5.31.2009
we went to high school together... well... we were in the same high school at the same time
this is chip...chip was a grade above me in high school
our paths seldom crossed
we did not share any classes
not sure if we exchanged hellos in the hall
do not really recall him at any parties and definitely not at any of the high school dances
guess I was geeking out while he doing something cool
he was a talented varsity soccer player on a team that was a legacy for state championships
soccer skills beyond a level I ever attained
wonder when the last time he chased a ball was
soccer... soccer soccer... rants on cycling and kids soccer... that may be the tone of the new and improved gwadzilla blog!
was going to edit thisshould really edit this
this needs to be broken back down into the gwadzilla puncuationless format
but I do not have the time the energy or the concern
Story in the NY TIMES on parenting...
my time is no longer my own life as a husband and father has its responsibilities being the father of two young boys has its obligations my primary obligation is to try and raise these boys each to be the best that each can be in fact... I often tell them to let me help them to be the best that they can be sadly... they often fight my efforts this weekend past involved soccer... it looks like my future weekends will involve soccer soccer and various other activities right now the only structured activity outside of school is soccer so... my almost 8 year old son Dean is trying out for a "travel" soccer team while my son Grant who recently turned five is on a soccer team that I coach
their soccer skills are good... they are not stand out players... yet they are solid little soccer players... when they want to be sadly... I do not know how to flip that switch to make them want to play their best moments ago I got off the phone with my wife... in this conversation I asked how the "try outs" went... she told me she would tell me when we got home not that they went bad... but she clearly did not want the conversation to happen with the subject of the conversation within ear shot it is common sense that the children are always listening when you are saying something that they should not hear so... on Saturdays as coach I battle with my five year old son trying to get him to participate... as the coaches son I want him to lead by example... his example tends to be a "bad example" so... as I trouble shoot all the emotions of the various children of other parents... I also need to trouble shoot my own son and honestly... I am not sure how to properly motivate him in fact... I often have better luck motivating the other children better than motivating my own Grant is a good little ball player for a five year old... when he is on... he is dead on... again... he is not a stand out player... but he is good... not jaw dropping good... but he is an effective little ball player... but only when he wants to be... his time on the field can waver between solid play and day dreaming... he is five... I always have to remind myself... he is five yet it frustrates me especially 
since the first game he was sensational the night before Grant's first game I gave him his uniform... he slept in his uniform and woke up early... he played a game with an intensity that made me proud... he scored so many goals that I did not bother to count... that night he had a hard time falling asleep... while trying to put him to bed he told me that he wanted to play soccer... not kick the ball... but a soccer game that intensity and passion has not returned since game one there have been moments but nothing quite like that first game as for my older son... well... the try outs for the "travel" team are three sessions... today was the second session... as said... I just got off the phone with my wife... I am not sure how things went... just as I ask Grant to give me 40 minutes of focus on soccer on game day... I asked my older son to give his all at the try outs... actually my advice was more simple than that... I asked three things of him 1-listen to the coaches... 2-try your hardest... and 3-have fun not sure what happened today... as an adult I know how hard it is to overcome malaise... but we as adults know to drink coffee or to play through... children... well... they can so often become victims of their moods and/or energy levels there is one more day of try outs... not sure what happened today
spoke to my wife... after a day of school dean was not in the right frame of mine... he did not play up to his potential... he was not on the ball... but apparently he did okay when they were testing him as goalie... one more try out session... fingers crossed
what happens happens... either way he will continue to play soccer
and if we can increase the number of pick up games with friends I am sure that his skills will advance even without the movement to a different team with more structure and better coaching
also in the NY TIMES... this article authored by David Byrne
article in the NY TIMES authored by David Byrnethe NY TIMES
BIKE MESSENGER by David Byrne in the NY TIMES
Story in the Washington Post about Fundamentalist Terrorists....
Story in the Washington Post about Fundamentalist Terrorists....
in the Washington Post
these sort of people scare me
another article to read when I have a minute
just scanned things
need to revisit when I have the time and the energy
in the Washington Post
these sort of people scare me
another article to read when I have a minute
just scanned things
need to revisit when I have the time and the energy
Stoddert Soccer... kid's soccer game at the same time as dad's bike race
not sure what Category it wasbut R took third at the Clarendon Cup
then he rode over to his son's soccer game
where I was coaching my five year old's soccer team
flowers for the wife...
nice.
getting third
not too shabby... wonder if his kids know that their dad is a badass on the bike?
RI wonder if his kids know that their bike racing lawyer dad used to be big haired glam rocker
well... a weird sort of punk funny to look like a glam rocker
don't take me serious
but this is serious what I look like
I doubt it
but there will be conversations
photos will surface
the kids will have questions
our kids go to the same school...
our kids go to the same school...we see each other at school functions
as we are brothers on the bike... we gravitate towards each other to discuss bicycle related concepts at these said school functions
recently our discussions have involved updates on the status of his stolen bike... actually bikes
although I am not sure of the specifics I will give an brief synopsis... as inaccurate as that synopsis may be
so this man was unloading his bike along with his family's bikes after a weekend vacation
during the process of unloading the car and putting things away three bikes were stolen from his backyard
gone... vanished... disappeared
there was denial... anger... frustration...
all the classic mechanisms for dealing with such a loss
there may have even been replacement
then one day this guy saw some kids from the neighborhood riding down the block on bicycles
one of kids was on his wife's bicycle
or maybe it was his bicycle... it is not my story... it is his story so the details are hard to share
as I do not know the details
yet I share the mangled details just the same
well... so... he approaches these kids
I was not there so I can not guide you in any direction as far as the specifics of the situationI do not know the time of day or the age or the number of kids
nor do I know the tone of the exchange
all I know is that he got the one bike back and let the kids go on their way
while I felt that there should have been some recourse
but what?
as said I was not there... the variables of the situation will dictate things in one direction of another
I question... does a kid come home with a stolen bike and bring it in the house
maybe the parents are not so focused on their comings and goings as they are teenagers who like all teenagers enter and exit the house dodging their parents
so... what should happen in this situation?
well... I think that the retrieval of this bike is a direct clue to the recovery of the remaining bikes
this kid is both suspect, clue, and bait
this kid would definitely know where the other bikes are
so what could be done?
should the parents be called? would someone call the police?
my fantasy would be this...
and this could never happen
and it should never happen
yet it is funny to think about a situation of it happening and the various alternate endings
so... a short quick exchange where the bicycle is retrieved
then there is the placement of a U-Lock around the kid's neck
along with a note
what would the note say?
the note could say what what happened or who to call
the note could include instructions to go to the 3D Police Station and explain things... the key will be left there with an extension of this note... a synopsis of what happened
more than likely without a trace to the owner of the U-Lock
this could be the scenes of a very funny movie
you choose... it could go the way of Quinten Terintino and Pulp Fiction or things could be lead by Seth Rogan and Pineapple Express
either way... imagine this kid trying to resolve this
the immediate effort to use force
the panic to find someone who could assist in the removal of this
efforts... stupid efforts... trying to bend and break it... fre0n being sprayed and freezing his neck
it could be hilarious
then going home to his parents
wearing a turtleneck or a hoodie where there lock is a big lump under the sweater
going to school
still trying to resolve this...
it could go so many directions
too bad all of them are wrong
retaliation to the man with the key to the U-Lock... after all... the took the bikes from his backyard
they know where he lives
legal retaliation... civil suit... some sort of claims... pain and suffering claimed in front of a generous washington dc jury
whatever...
it would be a train wreck caused by a U-Lock
sorry... wanted to proof this...but that rant got lost in my head
you get what you get... no money back on this one
5.30.2009
it is tough for dad's to teach their children right from wrong...
the kids have questions
we do not always have the answers
we try to lead by example
yet there are some things we just can not explain
we do not always have the answers
we try to lead by example
yet there are some things we just can not explain
5.29.2009
The Clarendon Cup....
The Clarendon Cup is tomorrow...
took a look at the day to see if we could fit a drive across the bridge and then some road bike action
no such luck
we will be starting a soccer game a few minutes before the start of the kid's race
the kid's race would be part of the draw
The Clarendon Cup which may also be called The Air Force Cycling Classic
www.airforcecyclingclassic.com
those images of the boys from the CSC Invitational two years ago
FORCE: Friends Of Rock Creek Enviroment
FORCE: Friends Of Rock Creek Enviromentwww.friendsofrockcreek.org
I get their newsletter... it excites me that they are working to try and restore Rock Creek Park
there needs to be an understanding of SUSTAINABILITY
the park needs some serious TLC
Rock Creek Park is the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree of National Parks
all it needs is a little TLC and it will come into its own
5.28.2009
LEVEL COMPONENTS
Level Componentswww.levelcomponents.com
cool product...
there was a guy from DC... a messenger... I forget his name...
he was involved with Level Components on one "level" or another
it is also super cool that Level Components directs people who can not afford their product to the less expensive Tomi Cog Option
Forward Components...
Wheaton aka the Ice-Man shared this tech information with me...Forward Components
www.forwardcomponents.blogspot.com
Road Version of the Forward Components EBB
Forward Components EBB
I need to get my bike and body together so I can get out into the woods and chase Jonathan Wheaton... lessons can be learned by watching him ride
super light on the bike
taking a rigid single speed up and over things with style and finesse
a common bike in Holland is an uncommon bike here in the states...
this bike was stolen and then recoveredits uniqueness... but rather its Dutch-ness made this bike easy to identify in the wrong hands
16th and U Street NW DC...
stopped at a corner I do not usually stop at so that I could snap some shots
decided to stop because I had a few minutes before heading home that could not be spent riding
not riding because of my neck
well... still riding to and from work but not much more
lots of bike traffic at this intersection
major north/south traffic as well as solid east/west traffic
the shot for... opps... my mind was about to drift to a rant that rant got sidetracked as I confused a thought in my head
about to plug Washingtonian Dot Com
when the photo my Eric Gilliland was for Momentum
Bennet in the Post
Bennet of Big Wheel Bikes in the Washington Post
story on the Wilson Bridge Bike Path in the Washington Post
The Washington Post
gwadzilla + big wheel
gwadzilla + bennet
gwadzilla + sendar
not the shot I was looking for
the man formerly known as Black Cat Berniegwadzilla mentions of Bernie... yoga at City Bikes Adams Morgan!
Bernie on the Wiki Page
Rollins Band on the Wiki Page
5.27.2009
Union Station Bike Station Proposals... SUBMIT NOW!
The DC Office of Contracts and Procurement is requesting proposals for the operation of the Union Station Bicycle Transit Center (aka the Bike Station).
Copies of the request for proposals can be obtained at the Reeves Center ( 2000 14th Street, NW , 3rd Floor bid room) or on line at the following link:
http://app.ocp.dc.gov/RUI/information/scf/solicitation_detail.asp?solicitation=DCKA-2009-R-0178
Proposals are due June 26 at 2pm. A pre-bid meeting will be held on Friday, June 5.
Putt Putt in the City!
we used to go to the GW Campus to bowl and shoot pool...things were pretty slack... just walk in... no need to show student id
ping pong
pinball
bowling
there are more social bar game options than darts and pool
H Street Country Club seems to be offering some solid social bar game options
www.hstreetcountryclub.com
which has me thinking...
maybe one day after work I will rush home
grant can get on the trail-a-bike
dean can ride his bike
lisa will have to settle for her pre-Trek Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo
then we can all ride our bikes to get dinner by the putting green at Haines Point
will have to check the hours for the putt putt
I wish he wrote more...
I wish he wrote more...I wish I wrote more...
I wish I drew more....
I wish I drew at all....
oh man... Ikon O Klasst is going to tear us my grammar again
Ikon O Klasst
www.wrenchinthegears.blogspot.com
that hub belongs to Gary of
http://blog.toofattorace.com/
the Motoring Helmet.... because we can never be too safe!
the Motoring Helmet...when airbags and crumple resistant side panels are not enough!
this information traveled via Copenhagenize Dot Com to Jeff Peel of The LAB to Anna Kelso also of The LAB to me... and onto you!
enjoy!
be safe!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)