Thursday, 4/10, GSX ODO 4804
To work and back, home for lunch.
Notable: What a perfect beautiful day -- clear skies, perfect temps all day long. It doesn't get much better than this for riding. Most of the sand is washed away. Morning and lunch riding was perfect -- the ride home in rush-hour traffic was a bit twitchy, and I was tailed by a cop on Loudoun County Parkway... maybe coincidence, or maybe he was waiting for me to take off once I cleared the traffic. Can't we all just get along!?
Saturday, 4/5, GSX ODO 4774
To GW and back.
Notable: A surprise beautiful day... mouthguard delivery services, with better gas mileage.
Sometime... 4760... 52 miles lost in time...
One commute to work, and a couple brief rides on weekends when the weather was nice in late February and March.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Wonderful Dysphoria
The other night, Monday, I happened to watch Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. It turned out to be uniquely appropriate timing, since one of the principle themes of the movie is the culmination of Mr. Magorium's life. Although there are several inspired moments within the movie, by far the most poignant sequence takes place as Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman), the toy store manager, finally confronts the reality that Mr. Magorium will die:
M.Magorium: (in a quiet sigh) oh, Mahoney…
Mahoney: Don’t go.
M.Magorium: My darling
Mahoney: I’m not ready, I’m not ready for it to end.
M.Magorium: I’m sorry.
(Mahoney sits down a step)
M.Magorium: When King Lear dies in Act Five do you know what William Shakespeare has written? He’s written, "He Dies." That's all, nothing more. No fan fare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words.
The culmination of the most influential work of the dramatic literature is, "He Dies." It takes Shakespeare’s genius to come up with, he dies.
And yet every time I read those two words I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. And I know its only natural to be sad, but not because of the words he dies, but because of the life we saw prior to the words.
I’ve lived all five of my acts Mahoney and I am not asking you to be happy that I must go. I’m only asking that you turn the page. Continue reading. And let the next story begin.
And if anyone ever asks what became of me, you relay my life in all its wonder, and end it with a simple, and modest, he died.
Mahoney: I love you.
M.Magorium: I love you too.
(M.Magorium takes Mahoney by the hands and gets her up to her feet)
M.Magorium: (he sighs) Your life is an occasion......rise to it.
(he kisses her forehead and walks away)
M.Magorium: (in a quiet sigh) oh, Mahoney…
Mahoney: Don’t go.
M.Magorium: My darling
Mahoney: I’m not ready, I’m not ready for it to end.
M.Magorium: I’m sorry.
(Mahoney sits down a step)
M.Magorium: When King Lear dies in Act Five do you know what William Shakespeare has written? He’s written, "He Dies." That's all, nothing more. No fan fare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words.
The culmination of the most influential work of the dramatic literature is, "He Dies." It takes Shakespeare’s genius to come up with, he dies.
And yet every time I read those two words I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. And I know its only natural to be sad, but not because of the words he dies, but because of the life we saw prior to the words.
I’ve lived all five of my acts Mahoney and I am not asking you to be happy that I must go. I’m only asking that you turn the page. Continue reading. And let the next story begin.
And if anyone ever asks what became of me, you relay my life in all its wonder, and end it with a simple, and modest, he died.
Mahoney: I love you.
M.Magorium: I love you too.
(M.Magorium takes Mahoney by the hands and gets her up to her feet)
M.Magorium: (he sighs) Your life is an occasion......rise to it.
(he kisses her forehead and walks away)
In Tribute to William Poesch, from Cynthia
Continuing the cards and letters sent following my Dad's death, April 7th, 2006:
"In one of the stars
I shall be living
In one of them
I shall be laughing
And so it will be
As if all the stars
Were laughing
When you look
At the sky at night"
...and there is sweetness in the laughter of all the stars...
and in the memories of your Father, Grandfather, Friend
Love,
Cynthia
"In one of the stars
I shall be living
In one of them
I shall be laughing
And so it will be
As if all the stars
Were laughing
When you look
At the sky at night"
...and there is sweetness in the laughter of all the stars...
and in the memories of your Father, Grandfather, Friend
Love,
Cynthia
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
In Tribute to William Poesch, from Carol and Fred
Continuing the cards and letters sent following my Dad's death, April 7th, 2006:
Mark & Joanne & Family,
"There is a quiet place somewhere beyond tomorrow where your heart will find peace and the mist of grief will begin to clear away."
Your dad was a wonderful man with an incredibly positive attitude. We will & do truly miss him.
Warm Regards,
Carol & Fred
Mark & Joanne & Family,
"There is a quiet place somewhere beyond tomorrow where your heart will find peace and the mist of grief will begin to clear away."
Your dad was a wonderful man with an incredibly positive attitude. We will & do truly miss him.
Warm Regards,
Carol & Fred
Monday, April 07, 2008
In Tribute to William Poesch
Wow. My blog updates have entered into a whole new era of lameness. Two months of nothing... not that life has been uneventful. In fact, maybe because it has been busy, I haven't had time to update my life online.
We spent a couple of weekends moving 40+ years of belongings from my Mom's VA home. Spent Spring Break in CA catching up with friends and family up and down the coast -- and of course, visiting friend-Mickey in Disneyland. Then, jet lag and too many germs brought a couple of days home sick in bed, and two weeks recovery.
Among the belongings moved from my Mom's place were a whole satchel full of sympathy cards she kept following my Dad's death two years ago.
Going through them was tough... but what the heck was I supposed to do with them, I wondered. As I read, I realized that many contained tributes that deserve to be captured. And, I've succeeded in procrastinating until this point... on the anniversary of my Dad's death, it seems fitting to begin sharing the kind words sent by friends and family.
Even after culling through the pile of notes, those with substantive thoughts and messages were still several inches high. So, I figured I could capture one a day on my blog.
Tonight's note comes from good friends of our family, and was sent to me:
Dear Mark,
Just wanted to write a short note to let you know that we are thinking of your family in the home-going of your Dad.
Keith and Bill have known each other since the fifties when both were Engineering students at U.C.L.A. Over the years he has been a very special friend who shared his life and enthusiasm and joy with both of us.
May your many memories bring joy to you as you grieve.
We send our love,
Pat and Keith
We spent a couple of weekends moving 40+ years of belongings from my Mom's VA home. Spent Spring Break in CA catching up with friends and family up and down the coast -- and of course, visiting friend-Mickey in Disneyland. Then, jet lag and too many germs brought a couple of days home sick in bed, and two weeks recovery.
Among the belongings moved from my Mom's place were a whole satchel full of sympathy cards she kept following my Dad's death two years ago.
Going through them was tough... but what the heck was I supposed to do with them, I wondered. As I read, I realized that many contained tributes that deserve to be captured. And, I've succeeded in procrastinating until this point... on the anniversary of my Dad's death, it seems fitting to begin sharing the kind words sent by friends and family.
Even after culling through the pile of notes, those with substantive thoughts and messages were still several inches high. So, I figured I could capture one a day on my blog.
Tonight's note comes from good friends of our family, and was sent to me:
Dear Mark,
Just wanted to write a short note to let you know that we are thinking of your family in the home-going of your Dad.
Keith and Bill have known each other since the fifties when both were Engineering students at U.C.L.A. Over the years he has been a very special friend who shared his life and enthusiasm and joy with both of us.
May your many memories bring joy to you as you grieve.
We send our love,
Pat and Keith
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Motorcycle Diaries 2008.02.03
Sunday, 2/3, GSX ODO 4706
Wendy's and back for lunch.
Notable: Chilly at speed, but great to get out with the sun and temps in the high 50s. A wrong turn onto Belmont Ridge (at the Loudoun County Parkway detour) turned a quick trip to Wendy's into a 30 mile excursion to 50 and up 28. 0 to 60 in 3 - 4 seconds still feels great.
Monday, 1/7, GSX ODO 4676
To work and back.
Notable: A beautiful day to get out -- sunny with a high of 74, according to Weather.com. Great to get out! As I recall, the weather over the next couple of days wasn't bad either, but circumstances and a certain paranoia about 1/10 kept me off the bike.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Background Music
The new music is borrowed from a site built by a friend of a friend. Lifehouse's Everything from their 2000 release: No Name Face.
What do you think?
What do you think?
Motorcycle Diaries 2007.12.29
Saturday, 12/29, GSX ODO 4661
Around.
Notable: The front tire does have a slow leak... down to 31 psi since the last ride. Looks like this was last ride of the year since the weather just gets colder from here for the next few days. Good to be out. Temps at 50 with wind chill at 50+ mph was pretty chilly, but not too much for a quick 11 mile run.
Around.
Notable: The front tire does have a slow leak... down to 31 psi since the last ride. Looks like this was last ride of the year since the weather just gets colder from here for the next few days. Good to be out. Temps at 50 with wind chill at 50+ mph was pretty chilly, but not too much for a quick 11 mile run.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
BMW Performance Delivery
So, after seriously considering the 2007 BMW 550i and opting for the motorcycles instead, I finally broke down and bought the 2008 this summer. Our trip to Europe presented an opportunity that was just too good to pass up, so I gave it a shot.
Everything worked out spectacularly. European Delivery saved me a bunch, and enabled us to tour Germany and Austria in style for a few days. Details on that trip are still pending.
After dropping the car off with the shipping agency in Munich in early September, it finally made its way to the New Jersey shores in October, and was trucked to Spartanburg, SC. A circuitous route... but bare with me, and you'll understand the method to my madness.
Thursday, 10/25, I grabbed a rental car and headed for Greenville, SC (immediately adjacent to the BMW plant in Spartanburg, SC, braving 500 miles of rainy weather, traffic, and dark highways, praying that it would clear by the morning.
Cutting to the chase... The next morning, with a group of five couples, I headed to the BMW Performance Delivery center just a couple miles down the road from the hotel.
Upon arrival, what should we all behold but my car, proudly displayed in the lobby of the delivery center with placards reading "PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH -- THIS IS A CUSTOMER'S NEW VEHICLE." With the second "comfort access key" in my pocket, it was all I could do to resist gently touching the door handle to deactivate the alarm and make the lights flash. "That's my car, baby!! ;-)" (But, I resisted the temptation to show off.)
After brief introductions, and a quick performance driver training session we headed to the track, and to copies of our cars ready for abuse.
Unfortunately, 550i Sport editions were in short supply, so I was stuck with an M5... a 500 BHP, 0-60 in 4.5 seconds monster! Yeah baby!
With heads-up display, paddle shifting, and various performance tuning controls set, I was ready!
First up, pushing the cars as hard as we could on a small portion of the race track. From someone else's "hot lap" experience, here's a rough idea of what it looked like from the inside; with Donnie Isley:
Then, it was time for ABS brake testing, and practice turning while braking:
And then, over to the skid pad. First, without DSC:
Then, with DSC:
I took delivery of my car; personally shown every bell and whistle by Donnie. After wrapping up, he drove it out of the lobby, and handed over the keys, BMW coffee and other goodies.
I had just enough time to zip over to the Zentrum museum, drive on the sidewalk (whee!) and park behind the row of 650is driven over by the rest of the group.
I sorta missed the opportunity to drive one of the 650is over... but with my 550i parked behind the group, how could I complain. Really!?
After a quick tour of the museum, and lunch complements of the delivery center, we headed back on the track.
While some of us waited for lunch to settle, Donnie ran hot-laps with each couple. Here's Donnie's final hot-lap for our group, from the outside:
I then headed over to the X5 course with Jim Davis.
The course really demonstrated that the X5 is a true four-wheel drive off-road vehicle. Nice!
After wrapping up the drive in the X5, and saying farewells to Donnie, Jim, and the gang, I was back in my shiny new 550i for the 500 mile return trip home.
I'd recommend spending more time in Greenville. But, even if you have to make the whole tour in less than 36 hours, I still recommend it! The experience of a lifetime!
Everything worked out spectacularly. European Delivery saved me a bunch, and enabled us to tour Germany and Austria in style for a few days. Details on that trip are still pending.
After dropping the car off with the shipping agency in Munich in early September, it finally made its way to the New Jersey shores in October, and was trucked to Spartanburg, SC. A circuitous route... but bare with me, and you'll understand the method to my madness.
Thursday, 10/25, I grabbed a rental car and headed for Greenville, SC (immediately adjacent to the BMW plant in Spartanburg, SC, braving 500 miles of rainy weather, traffic, and dark highways, praying that it would clear by the morning.
Cutting to the chase... The next morning, with a group of five couples, I headed to the BMW Performance Delivery center just a couple miles down the road from the hotel.
Upon arrival, what should we all behold but my car, proudly displayed in the lobby of the delivery center with placards reading "PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH -- THIS IS A CUSTOMER'S NEW VEHICLE." With the second "comfort access key" in my pocket, it was all I could do to resist gently touching the door handle to deactivate the alarm and make the lights flash. "That's my car, baby!! ;-)" (But, I resisted the temptation to show off.)After brief introductions, and a quick performance driver training session we headed to the track, and to copies of our cars ready for abuse.
Unfortunately, 550i Sport editions were in short supply, so I was stuck with an M5... a 500 BHP, 0-60 in 4.5 seconds monster! Yeah baby!
With heads-up display, paddle shifting, and various performance tuning controls set, I was ready!
First up, pushing the cars as hard as we could on a small portion of the race track. From someone else's "hot lap" experience, here's a rough idea of what it looked like from the inside; with Donnie Isley:
Then, it was time for ABS brake testing, and practice turning while braking:
And then, over to the skid pad. First, without DSC:
Then, with DSC:
I took delivery of my car; personally shown every bell and whistle by Donnie. After wrapping up, he drove it out of the lobby, and handed over the keys, BMW coffee and other goodies.
I had just enough time to zip over to the Zentrum museum, drive on the sidewalk (whee!) and park behind the row of 650is driven over by the rest of the group.
I sorta missed the opportunity to drive one of the 650is over... but with my 550i parked behind the group, how could I complain. Really!?
After a quick tour of the museum, and lunch complements of the delivery center, we headed back on the track.
While some of us waited for lunch to settle, Donnie ran hot-laps with each couple. Here's Donnie's final hot-lap for our group, from the outside:
I then headed over to the X5 course with Jim Davis.
The course really demonstrated that the X5 is a true four-wheel drive off-road vehicle. Nice!
After wrapping up the drive in the X5, and saying farewells to Donnie, Jim, and the gang, I was back in my shiny new 550i for the 500 mile return trip home.
I'd recommend spending more time in Greenville. But, even if you have to make the whole tour in less than 36 hours, I still recommend it! The experience of a lifetime!
Motorcycle Diaries 2007.11.21
Wednesday, 11/21, GSX ODO 4650
To Brambleton Plaza and back.
Notable: New 12V portable air compressor from Sears, and air in the tire: 36 PSI and holding. Weather today is 72 and sunny! Heavy Thanksgiving traffic, so I kept it short. And, kept the speed down ...just in case.
Sunday, 11/18, GSX ODO 4637
Err... nowhere.
Notable: Front tire 0.0 PSI. I noticed that turning in was particularly hard on the 11/10 return home, but figured that it was just my imagination. A flat!? ...or maybe my 11/10 trip to get air had the opposite effect! Bizarre.
Saturday, 11/10, GSX ODO 4637
To gas station for air, and back.
Notable: A chilly ride, but it was good to get out for a bit.
To Brambleton Plaza and back.
Notable: New 12V portable air compressor from Sears, and air in the tire: 36 PSI and holding. Weather today is 72 and sunny! Heavy Thanksgiving traffic, so I kept it short. And, kept the speed down ...just in case.
Sunday, 11/18, GSX ODO 4637
Err... nowhere.
Notable: Front tire 0.0 PSI. I noticed that turning in was particularly hard on the 11/10 return home, but figured that it was just my imagination. A flat!? ...or maybe my 11/10 trip to get air had the opposite effect! Bizarre.
Saturday, 11/10, GSX ODO 4637
To gas station for air, and back.
Notable: A chilly ride, but it was good to get out for a bit.
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