven with me previously know that this is sometimes more nerve-wrecking than facing a mama bear who is looking for her cubs...or a hungry mountain lion as i can...sometimes drive beyond the legal, posted speed so-called 'limit.' The drive after RMNP through Denver during rush-hour on toward Santa Fe was, i would hazard a guess, the most...'interesting' for my passengers. The only likely exception to this was Al who particularly liked my actually driving below the speed limit through the meandering hills and mountains of RMNP. I did try to warn my passengers early on, though, by informing them that i am very, very good at getting from point A to point B in a minimal amount of time and suggested they not, i repeat, NOT look out the front window while i am driving. But, not everyone headed my warning.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip. i half expected to experience those 'Arggghhh' moments when personalities rub the wrong way after traveling together for 7 days but...was pleasantly surprised to find that there were none (at least not for me save a few times when i nearly dumped a bucket of freezing cold water on Al b/c he woke me up w/ his incessant snoring). Now if you asked my travel companions you might get a completely different response but i enjoyed a very relaxing and fun-filled trip w/ very little, if any, aggravations. We, of course, had our moments that all travel will present to travelers but none were travel companion(s) related.
i think we set the tone of our trip when during our very first venture we were in search of our hotel. Following the direcdtions of Kevin's "Magic Phone" (that would be an i-Phone w/ Internet access), we found ourselves first behind a biker's gang then driving through Denver's projects which was located precisely where the "Magic Phone" said our hotel should be. As we passed a few more questionable characters, the command came from the captain's chair to, "Lock'em UP!!"
We then used the 'old-fashioned' means of directions: we called them w/ a cell phone to get directions directly from them. A short time later, after breaking out of Denver's down-side, we arrived at our hotel which turned out to be out all by itself sitting just outside the parking lot of Denver's new football stadium.
In the end we all chipped in, Jason w/ pre-planning-hotel reservations-directions; Kevin with pre-planning-directions-on-the-spot directions w/ the Magic Phone; and Al with Jennifer and the Rockies game and inviting me in the first place; and my driving and planning the Jeep Tour.
All-in-all i think the highlights of our trip were up front and at the end; meeting Al's friend Jennifer in Denver and the Jeep Tour with our guides Roch (pron. Rock) and Jerry south of Santa Fe where the Rocky Mountains begin at Valle Caldera - the result of an old volcano. i will post the best of my pictures soon - as soon as i can figure out how to upload them.
(Let me know what you think of this post or what questions you have.)
ALL MY BEST!
Brian
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Adventure Vacation 2008: Rocky Mtn-Santa Fe Trip
Aftering running my first half-marathon on Sunday, May 4th, i left on Monday, May 5th, for a vacation w/ my friends Al, Kevin, and Jason B. We were West-bound to Denver first then down to Santa Fe/Albuquerque.
This was a photographic journey as Jason B. is a semi-professional photographer (he makes enough to pay for a very nice/expensive camera - NIKON, of course), Kevin also has a very nice digital SLR camera (Nikon, of course), and Al recently purchased a digital SLR camera (Nikon, of course); while i went old school using my 20-year old 35-mm FILM camera (also Nikon, of course) along with my new digital Coolpix camera (yep, Nikon, of course).
The four of us, particularly those three, were funny to watch walking around w/ our nine.....NINE cameras: 3 - digital SLR's, 1 - old-school 35mm, 1 new digital, and four camera-phones. One of the best scenes was watching Kevin juggle the three SLR's while taking pictures of Jason, Al, and I up in an Indian cave dwelling with each of the three SLR cameras. i actually snapped a good picture of him holding all three cameras trying to take our picture.
The flights on Frontier, our bankruptancy protected airline, were...well, interesting. Having flown often in my life, i liken flying to a huge thrill ride at an amusement park. i even sometimes hold my hands up like one would when going down a major hill on one of those rides - but that could scare those behind me so i did it 'quietly'.
Anyway, on each lift-off and landing i got the feeling the pilots were told to either conserve gas or give the passengers a real thrill! My father worked on jet engines for his entire 25-year career at GE Aircraft Engines. That, coupled w/ my own experience told me that these pilots were not exactly using the entire engines particularly during lift off (or they were Piggly-Wiggly engines - that would be Pratt & Whitney engines for those not familiar w/ the airline engine industry).
The take-offs were slow to the point of my wondering if we were going to actually lift off. Then, the pilots tried to take (particularly the lift-off from Dayton to Denver) a Rocky Mountain slope of a climb to cruising altitude. At one point i simply thought the plane would slide backward we we going so slow. And keep in mind, this is all from someone who LIKES to fly!
Then the touch-downs were like those thrill ride drops and embankments. It was more like being flown by a fighter-pilot than an airline pilot. Fun...but exhausting. At one point on the flight back (from Albuquerue to Denver), during our rapid descent the EXIT lights came on as if we were all going to have to jump out of the plane. In all of my airline travels i have never experienced a plane in a near nose-dive when the lights and EXIT lights come on like that during our descent. Whew! What (now that my feet are squarely on the ground in Cincy) fun!
And that was merely the flights out and back!
Ready to hear about the actual trip?
This was a photographic journey as Jason B. is a semi-professional photographer (he makes enough to pay for a very nice/expensive camera - NIKON, of course), Kevin also has a very nice digital SLR camera (Nikon, of course), and Al recently purchased a digital SLR camera (Nikon, of course); while i went old school using my 20-year old 35-mm FILM camera (also Nikon, of course) along with my new digital Coolpix camera (yep, Nikon, of course).
The four of us, particularly those three, were funny to watch walking around w/ our nine.....NINE cameras: 3 - digital SLR's, 1 - old-school 35mm, 1 new digital, and four camera-phones. One of the best scenes was watching Kevin juggle the three SLR's while taking pictures of Jason, Al, and I up in an Indian cave dwelling with each of the three SLR cameras. i actually snapped a good picture of him holding all three cameras trying to take our picture.
The flights on Frontier, our bankruptancy protected airline, were...well, interesting. Having flown often in my life, i liken flying to a huge thrill ride at an amusement park. i even sometimes hold my hands up like one would when going down a major hill on one of those rides - but that could scare those behind me so i did it 'quietly'.
Anyway, on each lift-off and landing i got the feeling the pilots were told to either conserve gas or give the passengers a real thrill! My father worked on jet engines for his entire 25-year career at GE Aircraft Engines. That, coupled w/ my own experience told me that these pilots were not exactly using the entire engines particularly during lift off (or they were Piggly-Wiggly engines - that would be Pratt & Whitney engines for those not familiar w/ the airline engine industry).
The take-offs were slow to the point of my wondering if we were going to actually lift off. Then, the pilots tried to take (particularly the lift-off from Dayton to Denver) a Rocky Mountain slope of a climb to cruising altitude. At one point i simply thought the plane would slide backward we we going so slow. And keep in mind, this is all from someone who LIKES to fly!
Then the touch-downs were like those thrill ride drops and embankments. It was more like being flown by a fighter-pilot than an airline pilot. Fun...but exhausting. At one point on the flight back (from Albuquerue to Denver), during our rapid descent the EXIT lights came on as if we were all going to have to jump out of the plane. In all of my airline travels i have never experienced a plane in a near nose-dive when the lights and EXIT lights come on like that during our descent. Whew! What (now that my feet are squarely on the ground in Cincy) fun!
And that was merely the flights out and back!
Ready to hear about the actual trip?
My First 1/2
I DID IT! 13.2 Miles! In under 3 hours (2.45 to be exact)!
It was very difficult, painful, and challenging but i did it. And now, i have to do it again in two weeks in Vermont for the Covered Bridge 1/2 Marathon on June 1st.
The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 4th is one of the seemingly impossible but simultaneously most fun and most difficult 1/2M and Marathons. The hills make it one of the most difficult and the city and people make it one of the most fun runs (according to Runner's Magazine).
i ran once while on vacation - 4.5 miles in Santa Fe while sick (i think running really, really helped me get over/through the cold i acquired while visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park when the temperature/weather bounced back and forth b/n sunny and sixty to rain and forty to sleet to snowy and thirty-degrees at least three different times. It was still beautiful, though. (More on that trip in my next post - above.) )
Two of my running 'coaches' and Al were their at the very end cheering my triumph. The four of us walked along the loud and boisterous finish 'line' which was more of a corridor of people cheering everyone on to a proud finish for both the 1/2M and Marathon. The run was much, much more emotional than i ever imagined. i nearly broke down in the corridor of people shouting for me despite not knowing any (or few of them). Then it occurred to me...
Why can't people with cancer...ALS...etc... receive this same awe-inspiring, heart-filling, soul-enriching feeling? What if we could create a "Marathon Finish" for people battling cancer-ALS-type diseases? How empowering would that be?
It was very difficult, painful, and challenging but i did it. And now, i have to do it again in two weeks in Vermont for the Covered Bridge 1/2 Marathon on June 1st.
The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 4th is one of the seemingly impossible but simultaneously most fun and most difficult 1/2M and Marathons. The hills make it one of the most difficult and the city and people make it one of the most fun runs (according to Runner's Magazine).
i ran once while on vacation - 4.5 miles in Santa Fe while sick (i think running really, really helped me get over/through the cold i acquired while visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park when the temperature/weather bounced back and forth b/n sunny and sixty to rain and forty to sleet to snowy and thirty-degrees at least three different times. It was still beautiful, though. (More on that trip in my next post - above.) )
Two of my running 'coaches' and Al were their at the very end cheering my triumph. The four of us walked along the loud and boisterous finish 'line' which was more of a corridor of people cheering everyone on to a proud finish for both the 1/2M and Marathon. The run was much, much more emotional than i ever imagined. i nearly broke down in the corridor of people shouting for me despite not knowing any (or few of them). Then it occurred to me...
Why can't people with cancer...ALS...etc... receive this same awe-inspiring, heart-filling, soul-enriching feeling? What if we could create a "Marathon Finish" for people battling cancer-ALS-type diseases? How empowering would that be?
Monday, April 28, 2008
LIFE...& death
Several recent events have brought the memories of my dear friend Terry back into focus.
i usually handle my emotions well, or at least i would like to think so. When my grandparents both passed-on within a month of each other in 1998, i did not try to hide my emotions too much. i did so i could be there for my family, particularly my dad. But when it came time to say good-bye to my grandpa when everyone but the immediate family had left, i stepped up to my grandpa one final time and let my emotions overwhelm me. i cried harder than i think i ever have in my life and with no inhibitions. My brother and cousins surrounded and hugged me. Even now my eyes begin to tear up just thinking of him...of them...of that moment. You see grandpa and i, some say, were cut from the say cloth - which is the greatest compliment i, or anyone, could receive. i was not/ still am not anywhere near the man he was; but i still strive to be (though not enough; not everyday like i need to - see post below RE Wasting Time). Grandpa and i even looked alike. Since his death i have thought of him often and cried several times for him and my grandma.
But when my best-friend Terry died five years later in 2003 despite two years of advanced notice, i went numb relying on my cruise control to get me through. i even recall joking around at his funeral and in the 'pall-bearers' car with my best-friends that i had/have known for over 20 years. i even remember thinking shortly after the funeral that i did not cry and thinking it odd.
Terry was diagnosed with ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2001. Technically he was not diagnosed "with" ALS as ALS is not a disease they can diagnose; they actually eliminate all other possibilities until the only thing left is ALS. i recall being at the airport when Terry and his wife came back from The Mayo Clinic and told everyone right there in the airport. His wife understandably broke down and cried in her mother's arms. Terry did what he always does: smiles his wry-shoulder shrugging smile and said, "What are you going to do?" with his eyes as if it was no big deal.
(ALS is one of the worst diseases known to man. For those that do not know, ALS slowly strips a person of their motor/muscular functions starting from the toes and slowly crawling its insipid way up one's body until the afflicted person dies of respiratory failure because his brain can no longer tell the body to breathe. First muscle tremors, then limited use of one's feet, legs, hands, arms, then the ability to swallow one's saliva. Someone has to use suctions tubes, like those of a dentist, to vacuum out his saliva so he does not choke to death because he no longer has enough control to swallow. )
Over the next two years and three months we spent a lot of time together but never enough. We played golf - he beat me despite the unmistakable signs of ALS in Terry's legs. We played poker - Hi&Low his favorite. We watched movies - The Bourne Identity, specifically.
i spent the night with him a few times to both be with him and attempt to give his Heaven-sent wife a breath of a break. i once helped him go to the bathroom - #2 to be specific. Terry seemed to revel in those moments, in the fact that he was putting one of his best friends in very awkward positions and seeing just how i would handle it/them while he had no visible signs of embarassment. In fact, i am quite sure he enjoyed those moments of putting me in really odd situations. (i will save you the difficulty in reading about the specifics of those moments...for now. If...WHEN i write the book "How to Save a Life" you can read about the details; though, ever the one to shock those close to him, i can hear Terry now, "Aawwww, come on!")
On those nights, lying on the couch next to Terry's hospital bed in his living room listening as Terry struggled for each and every breath, something broke in me; something had to in order to survive. And i was only there temporarily. Terry's wife, and two young children, were there 24/7.
Terry was one of those rare individuals that could say all he needed to say with a look; no words, just a look (interestingly enough just like another man i love and seek to live up to: my grandpa Storn). So many memories of Terry, his voice, his face, his expressions, his no-non-sense approach to life and people are flooding my brain right now; like a fast-forward slide show. i want to tell you about them all; but now is not the time nor is this the right place. Suffice to say that my best-friend Terry was... ... ... ... ...a fresh breath of life, of truth, of honesty in a world so caked w/ niceties, and facades, and false-fronts, and politics. Terry was the directness to my beating around the bush. Terry was the honesty to my tact. Terry was the here-and-now to my tomorrow. Terry was the present to my future.
About a year ago i went to Terry's grave site with my mom after visiting my step-dad's grave. i started to cry but held back because i felt bad that i was getting more emotional at Terry's grave than Joe's which is no indication of my love or lack thereof for my step-father simply an indication of how 'things' sometimes take years to 'hit' me. (My step-day, btw, had another devastatingly difficult end to his life after surviving a massive stroke for seven years that would have killed most people. Hhmmm...a very, very unfortunate pattern is emerging here.) i have been back to Terry's grave since then and cried a little; but not the flood i now know is coming.
I miss you Terry! Not ready to join you, but i miss you something fierce. i need your friendship like never before; i need your honesty and directness and clear-thinking. i am holding myself back; don't know why but it is long-past time to let the chains go. Thank You, Terry! i will deliver your messages when the times come. i wish you were here now. i wish it could have been me instead. Why you? Why in the prime of your life? Why just when you had started a young family with a Heaven-sent wife and two beautiful children?
You faced the worst life has to offer and never once showed even a crack in your faith; never once said, "Why me? Why is this happening?" Never once questioned God or His reasons. You faced worse than most will ever even imagine; and you won. i miss you Terry and will never stop.
i usually handle my emotions well, or at least i would like to think so. When my grandparents both passed-on within a month of each other in 1998, i did not try to hide my emotions too much. i did so i could be there for my family, particularly my dad. But when it came time to say good-bye to my grandpa when everyone but the immediate family had left, i stepped up to my grandpa one final time and let my emotions overwhelm me. i cried harder than i think i ever have in my life and with no inhibitions. My brother and cousins surrounded and hugged me. Even now my eyes begin to tear up just thinking of him...of them...of that moment. You see grandpa and i, some say, were cut from the say cloth - which is the greatest compliment i, or anyone, could receive. i was not/ still am not anywhere near the man he was; but i still strive to be (though not enough; not everyday like i need to - see post below RE Wasting Time). Grandpa and i even looked alike. Since his death i have thought of him often and cried several times for him and my grandma.
But when my best-friend Terry died five years later in 2003 despite two years of advanced notice, i went numb relying on my cruise control to get me through. i even recall joking around at his funeral and in the 'pall-bearers' car with my best-friends that i had/have known for over 20 years. i even remember thinking shortly after the funeral that i did not cry and thinking it odd.
Terry was diagnosed with ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2001. Technically he was not diagnosed "with" ALS as ALS is not a disease they can diagnose; they actually eliminate all other possibilities until the only thing left is ALS. i recall being at the airport when Terry and his wife came back from The Mayo Clinic and told everyone right there in the airport. His wife understandably broke down and cried in her mother's arms. Terry did what he always does: smiles his wry-shoulder shrugging smile and said, "What are you going to do?" with his eyes as if it was no big deal.
(ALS is one of the worst diseases known to man. For those that do not know, ALS slowly strips a person of their motor/muscular functions starting from the toes and slowly crawling its insipid way up one's body until the afflicted person dies of respiratory failure because his brain can no longer tell the body to breathe. First muscle tremors, then limited use of one's feet, legs, hands, arms, then the ability to swallow one's saliva. Someone has to use suctions tubes, like those of a dentist, to vacuum out his saliva so he does not choke to death because he no longer has enough control to swallow. )
Over the next two years and three months we spent a lot of time together but never enough. We played golf - he beat me despite the unmistakable signs of ALS in Terry's legs. We played poker - Hi&Low his favorite. We watched movies - The Bourne Identity, specifically.
i spent the night with him a few times to both be with him and attempt to give his Heaven-sent wife a breath of a break. i once helped him go to the bathroom - #2 to be specific. Terry seemed to revel in those moments, in the fact that he was putting one of his best friends in very awkward positions and seeing just how i would handle it/them while he had no visible signs of embarassment. In fact, i am quite sure he enjoyed those moments of putting me in really odd situations. (i will save you the difficulty in reading about the specifics of those moments...for now. If...WHEN i write the book "How to Save a Life" you can read about the details; though, ever the one to shock those close to him, i can hear Terry now, "Aawwww, come on!")
On those nights, lying on the couch next to Terry's hospital bed in his living room listening as Terry struggled for each and every breath, something broke in me; something had to in order to survive. And i was only there temporarily. Terry's wife, and two young children, were there 24/7.
Terry was one of those rare individuals that could say all he needed to say with a look; no words, just a look (interestingly enough just like another man i love and seek to live up to: my grandpa Storn). So many memories of Terry, his voice, his face, his expressions, his no-non-sense approach to life and people are flooding my brain right now; like a fast-forward slide show. i want to tell you about them all; but now is not the time nor is this the right place. Suffice to say that my best-friend Terry was... ... ... ... ...a fresh breath of life, of truth, of honesty in a world so caked w/ niceties, and facades, and false-fronts, and politics. Terry was the directness to my beating around the bush. Terry was the honesty to my tact. Terry was the here-and-now to my tomorrow. Terry was the present to my future.
About a year ago i went to Terry's grave site with my mom after visiting my step-dad's grave. i started to cry but held back because i felt bad that i was getting more emotional at Terry's grave than Joe's which is no indication of my love or lack thereof for my step-father simply an indication of how 'things' sometimes take years to 'hit' me. (My step-day, btw, had another devastatingly difficult end to his life after surviving a massive stroke for seven years that would have killed most people. Hhmmm...a very, very unfortunate pattern is emerging here.) i have been back to Terry's grave since then and cried a little; but not the flood i now know is coming.
I miss you Terry! Not ready to join you, but i miss you something fierce. i need your friendship like never before; i need your honesty and directness and clear-thinking. i am holding myself back; don't know why but it is long-past time to let the chains go. Thank You, Terry! i will deliver your messages when the times come. i wish you were here now. i wish it could have been me instead. Why you? Why in the prime of your life? Why just when you had started a young family with a Heaven-sent wife and two beautiful children?
You faced the worst life has to offer and never once showed even a crack in your faith; never once said, "Why me? Why is this happening?" Never once questioned God or His reasons. You faced worse than most will ever even imagine; and you won. i miss you Terry and will never stop.
Wasting Time
Why is it that knowing full well and consciously clear the beauty of life and each day we are given (by God, imho), i continue to go through periods of my life where i very blatantly waste so much of it?
W/out a tv one would wonder how i can do that? It is simple: by sleeping too much and watching too many tv shows online and movies via dvd. These past two weeks i have slept way too much and watched enough tv to make up for the years of not having a tv.
The good thing is usually, if the pattern of my life continues, i will wake from this depressive slumber to explode into all facets of my life. Kind of like the calm before the storm, my life follows these patterns. i feel the storms rolling in and await them w/ the same anticipation and excitement real storms conjure up inside me.
Things about to change...for the better. Back to the Future where i am firing on all cyclinders; thinking more; doing more; enjoying life more. Back in the Game! Batter-Up!
W/out a tv one would wonder how i can do that? It is simple: by sleeping too much and watching too many tv shows online and movies via dvd. These past two weeks i have slept way too much and watched enough tv to make up for the years of not having a tv.
The good thing is usually, if the pattern of my life continues, i will wake from this depressive slumber to explode into all facets of my life. Kind of like the calm before the storm, my life follows these patterns. i feel the storms rolling in and await them w/ the same anticipation and excitement real storms conjure up inside me.
Things about to change...for the better. Back to the Future where i am firing on all cyclinders; thinking more; doing more; enjoying life more. Back in the Game! Batter-Up!
Monday, April 14, 2008
LESS Maxbps
Ran 11.4 miles Saturday! Then went and played tennis! Luckily it was doubles - we won (6-2, 6-2).
And, all of a sudden i am noticing really cute runners in my running group. One of which started Saturday's run about 30 minutes AFTER i did (i started about 8:05A.M.) and finished about 5-10 minutes faster. Whew! i told her she must have been booking it. Of course, the other end of that equation was that my last 5 miles were sssslllloooowwww. Then again my time was 12:40/mile which is not bad for 11+ miles. She said she was running about 10min/miles but the math does not quite add up. She must have been running about 9 min/miles.
Question for the ladies: How does a guy ask a woman out in a respectfully playful way in semi-social situation like this (running group you see 2x a week but do not really get to know someone)? Just ask them? Hopefully out of ear-shot of others!?! No guts, No glory! Right!?!
And, all of a sudden i am noticing really cute runners in my running group. One of which started Saturday's run about 30 minutes AFTER i did (i started about 8:05A.M.) and finished about 5-10 minutes faster. Whew! i told her she must have been booking it. Of course, the other end of that equation was that my last 5 miles were sssslllloooowwww. Then again my time was 12:40/mile which is not bad for 11+ miles. She said she was running about 10min/miles but the math does not quite add up. She must have been running about 9 min/miles.
Question for the ladies: How does a guy ask a woman out in a respectfully playful way in semi-social situation like this (running group you see 2x a week but do not really get to know someone)? Just ask them? Hopefully out of ear-shot of others!?! No guts, No glory! Right!?!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Shark Bites: Dogs & Cabinet Tops
Well, well, well...nothing new here.
Sharky is continuing her rebellious, living life on the edge ways. Just the other day it was beautiful in Cincy so i opened the front door and sliding glass door to let a stream of fresh air in and allow Sharky to come in and out as she pleased during the day.
At one point, as i was sitting on my favorite chair Sharky came running in from the back-sliding-glass doors, her hair standing up higher than i have ever seen it, her back arched higher then ever, her tail pointing straight up. She came running over to me w/ her eyes wide open and looking at me like, "Save me dad!" So i jumped up assuming the huge cat that occassionally comes to the back porch was chasing her. But no...it was not a huge cat that was chasing her. It was two huge dogs, one of which was standing w/ all four paws inside my house.
i yelled at it and ran after it. Luckily for me the dog turned and ran. (i am also lucky that i was were i was sitting; otherwise, we would have a very intense chase around my house: cat-dog(s)-me. And i am not sure who would have been chasing whom).
Anyway, the dogs ran away. i am still not sure where they are from b/c i know they are not any of my immediate neighbors' dogs. Crisis averted.
So, a little later i open my sliding glass doors to throw something in the recycle bin and guess who goes running outside like, "Wahoo! Here we go again!"
Then, later that same day i hear something in the kitchen except its coming from up above the cabinets. i look down from my loft and there's my lovable little furball standing on top of my cabinets which are 7-plus-feet high. i came running down after her and she jumps to the counter top, to the floor, and immediate books it for the basement 'cause she knows that is where she is going to end up.
(Since then i caught her on the counter getting ready to leap up onto the fridge to recommense her top-of-the-cabinet search party.)
(BTW...as i write she is in the basement for attacking my feet w/ a little too much claw! Ya gotta love her!)
Sharky is continuing her rebellious, living life on the edge ways. Just the other day it was beautiful in Cincy so i opened the front door and sliding glass door to let a stream of fresh air in and allow Sharky to come in and out as she pleased during the day.
At one point, as i was sitting on my favorite chair Sharky came running in from the back-sliding-glass doors, her hair standing up higher than i have ever seen it, her back arched higher then ever, her tail pointing straight up. She came running over to me w/ her eyes wide open and looking at me like, "Save me dad!" So i jumped up assuming the huge cat that occassionally comes to the back porch was chasing her. But no...it was not a huge cat that was chasing her. It was two huge dogs, one of which was standing w/ all four paws inside my house.
i yelled at it and ran after it. Luckily for me the dog turned and ran. (i am also lucky that i was were i was sitting; otherwise, we would have a very intense chase around my house: cat-dog(s)-me. And i am not sure who would have been chasing whom).
Anyway, the dogs ran away. i am still not sure where they are from b/c i know they are not any of my immediate neighbors' dogs. Crisis averted.
So, a little later i open my sliding glass doors to throw something in the recycle bin and guess who goes running outside like, "Wahoo! Here we go again!"
Then, later that same day i hear something in the kitchen except its coming from up above the cabinets. i look down from my loft and there's my lovable little furball standing on top of my cabinets which are 7-plus-feet high. i came running down after her and she jumps to the counter top, to the floor, and immediate books it for the basement 'cause she knows that is where she is going to end up.
(Since then i caught her on the counter getting ready to leap up onto the fridge to recommense her top-of-the-cabinet search party.)
(BTW...as i write she is in the basement for attacking my feet w/ a little too much claw! Ya gotta love her!)
The Trolley Shuffle
My health habits trials and tribulations continue. My eating habits have improved no more fast -food (or at least a LOT less) though my running habits are still not consistent enough, particularly on Saturday mornings. I have lost and been able to keep about ten pounds off but really should be around 205 by now (instead i am still hovering around 215).
My latest official run was the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago last weekend (Sunday, March 29th). The trip was fun but too expensive as Chicago's sales taxes have tipped the scales at over 10%. The Shuffle is supposed to be a big party but we did not partake after the race opting instead to have breakfast at Orange - fresh oj and good food but better company (Al & Bridgette). It was particularly fun pulling Al's leg as Bridgette asked me questions...i mean A question about Al as she is only allowed to ask me one each time she sees me - Al's rules. So w/o her having to ask me any questions i volunteered as many embarassing stories about Al as i could remember - we could have been there until dinner and i would not have even begun to run out of them. (BTW...that reminds me, Bridgette, i owe you those pictures of Al's 'naked-karoake' debut.)
One of the best parts of the trip to chi-town was Alison's 30th B-day party trolley. i met Alison and a few of her friends for the first time Saturday morning as they were walking to the Race Expo where they and Al were volunteering for ACS (American Cancer Society). Despite having just met them, i was graciously invited to Alison's 30th B-day trolley-trip. The trolley-night ended at a bar w/ a good band whose lead singer was scantily clad and had gorgeous grey eyes. We left the bar alittle after 1AM. The band, of course had to close the place at about 2:30AM. Despite the late night, after running the 8k race who do i see? The singer of the band! She put on a great show to all hours of the night then woke up (or never went to sleep) to run an 8k (5m) race the next morning.
Another highlight of my weekend was having dinner with Marji who has been an inspiration for me in both running and starting/maintaining this blog. Marji looked great, enthusiastic, and all smiles just like i remembered her when we met for the first and only other time a year ago. (Thank you again, Marji.)
Next year at this time, though, i have to run Cincy's Mini-Heart Marathon which is actually a 15k race will killer hills. Plus, i will going to the Cincinnati Reds' 2009 Opening Day which is a Cincy tradition like no-other complete with a big parade, all-day party, game - of course, then more partying. Any and all, including my Chicago friends, are more than welcome to join me next year for truly traditional Opening Day in Cincinnati - a unique party w/ America's greatest past-time!
Enjoy your 2008 Spring(s)!!!
My latest official run was the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago last weekend (Sunday, March 29th). The trip was fun but too expensive as Chicago's sales taxes have tipped the scales at over 10%. The Shuffle is supposed to be a big party but we did not partake after the race opting instead to have breakfast at Orange - fresh oj and good food but better company (Al & Bridgette). It was particularly fun pulling Al's leg as Bridgette asked me questions...i mean A question about Al as she is only allowed to ask me one each time she sees me - Al's rules. So w/o her having to ask me any questions i volunteered as many embarassing stories about Al as i could remember - we could have been there until dinner and i would not have even begun to run out of them. (BTW...that reminds me, Bridgette, i owe you those pictures of Al's 'naked-karoake' debut.)
One of the best parts of the trip to chi-town was Alison's 30th B-day party trolley. i met Alison and a few of her friends for the first time Saturday morning as they were walking to the Race Expo where they and Al were volunteering for ACS (American Cancer Society). Despite having just met them, i was graciously invited to Alison's 30th B-day trolley-trip. The trolley-night ended at a bar w/ a good band whose lead singer was scantily clad and had gorgeous grey eyes. We left the bar alittle after 1AM. The band, of course had to close the place at about 2:30AM. Despite the late night, after running the 8k race who do i see? The singer of the band! She put on a great show to all hours of the night then woke up (or never went to sleep) to run an 8k (5m) race the next morning.
Another highlight of my weekend was having dinner with Marji who has been an inspiration for me in both running and starting/maintaining this blog. Marji looked great, enthusiastic, and all smiles just like i remembered her when we met for the first and only other time a year ago. (Thank you again, Marji.)
Next year at this time, though, i have to run Cincy's Mini-Heart Marathon which is actually a 15k race will killer hills. Plus, i will going to the Cincinnati Reds' 2009 Opening Day which is a Cincy tradition like no-other complete with a big parade, all-day party, game - of course, then more partying. Any and all, including my Chicago friends, are more than welcome to join me next year for truly traditional Opening Day in Cincinnati - a unique party w/ America's greatest past-time!
Enjoy your 2008 Spring(s)!!!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Shark Bites: No Updates b/c...
There will be no Sharky updates b/c she is being as bad and onery as ever. i have come to the conclusion that she just does not give a crap what i think or want. She doesn't even act like she cares. She is a smart kat...i think (though really wonder sometimes).
Yet, she CONSTANTLY gets up on the kitchen table and counters while i am right there in plain view. Then, she looks at me and says...w/ her eyes of course b/c she cannot actually talk, right? B/c if she could, Woo-hoo we'd all be rich.
Anyway, she looks directly at me (and Jason i know you will appreciate this), and says,"Yeah, i'm up on the table again! What are you going to do about!?"
"Oohh, you think you are going to chase me, huh?"
"Fat chance, fatty! Like you could actually catch me!"
Then blompp down she goes and boom off like a rocket. In an open space no one could catch this kat. i think she could break land speed records. Cheetahs? Nah. They would not have chance against this thoroughbred of a kat. (She does run a little like a thoroughbread. When she runs across my floor and slows down it sounds like a miniature Kentucky, of course, thoroughbred gallopping to a stop.)
Luckily she also constantly forgets i have the all the doors closed so she cannot go running into and out of rooms to lose me. And eventually i always do catch her and put her in the basement. That is her punishment. But it is obviously not working. She has not caught on to my grabbing her rather forcefully by the knap of her neck and throwing her (not literally) in the basement is a punishment. No, she just saunters down the steps and starts getting into stuff in the basement. So it is time to change tactics.
Any suggestions!????
Yet, she CONSTANTLY gets up on the kitchen table and counters while i am right there in plain view. Then, she looks at me and says...w/ her eyes of course b/c she cannot actually talk, right? B/c if she could, Woo-hoo we'd all be rich.
Anyway, she looks directly at me (and Jason i know you will appreciate this), and says,"Yeah, i'm up on the table again! What are you going to do about!?"
"Oohh, you think you are going to chase me, huh?"
"Fat chance, fatty! Like you could actually catch me!"
Then blompp down she goes and boom off like a rocket. In an open space no one could catch this kat. i think she could break land speed records. Cheetahs? Nah. They would not have chance against this thoroughbred of a kat. (She does run a little like a thoroughbread. When she runs across my floor and slows down it sounds like a miniature Kentucky, of course, thoroughbred gallopping to a stop.)
Luckily she also constantly forgets i have the all the doors closed so she cannot go running into and out of rooms to lose me. And eventually i always do catch her and put her in the basement. That is her punishment. But it is obviously not working. She has not caught on to my grabbing her rather forcefully by the knap of her neck and throwing her (not literally) in the basement is a punishment. No, she just saunters down the steps and starts getting into stuff in the basement. So it is time to change tactics.
Any suggestions!????
LESS Maxbps - Quick Update
Hello! In the span of one week (March 1st - 7th) i ran my first official 10K AND my first unofficial but independently measured 10 MILES!!!
(Now if i can just put down the Graeter's Double Chocolate Ice Cream and Twix Bars!!!)
(Now if i can just put down the Graeter's Double Chocolate Ice Cream and Twix Bars!!!)
Tennis Anyone?
My tennis game has improved rather dramatically lately. And one of the reasons is my new coach. Several of the guys i play doubles w/ have been trying to get me to go to this practice session that they have had w/ a coach at another club for years. So finally i say the heck w/ it and decide to skip one of my group running sessions (for the record i ran the next night by myself...and recorded my first ever 10 Mile run).
So i get to the other club which is due North of Cincinnati and out of the way for just about anything i would normally do. i change and chit-chat w/ the guys while we wait for 7PM to roll around. When it does we head out to the court. Now the guys no i am a big fan of the KY Wildcats and, apparently, so was the coach so i knew we would immediately get along. What i did not know was their coach was a guy that i went to grade school, Jr High, and High School with in Kentucky. He was a year behind me and in my split 6th/5th grade class. And, as it turns out, is a really good tennis coach. In one session he helped take my game to new level. i can now play a seriously good game of tennis at the 4.0 level, maybe even hang at the 4.5 level but i am not even going to consider attempting that jump until or IF i win several leagues and tournaments at the 4.0 level. (The last time i won the 3.5 doubles league/tournament and jumped to 4.0 it was too soon.) Besides, i like to win and i have not been doing nearly enough of that at the 4.0 level...YET.
So...any takers?
So i get to the other club which is due North of Cincinnati and out of the way for just about anything i would normally do. i change and chit-chat w/ the guys while we wait for 7PM to roll around. When it does we head out to the court. Now the guys no i am a big fan of the KY Wildcats and, apparently, so was the coach so i knew we would immediately get along. What i did not know was their coach was a guy that i went to grade school, Jr High, and High School with in Kentucky. He was a year behind me and in my split 6th/5th grade class. And, as it turns out, is a really good tennis coach. In one session he helped take my game to new level. i can now play a seriously good game of tennis at the 4.0 level, maybe even hang at the 4.5 level but i am not even going to consider attempting that jump until or IF i win several leagues and tournaments at the 4.0 level. (The last time i won the 3.5 doubles league/tournament and jumped to 4.0 it was too soon.) Besides, i like to win and i have not been doing nearly enough of that at the 4.0 level...YET.
So...any takers?
March Madness & My Old Kentucky Home
Well my favorite time of the sports calendar is upon us and my Kentucky King of the Wildcats will, once again, make into the Big Dance. New Coach Billy Gillispie has done an outstanding job with this year's team and our seniors (Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford) have really stepped up their games.
i doubt we will go deep in the tournament yet if i were a coach of an opposing team i would not want to play us. We could pull off an upset or two.
As big of a fan of both Kentucky and college basketball as i am, you would have guessed that i have attended some of the tournament games. But last year's game was my first. Jason, Al, and Kevin went with me to watch Kentucky play Villanova. The Kats won. i actually drove to Chicago that morning/afternoon, hung out at a bar waiting for the game...and my friends, watched the game, then turned around and drove home that night. Now that is dedication.
Next year, i am going to start a new annual tradition of attending the SEC tournament in Atlanta. And in 2010 i am going to attend at least one NCAA tournament game...Kentucky game of course.
By the way, for those at all intersted in horses: Kentucky will be hosting the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington from Sept. 25th thru Oct. 10th. This is the first time this event has ever been held outside of Europe though these games are still young having started in 1990. Nevertheless, this is a huge event for the U.S. and Kentucky.
If you are at all interested check out their great web-site: http://www.feigames2010.org/ .
If you go save a day to go to Mammoth Cave National park a few short hours south of Lexington. Mammoth Cave is a remarkable site that should be the 8th natural wonder of the world. MCNP is the United States' second most visited park in the nation (2nd to Niagra Falls).
Here is there website, another really good one: http://www.nps.gov/maca .
And another Mammoth Cave site: http://www.mammothcave.com/ .
My unpaid commercial for the wonderful state of Kentucky has come to an end...for now.
Carpe Diem!
i doubt we will go deep in the tournament yet if i were a coach of an opposing team i would not want to play us. We could pull off an upset or two.
As big of a fan of both Kentucky and college basketball as i am, you would have guessed that i have attended some of the tournament games. But last year's game was my first. Jason, Al, and Kevin went with me to watch Kentucky play Villanova. The Kats won. i actually drove to Chicago that morning/afternoon, hung out at a bar waiting for the game...and my friends, watched the game, then turned around and drove home that night. Now that is dedication.
Next year, i am going to start a new annual tradition of attending the SEC tournament in Atlanta. And in 2010 i am going to attend at least one NCAA tournament game...Kentucky game of course.
By the way, for those at all intersted in horses: Kentucky will be hosting the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington from Sept. 25th thru Oct. 10th. This is the first time this event has ever been held outside of Europe though these games are still young having started in 1990. Nevertheless, this is a huge event for the U.S. and Kentucky.
If you are at all interested check out their great web-site: http://www.feigames2010.org/ .
If you go save a day to go to Mammoth Cave National park a few short hours south of Lexington. Mammoth Cave is a remarkable site that should be the 8th natural wonder of the world. MCNP is the United States' second most visited park in the nation (2nd to Niagra Falls).
Here is there website, another really good one: http://www.nps.gov/maca .
And another Mammoth Cave site: http://www.mammothcave.com/ .
My unpaid commercial for the wonderful state of Kentucky has come to an end...for now.
Carpe Diem!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
LESS Maxbps: March Update
Hello! Well, i had about a two-to-three week let down on my getting healthier goals in both areas but particularly with my eating habits. And i lost my ipod for about the same time though not concurrently. All told i lost about 4 weeks worth of eating better and running. That's not to say i did not run at all during those four weeks but it was just treading water, if you know what i mean.
The good news is i found my ipod and am back on the running path having run my first 'official' 10k this past Saturday with 11min miles, no less. Then i turned around and ran (ran being a relative term) another 5.15 miles on Sunday after playing in a competitive singles tennis match. So, my exercise routine is coming back and strong. My eating habits...however have not improved enough. It's time for semi-drastic steps like cutting out fast food altogether. And for those wondering, 'fast-food' in my lexicon is described as any food that is handed to you out a window w/o you having to get out of your car.
i will send out, to those interested, a link to my running site on Nikeplus.com with instructions on how you can 'encourage' me, if you so choose, by adding messages directly to that site. For now, i am off fast-food and looking forward to running. i guess the most important thing is that i am feeling better, more fit, and looking forward to running/exercising. (My tennis game is also improving as a direct result of being in better shape.)
Until Next Time ---> Take Care and God Bless!
Your Friend - Brian
The good news is i found my ipod and am back on the running path having run my first 'official' 10k this past Saturday with 11min miles, no less. Then i turned around and ran (ran being a relative term) another 5.15 miles on Sunday after playing in a competitive singles tennis match. So, my exercise routine is coming back and strong. My eating habits...however have not improved enough. It's time for semi-drastic steps like cutting out fast food altogether. And for those wondering, 'fast-food' in my lexicon is described as any food that is handed to you out a window w/o you having to get out of your car.
i will send out, to those interested, a link to my running site on Nikeplus.com with instructions on how you can 'encourage' me, if you so choose, by adding messages directly to that site. For now, i am off fast-food and looking forward to running. i guess the most important thing is that i am feeling better, more fit, and looking forward to running/exercising. (My tennis game is also improving as a direct result of being in better shape.)
Until Next Time ---> Take Care and God Bless!
Your Friend - Brian
Friday, January 25, 2008
LESS Maxbps
Well, my running/exercising has paid off. i have lost 7 lbs but started to put it back on after taking the advice of a running instructor and conventional Dr.'s wisdom: rest a chest cold. i stopped running for almost a week (6 days) then decide it was time to buck conventional wisdom and do what my body and mind were telling me: START RUNNING AGAIN.
So, i did last night and am already heading in the right direction both w/ my health(cold) and my weight(moving back down). It is truly amazing how and how quickly our bodies can react to changing conditions/habits.
i am also getting that old runners' high; that desire and anticipation to run. A few years back when i first moved out, had my first apartment, and first job, i started running. i remember being at work thinking, "I cannot wait to get home to i can go running!" Well, that did not last very long. In fact, it ended when Kevin(my brother) and i moved in together up in West Chester. i did start playing volleyball during that era but should have continued running...for a number of reasons; not the least of which is the women!
My running group is about 85% women. That's 85% of about 85 people (approx. 67 of 85).
All those i have meant thus far are great, fun, smart, attractive women. But, that's not why i am running nor is it the reason i joined this group! (i have to keep telling myself that...eyes on the prize...first things first!)
When you have a few seconds click that link on the left under the same heading as this post. It will take you to my Nike-Apple running website where you can view my runs. It is really cool.
You can or will be able to leave me messages there.
Let me know how your '08 is going! And what i can do to help you reach your goals!?!
So, i did last night and am already heading in the right direction both w/ my health(cold) and my weight(moving back down). It is truly amazing how and how quickly our bodies can react to changing conditions/habits.
i am also getting that old runners' high; that desire and anticipation to run. A few years back when i first moved out, had my first apartment, and first job, i started running. i remember being at work thinking, "I cannot wait to get home to i can go running!" Well, that did not last very long. In fact, it ended when Kevin(my brother) and i moved in together up in West Chester. i did start playing volleyball during that era but should have continued running...for a number of reasons; not the least of which is the women!
My running group is about 85% women. That's 85% of about 85 people (approx. 67 of 85).
All those i have meant thus far are great, fun, smart, attractive women. But, that's not why i am running nor is it the reason i joined this group! (i have to keep telling myself that...eyes on the prize...first things first!)
When you have a few seconds click that link on the left under the same heading as this post. It will take you to my Nike-Apple running website where you can view my runs. It is really cool.
You can or will be able to leave me messages there.
Let me know how your '08 is going! And what i can do to help you reach your goals!?!
Friday, January 11, 2008
LESS Maxbps
The "LESS Maxbps" thread will be about my exercise, running, and eating adventures. Specifically about my quest to get in shape (i.e. eat a more healthy diet, exercise, lose 35#).
My start has been great. Four runs this year. Two runs loaded on the Nike+ website (the link is to the left under, you guessed it, "less maxpbs" ((http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/?l=runners,runs,1961723603#runners) ...for the really lazy among us.)
Feel free to join my Run Support Crew. There is no registration, no signing up, no nothing other than letting me know you are on the RSC. You can choose to be either a + (Positive) Influencer, - (Negative) Influencer, or even B (Both +/-) Influencer. All you have to do is send me comments designed to encourage me or tick me off both focused on getting my butt running.
Comments can come on this blog in the 'comments' section, via text message, email, phone call...whatever easiest/best for you.
Here's to a healthy and happy 2008 for all of us!
My start has been great. Four runs this year. Two runs loaded on the Nike+ website (the link is to the left under, you guessed it, "less maxpbs" ((http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/?l=runners,runs,1961723603#runners) ...for the really lazy among us.)
Feel free to join my Run Support Crew. There is no registration, no signing up, no nothing other than letting me know you are on the RSC. You can choose to be either a + (Positive) Influencer, - (Negative) Influencer, or even B (Both +/-) Influencer. All you have to do is send me comments designed to encourage me or tick me off both focused on getting my butt running.
Comments can come on this blog in the 'comments' section, via text message, email, phone call...whatever easiest/best for you.
Here's to a healthy and happy 2008 for all of us!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Shark Bite: Another Toilet Adventure
Hello! This thread on my blog will be short stories about the crazy katten (neither kat nor kitten) my friends Jenn & Jason convinced me to take in to my home. Despite these Shark Bites and my sarcasm I am very glad J&J thought of me as a home for this little philly b/c she is...dare I say it... precious.
I will add the first Toilet Adventure later but here is her latest...(Be forewarned this, as was the last, is slightly gross.)
As a rule, I do not let my katten follow me in the the bathroom when I am taking care of business or showering. And yes, like a puppy dog, she will follow me from room to room which is one of the characteristics that makes her so lovable. I am sure that will change when she becomes a full-fledged kat, though.
Anyway, I go into the rr to take care of #1 business the other day and failed to shut the door all the way.
"That's okay," I thought, "I will be in and out before she will investigate too far."
As I am...going I hear the door open and turn to see if she is entering. The door is further ajar but barely enough for her to even fit so I figure she is just testing the waters as it were. No sign nor sight of her at all so I'm good. I turn to finish my business...and...whoa...there the black spot is standing with her paws on the toilet peering into the bowl as if she's wondering why it is swirling and turning yellow. I nearly peeed all over the place including her when I jumped, startled at how she could have traversed from the door to here without my seeing her AT ALL!
This story, luckily for the both of us, ends without her getting wet at all. Unlike the previous Sharky Toilet Adventure Part I. Hmmmm.....Now that I think of it...her...she has been remarkably quite the entire time I have been writing these blog-posts. Wonder what she's destroyed now??? (Truth be told I have had her for two months and she has only destroyed one plant. Not bad by katten standards.)
I will add the first Toilet Adventure later but here is her latest...(Be forewarned this, as was the last, is slightly gross.)
As a rule, I do not let my katten follow me in the the bathroom when I am taking care of business or showering. And yes, like a puppy dog, she will follow me from room to room which is one of the characteristics that makes her so lovable. I am sure that will change when she becomes a full-fledged kat, though.
Anyway, I go into the rr to take care of #1 business the other day and failed to shut the door all the way.
"That's okay," I thought, "I will be in and out before she will investigate too far."
As I am...going I hear the door open and turn to see if she is entering. The door is further ajar but barely enough for her to even fit so I figure she is just testing the waters as it were. No sign nor sight of her at all so I'm good. I turn to finish my business...and...whoa...there the black spot is standing with her paws on the toilet peering into the bowl as if she's wondering why it is swirling and turning yellow. I nearly peeed all over the place including her when I jumped, startled at how she could have traversed from the door to here without my seeing her AT ALL!
This story, luckily for the both of us, ends without her getting wet at all. Unlike the previous Sharky Toilet Adventure Part I. Hmmmm.....Now that I think of it...her...she has been remarkably quite the entire time I have been writing these blog-posts. Wonder what she's destroyed now??? (Truth be told I have had her for two months and she has only destroyed one plant. Not bad by katten standards.)
A New Year's Night to Remember
Well, the new year ('08) has begun. My new year rang in Chicago w/ my friends Al, Anne, and Kevin along w/ three new friends (Patty, Illiana, and Wendy). We had dinner at Kevin's as the guys cooked (I just chopped...garlic and onions...they did wonders for my chances of an 'extra interesting' new year.)
Dinner was fantastic: filet mignon(Kevin-grilled on the roof of his bldg in the cold Chicago weather) and scallops(Al-battered and pan-fried). We then watched Al's award winning Dancing w/ the Euro Stars competition (seriously, Al, that needs to be on youtube.com so all can see), then headed over to a largely hispanic restaurant and bar called Carnivale.
The dancing was good, the atmosphere was great, and the swingers were out and about...quite literally. One couple was on the prowl. Wendy, ever the observant one, noticed how a couple was interacting on the dance floor: the woman dancing away enjoying the moment while the man was...let's just say putting in his time. Wendy's take on his presence on the dance floor was likely very accurate though we later found out just how so. (I won't say precisely what Wendy's take was b/c it's her take thus her place to say not mine. Suffice to say "he was putting in his time"...hint, hint!)
Wendy witnessed this couple 'approaching' another couple with a 'proposition.' Not too surprisingly the guy wanted to 'join' this couple while the woman did not want to 'join' them. This couple in question, that is to say the 'swingin' couple, I would say was in their late forties.
I cannot even imagine trying to convince, or even wanting to for that matter, a girlfriend or Heaven for bid wife, to swing...w/ a couple you just met on NYEve's no less; but apparently that is precisely what he did...to no avail though. The real question is did this guy get lucky on NYEve or get the boot. If that woman has the morals she displayed in refusing him this tryst he did indeed get the boot.
Well the ball dropped, in spanish, we hugged and kissed and wished each other a happy new year as we continued dancing in the new year. Then it came time to leave. Despite closing the place down, particularly the dance floor, when we went to get our coats we found that a couple hundred other people were, in fact, still there just waiting for us to leave so they, too, could get their coats. We, most of us anyway, managed to get through the lines rather quickly. Unfortunately, two of crew HAD to use the restroom placing themselves at the very end of the coat line. An hour later, just kidding, it was more like two...no about twenty minutes later the crew was ready to role home.....via cabs just the way we rolled into Carnivale.
But, alas, it was NYEve IN Chicago. As the snow continued to blow down like it only can in Chicago's notorious winds, we ventured out to find cabsss; as in three. See we had too many for one cab and our observant one was heading home south of our current location while the rest of us were heading back to Kevin's which was north. This is where the story turns.
After finding a cab for part of our crew, Illiana, Anne, Patty, and Al-being the gentleman to escort the ladies back (as you cannot hear the intonation in my voice I will spell it out for you: THIS IS SARCASM!). This cab dropped Anne off at her warm home then continued on to Kevin's where the three mouseketeers warmed their fingers and toes in Kevin's home w/ hot cocoa and soft, warm chenille blankets.
Meanwhile, out in the sub-zero snow-storm, Kevin, Wendy, and I searched for another cab to take Wendy south. Keep in mind, finding a cab in Chicago is, on average, very, very easy. But, again, this was NYEve at 2A.M. After finally finding a limo-cab that was likely meant for someone else back at Carnivale, we had walked a block West hoping to increase our chances of getting a cab initially, Wendy was on her way home.
This left Kevin and I in search of a cab in Chicago on NYDay morning at 2:30A.M. as all the other bars in Chicago closed forcing the drunken masses out on to the streets in search of...yes...cabs! So here Kev and I are w/ no sexy legs w/ which to attract a cabbie fighting for corner space to wave down a cab. Everyone trying to one up the other; i.e. moving a block up river to beat others to an available cab which did not exist in the first place.
After swimming up river a few blocks, then upstream, then back down we found ourselves at a five-street-intersection with heavily active crossroads. People hailing cabs everywhere. Drunken people, mostly women in high heals, falling all over, yelling out for friends, all lamenting about not being able to get a cab.
We finally resolved ourselves to taking a bus and began commiserating with a few others at the bus stop. Meanwhile, two blocks upriver an accident was attracting the attention of the local authorities: fire engine, ambulance, wreckers, and police cars. Yep, for those that are thinking ahead you are correct. The accident and subsequent contingent of vehicles blocked our saviors path: the bus couldn't get through. So while we waited, and waited, and waited we could almost see our bus behind the cadre of flashing lights just waiting, even wanting to get through to save the night...but it was not to be.
Kevin and I then turned to plan C or D, I can't remember. Heck it was probably plan E. Plan C was for one of our fellow party revellers to jump in their car and come back and get us. Yep, you guessed it, they (and when I say they I mean AL) was too drunk to drive. So we crossed the street and went down. The Blue Line in Chicago, for those that are not aware, is the subway one takes when heading to O'Hara, which is of course Chicago's infamous airport. At this point, I'm thinking I could just go to O'Hara, fly home, and make arrangements to have someone drive my car to Cincinnati. Heck I probably would have beat Kevin home at this rate.
After a minor wait, minor by tonight's standards, another 15-20 minutes, the blue line arrives to take us closer to Kevin's...not home mind you. As I am determined to change my habits I was determined NOT to eat anything this late at night, until that is all this occurred and we wound up at my favorite Chicago pizzeria, Santullo's - New York style large slice thin pizza. It is fantastic. So we took respite in Santullo's for about 30 minutes prior to continuing our "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" venture back to Kevin's.
Re-energized we climbed back out to the battle of finding a cab in Chicago on NYEve-Day-morning. It was now about 3:45A.M. Hoping to increase our chances we split the street. I walked up river to hail a cab, Kev hovered around the bus stop...just in case. Within about 15-20 minutes I spotted a cab a block upriver dropping off his passengers and thought, "This is it. I have to go for it despite the guy directly across the street from the cab also attempting to hail a cab." As I began running and approaching the cab I heard my adversary's date/girlfriend/wife(?) say from somewhere under shelter off the street, "There's one across the street." I quickened my pace and made it clear there was no way I was backing down.
I reached the cab first and thought, "I've got it. This one's mine!!!" Then the doors wouldn't open. Cabbie dude had locked the doors and would not let me in. Again, my legs weren't sexy enough. I knocked on the window, not to be denied. He opened it and I began bargaining - pleading really. He asked if I needed to go to 'bad' neighborhood to which I, of course, replied, "No. No. Not at all!" which is/was true. He looked skeptical....hmmm, I now wonder why? I guess I look low class for Chicago's standards. He awaited a street name and address which I could not remember. I finally convinced him we did NOT need to go to bad neighborhood and that my friend would give him the address.
Well, we made it back to Kev's place to, of course, find the three little muskateers safe and sound and as snug as bugs in rugs. I got my revenge, though inadvertently on Patty and Illiana as I am sure my constant sneezing, blowing my nose, clearing my throat, and getting up to take Alka-selzer Nighttime Relief cold medicine was partially to blame for their early 8A.M. departure. Of course, the other part of that departure involved, and was likely the main culprit of their departure, was Al's snoring. So....Al.....your payback is yet to come! Not sure what it will be nor when but I am sure it will be equally testing of one's patience and perservance!!!
Make yours a very Happy New Year!
Brian ps
Dinner was fantastic: filet mignon(Kevin-grilled on the roof of his bldg in the cold Chicago weather) and scallops(Al-battered and pan-fried). We then watched Al's award winning Dancing w/ the Euro Stars competition (seriously, Al, that needs to be on youtube.com so all can see), then headed over to a largely hispanic restaurant and bar called Carnivale.
The dancing was good, the atmosphere was great, and the swingers were out and about...quite literally. One couple was on the prowl. Wendy, ever the observant one, noticed how a couple was interacting on the dance floor: the woman dancing away enjoying the moment while the man was...let's just say putting in his time. Wendy's take on his presence on the dance floor was likely very accurate though we later found out just how so. (I won't say precisely what Wendy's take was b/c it's her take thus her place to say not mine. Suffice to say "he was putting in his time"...hint, hint!)
Wendy witnessed this couple 'approaching' another couple with a 'proposition.' Not too surprisingly the guy wanted to 'join' this couple while the woman did not want to 'join' them. This couple in question, that is to say the 'swingin' couple, I would say was in their late forties.
I cannot even imagine trying to convince, or even wanting to for that matter, a girlfriend or Heaven for bid wife, to swing...w/ a couple you just met on NYEve's no less; but apparently that is precisely what he did...to no avail though. The real question is did this guy get lucky on NYEve or get the boot. If that woman has the morals she displayed in refusing him this tryst he did indeed get the boot.
Well the ball dropped, in spanish, we hugged and kissed and wished each other a happy new year as we continued dancing in the new year. Then it came time to leave. Despite closing the place down, particularly the dance floor, when we went to get our coats we found that a couple hundred other people were, in fact, still there just waiting for us to leave so they, too, could get their coats. We, most of us anyway, managed to get through the lines rather quickly. Unfortunately, two of crew HAD to use the restroom placing themselves at the very end of the coat line. An hour later, just kidding, it was more like two...no about twenty minutes later the crew was ready to role home.....via cabs just the way we rolled into Carnivale.
But, alas, it was NYEve IN Chicago. As the snow continued to blow down like it only can in Chicago's notorious winds, we ventured out to find cabsss; as in three. See we had too many for one cab and our observant one was heading home south of our current location while the rest of us were heading back to Kevin's which was north. This is where the story turns.
After finding a cab for part of our crew, Illiana, Anne, Patty, and Al-being the gentleman to escort the ladies back (as you cannot hear the intonation in my voice I will spell it out for you: THIS IS SARCASM!). This cab dropped Anne off at her warm home then continued on to Kevin's where the three mouseketeers warmed their fingers and toes in Kevin's home w/ hot cocoa and soft, warm chenille blankets.
Meanwhile, out in the sub-zero snow-storm, Kevin, Wendy, and I searched for another cab to take Wendy south. Keep in mind, finding a cab in Chicago is, on average, very, very easy. But, again, this was NYEve at 2A.M. After finally finding a limo-cab that was likely meant for someone else back at Carnivale, we had walked a block West hoping to increase our chances of getting a cab initially, Wendy was on her way home.
This left Kevin and I in search of a cab in Chicago on NYDay morning at 2:30A.M. as all the other bars in Chicago closed forcing the drunken masses out on to the streets in search of...yes...cabs! So here Kev and I are w/ no sexy legs w/ which to attract a cabbie fighting for corner space to wave down a cab. Everyone trying to one up the other; i.e. moving a block up river to beat others to an available cab which did not exist in the first place.
After swimming up river a few blocks, then upstream, then back down we found ourselves at a five-street-intersection with heavily active crossroads. People hailing cabs everywhere. Drunken people, mostly women in high heals, falling all over, yelling out for friends, all lamenting about not being able to get a cab.
We finally resolved ourselves to taking a bus and began commiserating with a few others at the bus stop. Meanwhile, two blocks upriver an accident was attracting the attention of the local authorities: fire engine, ambulance, wreckers, and police cars. Yep, for those that are thinking ahead you are correct. The accident and subsequent contingent of vehicles blocked our saviors path: the bus couldn't get through. So while we waited, and waited, and waited we could almost see our bus behind the cadre of flashing lights just waiting, even wanting to get through to save the night...but it was not to be.
Kevin and I then turned to plan C or D, I can't remember. Heck it was probably plan E. Plan C was for one of our fellow party revellers to jump in their car and come back and get us. Yep, you guessed it, they (and when I say they I mean AL) was too drunk to drive. So we crossed the street and went down. The Blue Line in Chicago, for those that are not aware, is the subway one takes when heading to O'Hara, which is of course Chicago's infamous airport. At this point, I'm thinking I could just go to O'Hara, fly home, and make arrangements to have someone drive my car to Cincinnati. Heck I probably would have beat Kevin home at this rate.
After a minor wait, minor by tonight's standards, another 15-20 minutes, the blue line arrives to take us closer to Kevin's...not home mind you. As I am determined to change my habits I was determined NOT to eat anything this late at night, until that is all this occurred and we wound up at my favorite Chicago pizzeria, Santullo's - New York style large slice thin pizza. It is fantastic. So we took respite in Santullo's for about 30 minutes prior to continuing our "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" venture back to Kevin's.
Re-energized we climbed back out to the battle of finding a cab in Chicago on NYEve-Day-morning. It was now about 3:45A.M. Hoping to increase our chances we split the street. I walked up river to hail a cab, Kev hovered around the bus stop...just in case. Within about 15-20 minutes I spotted a cab a block upriver dropping off his passengers and thought, "This is it. I have to go for it despite the guy directly across the street from the cab also attempting to hail a cab." As I began running and approaching the cab I heard my adversary's date/girlfriend/wife(?) say from somewhere under shelter off the street, "There's one across the street." I quickened my pace and made it clear there was no way I was backing down.
I reached the cab first and thought, "I've got it. This one's mine!!!" Then the doors wouldn't open. Cabbie dude had locked the doors and would not let me in. Again, my legs weren't sexy enough. I knocked on the window, not to be denied. He opened it and I began bargaining - pleading really. He asked if I needed to go to 'bad' neighborhood to which I, of course, replied, "No. No. Not at all!" which is/was true. He looked skeptical....hmmm, I now wonder why? I guess I look low class for Chicago's standards. He awaited a street name and address which I could not remember. I finally convinced him we did NOT need to go to bad neighborhood and that my friend would give him the address.
Well, we made it back to Kev's place to, of course, find the three little muskateers safe and sound and as snug as bugs in rugs. I got my revenge, though inadvertently on Patty and Illiana as I am sure my constant sneezing, blowing my nose, clearing my throat, and getting up to take Alka-selzer Nighttime Relief cold medicine was partially to blame for their early 8A.M. departure. Of course, the other part of that departure involved, and was likely the main culprit of their departure, was Al's snoring. So....Al.....your payback is yet to come! Not sure what it will be nor when but I am sure it will be equally testing of one's patience and perservance!!!
Make yours a very Happy New Year!
Brian ps
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