Banzai !

A bit of a splash on my tech blog... I wrote a post on "seven wonders" on Sunday night. It was picked up by an aggregation tech news site and my hit rate is through the roof. Check out this graph...

Note this is for my tech blog, not CC. It has almost doubled my total hits in the span of 2 days. On the site DZone it hit #3 in terms of popularity. That's pretty cool.

Not So Glamorous (A Day in the Life #14)

On Wednesday, July 4th, 11 am, the heat rises in a steamy shimmy above the lake. The mercury approaches 100 F. The humidity is relentless.

Our hero and Blackbird are on the Proving Grounds, cranking out lap after lap. He eases past roller-bladers, bicyclists, walkers, children, dogs.

At mile 28 of 35, there are no heroes, no velocitizers, no arch-rivals. Just heat and sweat.

He looks around, feeling lonesome. "This kinda sucks", he muses aloud.

He wipes his brow and peddles on.

Happy Independence Day, USA !

I hope everyone has a very happy and safe 4th of July!

I'm honoured to be a guest in the land of the free. When one thinks about the genesis of the country and the principles of the time, it's pretty cool stuff. It is easy for every country to be cyncical about 'the system' but this system of the "American experiment", when viewed through the prism of history, is profound and wildly successful.

Blog tag for Mom

In honour of her birthday, why not more blog tags?

1. Mom made my sister and I go to bed pretty early. I remember being 7 years old and going to bed before it was dark in the summer. Years later, both my sister and I reaped major academic awards. I think there is a direct connection.

2. She does a cryptoquote and crossword every day.

3. Not only an award-winning baker (see previous blog tag) but also an excellent cook. I now (and for years) appreciate the good food. Every time I go home at Christmas, there are some key dishes made. Even though I eat just fine here in the USA, I think a part of me starves between visits. True for all of us, re: home, I think.

4. Mom is a very good listener. A lot of people in our family seek her council on a wide-range of stuff, from taxes to medical sanity checks. And if she doesn't know, she'll tell you straight.

5. She once drove a Pontiac Lemans back when the gas was leaded and the engines were monsters. Once, I had gotten a deep cut at school and required stitches. Rumour has it that the old "Bronze Lemans" hauled serious ass up our road as she came to get me. Smoke show and a bit of a wheelstand!

Happy Birthday, Mom

A Fun Post

I don't link very often to my tech blog but the readers of CC might enjoy this...

Check out my parody of a very popular tech gadget

Happy Canada Day

I am waving a small Canadian flag near my desk... Tough to be away from home today, especially with memories like this pic: this is the Parliament in Ottawa, with fireworks behind, over the Ottawa River, which flows betwixt anglophone Ontario and francophone Quebec. The symbolism is profound. If the defining historical struggle in the US is uniting black and white, ours is surely uniting the English and French.

Random... One time, when I lived in Kentucky, I was at a party. An older man heard that I was from Canada and thanked me/Canada for our help in the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-1980. In brief, an ambassador, Ken Taylor, hid some Americans for many weeks in his official residence.

Here is a recent story about the great escape, in Wired magazine. The story is more about the CIA's plan to get the hostages out of the embassy, but it has this quote....

The Yankees said it, not me, so it's not bragging (?). Quoteth:

CIA cover stories are generally designed to be mundane and unlikely to attract attention. That's how Mendez's plan started out. He would use Canadian documentation for the Americans, because of the common language and similar culture — and, well, everybody loves Canadians.

Hello Laura, Soccer Star

dear Laura, (my cousin back on Prince Edward Island)

Congratulations on your big night in the first soccer game of the season.

A goal and an assist! Woo-hoo! That is fantastic!

The action photos are great... (click here)

Keep up the good work and have fun
Mike

Perspective, Again

There was a triathlon near Columbia, MO, yesterday. A young man in his 20s drowned during the swim. (Story is here).

He was close to the shore. I wonder if he had a heart condition. Though truly tragic, I don't think that this reflects a danger of triathlons.

He was not in the StL Tri club. I didn't know him nor does anyone in the club, based on the website posting. But it sure puts things in perspective.

So, too, does this: when the racers/organizers realized a guy went under, all of the swimmers stopped and formed a human chain to find him. The race was completely set aside until he was in the care of the medical team, as it should be.

Revisiting Rowdy

More tidbits of the car.....

• I continue to wave at Miatas. The drivers find this odd, since they don't know why I'm waving.

• It is nice to have working AC, backup lights, and some confidence that I won't "cook the engine" at stoplights.

• DQR = Dependability, Quality, and Reliability. Though possibly redundant, this is Honda's mantra and I'm sold. The build quality is awesome and the engineering is genius. For example, the shifter comes out of the dash (Euro-style) which gives a ton of room for stuff down where it used to be. It is a bit weird though since my car looks like it is very happy to see you.
• Between the seats there is a sliding panel which reveals 2 cup holders. But _that_ thing slides as well for another cubbyhole: double-secret hiding spot for a wallet etc.
  
• It is so easy to get in and out! The car is a low-rider hatchback and yet feels like a minivan compared to the Miata.
• The seats are fantastic. Great support with little wings at the edges. They are mostly cloth with suede leather edges, and red stitching which is a motif throughout the interior.
• As I get used to the shifter, I drive much more aggressively now. It'll hum along when it wants to. Though that Subaru is still the rocket ship.

World Gas Prices

From Wired magazine: recent gas prices around the world. For those who know my dad, this is like a belated father's day gift.

Price per US gallon, US dollars:

$6.65 London
$6.53 Paris
$5.62 Rome
$3.57 Sydney
$3.28 Toronto
$2.69 Chicago
$2.44 Bejing
$2.32 Buenos Aires
$1.19 Bagdad
$0.86 Cairo

A Team Effort

Our hero grimaces. "Damn bugs," he mutters and spits.

He is in the tri-position, cutting through the air at 18 mph, forming a triangle on his trusty steed, out in the open fields of St Peters, MO. So far, so good: he has maintained his lead over the dreaded Jim G during the swim, and had a relatively good T1. Despite awakening at 5:45 am, his legs feel energized. It is 8 am. The sun beats down on a long stream of cyclists, who have emerged from the long winter to celebrate the first tri of the summer. Our hero looks ahead to the turn-around point, halfway of the 20 mile bike. No sight of his nefarious arch-rival since the swim.

Parched, he pulls the water bottle up to his lips. Zounds! In an instant, the bottle slips and falls to the ground. He stops to retrieve it and notices the mileage indicator on his bike: 666 miles.

Not good: evil is in the air. Our hero's nostrils flare at the sense of danger.

Soon, at the halfway point, he glances backwards: Double zounds! The insidious Jim G has closed the gap, and is merely a few lengths back, seemingly appearing out of nowhere!

As the two cyclists bear down, Jim approaches, inexorably. He pulls his water bottle and good-naturedly tries to spray our hero. They smile. They chat.

But the subtext is clear: game on.

With his spinning-class training over the winter, Jim G pulls into the lead. Our hero grunts and tries to stay close, but not so close as to incur a drafting penalty. They cycle this way for over 7 miles, each rider giving no quarter to the other.

Finally, with 2 miles to go in the bike, our hero pulls alongside of the villain. They chat again. Father's Day. Sunny. Pleasantries abound, but the time is getting near....

They approach a hill: a long grade that stretches for 1/4 mile. Our hero's legs are already burning. A strong runner, he will probably win that leg of the event, but the time to make hay is now. A triathlete can never concede a leg, and certainly not the bike, where the high velocity equates to bigtime distance, compared to the run.

Our hero grimaces once more, and then, miraculously, the calvary arrives... A new player awakens and joins the fray.

Blackbird! More commonly known as one half of a semi-organic velocitizer, our hero's trusty steed seems to shed weight as they ascend the slope. The team transforms from a velocity vehicle to an anti-gravitron device! In virtually no time, the dreaded Jim G and his evil, unnamed steed fall back. At the halfway part of the grade, he is dozens of lengths back. Our hero peddles furiously -- almost impotently -- in a super-easy gear but he and Blackbird pull up the grade as though on a rope-pull at a ski slope. At the top, a long descent, and then a curve. At the end of the curve, the villain is no longer in sight!

Blackbird and our hero quickly dispatch the rest of the bike leg. With a friendly pat to his glorious steed, he transitions at T2 and dashes off for the run. With the heat beating down, and having suffered a major psychological blow, Jim G has no chance. 40 minutes and 5 grueling miles later, CC crosses the finish line in triumph.

CC/Blackbird 1 Jim G 0

Blog tag for Dad

In the spirit of blog tag, and the post for Mom, here are 5 things about my Dad.

1. He's as honest as they get. Not just in terms of money etc, but intellectual honesty, which I define as prioritizing truth over ego. If my Dad doesn't know the answer, he'll tell you. He also sees both sides of an issue as a true philosopher does.

2. There's not many answers that he doesn't know. He has spent a lifetime reading and learning about how stuff works: mechanical (his trade), electronics, you name it. As we grew up, Dad was always in a nearby room working on something. Fictional TV bores him.

3. Dad doesn't sit around much. In 30+ years or so, he has given blood 200+ times, volunteered for 25+ years for the fire department (a huge commitment -- imagine getting up at 3 am to dig out your driveway of snow, so you can go rescue someone's house), has been an elder in our church, and lately as been a civic leader, making it to deputy mayor of our town.

4. Here's one that may surprise even Island readers. When I was 6, two friends told my dad that I had stolen a little toy car. I don't remember getting a chance to testify but I do remember having my hide tanned right there and then, in front of the other boys. There is no greater humiliation. Years later, I understood and am grateful. I would (will?) do the same. "Time outs" didn't exist back then, and even now they don't build character.

5. He once bought an antique swather (kinda like this one) for $150. No one knows why.

Happy Father's Day to Charlie and all the Dads!

Blackbird, meet Rowdy

Well, the new car has been "interesting" from a tri perspective.

A hatch/trunk rack won't work due to the spoiler.

A trailer hitch can't be installed due to the body work (it has a factory sport kit that is very popular with the younger set).

So your cyberscriber had to get handy: pop off the front tire and throw Blackbird in the back. This wasn't as easy as it sounds. I'm still trying to figure out if I put the front tire back on correctly.... A minor detail, considering I have a triathlon tomorrow.

Keen readers will note that there is a pillow in the back. This is to prop up the bike.

If you want something done.....

... give it to a busy person. Indeed.

When I finished The 2nd Article, I put everything into neutral. I've worked out twice in June! Gah.... Now after a lot of celebratory food, fun times with friends, etc, I find myself feeling "un-fit" before the RecPlex Smackdown on Sunday.

(Well... my tech blog is going well, but aside from that, I have been unproductive and slacking).

Thankfully, a modest swim and moderate run tonight... I feel better *whew*. After a few days of slackitude, I feel like I've forgotten how to swim/bike/run.

ps. We received our start times for the tri. This tri has everyone starting in single file, swimming "in serpentine" through the pool. In our group, I'm first with Jim G starting 15 seconds behind. His neighbour, Ember, starts back a bit further. She will mow us down in the pool: she typically swims the 500 m two minutes faster than Jim G and I. I caught her on the run last fall though.

pps. It will be tempting to try and stay ahead of Jim for the entire tri, but I wonder if there is some gamemanship potential by letting him get ahead of me in the pool..... Interesting. The thought is to take it easy so that I am always just within reach, and let him burn out during the swim.

Two out of Three Ain't Enough

This past weekend, I think I was home for about 12 hours... A lot of catch-up to do.

First, I have been quiet but ultra-keen readers will know:

• In July 06 I bought bets for the Cards to win the World Series and for the Colts to win the Superbowl.
• I bought three tickets.

The 3rd ticket was for Ottawa to win the Stanley Cup. Suffice it to say that it was the most charmed of the 3 bets and came this close to making me the Sports Picker of All Time.

No, the final series wasn't really close but Ottawa finished in the middle of their conference. I picked them in July 2006....

Ah well.

Fast Facts

• My article (for work) is done! *whew* It cost me 2 full, gorgeous weekends and several week nights, but it was a true learning experience.
• I have to thank Bill G and Microsoft: I have left my computer running for 3+ weeks, to try and avoid the dreaded boot problem. It has been running like a champ. Because of the article, it was _vital_ that it stay running. Merci.
• No fluke: I ran 5 miles as warm-up and then another miracle mile: 6:00 minutes. C'est vraiment bon.
  
• Game off: the track series (with the dreaded Jim G) was moved to another high school, so we are missing all of the track events. This is tragic. However, the triathlon is still on.

A Special 'Tour de Cure'

I ran into (almost literally) Miss Jess on the bike trail tonight.

She is gearing up for the Tour De Cure (see here), a charity bike ride for Diabetes.

I have made a donation at a level that gets names put on her team's shirts. It is a memorial for my Uncle Nick and my cousin Gail.

Nick had diabetes late in life, and lost both legs to it. He was a true character and put a lot of sunlight into my first few months in Ontario where I went to grad school. Though he had plenty of reasons to be dour, he could cheer a room like nobody's business.

Gail, his daughter, passed away from breast cancer. She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

They are survived by my beloved Aunt Millie and her daughter Karen. Karen is truly warm and generous. Aunt Millie worked hard as a waitress until she was 60+. She would get up at 5 am to catch the bus, and upon returning home, could tell a routine story about a customer and have you crying from laughing so hard. She is the best.

Good luck, Jess!

Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC)

Mercifully, I get to see game 3 of the hockey playoffs tonight. On a Saturday night, no less! (HNIC has been a tradition on Saturday night since the 1920s on radio and 1950s on TV. HNIC broadcasters are legendary. Here, it was NBC and not CBC, but no complaints.)

Having lived in Ottawa for 2 years, and it being the capital of the Motherland, I was looking forward to the game and of course the national anthems.

The opening anthems may have been the best I have ever seen. A portly, gray-haired military guy with an operatic voice belted out the US anthem. Visitors first, per tradition.

And then the Canadian version. My my... I didn't tear up but it was close.

The first part was in English; the 2nd in French. And then he held the microphone up and, in a premediated move by the arena, allowed the fans to sing the last part of the anthem.

It was electric, even way down here in the midwest USA.

It has been a long, long time since I have felt so alone and yet so connected.

ps. My only hope is that it goes onto YouTube, as I didn't think to record it.

Joyeux Juin!

Here's wishing everyone a Happy June.... and a special shout out:

Word up, Avondale, PEI! Good luck...

whoo!

The Car Revisited

Here are some tidbits on the car, so far:

• A Civic is not high on the luxury list, but an unexpected twist is that it _feels_ luxurious compared to the old ride. An Infiniti would have totally been wasted on me.
• It's easy to get in and out of. It smells nice. Very pleasant experience.
• I have learned that this generation of Civic Si's are not highly regarded in the "import tuner"/racer community. But I don't care.
• That is worth repeating: this thing has a rubbery shifter, and a ponderous feel in the corners. But I don't care! It's great.
  
• I recently saw in a movie trailer that "you don't pick a car: it picks you". That describes last Saturday pretty well. It just won me over.
  
• I don't like Honda's aesthetic at all but Rowdy just looked cool to me. But I _do_ respect Honda's engineering and build quality. Top notch.
• Times have changed: the entry level ride at Honda is now the "Fit", not the Civic.

Winning the Pool

Many friends have an unofficial pool going that states that CC will not get a new ride until Herbie, aka GoCartus Maximus, is a smoking husk on the side of the road. Due to recent problems, such as a driver's side door that won't open properly, Herbie has actually been renamed in some circles as Death Cart.

Well, after another tow job last week and an increasingly loud cacophony of ills during the commute (for which I had started wearing earplugs, seriously), I knew the time had come. With a 60-mile/day commute, Herbie was being flogged to death like an old kindly trail horse being thrown into the Kentucky Derby. It was time to put him out to pasture.

And so the day began, Saturday AM. I had 4 target vehicles, and set out, with title in hand....

And the upshot is that I now own one of them! The Era of Herbie is over... Long live go-carts!

Here is a rough chronology of the day:

Vehicle 1: the G35

This was the same G35 that I saw before. It's an auto but I was willing to make that sacrifice. The car made me feel like Batman. On the 2nd test-drive, I confirmed that it was fast indeed but somehow the sexy factor wasn't there. This was due to: (a) the first time it was in a dark garage, and caught the light just so and (b) I saw Vehicle 2.

Vehicle 2: Subaru WRX STi

This car is the famous "STi". Some friends dream about this car when they go to sleep at night. It is the ultimate boy racer: a near-race-ready rally car that has 300+ HP. There was a black '04 on the lot next to the G35. It was all I could think about when driving the G35.

I took it for a test-drive. My my.... The acceleration was like the shot from the new roller-coasters. In addition to a tach gauge, there was a "turbo boost" gauge: when you walked on this thing, all of these dials were spinning along with your head.

Sadly, the road noise was ferocious, even at 40 mph. But I didn't care. No one cares. The ladies can laugh and make jokes about the hideous hood scoop (as I once did) and absurd wing (which I love). This car deserves all of the hype it gets. Another minus, though, was extreme squeaking from the brakes.

Vehicle 3: The Pocket Rocket

I saw this little number online during the week. Conveniently, at the same dealer as the other 2. It's a Honda Civic Si, and is in a class of cars known as the "hot hatches" or "pocket rockets". Although the Civic Si has been surpassed by others (most notably the MazdaSpeed 3), this one caught my eye for some reason.

I drove it right after the STi which is a bit like following The Beatles or the Stones onstage. But it did ok for itself -- it was fun to drive and peppy if not hellacious.

Vehicle 4: The Yellow Mini

I've mentioned the yellow Mini Cooper S in the past. I drive past the dealership in St Peter's everyday, and this one was definitely the favorite going into the day. Driving out on Saturday, I had a price in my head for negotiation. Also, Herbie was making some serious noise from the transmission: I didn't know how much would be left in him, seriously.

I took the Mini for another ride, but the honeymoon was over. I was disturbed in that the sunroof (moonroof?) had no cover to shield the light. I was also disturbed by a major sub-theme: where's my bike going to go? There are bike racks that bolt into the license plate area but upon inspection, the Mini only had 2 holes for the plate, where most have 4.

The dealer came to within $300 of the offer in my head. I nearly went for it, but it came up in conversation that the only dealer for Mini's in StL is the AutoHaus in Clayton. Gah! With all of Herbie's woes, I didn't want a car for which I might have to schedule a Saturday appt 6-8 weeks in advance. (I don't know if that is true, but there are a lot of Mini's around -- one shop??).

Plus, it's yellow. If it had been blue with the black racing stripes, then I'm in. But...

I left to go back to the original dealer, begging Herbie to just hold on for one more trip.

The Winner

On the drive back, I knew I would get one of the first three... but which one?

I realized 2 things: (a) I needed to relax because this whole thing is insane and (b) one of them was more fun than driving the Mini. Plus one of them would probably be way more reliable than the others.

In a surprise move, out of nowhere, the Pocket Rocket won the day. I bought it yesterday. It was fun to drive, cheap, and looks really sharp (more so if you are in high school and a fan of the Fast and the Furious).

This may well not be The Next Car. It was more of "let's establish a foothold so I can think". Actually, its name comes from the famous Rodin piece.

If this link still works, meet Rowdy (click here). This is the actual car. Rowdy comes from "Rodin" and the significant road-noise..... it's no STi but he's a bit rowdy on the road.

Epilogue

So, let it be known that I did trade in before catastrophic failure with Herbie. Though it was close: he had 206,6xx miles at the end. The trade-in value was $400. LOL.

No emotion, per se... Despite the narrative and the anthropomorphization (?), it's just a ride... but it was a good one. Good luck, Herbie.

Game On

My arch rival, the dreaded Jim G, and I are still in frequent contact. In fact, we work about 15 minutes away from each other and plan to run together Thursday evening.

2 big events coming up:

• St Peter's Recplex Tri. The next tri, in mid-June! Jim G, his band of neighbours/friends, and I will be in the same group. This will be our 4th excursion out in St Pete. Note that the alltime score, for all triathlons, is 3-2 in favour of Jim G. However, I'm on a 2-tri streak.
• StL Track Series. This is a series of track events at Parkway North. They range from 3 K, 1 m, 1500 m, etc each week down to the 400 m showdown. And new this year: a 100 m drag race. I'm stoked. I always enjoy this event even though I am often dead-last in my heat. The people there are crazy fast.
  

Aside from demoralizing Jim G at every opportunity, I have 2 goals for the track series.

Goal 1: the Miracle Mile

I'd like to break 6 min for the mile. I actually thought this might be my "breakthrough" but I've already done it! Though it is by no means obvious that I can do it out in the heat. My record at Parkway North is 6:25. Hopefully I'll destroy that at least.

Goal 2: the Drag Race

Goal #2 involves the 400 m. This is one lap around the track. As they say, "run as hard as you can, for as long as you can". Zero strategy, unlike the more complex 800m. In 2003 I ran the 400 in 70 seconds, which I have never reached again. Jim G, to his credit, did 66 seconds which was unbelievable. He was so red and out of breath that I was actually worried that he would blow a gasket at the end.

The Promised Land

For weeks, I have been sneaking up on a sprint goal with tiny 0.1 mph increments. Tonight, I kicked the door down, boosting my alltime max speed by an insane 0.4 mph.

I ran a mile in 6 minutes flat. 10 mph.

I've been chasing this, on and off, for years. This is the Promised Land. And it wasn't easy: 4 minutes in, I didn't think I was going to make it.

It is one of the biggest achievements of my life, seriously. I still can't believe it!

ps. Interestingly, it didn't go unnoticed. A kind man on the cleaning staff said to me in the locker room, "dude you look _tired_ tonight... you look like you went over the top!".

I smiled wanly and laughed. But inside I was thinking, "My friend, you have no idea".

Talk Me Down Off the Ledge

New theory:

It is far less stressful to buy "a car" versus "The Next Car". Just get a cheap ride... maybe for the summer and then flip it at a small loss. No one really cares if I have a "hall of fame" car, right?

Right... and so this car (click here) is highly, highly appealing. Crazy, but appealing. I can't tell you how much fun this would be for a few months. Talk about a pimp-mobile.... my my.

A Fair and Balanced Assessment

PEI isn't always so lovely... here's a morning pic from this week! Snow in mid-May!

PEI part 2

The wintery pic in the previous post is the house of my Aunt Joyce and Uncle Vernon. It is in Hampshire, PEI, not far from where my dad grew up.

In fact, less the snow, it will be the site for an annual family picnic held this coming weekend on Victoria day. Victoria day is in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday and is the symbolic birthday of the reigning sovereign. It's a major holiday weekend that raises the starting flag for summer activities, much like the USA's Memorial Day.

ps. As reported previously, Bryguy and Miss Cheryl are engaged. Miss C's fam are visiting PEI this summer and last night was a "reconnaissance dinner" to learn about the sights etc. A hilarious evening... Kudos to my sister who wrote a thorough, descriptive list of must-see spots.

Though it can be wretched during other times of the year, summer on PEI is typically in the 70s F and sunny. Lately, it is filled with festivals, music, and places to dine outside. It is way more hip now than when I lived there...

PEI from the air

Hey, Islanders!

Check out this aerial pic it may look familiar to some of you (I'll report later for everyone)

hey everyone else:

this is one reason why I miss home

Blog Tag for Mom

Blog tag is game where people ask other bloggers to reveal 5 personal tidbits. It's derived from the email chain letters.

In recognition of Sunday, here's 5 things about CC's Mom:

1. Mom is a repeat-winner of an Island-wide baking contest. Her masterpiece is fruitcake.

2. She's very literate. My award-winning writing style comes directly from her.

3. Many, many moons ago, she offered me a choice of going into French-immersion (i.e. a mostly-French elementary school). Influenced by Sesame Street (the Canadian version), I said "ok!". That one decision has probably impacted my life as much as any. Anyone who knows me well knows that I was more of a Renaissance man at 10 than now.

4. There weren't many rules growing up but a strict one was that, in grade 7 and beyond, any grade below 80% would spawn vague, undesirable consequences that would be swift and harsh. Again, I'm grateful.

5. A key phrase in terms of her first-aid is a wry "I think you'll live". It's embarrassing how I still seek out that phrase when at a doctor's office or hospital. I could be hit by a bus but as long as the ER doc says "I think you'll live", I'm happy.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's!

Test Drive #2

Even with a failing computer, we can't break the "Captain Compact" between CC and the legions of fans. A test-drive synopsis was promised, and will happen:

Infiniti G35

I test-drove a red one, with tan interior. I think the red was a downer for me, because it wasn't as appealing as the gorgeous black-on-black. The car rode nicely, but was louder than I expected -- possibly due to low profile tires. It has a V6 at about 260 HP, though, so it would definitely haul. The clutch pedal, as mentioned earlier, was another schoolbus-like experience.

Mini Cooper S

The S means "Singer Sewing Machine of Scintillation" -- a turbo. This is the first turbo I have ever driven. It was a light yellow Mini with black trim, and tricked out with lots of bells and whistles. It was fast. After the expected 1-2 second turbo lag, there was a sound from the dash like a sewing machine with rabies. It didn't feel fast but the speedo didn't lie -- and there is no missing the speedo as it is in the center of the dash, about the size of a dinner plate.

You think I'm joking? Click here

Definitely a fun ride, but I wonder if my go-cart days are over for awhile. I found myself wondering how it would do in winter etc.

The wildcard

At one dealership, the guy had an '06 Mustang with hail damage. For some reason, that really lit the lamp: a good deal on a car that is already broken in. Very appealing to me, for some reason. Unfortunately, the car wasn't. It was a V6 (+1 for the commute, versus V8), silver (-1 on metallic colours), an automatic (-1 I was dying at this point), and no sunroof or anything fun. It was a boring, rental-esque gray Mustang. Too bad, if it was black and a stick, I might have done a deal right then and there.

I gotta say that the Prius is bouncing back... The skinny is that I realized today when I want to go for a drive and think about things, I go on my bike. I don't think that is going to change much, even with a sportscar. 25 mph on a bike is rather interesting. I just wish the Prius wasn't so utilitarian! I often cite the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. The Prius is a total angel: not a sign of the devil anywhere.

System Down

If you know anything about farming, you know that feeling when there is a perfect hay day: warm, sunny, recent drying conditions, and a pleasant breeze.

Then something breaks. Perhaps a bolt is sheared in the baler. Or a tractor goes down.

This is old school frustration.

_New_ school frustration is having computer problems 2 days after signing up to write an article for work. And while one could actually _use_ the Internet to shop for cars.

For the love of Pete. Sacre bleu. I was already freaking out about things before this.

Blogging is not on the priority list right now so if you don't see a post for awhile, I am probably fine, and just channeling unadulterated rage towards a treadmill. Or making up new swear words (it's fun to mix English and French).

Hang in there, CC champions! We'll soon be back with all the action from CC HQ. We wish the interns had had time to sift through the zillions of entries for the Op-Ed piece. Just no time, and no time to offer ideas per KK's request. Woulda came in handy now.

ps. I am on _now_ thanks to a neat tool called Knoppix. In is an OS that boots from a CD -- I'm running this baby without really using the hard-drive. (Knoppix is a version of the geek-famous OS called Linux). I can still shop for cars but I can't really work on my article. Hopefully I can research a bit about how to get Windows XP running again.

pps. It took 15 minutes but I found my Windows XP disk under some dusty debris in my living room. It was under a bike manual from my first bike which I bought in 2005. We're not exactly running a tight ship here at CC dot com.

Islanders: Tourist Alert (Info Needed)

Ok, Islanders, listen up... The StL area is dispatching travellers your way this summer and we need recommendations.

I will do my best but I haven't lived on PEI since 1991 (can you believe that?).

The travellers are peeps in Miss Cheryl's family (soon-to-be BryGuy's family).

I can handle the obvious and timeless: the North Shore, Cavendish, Anne of Green Gables, the wharf area in Charlottetown, and various scenic drives. But I need some current stuff! Possibly cultural venues, great pubs, great restaurants, etc. Anything, pretty much....

Let's hear it, folks... I think they are going in July. Once I get the dates, I might look for festivals etc.

merci bien,
CC

(Where is the awesome lobster supper place again? Fisherman's Wharf? no... St Anne's?)

ps. For non-Islanders: though farming and fishing are huge, historically, tourism is definitely where it's at for PEI's economy. So much so that a bad summer, weatherwise, can cause a lot of distress.

Test Drive Micro-Entry

I test-drove 2 cars tonight but will post later on... We need to keep balance on this blog. Only the best for the readers of CC dot com.

I will give an apology to the RX-8 though. Apparently all newer sportscars have clutch pedals like dump trucks. Who knew? Either that or the Miata's is so worked-in that my left leg is weak.

Blue Laws in MO

Does anyone know if the following is true?

Someone told me that Missouri used to have "blue laws" that prohibited various businesses opening on Sunday. A vestigial remnant of this is that car dealerships are closed on Sundays (by law?).

True/false? I'm pretty sure car dealerships are closed on Sunday but not sure of the motivation.

Interestingly, you can go to a casino on Sunday and by some Jack Daniels along with your groceries 24 x 7.

Vent-o-gram

Someone must have come up with the idea to coat greeting cards in glitter.

I hate glitter, and I have an intense "non like" for that person. I hope they get glitter all over their hands while choosing a card (preferably, one that wasn't even a glitter card but coated ad hoc by the other cards). Then, perhaps they will rub their eyes with said hands and ultimately get some glitter behind their eye near the optic nerve, and see "glittery stars" forever more. Poetic justice!

This vent has been bubbling for years. My apologies.

Damn you, glitterers!

Test Drive

Using AutoTrader online, I found a dealership near my old workplace that had 4 cars of interest. It was going to be a very productive day!

Incredibly, I ended up driving a single car: 2 of the cars had sold, one was damaged (some sales goon had broken the door handle), and the car I did test-drive wasn't the same one as online.

*sigh* At least the sales guy was a decent hombre.

The results:

Mazda RX-8 (see it here)

The experience was a bit of a turnoff because it was clear that the previous owner was a smoker. So I switched gears from "is this the car?" to "is this the type of car?".

The RX-8 is unique as it has a rotary engine. Dan owns one and loves it. I must say, it has more guts/power than the car magazines give credit. Not for me though... I'm not taking a chance on cooking a rotary and the clutch pedal travel rubbed me the wrong way. Fun ride though

Infiniti G35 (see it here)

This was the car with the broken handle. Black on black (though no tinted windows as with the link above).

I gotta say, it stole the show. I sat in it and saw a whole new persona for CC V 2.0: Batman. Leather interior. This thing is sex on wheels, at least pending a test-drive. Sadly, this ride was an automatic. But we will be seeking others. And they shall be black.

Pulling out of a Nose Dive

Saturday was a rough day. The car thing is stressful, and because I'm crazy, I signed up to write another article for work. For June, no less... Gah!

Around 3 pm, I was sweating like a pig in my car, stuck in a drive-thru, keeping on eye on the heat gauge before the steady march to "Thar She Blows".. Things were bleak.

But I saw the Kentucky Derby at Miss T's and hung out with some peeps. And then, this morning:

1 mile swim, 7 mile run. Run was slow but the last mile was close to a personal record (and that's a big deal).

We are happy again. There is a deep, profound biochemical thing going on with exercise.

Wheels 2

I had been thinking of driving to Columbia MO for a triathlon on Sunday, but the last post about Herbie has clarified the urgency for taking rides for a test-drive. Especially with new, ominous noises emanating from the transmission area, I think I'm on borrowed time.

Some more thoughts:

• Many see the irony of me driving a wreck, but some may not. My Dad is an ace mechanic who keeps his rides in tip-top shape. He's the kind of mechanic that helps other gearheads when they don't know what to do. Although I have his logic and diagnostic skills, I have always used them for math and comp sci and not mechanical and electronic stuff.
• The next ride will not be a convertible and will not be red.
• I just pumped gas for $3.20 a gallon, so the gas mileage just went up on the priority chart.
• Months ago, I thought I would get something with some serious power. Mustang, Vette, you name it.... Sadly, the profile from the last post spells one thing: luxury sedan. And that spells "entrenched in the mid 30's (age wise)". Gah!
• I don't like test-driving cars because of the salesmen. But tomorrow I'm test-driving something. Car posts do well on here in terms of feedback so I'll probably do a review. I have even considered a separate blog a la "1 test-drive every Saturday". But no time. There's another free blog idea for the masses. I swear, I don't know why you people aren't running with these.

State of the Wheels

A lot of people have asked about Herbie, my geriatric car, and how the Commute of Champions is going. Recall that it's a 1991 red roadster with about 205,000 miles. And, well, some issues:

• Brake fluid leaks and needs occasional replenishment.


• Clutch fluid leaks and needs occasional replenishment.


• Radiator fan doesn't work; heat gauge rises with alarming steadiness in heavy traffic/frequent redlights. (Solution: turn car off at lights)


• Radio often doesn't work during wet weather. One speaker gone.


• No A/C


• Hole in soft top.


• Uncomfortably loud at commute speeds (75+ mph/125 kph).


• Probable leak of power-steering fluid. Power-steering moans like Chewbacca with a bad tooth.


• Some rust. Paint job looks like a Farm-all tractor from the 1940s

Traci's Dad put it best: "I don't mean to pry into your financial situation, CC, but based on what you have told us about your educational background and career, we suspect that you could probably afford a different car that is worth, oh I don't know, more than $750." (The StL County property tax assessor values my ride at $750).

Of all these issues, the A/C is the most urgent. During the commute, I prioritize the criteria for The Next Ride:

• Quiet ride. This excludes a lot of the candidate sports cars.
• Used, circa 2002-2004. Don't buy new until you've been burned by a lemon.
  
• Decent gas mileage. I'm driving 300+ miles a week, easy.
• Killer stereo and cabin (cup-holders, iShuffle holder, cell phone dock, all that stuff)
• Stick-shift. This excludes the Prius, sadly.
• Possibly a shift in attitude: just "settle" for a damn ride instead of architecting a legacy of Hall of Fame cars. (The Miata has been cited as one of the Top 10 Cars You Can Ever Own)

St Louis Symphony

I received a call from the StL Symphony Orchestra tonight for their fund-raising drive.

One neat offering: their Vivaldi level of support ($100) includes a pass to go to an open rehearsal. You and a guest get to see the symphony practice, replete with "personal interactions" between the conductor, David Roberts, and the musicians.

Very tempting, but too much for me... especially since rehearsals are often during the day and I work in the middle of Missouri. (The symphony is downtown -- probably 60 miles between 'em)

Gator Aid

Miss Gila wanted some help to celebrate her birthday, so she came to visit St Louis last weekend (from Gainesville, FL, home of college football and basketball champs). We all had a grand time at various events including brunch and dinner. It was just like old times...

The brunch at Bottleworks is really great -- they have a huge open tent-space. Just my style -- outside but under cover. We pasty geeks like shade.

Curing while Touring

Jess is biking the Tour de Cure again this year. If you are interested in helping to find a cure for diabetes, be sure to check out this site of the Insouciant Cyclists!

Good luck, team!

Kirkwood Redux

ps. A rare editorial slip on CC HQ! Let's revisit Kirkwood and profile our favorite Kirkwoodians (?)

Stacey, Fred, and the irresistable Liv all live in Kirkwood. Of all the burgs in StL, it is the most "Apple Pie" IMHO because:

-- a train runs right through the town, stopping traffic on occasion throughout the day

-- there's lots of old-tyme shoppes along the main drag, including a train store and ice cream joint

-- Fred grew up there. When I drive through the town (often cursing the train), I can imagine him speeding to the arcade after school in his bike.

-- Stacey & Fred were married in a wonderful ceremony in K-wood. Replete with a harp player, no less!

-- The aforementioned Liv was brought from an orphanage in a land far away to live in this idyllic town. A picturesque life in a big, charming house with her loving parents and multiple pets. As thanks, she radiates charm and makes everyone's day....

Tour de Kirkwood

The St Louis Tri Club is going to run the Tour de Kirkwood!

This was started by a woman some years ago. I believe proceeds go to charity, but the event has grown beyond the scope of one (saintly) individual. It is popular because it is a great 1st tri and also very kid friendly (though kids must be 13 or over to bike, I think -- insurance, y'know).

Anyway, if you are considering a tri, check it out. It's easy and located in Apple Pie, USA! Fred's Mom, Betty, lives there!

_But_ the point of this message is: they may need volunteers. Several people kindly offer to come watch me do tri's but I can't bring myself to let them (BryGuy did once though), because I think it is boring for spectators. Unless you were doing it with me, in which case it would be highly punishing for spectators (ha!).

Anyway, I may (not 100% -- am I ever?) ask you to volunteer with me on this one! July 22. Keep it open, especially if you live in Kirkwood! You are on notice, Rosenbergers!

Lyric Appreciation

There's a word in Spanish, I don't understand
But I heard it in a film one time
spoken by the leading man

He said it with devotion, he sounded so sincere
And the word he spoke in Spanish brought the female lead to tears

-- Elton John

(ed: this is total cheese but of the finest variety. We can only hope to write anything half as good as this.)

Times Have Changed

Wired magazine recently showed the state-of-the-art in sewing machines, quipping, "These smart models stomp all over that mechanical monster your Mom once used to cobble together your Chewbacca Halloween costume. They come with built-in touchscreen computers, programmable embroidery patterns, USB slots, and direct-to-PC compatibility."

I thought: Hmmmm.... One might think about picking one up for the house. I don't sew, but maybe a little something to do repairs on fine garments, or perhaps to start a quilting project over the winter.

Yes, one might think that, except for the fact that they are over 7 thousand dollars!

Stats Smackdown: 2006 vs 2007

Here's my weekly average for 2006:

Run: 6.4 miles
Bike: 10 miles
Swim: 1440 meters

And so far for 2007:

Run: 8.9 miles
Bike: 6.5 miles
Swim: 850 meters

It's early to measure the bike (no spin classes for me, thanks)... The swim is way off pace.

I think it will be hard to match 2006. I think '06 will be one of those years that I look back on and wonder how it happened. It was certainly legendary for being active and yet having a social life at the same time.

Quotable

" Today was a big day in Washington, DC, as it was Malaria Awareness Day in the nation's capital. All was going smoothly until a confused President Bush announced that he was sending 20,000 troops to 'Malaria' "

-- David Letterman

Inspiration 2: Op-Eds

As you know, the Captaineers at CC HQ are working day and night to ensure that you, dear reader, are enjoying reading about things that pertain mostly to, well, me.

This is no easy task! The vast readership of the CC blog are voracious readers and brilliant critics. Keeping y'all entertained often requires "out of the blog" thinking.

And so here's another gem -- one you might see on these pixels soon. Op-ed pieces by guest hosts! That's right, our usual editorial staff is considering handing over the reins for a special op-ed piece or two. Successful candidates are likely those who do not have blogs and are too busy/faint of heart/etc to start one.

Stay tuned! We'll see how this goes... And to the candidates: you better bring the heat! Our standards are high at CC. It'll be like going onstage after the Rolling Stones.

Contact me if you are interested in writing a piece. No worries if you do have a blog. I will keep an open mind. Do have some ideas for your piece though.

It would be very wise indeed to have an idea about me.

Running in St Louis

I went to a St Louis Tri Club meeting tonight and saw a presentation by 2 young guys who have started Big River Running.

I still think that Fleet Feet is a great store and my main running hookup, but these guys at Big River are the real deal as well. Both guys have stellar running resumes from high school and college (Ben won his first marathon at Virginia Beach and finished 70th at Boston in 2:33).

Their goal is to create a spirit of the "running community in StL". I haven't been to the store yet but they say it's a cool place to come out and hang. Even though Matt ran a mile in under 4 minutes (which is crazy), they are, like, totally laidback dudes and kind towards newbies.

The Wright Way to Comedy

I don't blog on live events often but Stephen Wright is on Comedy Central. He is the king, man.... He's a deadpan comic with wonderful one-liners. They may lose something but I have to write a few:

-- My nephew has HDADD. High-Definition Attention-Deficit Disorder. He hardly ever pays attention, but when he does, it's unbelievable.

-- I'm addicted to placebos. I would quit, but it wouldn't matter.

-- I'm scheduled to have an MRI tomorrow to see if I'm claustrophobic.

Inspiration HQ

Travel and fitness always give me ideas. In fact, there are so many ideas at CC HQ that once again, our Captaineers can't manage them all and we have to liquidate.

I have given this blog idea to 2 dear friends but they think that I'm mocking them. I do mock them regularly on other things, but not a blog idea!

Here's the background (hint: you should start writing this down):

Except for couples who have been married for 20+ years, each and every couple have issues about the sleeping arrangement. Too hot, too cold, blanket theft, diagnolizing bed annexation, you name it: there are a myriad number of issues that are hashed out each morning. Often, when with company, the couples delight in talking about the (platonic) escapades of the night before, amplifying the stories.

And if there is a pet involved... well, the fun factor goes through the roof.

The idea: a blog (or website) where couples post photos of their slumber through the night, and then get people to vote for Person A or Person B in terms of "who is in the right". This does require some technical expertise: a web-cam (infra-red?) in the bedroom, and there are privacy concerns, but those are implementation details.

The idea's the thing. And this one is a dandy.

I'm sorry to let it go open-source like this... I had high hopes for my friends, but alas....

Be free, my little idea, be free. Fare thee well, stay gold, and prosper.

Maiku

If you wish to be thoughtful: run.

If you wish to be youthful: bike.

If you wish to be graceful: swim.

ps. Newly coined, a "maiku" is a brief poem that is like a "haiku" but doesn't really follow the form. But it's cool because it's mine (MY-koo).

pps. I am also coining "triku" which is a maiku about triathlons.

The Heights Are Alive with the Sound of Music

On Sunday I went to see a concert by 4 StL symphony orchestra musicians. The show was part of their ongoing community outreach program.

It was awesome! A pianist, violinist, viola-ist, and cellist (2 married couples, no less) played pieces by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Mozart. After the music (which was exquisite), they entertained questions from the audience. Though it was a gorgeous day outside and the Cardinals were playing the Cubs on TV, I'd say about 175 people showed, including a lot of children, which was great to see.

Some thoughts:

-- There is no stereo on earth that can capture the sound of multiple string instruments playing together, live. You can just feel it in your bones, even when they just tune up.

-- Of all of the fates that could await a tree, there is none greater than being used as part of a fine musical instrument.

-- Sadly, public schools struggle for funding re: musical education. I hope at least that they could teach about the composers. Their lives were as fascinating (and at times, wild) as any rock star alive today. If you don't know about the lives of Liszt or Paganini, you should find out.

Nous bloggons

Blogspot has a "randomizer" that features random blogs. It's amazing what can come up there.

Here's a new one on a weight-loss attempt (or, a success story in its early phases ;-)

I don't know why but this one resonates with me because I was in a similar place circa 2000. I wasn't experiencing chest-pains but I could barely be on a treadmill for more than 20 minutes (at an inclined walk). This scared me bigtime because I was playing tennis like crazy back in 1998 and thought I was pretty fit. Wrong-o.

It has taken time, and it required an intense, legendary competition with my arch-rival, but I think I can say that I'm fit now. And it has been worth the blood and sweat....

Almost everyone I know wants to lose weight and/or get more into exercise. I'm always careful not to come off too much like the "fitness police" and offer too much advice: I'm just a regular joe who has different priorities than most people. I am tempted though to post more along these lines (i.e. how I made it to where I am now -- which really isn't that far).

Our Hero In Another Prickly Situation

On the ascent of Camelback Mountain on the outskirts of Phoenix. Like Squaw Peak, this gorgeous mountain is just minutes from Traci's childhood home and is visible from her backyard (!).

Our Hero Ponders the SouthWest

At the top of Squaw Peak on the outskirts of Phoenix. Traci and I climbed this baby on a gorgeous Sunday morning. The mountain is 10 minutes away from her childhood home.

Stop and Run Over the Roses

Our hero lifts Blackbird from the rack on the car. Before climbing aboard for the inaugural outing of 2007 at the Proving Grounds (aka Creve Coeur Lake), he goes through the usual checklist:

• Helmet, gloves, sunglasses, suncreen: check.


• Goal visualization: check. A recovery ride after the 1/2 marathon.


• Strategy: check. Maintain moderate heart-rate, RPM, and speed.

Walking his bike to the trail, he begins to spot the traffic on the path, mechanically looking for openings, holes, passing lanes. With the cool calculation, he prepares to go hybrid and become a part of a semi-organic, man-machine velocitizer.

Then, with teeth gritted, he pauses. It's a nice day: 80 F and sunny. Everyone on the path is happy. New parents walk behind strollers. Children laugh and play; some are on bicycles for the first time. Dogs bark joyfully. An old crop-duster biplane lazily banks over the lake, the throaty drone of its engine bouncing off of the calm water. Kites fly in the distance.

Our hero's grimace morphs into a smile. It's the first bike ride of the season! A true sign of spring. A new start and a throwback to the salad days of youth. He takes his mental checklist, crumples it up, and tosses it aside. Let's ride!

ps. Moments later, our hero cruises along the path. Without hesitation, he lets go of the handlebars and throws his weight onto the aerobars, assuming the classic tri position. Unfortunately, his prefrontal cortex is not yet in shape, and he and Blackbird wobble dramatically, veering off the path onto the dirt and through some flora. They narrowly miss a park bench, and certain injury, before regaining balance and riding back onto the path. Passers-by find this manuveure to be rather humourous.

Happy Hour

Many years ago, I would fantasize about driving cool cars on a Friday night.

Then I fantasized about meeting members of The Divine Gender.

Then I fantasized about taking naps.

Now I fantasize about breaking my personal record for distance.

Alas, no records tonight, but I did run a 1/2 marathon in about 2:22 (my best time is 1:54 but c'mon now).

Here's the key to working out on a weeknight: when you get home, do not, under any circumstances, sit down. Just change and leave. At 4:30 pm today there was no way you would have told me that I was going to run long.

Art in Phoenix

We went to an art gallery in Phoenix, which was pretty cool...

Ostensibly, we went to see a performance by a friend of Traci's. As part of his music/composition PhD, he had written a piece to accompany a work of art. Predictably, his (along with many others') work was "challenging". We heard 2 hours of music by various string musicians and not a jig or reel to be found. Ha! I would have paid anyone $500 to break out into "The Devil Went Down To Georgia".
Also at the gallery: an exhibit on Rembrandt, including some pieces from the big museum in Amsterdam. I am becoming a "Rembrandt Groupie", following his work all over the world!





I didn't know much about Rembrandt until I read a great biography prior to going to Amsterdam. Far from the rarified, academic air of intelligentsia he was (a) an unscrupulous art dealer (b) a gifted artist who continually absorbed trends in order to stay in the $ and (c) a cad, marrying the babysitter after a breakup with his wife. Anyway, it was cool to see some of his stuff again, and it gave me a new appreciation for how complete the museums were in Amster.

Another part of the gallery was "Curves of Steel". No it wasn't about boob jobs gone awry: it was on concept cars from the 1930s. Here are some pics from the gallery's website. Some really neat cars; my Uncle Roland would have loved it, and _might_ have been even stymied to identify some of them (he's exceptional at auto trivia).

Top Brass Blogs

News from the tech world: a lot of CEOs write blogs to touch base with the masses, and to be hip.

Interestingly, it is turning corporate America on its head. Check out this article in Wired. It's terrific (which you already knew because I'm recommending it!)

Quoteth:

Which illustrates an interesting aspect of the Internet age: Google is not a search engine. Google is a reputation-management system. And that's one of the most powerful reasons so many CEOs have become more transparent: Online, your rep is quantifiable, findable, and totally unavoidable. In other words, radical transparency is a double-edged sword, but once you know the new rules, you can use it to control your image in ways you never could before.

Various and Sundry Factoids

Factoid 1

I haven't swam in a month! Gah! I swear, if you just let up for a second....

Factoid 2

Readers may recall that, 2 weeks ago, I was approached by a man who needed gas money. I gave him $25 and haven't seen a lick of it. Fleeced.

Opinionoid 3

I sure hope NBC went through a major ethical review before showing the video/pics/etc of the Virginia Tech killer. I don't get any news at work but I'm hoping there is serious outrage that NBC did basically exactly what the monster wanted.

Nash-ville Artistry

As mentioned, I saw my first NBA game in Phoenix. Once again, I was blown away by the joy of watching sport in person (versus TV). Because I didn't see a pro sport game until I was about 23, it still amazes me to this day that these are the same superstars we see on the tube. It is surreal, because the actual game looks much more like a vanilla high-school game than it looks like the glitz shown on TV.

It was cool to check out Steve Nash. I'm not a big basketball fan, but all Canadians know about Steve-o. He's won the MVP title twice in a row and might snag a 3rd. For a 6'3" Canadian, this is pretty crazy stuff.

I can see why he wins MVP awards. He has great fundamentals and is selfless. He can clearly dribble better than most and almost seems to prefer to pass (though he can shoot just fine). This is highly reminiscent of Wayne Gretzy's style in hockey. However, he doesn't control the game or have the same presence as #99. He certainly doesn't have the presence of Michael Jordan, or even Kobe Bryant, but he quietly gets the job done.

The other trait is speed. This guy can fly and is willing to use it. Several times the Lakers would score and Nash would come sprinting out of the zone to put on the press. I think this was common place in the past, but compared to his colleagues, Nash put on a clinic in terms of work ethic and cardio training. In this respect, he reminded me of Guy Lafleur, who also would come flying out of his own zone in hockey.

The upshot is that the guy can play.... very cool.

ps. (Note to self: I just realized that most of you are too young or too "non-Canadian" to even know who Guy Lafleur is. That's sad and will be rectified.)

Girls Nite Out at Maplewood Bicycle

hey ladies in StL, check this out!

Maplewood Bicycle is hosting a Girl's Night Out expo on Thursday, April 26th from 7-9pm. There will be food and wine from Monarch restaurant and wine bar as well as coffee and sweets from Wired Coffee. There will be discussions on personal coaching, yoga, masseuse tips, sports nutrition, running, and much more. To reserve a spot, call Mary Kay at (314) 781-9566.

Phoenix is My Kind of Town

I just flew in from Phoenix, and boy are my arms hot! But it's a dry heat....

I had a fantastic trip at Chez Traci's Folks. She and her fam were wonderful, generous hosts and gave me a great tour of the area. We also attended a highly weird wedding reception straight out of "My Big, Fat Goth Wedding".

Some highlights, which I hope to document soon:

-- I saw my first NBA game! The Phoenix Suns, featuring fellow Canuck and 2-time MVP Steve Nash, played at home. The seats were great. I felt like Jack Nicholson or Spike Lee. Oh, and the opponents were the LA Lakers with Kobe Bryant (can you say "kick ass" ?). Suns won.

-- We climbed 2 major summits in the Phoenix area: Squaw Peak and the famous Camelback Mountain. The ascents were about 1400 ft in elevation and 1.25 miles (about 45 minutes each way). A great workout that was really different for my body. I wasn't breathing _too_ heavily, but my legs were working hard, and I was definitely sweating by the end of it. There shall be pics, but for now, trust me when I say that the view was spectacular. Classic southwest: cactus, lizards, and desert, with the urban oasis of Phoenix in the valley.

-- We also toured some areas around PHX, including Scottsdale (very fancy, with world-class resorts and some seriously high-end homes) and Cave Creek (on the fringe of the hardcore desert). And some great food throughout the trip....

Stay tuned for pics....

Enough is enough

Random thoughts on the latest media swarm (which has all of the random irrationality of a swarm of locusts):

-- Don Imus's comment was offensive but I'm amazed at the reaction. I don't know if he should lose his job, but people certainly have the right to demand that.

-- It is unfortunate that every sports commentator in the country now thinks s/he can comment on social justice and race relations. Almost all of them are outraged and rant incessantly about Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson as being hypocrites. Whatever.

-- Some commentators cry "double jeopardy" because Imus was suspended and then fired "without new evidence". Heaven, help us. He wasn't thrown in prison! You'd think this was Nelson Mandela or someone who actually suffered.

-- If even 10% of this energy was applied to the issue of domestic violence then we'd be getting somewhere.

The Tractor Pull

Here's my new favorite workout. It can be tailored for people of all levels:

-- start walking/running at a comfortable pace (e.g. where you can have a conversation)
-- up the speed by X mph at regular intervals
-- keep going until you can't anymore

If we were all to do this every day for 6 weeks, the gains would be amazing.

I don't normally quote numbers but tonight's workout started at 6 mph and bumped 0.2 mph every minute. I stopped after 9.6 mph.

I did this twice tonight. I only mention it because back in 2000 I probably would have topped out at 5.5 mph after starting at a walk. It doesn't take much to get fit, but it does take discipline.

ps. I also call this workout "Feeling the Bang" and "Boiling Frogs" (LOL).

Lyric Appreciation

You seem very well, things look peaceful
I'm not quite as well, I thought you should know
Did you forget about me, Mr. Duplicity?
I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner
It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced
Are you thinking of me when....

You Oughta Know -- Alanis Morrisette

To quote Melissa Etheridge re: the italicized line: "genius... genius!"

Wednesday Redux

The first day at the New Gig went relatively well... And the surgery went smoothly too.

I once read a quote that I haven't been able to find again. I think it was by Schopenhauer. I'm paraphrasing but:

My life has been a series of worries and fears about things which ultimately never came to pass.

Wednesday

It's a big day on several fronts in the CC family.

After a couple of weeks of trepidation and preparation, I'm starting a new The New Gig, and, more importantly, some close family are having (non-emergency) surgery.

Send us your positive energy, eh?

ps. I will be going back on total lockdown with respect to email during the day, at least for the first while.

Friday Night's Alright For Fighting

Enrique has another bout!

Sadly, I will be out of town but if you want to see some real action on Friday, 4/13, then Fischer's in Belleville, IL is the place to be. Zee website ist here

This is another Muay Thai bout (kickboxing). I believe it will be Enrique's 2nd non-exhibition bout. That is to say, both participants will be bringing the heat....

Good luck, Enrique!

Making a Chore Less Taxing

St Louisans,

If you want a good, solid tax-preparer, check out Stephen Zenk at H&R Block on Olive near Mason. (Click here)

If you want, contact me and we can both get $15. If you like T-Dogg better, contact her and you'll both get $15.

But incentives aside, he's a kind man and a fine tax-prep. I had forgotten a coupon, and he kindly worked on my paperwork while I red-lined Herbie back to my apartment...

Volcanic Disruption

Due to some physical ailments, studying for work, great road-trips, etc, I haven't worked out in 12 days: not since the epic 15 miler.

It's killing me. I'm irritable as hell. I'm also highly stressed so I've been eating like a fiend. I've probably only gained 3-4 lbs but it feels like 50.

I have never experienced a "runner's high" but I do think that intense exercise is psychologically addictive: the after-glow is awesome, but the real hook is the joy of a new personal best. I was really hoping to break past 15 miles last week but it wasn't to be.

The good news is that I took my beloved Blackbird to the shop this week. I hadn't touched it in SIX months (how is Oct 1 thru Apr 1 six months long? i keep redoing the math). It was so nice to saddle up Herbie again (which I can do blindfolded) and lift that gossamer-light steed out of its stable.

I can't wait for it to get warm again and go for a ride. Out of the 3 sports, the biking is a high-maintenance prima donna. It's expensive and it's relatively hard to do (weather, schlepping stuff to the lake, etc) but it's by far the most fun. A bike brings out the kid in us every time.

No wonder Amsterdam is so peaceful...

ps. This entry is a rambler. The gist (vis-a-vis the title) was going to be the importance of continuity with respect to hobbies/passions. Kinda like "habit" only more powerful. More later...

The Poll of Trust -- What Would You Do?

Today, in the parking lot of a grocery store, I was approached by a man who said he and his wife needed money. He had lost his wallet while driving from Effingham, IL, headed toward Branson, MO. He asked for $25 gas money.

His pitch seemed honest and yet smooth. He was dressed in crisp jeans and a plaid shirt, and claimed to be a carpenter back in southern MO. I was tempted to challenge him with some hardcore carpentry questions but that seemed to relish the power dynamic in the situation. And, despite working in a hardware store for several summers and helping many carpentry projects, I don't have any hardcore carpentry quizzes at hand.

What to do? A scam? He asked for my address so that he could repay me. So he would have $25, my name and address, and (possibly) my license plate info. He also gave me his address.

Sounds like a fun psych experiment to me (and a nice theme-of-the-week for CC dot com). But essentially, I tend to trust people until they give me reason not to.

I gave him the money. We'll see what happens..... Stay tuned.

What what you have done?

Talk Nerdy To Me

A fun parlour game among geeks is to compare the power of current gadgets to the toys of yore.

This thing is a USB drive. It is like a modern-day floppy disk, often called a thumb-drive (for its size), and, less frequently, a portable porn pendant.

This one in particular is $160 which is pretty crazy, but get this: it holds 8 Gigabytes. Yow.

In the tradition of the parlour game, I bought a computer in 1996 that had a cavernous, whatcha-gonna-do-with-all-that-space 6 GB hard-drive.

My Girl's Gonna Play in the Big League

Taking a break from the nervous preps for the New Gig, I went to the St Louis Tri Club meeting the other night.

St Louisans, be proud: your own Sarah Haskins graduated from Parkway South and is now a pro ITU triathlete, ranked #2 in the US and #16 in the world. She spoke at the club meeting at the great Maplewood Bicycle. She was really cool and answered our questions way longer than the alloted time.

Factoid: Drafting on the bikes is illegal in triathlons, but it is impossible to enforce, and causes a lot of controversy. The ITU tri's reverse the problem and encourage drafting, making it a very different, bike-oriented event. ITU came out of the Olympics; the courses often have several "laps" to make the race more spectator friendly.

CC

ps. The title is an allusion to a "cool" song by a Canadian artist. 1000 free CC points for anyone who nails it! Stay tuned for a new campaign on how to cash in your CC points! At CC, we provide "your portal to the Internet" and now "the CC point club".

CC dot com just appears to be all about me, but it's really all about you enjoying things about me.

Sudden Seismic Shift

Well, I still work for my pimp but I'm being put on a new "corner" / client soon... The start date is April 11.

Gah! We don't like massive, work-related change here at CC but have learned how to face it. This is probably good news since the gig is a high-profile challenge, and with some cool people, including a former colleague. Right now, though, it is an adjustment.

Motorin' through MO to MS

This weekend involved a fun road-trip to Memphis! The itinerary included two (2) stops at Lambert's, a down-home, country restaurant that serves up famous fixin's and is a landmark in the area.

It was cool to be back "down south" -- my first jaunt was with Jennifer a few years back. (There is a still a guy who does a stunning number of cartwheels and somersaults down the famous Beale street).

'Tis too late to recap right now... but everything was great and the weather was spectacular. 73 F at 10:30 pm on Sunday night (!)

Closin' the Place Down on a Friday Night

No, I didn't close down a dive-bar: I closed the gym.

A very rare Friday night workout... no fanfare, no witty blog narrative, no applause.

I ran 15 miles. This is the furthest I've ever run, and it's a big deal (for me).

The funny thing is that I knew all week I was going to do it, on Friday night. There was no doubt... I think this was due to the psychology of breaking the dreaded 11 mile (treadmill) block a couple of weeks ago.

Birthdays

A happy bday-weekend shout-out to the inimitable Eric B who is leading a posse to Sin City... Here's a poker quote for the tables in Vegas: "quit your whining and help me stack these chips"

And a happy bday-weekend to our guy Bry! BryGuy is solely responsible for my visits to Paris & Amsterdam, and co-responsible for the Big Island last year. He's a master co-ordinator/party logician and has the patience of a saint for those of us that aren't...

The Day The Solos Died

It's funny how music & film from the high school days eventually gets sorted out, over time, into various categories ranging from total embarrassment to the sublime.

This guy, Randy Rhoads, was sublime. He died in a tragic plane crash 25 years ago this week and is still a major influence on guitarists (including my brother-in-law and I: one of our first Christmases together was spent downloading Randy stuff). Yes, yes, we can roll our eyes: he played for Ozzy Osbourne. But if you were to pick the best, most influential guitarists of the 1980s, he would be right there with Eddie Van Halen, and yet Randy died in 1982.

Eddie was an (awesome) grinning pixie, with tons of flash and funk. Randy was more studious and cerebral: he doped up standard rock with a heavy influence of classical theory. Though it became an overblown parody, the virtuoso, neo-classical rock of the 1980s spawned from Randy's 2 studio albums. Legions of guitarists read up on weird, esoteric scales and theory, just to emulate his style. (Two of my favorite current guitarists, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, have enormous respect for Rhoads and knowingly hint at his style on occasion.)

And yet no one could touch him. It is a sports-stadium cliche' now but listen closely to Crazy Train next time you hear it on radio. It's a great rock song with a solo that is quite inspired and yet was meticulously crafted. It's a composition onto itself.

The doubly sad fact for the rock community was that Randy was a quiet, super-nice guy. His dad died young and he supported his mom and family by teaching guitar at her music store. He wrote an instrumental, Dee, in her name (yes, it is in the key of D).

American pie, indeed.

ps. I don't like the weird shrine/religious overtones of visiting a rock-star's grave but when I was at BryGuy's in California, I was well-aware that I was only about 100 miles from the gravesite and the little music store. I'd like to visit one day.

Captaineers

It is well-documented that the Captaineers here at CC HQ are working 24x7 (or at least 8x5) to keep you coming back.

A fascinating bonus is that my tech blog keeps the Captaineers engaged as well. I have given a lot of thought lately to social engineering and the marketing of an online brand.

We, at CC, don't have time to implement all of the great ideas, so here are some freebies... Veritable crumbs from the table for y'all to fight over.

(1) Imagine a blog where author test-drives a different car every weekend. (Minor news: Herbie's heat gauge spiked over the weekend. No coolant = radiator/tube failure)

(2) If only I were younger: a blog where a guy talks to a new girl every day (at bar, grocery store, library, etc) and reports back. Actually, Wired reported that a shy nerd starting blogging about meeting a girl on the subway during their daily commute. The blog became a nationwide sensation. (Yes, he asked her out and she said yes.)

(3) Exposure dot com: some of the entry ideas (for CC and the tech) are so good, that perhaps they should be blogs in their own right. This could be big: one author, many blogs. Very cool.....

Geeks Gone Mild

I'm not 100% sure that I have found my "calling" in computer science, but it is a damn good gig. Here's proof:

1. If I won the big lottery, I wouldn't quit my job in the forseeable future.

2. I have spent almost every waking hour since noon Friday couped up in a hotel with other Java geeks, listening to higher-ranking geeks. And loved it... 5th year in a row for this conference.

Weirdness from Physics

I'm not a big follower of the emerging (and seemingly vast) taxonomy of sub-atomic particles, but this caught my eye.

From Wired (emphasis added):

One of the zanier notions in the world of quantum mechanics is that a pair of subatomic particles can sometimes (ed: when?) become "entangled". This means that the fate of one instantly affects the other, no matter how far apart they are. It's such a bizarre phenomenon that Einstein dissed the idea in the 1930s as "spooky action at a distance".

But it turns out that the universe is spooky after all. In 1997, scientists separated a pair of entangled photons by shooting them through fiber-optic cables to two villages 6 miles apart. Tipping one into a particular quantum state forced the other into the opposite state at a rate that is 7 million times faster than the speed of light. Of course, according to relativity, nothing travels faster than the speed of light -- not even info between particles.

Even the best theories to explain how entanglement gets around this problem seem preposterous. Ultimately, the answer is bound to be unnerving: according to a famous doctrine called Bell's Inequality, for entanglement to square with relativity, either we have no free will or reality is an illusion.

(Ed: Though perhaps it will explain why paper is strongest at the perforations)

Lyric Appreciation #2

Oh Celine Dion, you soft-rock my world
Won't you please be mine Celine
I would do anything, if you'd be my girl
Oh, be my girl Celine
I sent you cards and letters, but you don't respond
You play hard to get, but my heart goes on and on (and on and on)
I just wanna say, je aimerez
And i can see your house from my van

-- Celine Dion, The Arrogant Worms

(a soft, acoustic ballad by a band now available on iTunes!!!)

The Corporate Gamble

Our hero participates in a standup meeting, with staff ranging from peons to top-brass. Many have worked long hours, and look disheveled. Deadlines are slipping; bugs are found; inter-departmental relations are strained.

As the group leader wraps up the dire situation, our hero sees opportunity:

"Well, there is good news," he says as the group turns toward him.

"I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico."

Blog 1 Pain 0 (OT)

Our hero steps off the treadmill, panting, and hobbles toward the fountain.

Over 2 hours before, he set out to run "long": a slow, endurance run. Today there would be no swim, no racing against others on nearby treads.

Now, he stands at a crossroad. On the one hand, he has just completed mile 11, tying a personal best for indoor distance. He has tied this record several times, but has never been able to surpass it. On the other hand, all is not well: strange knee cramps at mile 8 were the first symptom in a serious decline of running enjoyment. While other exercisers happily chatted, our hero descended into his own personal hell, running a mile at a time, then stopping to drink and stretch. With each additional mile, the onset of pain began ever sooner.

He bites his lip as he debates the situation. "Injury is completely unacceptable, but where is the line between sore and injured? And yet things gets are getting pretty freaky on that thing.", he muses.

Finally, he steps back on the treadmill and revs up the speed. His thighs feel like jelly, and now the dreaded "chills" have come to visit.

He grimaces and through gritted teeth, mutters, "well, it'll make a good blog entry".

Result: 12 miles and new indoor PR for distance.

Laundry Experiment

I finally performed one of the last, great (if obvious) physics experiments, and am expecting to score a publication in a leading academic journal.

I put a lone sock into a dryer and stood watch over the appliance for 40 minutes, chatting casually with the other tenants of the apartment.

When the machine whirred to stop, I opened the door: empty. From a nearby room, the theme to "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" played in the background. In the lint trap, a tiny tumbleweed wafted into the air and onto the floor.

I'm still working out the equations (Rich, send your phone number)...

Attack-Cat Returns!

Chicago, the feral feline who generally approaches like a streak of black lightning, is alive and well. I was getting worried after the cold snaps of January and February. I don't know what the little bugger is doing but he is clearly resourceful.

And vocal. Friday night, I was walking in my parking lot and heard the familiar mournful howl. I sometimes suspect that Chicago is a "she" and in heat (seriously). Maybe the fiesty fireball imprinted on me as a kitten, and is doomed to some vain, unrequited love. That would be a perfect reversal of my high-school years.

Anyway, I brought out the good stuff -- a tin of Fancy Feast (salmon). Chicago was skittish at first but as I backed away, the power of seafood took over.

Lyric Appreciation #1

I guess I should've known
By the way you parked your car sideways
That it wouldn't last

-- Prince, Little Red Corvette

Feelin' the Bang

Was at work Sunday, Monday until 1 am, and Tuesday until 8 pm.

I once read that for an Islander, there is no greater compliment than to be called a "good worker". No doubt this harkens back to the days of fishing and farming.

True that, whether it be running the "cook crew" at a lobster plant, or displaying Japanese characters correctly on a computer.

CC

CC Skunkworks: New Themes

At CC, our staff remain committed to innovation and design. During long workouts and meetings, we dream up new ways to slake your thirst for all things "Captain". Hell, we write blog entries on Friday nights.

Keen, longtime readers know that there are certain recurring themes: the Calvin-n-Hobbes triathlon reviews, the rare poems, and Chicago-The-Attack-Cat's escapades.

Here's some more ideas that our "Captaineers" are dreaming up:

-- More polls! The ring poll was a smashing success. The only surprise here is that it took 14 months to do one (polling in bars is a 2nd career).

-- The Picasso book has inspired a new "Enigmatic Art Theme". This will be a post with some work of art, with nary any text and no comments. Intended to present an edgy side of CC, the interpretation will be left to you, dear reader. (This is in stark contrast to issues of politics and taste, where your opinion will be left to me.) There has already been one such posting on this theme. Are these personal comments? Political comments? Who knows?

-- The Confessional: stay tuned for the occasional blog entry where a previously unspoken thought/fear/hope is revealed...

-- The Reality Romance: for some reason, this one may be to much for CC dot com. We are entertaining the thought of documenting interaction with a potential new flame. It gives me the creeps to post such things, for a variety of reasons, but this could be a big lode of material.

As always, feedback is welcome, though possibly ignored or corrected! Please use these themes for your own blogs... they are a good way to inspire entries.

To the Critics: Bring It to the Gym

Lately, and yet again last night, I have received several greetings from people where the first thing they say is "OMG you are so thin". With ultra-short hair these days (compared to the long mane of yore), some people even speculate that I'm on chemo. What a pleasant way to catch up with someone.

I also regularly receive unsolicited dieting and hydration advice with respect to working out.

I realize that most of these comments come from those who care, but I assure you that if you plucked a random person from a bar and compared our respective health or fitness levels: chances are good that I win.

I generally have an open-offer to anyone -- who thinks I'm weak or sickly -- to come to the gym and work out with me. We'll have a good old time.... :-)