Tall times in AC

Black Crowes at the Borgata 7/16.
Small intimate hall, I think this one has my name all over it. Blast out from 7 Springs, Masters Nats, to the Crowes show. Trdina, Geronimo any other takers?

No real desire to post. Yeah, I know, the hearts of all nine people who know this exists are breaking.

In the presence of something special

I think that is a good way to describe today.
It started by like most weekends by going to a race. Our team http://meredith-gpoateam.com/
was in full force. This is where the first part of special comes in. Geronimo is fresh off a 3rd place in a hard road race yesterday http://www.geronimok.blogspot.com/ Jared & Nate, our sprinters supreme are there. Super toughman Hacker is excited about the most agressive preme and Steevo, Stubna, Graff and myself are also present. Long story short. Splits everywhere, people attacking everywhere three groups form and we have 6 up front. Stephan wins with a wicked sprint, Nate is top five after a huge bridge. Hacker tows around eveyone's least fave racer and still gets ninth. Stubna attacks the "field" at 2 for 10th. Steevo attacks the "field at1 for 11th & Jared crushes the sprint for the last paying spot. WOW! Yes I am humbled to be a part of this team. Great riding guys.
The other part of my day was not so pleasant, yet was right in line with the blog title. The father of one of Amy's two best friends passed away very unexpectedly on Thursday, and today was the viewing and short service. I had only ever met Joe Britt once or twice, however the impact this man had on people's lives was obviously profound and quite obvious today. A husband, a father, a grandfather, a serviceman, a friend are just a few things Joe Britt was to many people. People came to pay their last respects to the Joe Britt that thay knew and loved. As I said, I did not know Joe. I do know Joann, his youngest daughter. She is one of the nicest people you could hope to meet. A loving wife, mother and friend. It is obvious that these traits were directly from her father. I feel so profoundly sad when people lose a loved one. You wake up one day or come home from work and the world as you know it is forever changed. This isnt' graduation, moving, divorce, or falling out of touch, it is final. There will never be another chance to pick up a phone and say hello. There is no reunion or summer party, there is no chance to reconcile.
Whenever you are having a bad race, day at work, argument with someone you love, think long and hard about the special people in your life right now. We are all in the presence of something or someone very special.
Some parting thoughts from Paul Westerberg of The 'Mats circa 85ish
"The ones who love us best are the ones will lay to rest, and visit their graves on holidays at best."
"The ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to please, if it's any consolation I don't begin to understand it."

Behind the musical curtain

Every song has a meaning. Play along with the Ipod.
Poison Pen, Gurus. Theta Chi and the boys. Friday at 10:00. Unreal.
Man overboard, Blink 182. Good upbeat, get you in the mood. A threshold interval staple.
Gardening at night, REM, good times at live shows. Star Lake. Wow, shit was easier 10-15 years ago.
Driver 8, REm. Blah. Time to remove this poo.
Adam's Song. Blink. what is up with the repeats. About suicide. How can you possibly think that your life is done at 16, at times I was not too far away.
Gin & Juice remix. John Popper. Whew. Blink was heavy & bad memories. Big, fat John giving a little spin on Snoppy doggy. Awesome cross genre cover.
Werewolves of London. Zevon. Lick getting a message from a long lost friend.
Wasting Time, Kid Rock. Nice. Ames & I saw the Kid at Mandaly Bay, on Lilly's dime. Rockin' cool show, plus the Colonel paid the tabe, for a good sales year.
Black chick, White Guy. Kid Rock. I will listyen to this all through. No quick ff after this line. I was registering for race this year & had the ear buds still in. The guy at reg, asked what are you listening to. A sly smile, i reply "Black chick, white Guy." Dudes look was priceless.
I will survive, Cake. Another cross genre beaut, Donna Summer's hair is going straight as I listen.
Add it Up, the Femmes. Gordon ganno is now a minster. Side one of the cassette is one of the best d=sides of party music anywhere. A Theta Chi staple, thank Sunday & Davis.
Queen, Fat bottom girls, funny how a raging flamer pens this tune & the greatest rock anthem ever. Freddy Mercury rocked.
Lawyers, Guns 7 Money, Zevon. AAAHHHH there is that call from an old friend.
Six different Ways, The Cure. Robert Smith put aside the self loathing for a while. only recently have I started to listen to the lyrics. a party with six ex's in attendance. What a scene.
Speaking of six. Time for another Cerveza.
Yeah, music means a great deal to me. It brings you to levels of euphoria and reminds you of despair. I always tear up when I hear Heroes, by Bowie. I know I am depressed if I reach for Husker Du, Candy Apple Grey. The Crowes & the Dead make me remember life is good. Weezer, Beverly Hills just cam on. It reminds me that i am getting a little deep and stop taking myself so seriously.
Pacifico, my darling, here I come.

#5

High school football number & Cervexza consumpyion count so far. Oops, the typos are coming now. Yhis coiuld be fun. Really, and you casn ask Ames, it is not so much the buzz as the fact that I fatfinger a keyboard whilest I hunt & peck. I sometimes get on a roll and then all typing hell breaks loose. Lords only knows what will happen. All you need to do is read the blog while looking to see what letter was in close proximity to the blundered letter.
Crowes, Sometimes Salvation. If the brothers Robinson could have onlky gootern along, (those last words are funny) they would have been way up on the annals of Rock Stardom. Rolling Stone once called the Crowes the next coming of the Stones, heavy praise for a bunch of stoners. Chris Robinson does have the perfect physique for a pro cyclist though, and damn if he is not marries to that hottie Kate Hudson.
OOOHHH back to the 'Mats. Waitress in the Sky. Once upon a Mason glass or twelve of beers at the paradise Alley I sung this song to a chick who was so happy that she was a Stewardess. I know, it was cruel, she did leave sobbing, but I was young, drunk & stupid. Those are three qualities not to put on a reesume.
Stop draggin' my heart around, the crowes again. One of my fave bands. I was once thinking of getting the "ex"ed out eyed crowes inked up onn the shoulder. Then I thought, better of it. Still, what I wicked band.
So I need some new ink. i am thin king either a fill in big colorful ankle piece to mix in w/ the calvin & hobbes dreamer tat, or a brightly colotred Norht Star on the left shoulder. Times have been stressing of late and the Star is the sign for gui=dance, find you way home type of deal. have not decided just yet.
Bittersweet, Hoodoo Gurus. Mars needs Guitars. I see Simky, Davis, Perdue, Sunday and the boys at Theta Chi circa '86 getting ripped on IC light $18 barrels from babe Lamantia. Do you ever feel that college was a high point? Some days I do, some days I wonder what a decision here or a decision there may have yielded.

#5

High school football number & Cervexza consumpyion count so far. Oops, the typos are coming now. Yhis coiuld be fun. Really, and you casn ask Ames, it is not so much the buzz as the fact that I fatfinger a keyboard whilest I hunt & peck. I sometimes get on a roll and then all typing hell breaks loose. Lords only knows what will happen. All you need to do is read the blog while looking to see what letter was in close proximity to the blundered letter.
Crowes, Sometimes Salvation. If the brothers Robinson could have onlky gootern along, (those last words are funny) they would have been way up on the annals of Rock Stardom. Rolling Stone once called the Crowes the next coming of the Stones, heavy praise for a bunch of stoners. Chris Robinson does have the perfect physique for a pro cyclist though, and damn if he is not marries to that hottie Kate Hudson.
OOOHHH back to the 'Mats. Waitress in the Sky. Once upon a Mason glass or twelve of beers at the paradise Alley I sung this song to a chick who was so happy that she was a Stewardess. I know, it was cruel, she did leave sobbing, but I was young, drunk & stupid. Those are three qualities not to put on a reesume.
Stop draggin' my heart around, the crowes again. One of my fave bands. I was once thinking of getting the "ex"ed out eyed crowes inked up onn the shoulder. Then I thought, better of it. Still, what I wicked band.
So I need some new ink. i am thin king either a fill in big colorful ankle piece to mix in w/ the calvin & hobbes dreamer tat, or a brightly colotred Norht Star on the left shoulder. Times have been stressing of late and the Star is the sign for gui=dance, find you way home type of deal. have not decided just yet.
Bittersweet, Hoodoo Gurus. Mars needs Guitars. I see Simky, Davis, Perdue, Sunday and the boys at Theta Chi circa '86 getting ripped on IC light $18 barrels from babe Lamantia. Do you ever feel that college was a high point? Some days I do, some days I wonder what a decision here or a decision there may have yielded.

#5

High school football number & Cervexza consumpyion count so far. Oops, the typos are coming now. Yhis coiuld be fun. Really, and you casn ask Ames, it is not so much the buzz as the fact that I fatfinger a keyboard whilest I hunt & peck. I sometimes get on a roll and then all typing hell breaks loose. Lords only knows what will happen. All you need to do is read the blog while looking to see what letter was in close proximity to the blundered letter.
Crowes, Sometimes Salvation. If the brothers Robinson could have onlky gootern along, (those last words are funny) they would have been way up on the annals of Rock Stardom. Rolling Stone once called the Crowes the next coming of the Stones, heavy praise for a bunch of stoners. Chris Robinson does have the perfect physique for a pro cyclist though, and damn if he is not marries to that hottie Kate Hudson.
OOOHHH back to the 'Mats. Waitress in the Sky. Once upon a Mason glass or twelve of beers at the paradise Alley I sung this song to a chick who was so happy that she was a Stewardess. I know, it was cruel, she did leave sobbing, but I was young, drunk & stupid. Those are three qualities not to put on a reesume.
Stop draggin' my heart around, the crowes again. One of my fave bands. I was once thinking of getting the "ex"ed out eyed crowes inked up onn the shoulder. Then I thought, better of it. Still, what I wicked band.
So I need some new ink. i am thin king either a fill in big colorful ankle piece to mix in w/ the calvin & hobbes dreamer tat, or a brightly colotred Norht Star on the left shoulder. Times have been stressing of late and the Star is the sign for gui=dance, find you way home type of deal. have not decided just yet.
Bittersweet, Hoodoo Gurus. Mars needs Guitars. I see Simky, Davis, Perdue, Sunday and the boys at Theta Chi circa '86 getting ripped on IC light $18 barrels from babe Lamantia. Do you ever feel that college was a high point? Some days I do, some days I wonder what a decision here or a decision there may have yielded.

It's all good

Fourth Cerveza, seconf chocoalte brownie w/ PB chips, Romandie replay on Cycling.tv, Only a Fool by the Crows on Itunes, Martini Girl is sporting a gray thong, she is hot and life is good.
I keep hearing this dinging of a bell and the screams of baby emmanating through the house. Man, I hope Russell and Dan get here soon. there is a distinct deficiency of testosteroine gong on.

Remember my rule from the previous post. No spellcheck. if i make a mistake and catch it, i will correct. If I do not catch it, then going ends up as gong. so be it.
The mates are at bear Mtn this weekend. i forsee Stephan on the podium. Dude is wicked strong this year. Deja Vu all over again as Yogi Berra woyld say.
Ozzy, Over the mountain. Come on everyone, well that would be me, make the deviul fingers. Rock on.
So Frank Schleck is 6'1" and 145#. Anywhere in the world he would be malnourished. Fir cyclists, "he looks lean". No, Frank is emmaciated! He is wicked fast and only 26, but he is proprtionately not far from Manute Bol.
Pacifico is much smoother than the nectar from the glass lined tanks of old Latrobe.
I will dare, the Replacemants. Sweet. If you dig alt rock right now, say thank you to Paul Westerberg and the 'mats.

Bits & pieces

Tonight I will enter a progressive drunken blogdom. No spellcheck, so as to see if alcohol impairs blogging. Keep in mind I have not drank more than three beers in succession in a looong while (not a typo). This being the first entry while on beer number three.
Ames is having a Bunko party with her friends tonight. So, I am pretty muched resigned to cooking for them, which was cool, and internet surfing while drinking.
It seems like a real cool group/gathering. Tenish ladies who get together monthly to socialize & play this card game. I wish I had ten friends to do something like that. I have ten or so teammates that I consider friends, but we are racing vs. drinking & socializing. The burgers were yummy & the pasta salad good. Nice segue, there smoooth like Ahmad rashad.
Next entry in t minus 4 or so ounces.

Muse

I need one. Pay is not very good. You get to work with a crotchety late thirties man who gives praise grudginly, is highly opinionated and suffers from bloggers block. You will surely get less satisfaction than I will, so a strong will is a must. I prefer if you have had prior muse experience. Preference will be given to those who have interests that are greater than just cycling.
Like the pharmaceutical industry, salary is commensurate to your physical presence and beauty. Pictures are required as are references of your muse works.
If you feel that you are ready for such an undertaking, knock yourself out.

Elevator talk Part Deux

I forgot another mindbender from my newfound friend yesterday. As I stated that my heritage is Norman, he looked quite quizzically at me. Before I could explain he retorted, "uh, Norway, there are a lot of Jews in Norway." Excuse me, what did you just say, I retorted in utter disbelief at the totally buffoonery that just spewed out. He replied again, "there are a lot of Jews from Norway."
I can not believe that I forgot about that gem. Oh yeah he was from West By God Virginia.
Gotta go put some noxema chamois cream on my motza balls & ride.
Later

Elavator talk

In my job I wear a nametag. Kind of like a Wal-Mart greeter, but with a tie and pay and benefits are arguably a little better. Also I happen to run into a great deal of people going into doctor's offices, hallways, waiting rooms and elevators. Which leads me today's adventure.
I have the good fortune of waiting for one of the world's slowest elevators when a man walks up to wait for the same elevator. There are certain rules of etiquette that should always be followed in an elevator. No staring, look ahead ro acknowledge with a simple smile. No social banter with someone you do not know, a polite hello will suffice. Actually I jumped the gun a little, as I am waiting this gentleman is just staring at me. Mostly he seems to be staring at my nametag. Luckily I have on the generic Lilly badge, as opposed to my promotional badges. We get into the elevator, and the guy makes eye contact. Actually he makes stare contact. I politely say hello. He retorts with this little gem. "I have seen a lot of Jewish names today." Excuse me, I reply. He in his best no pre-frontal cortes screening incapacity says, "your name, it is Jewish." I am absolutely dumbfounded that someone would ever say anything such as this to another person. I calmly state that the name, of which I have been led to believe is of Norman descent. He looks quizzically and asks what Norman is. I do a quick geographic explanation for him. He then stares right at me and states this mindbender. "No, your name is Jewish. I know two orthodox Jews in New York City and their last name is the same as yours. Your name is Jewish." Now keep in mind I am only travelling three floors in this godforsaken elevator, yet I have still not arrived. I politely reply, that their name may have been shortened at some time for certain reasons, as I believe the Hebe surname may have been shortened centuries ago from Hebert. He does not understand this concept, nor does he buy it. As the bell finally rings to signal my escape he states again his belief of my Jewish heritage.
What an eye opener. I was so taken aback by this guy. Thankfully he was not going in the same office I was going to see. However, he was going into the office I had lunch scheduled with. Being the good salesperson that I am, I ask a few leading questions of the office's morning. I then retell my elevator story. I wanted to hear what the office take was on this guy. It turns out he accosted the Immitrex rep right in the office waiting room about having a Jewish surname as well. That rep is not Jewish either. The ladies said the guy was really wacky and did not want treatment from the doc because Dr. Cho is Korean and my new friend did not think the doctor knew the English language.
Unreal. Another day, another learning experience of the human psyche.