I am struggling. I have not been on the bike since the Thursday night trainer session, and before that a Monday torture session with James and Brown Bear. The Holidays and weather have just not been helpful in getting me on a bike or doing anything.
I have spent quite a bit of time on the couch and have been giving the TV quite a workout. I am logging hour after hour watching nothing. I have a little issue with becoming sedate when it is cold and crappy outside. Who likes to ride the rollers or trainer inside going no-where? I don't, and I haven't.
I am having motivational issues. I don't want to do anything. I don't even want to write on the blog. I haven't written or even felt like writing anything since Monday. Could be I have nothing to say, well, when do I actually have anything to say?
What is motivation? So I look up motivation, and it is defined as "the act of motivating". Not much help there. How about -"Desire to do, interest or drive" "incentive or inducement". A little better. Looking at what motivation means, I try to decide what "drives" me? What is the crowbar that gets me off the computer, TV or couch? I don't know? I can't say that I know what force, what poster of a kitten, what image is my key to the shackles of my laziness. It is a sheer act of violent nature that gets my body from the horizontal to the vertical plain. Completely unexplainable, I can't tell you what makes me want to do what I do, I just do it. -Sometimes I don't.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
You've just been dropped
I rode with two of my favorite team riders today, both have similar styles. If you consider bringing the pain style. Brown Bear is a kid, I mean that in the best possible way. He is all of 16 years of age. With the way he brings the pain on a ride, some might call him a Punk, actually I do call him a punk. If you find yourself on a ride sandwiched between James and Brown Bear, you had better have your big boy pants on.
What was I thinking going on a ride with two of the team's cannibals? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so bring the pain. Mission accomplished. Brown Bear and James put it down after our rendezvous at the skatepark out 21st. Avery saw Brown Bear pushing the pace into the mid 20s. I went up front for a pull and felt good, James rotated to the sharp-end and pushed it into the high 20s low 30s on the short piece of HW51. Thanks for that.
There is something about riding with guys that are stronger than you. It can crush you, eat you up and spit you out, or it can elevate you to a different level. I generally find myself in the company of riders that bring hammers in their jersey pockets. As the saying goes "sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail" and if you happen to ride with James and Brown Bear and you are the hammer, you will probably get dropped.
What was I thinking going on a ride with two of the team's cannibals? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so bring the pain. Mission accomplished. Brown Bear and James put it down after our rendezvous at the skatepark out 21st. Avery saw Brown Bear pushing the pace into the mid 20s. I went up front for a pull and felt good, James rotated to the sharp-end and pushed it into the high 20s low 30s on the short piece of HW51. Thanks for that.
There is something about riding with guys that are stronger than you. It can crush you, eat you up and spit you out, or it can elevate you to a different level. I generally find myself in the company of riders that bring hammers in their jersey pockets. As the saying goes "sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail" and if you happen to ride with James and Brown Bear and you are the hammer, you will probably get dropped.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Soothes the Soul pt. 2
Violent Femmes first album is a must own. If we did not have digital this and download that, it would be one of the albums that I would save if my house were on fire, after I got the dogs out. You get my point. I was introduced to Violent Femmes on a Church ski trip many many moons ago, by Becca Johnson. She was two years older than me, and at the ripe ol' age of 13 that is a continental divide. All the guys in the youth group worshiped at the alter that was Becca. I was 13 and a little behind the "girls don't have cooties" power curve. Anyway Becca and I were "buds" as she put it, because I could ski. I could ski up to her ability and none of the other kids could.
So I'm sitting on the church bus headed to New Mexico in search of the pow pow, Walkman plugged into the ears and a suitcase full of tapes. That's right, if you grew up in the '80s you know what I speak of. Walkman=tapeplayer and a suitcase full of cassette tapes. Your tape box was your pride and joy, sometimes alphabetized, arranged by genre, or just a mess. I preferred alphabetized, but not completely, just the a's together b's together and so on. Didn't want to look to anal. Becca sits down next to me and checks out my catalog, pops open my player and slips a tape into it, and presses play.
I was introduced to the Violent Femmes with the track Add it up. I would love to reprint the lyrics, but it is better served up by listening than by reading, experience it for the first time with your ears. If you are familiar with this song then imagine what it did to a Texas farmboy at the golden age of 13. I think at the time I was into the hair bands of the '80s, but after this I had a revelation and a coming of age in my musical taste. If only at such a young age I would have know what it all meant. Oh, well can't cry over milk that was never spilt.
This album became the soundtrack for my relationship life in middle and high school. It may be a few decades old, but boys and girls and songs about their relationships will never lose its relevance. I would have to say that it is timeless, yet has a nostalgic quality for me. If I still had a Walkman and some tapes I would pop in the 'Femmes and listen to Gordon and crew.
*Warning* there are some explicit lyrics on this album -don't say I didn't warn you
So I'm sitting on the church bus headed to New Mexico in search of the pow pow, Walkman plugged into the ears and a suitcase full of tapes. That's right, if you grew up in the '80s you know what I speak of. Walkman=tapeplayer and a suitcase full of cassette tapes. Your tape box was your pride and joy, sometimes alphabetized, arranged by genre, or just a mess. I preferred alphabetized, but not completely, just the a's together b's together and so on. Didn't want to look to anal. Becca sits down next to me and checks out my catalog, pops open my player and slips a tape into it, and presses play.
I was introduced to the Violent Femmes with the track Add it up. I would love to reprint the lyrics, but it is better served up by listening than by reading, experience it for the first time with your ears. If you are familiar with this song then imagine what it did to a Texas farmboy at the golden age of 13. I think at the time I was into the hair bands of the '80s, but after this I had a revelation and a coming of age in my musical taste. If only at such a young age I would have know what it all meant. Oh, well can't cry over milk that was never spilt.
This album became the soundtrack for my relationship life in middle and high school. It may be a few decades old, but boys and girls and songs about their relationships will never lose its relevance. I would have to say that it is timeless, yet has a nostalgic quality for me. If I still had a Walkman and some tapes I would pop in the 'Femmes and listen to Gordon and crew.
*Warning* there are some explicit lyrics on this album -don't say I didn't warn you
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tron
No Spoiler
I saw Tron last night. I'll give it 5 stars. Out of ten.
Let's start with the good and I will finish it up with the bad, well on second thought let's finish on a positive. Don't want anyone going home crying.
It was a little long, not in actual time length, but action loaded up front and then it took a Disney nosedive into slow motion no plot. The plot, what plot? It was good vs evil lame, no twists, no turns. Classic Disney. The only thing it had going for it was visual. Visually it was stunning, but not 3D. The 3D was nonexistent. DON'T WASTE your money on 3D. The credits had better effects then the actual movie.
Don't believe the hype, but don't get me wrong either. Visually, this movie was stunning, beautiful, worth seeing on the big screen. It's only redeeming quality was the visual, albeit non-3D, but eye candy galore.
The plot was thin at best, but when it looks this good who needs plot? Kind of like people. There was a little world-domination Hitler going on, not sure what that was about. Walt would not have been happy with that. Anyway, I should not have expected much, you could tell they were trying to make a good movie, but missed the mark. You can turn the mind off when you see this one, but just enjoy the pretty pictures. Don't worry about getting lost in this film, just get lost in it visually.
Go see this movie if only to see it, and only see it in 3D if you absolutely have to.
I saw Tron last night. I'll give it 5 stars. Out of ten.
Let's start with the good and I will finish it up with the bad, well on second thought let's finish on a positive. Don't want anyone going home crying.
It was a little long, not in actual time length, but action loaded up front and then it took a Disney nosedive into slow motion no plot. The plot, what plot? It was good vs evil lame, no twists, no turns. Classic Disney. The only thing it had going for it was visual. Visually it was stunning, but not 3D. The 3D was nonexistent. DON'T WASTE your money on 3D. The credits had better effects then the actual movie.
Don't believe the hype, but don't get me wrong either. Visually, this movie was stunning, beautiful, worth seeing on the big screen. It's only redeeming quality was the visual, albeit non-3D, but eye candy galore.
The plot was thin at best, but when it looks this good who needs plot? Kind of like people. There was a little world-domination Hitler going on, not sure what that was about. Walt would not have been happy with that. Anyway, I should not have expected much, you could tell they were trying to make a good movie, but missed the mark. You can turn the mind off when you see this one, but just enjoy the pretty pictures. Don't worry about getting lost in this film, just get lost in it visually.
Go see this movie if only to see it, and only see it in 3D if you absolutely have to.
Bite the Hand
I thank my lucky stars that we have some sort of cycling coverage on TV. I know it was not always like this and to get the latest info you had to have a VeloNews handy or call a phone number to get the latest pre-recorded race results. So, yes we are privileged in the access that we have to races the world over. Not to mention the world wide web. Our savior for all things cycling. So, here is my open letter to Versus.
Dear Versus,
I have some ideas that might help your cycling coverage.
1. We are already watching your station, we don't need to know about the up coming PBR (pro bull riding) (I thought it was a tasty beverage) event in slow motion. Spandex does not mix with chaps -well not in this crowd. Your commercials alone are enough to get me to STOP watching
2. I will most likely never drive a Cadillac or buy Michelob Ultra. Please for the love of all things holy sell me something I can and will use. If we are in front of the TV and watching cycling, you can reasonably assume that we are cyclists. Beer commercials are good, and you need more of them. I know, I know you are limited to commercials that the sponsors are buying.
3. Paul and Phil, love 'em. They need a third person in the booth to keep them on track.
4. On the same lines as Paul and Phil. They are given a quota of how many times they can mention Lance outside of the actual action. If Lance is somewhere at the back of the peloton, we don't need a camera on him and 5 mins of commentary. If he is at the front, bridging, attacking, etc... fell free to give him some love. Seriously if you are in love with Lance, let him know move to Vermont and do the deed.
5. I want a Brian Holm and Rolg Aldag show. Mic these guys up and put 50 cameras on them. If you haven't seen Chasing Legends you won't know what I am talking about. These guys are awesome.
6. Jens Voigt. Give us Jens. Lots and lots of Jens, mic him up and put a tracker on him so we know what he is doing at all times.
7. How about introducing America to other cyclists other than Lance? There are some legends out there, that many people have never heard of. Throw us a freakin' bone.
8. How about some coverage on the other jerseys in a Grand Tour? Yes, we know the leaders jersey and the Sprint, but show the battles for the KOM and the Youth.
9. Show the start of the race, interview some riders, show how the break formed. I mean really show it, you have plenty of time, a five sec clip of two guys going off the front does not cut it. Show feed zones, show the intermediate sprints, same thing here 5sec is not enough. Show the peloton with the teams getting their riders in position to start the sprint.
10. And by all means send me a bottle of wine so I can enjoy it with your cheese.
Thank you for your considerations, I am available for a position to help you with your production. We will also need to get the rights to every ProTour race. I have watched your programming, and it is not like you can't make the room for a little cycling. Whacked Out Sports???? are you kidding me? With me on board we can do much better. Seriously MMA, PBR, NHL and Cycling on the same network? How much are you drinking and smoking when programing?
Glenn Duh
Dear Versus,
I have some ideas that might help your cycling coverage.
1. We are already watching your station, we don't need to know about the up coming PBR (pro bull riding) (I thought it was a tasty beverage) event in slow motion. Spandex does not mix with chaps -well not in this crowd. Your commercials alone are enough to get me to STOP watching
2. I will most likely never drive a Cadillac or buy Michelob Ultra. Please for the love of all things holy sell me something I can and will use. If we are in front of the TV and watching cycling, you can reasonably assume that we are cyclists. Beer commercials are good, and you need more of them. I know, I know you are limited to commercials that the sponsors are buying.
3. Paul and Phil, love 'em. They need a third person in the booth to keep them on track.
4. On the same lines as Paul and Phil. They are given a quota of how many times they can mention Lance outside of the actual action. If Lance is somewhere at the back of the peloton, we don't need a camera on him and 5 mins of commentary. If he is at the front, bridging, attacking, etc... fell free to give him some love. Seriously if you are in love with Lance, let him know move to Vermont and do the deed.
5. I want a Brian Holm and Rolg Aldag show. Mic these guys up and put 50 cameras on them. If you haven't seen Chasing Legends you won't know what I am talking about. These guys are awesome.
6. Jens Voigt. Give us Jens. Lots and lots of Jens, mic him up and put a tracker on him so we know what he is doing at all times.
7. How about introducing America to other cyclists other than Lance? There are some legends out there, that many people have never heard of. Throw us a freakin' bone.
8. How about some coverage on the other jerseys in a Grand Tour? Yes, we know the leaders jersey and the Sprint, but show the battles for the KOM and the Youth.
9. Show the start of the race, interview some riders, show how the break formed. I mean really show it, you have plenty of time, a five sec clip of two guys going off the front does not cut it. Show feed zones, show the intermediate sprints, same thing here 5sec is not enough. Show the peloton with the teams getting their riders in position to start the sprint.
10. And by all means send me a bottle of wine so I can enjoy it with your cheese.
Thank you for your considerations, I am available for a position to help you with your production. We will also need to get the rights to every ProTour race. I have watched your programming, and it is not like you can't make the room for a little cycling. Whacked Out Sports???? are you kidding me? With me on board we can do much better. Seriously MMA, PBR, NHL and Cycling on the same network? How much are you drinking and smoking when programing?
Glenn Duh
Friday, December 17, 2010
Oh Fence
Who is the "they" who makes things the way things are? I'm talking about offending. Saying something and someone gets bent out of shape because of what was said. I think it is sad. It is sad that we have become so soft and everything is fluff. You put a hard edge on something and oh boy somebody is gonna get hurt. Hurt little feelers. Buck up little campers, life is not all soccer and soft-ball trophies.
If I say that something is gay, I'm not trying to offend, poke fun or demean people of a lifestyle choice. I don't use the word as a derogative toward someones sexual preference. It has taken on a meaning that has nothing to do with the original meaning or the substitute meaning that the word now signifies. Gay in it's original form meant fun, happy, whimsical. I don't use it for it's first intended usage, that would be gay. See how I used it there? And I did not use it as a sexual preference slang.
Words change, language changes, people define words in their own and unique way. Case and point, I spent some time in the '80s, and the word bad changed it's meaning. Bad became good, it was an uber positive word and a little overused or abused. I am guilty as charged. Dude became a standard and I have not gotten rid of it in my day-to-day vocabulary. I call everyone dude, and have even had full conversations with people only using the word. Dude -look it up in the dictionary, and tell me we don't change words.
Now for my favorite offencive word that I cannot stop using. Retard, and it's other form, Retarded. Hang around me long enough and you will hear it, more than once. I laughed so hard in the Hangover when Allen pronounces it RA-tard. "Ha ha classic." I am by no means using the word to be offencive to people who are handicapped, mentally challenged, developmentally challenged, challenged challenged, etc. I know this word it the one with the least amount of grey area, and I use it with reckless abandon.
I feel that no matter how guarded we are with our choice of verbiage, we will offend someone. It is inevitable. Once again, I think people should harden up, speak your mind. -Respect your fellow human. Dude, I might be retarded if I call something gay. Get your pannies unbunched, a clean bowl of Post Toasties and enjoy life 'cause it's BAD.
If I say that something is gay, I'm not trying to offend, poke fun or demean people of a lifestyle choice. I don't use the word as a derogative toward someones sexual preference. It has taken on a meaning that has nothing to do with the original meaning or the substitute meaning that the word now signifies. Gay in it's original form meant fun, happy, whimsical. I don't use it for it's first intended usage, that would be gay. See how I used it there? And I did not use it as a sexual preference slang.
Words change, language changes, people define words in their own and unique way. Case and point, I spent some time in the '80s, and the word bad changed it's meaning. Bad became good, it was an uber positive word and a little overused or abused. I am guilty as charged. Dude became a standard and I have not gotten rid of it in my day-to-day vocabulary. I call everyone dude, and have even had full conversations with people only using the word. Dude -look it up in the dictionary, and tell me we don't change words.
Now for my favorite offencive word that I cannot stop using. Retard, and it's other form, Retarded. Hang around me long enough and you will hear it, more than once. I laughed so hard in the Hangover when Allen pronounces it RA-tard. "Ha ha classic." I am by no means using the word to be offencive to people who are handicapped, mentally challenged, developmentally challenged, challenged challenged, etc. I know this word it the one with the least amount of grey area, and I use it with reckless abandon.
I feel that no matter how guarded we are with our choice of verbiage, we will offend someone. It is inevitable. Once again, I think people should harden up, speak your mind. -Respect your fellow human. Dude, I might be retarded if I call something gay. Get your pannies unbunched, a clean bowl of Post Toasties and enjoy life 'cause it's BAD.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Soothes the Soul pt.1
I was asked if I could only listen to one song what would it be. I don't know how to answer that question. I love music (country music excluded). I would have to pick something classical, no not Classic Rock -Classical as in"Real Music". I don't listen to classical, one -we don't have a good station here in "short bus radio land", two -I like classical, but its hard to look this cool rocking out to Bach. Not that you cannot rock out to Bach. You can.
I am a Wagner man. That is some heavy stuff. If you are not familiar, think helicopter scene in Apocalypse Now. Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, and Ride of the Valkyries would be on my shortlist of "the one song". Yes I know it is not a song it is a Opera, so there I kind of circumnavigated the "one song" by choosing an opera.
This brings me to an interesting dilemma... Most influential albums in my life, or must own albums. It is easy to throw down albums on a list and let, you the reader wonder what they mean to me. If you own the album or know the music, you know what it represents in your life, but not mine.
Off the top of my head... Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon -How can you not own this album? Aside from the fact that Money is overplayed to death. It is a great song, but enough already. This album is meant to be listened to as one work. Put it in, press play and enjoy you can't listen to it out of order and by all means do not listen to just one song. It is truly a work of art. Not to mention the "Dark Side of the Rainbow", but you can play Wizard of Oz with DSotM as the sound track. I've never done it, but heard about it. ?????
I found DSotM later in my musical growth, I did have The Wall, and was introduced to it by the movie in the early '80s. Oh '80s music. Got to love it. I cut my teeth on the "hair-bands" and then the "velvet" movement. I started skateboarding and as a rite of passage had to listen to "punk". I did own a Michel Jackson album in there somewhere, but who didn't. Cast the first stone.
Up Next...
Violent Femmes
Depeche Mode
The Cure
Fugazi
U2
INXS
Joy Division/New Order
NIN
I am a Wagner man. That is some heavy stuff. If you are not familiar, think helicopter scene in Apocalypse Now. Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, and Ride of the Valkyries would be on my shortlist of "the one song". Yes I know it is not a song it is a Opera, so there I kind of circumnavigated the "one song" by choosing an opera.
This brings me to an interesting dilemma... Most influential albums in my life, or must own albums. It is easy to throw down albums on a list and let, you the reader wonder what they mean to me. If you own the album or know the music, you know what it represents in your life, but not mine.
Off the top of my head... Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon -How can you not own this album? Aside from the fact that Money is overplayed to death. It is a great song, but enough already. This album is meant to be listened to as one work. Put it in, press play and enjoy you can't listen to it out of order and by all means do not listen to just one song. It is truly a work of art. Not to mention the "Dark Side of the Rainbow", but you can play Wizard of Oz with DSotM as the sound track. I've never done it, but heard about it. ?????
I found DSotM later in my musical growth, I did have The Wall, and was introduced to it by the movie in the early '80s. Oh '80s music. Got to love it. I cut my teeth on the "hair-bands" and then the "velvet" movement. I started skateboarding and as a rite of passage had to listen to "punk". I did own a Michel Jackson album in there somewhere, but who didn't. Cast the first stone.
Up Next...
Violent Femmes
Depeche Mode
The Cure
Fugazi
U2
INXS
Joy Division/New Order
NIN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)