Fog is the worst weather condition to ride in. You can't see well and you're unsure if other motorists can see you. Time and space devolve into a level of singularity where presence is absolved and forward movement, progress becomes difficult; indeed at times the time/space continuum stops. It is unsafe to continue; indeed you can't continue.
Patience. Time. A little sunshine. Always something to focus on. The path. The destination. The ride.
I appreciate good metaphors. I hope you do too.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
So many topics...
I love good metaphors and I've been thinking of writing about "a new coat of paint" and "what's in a name". But I have to throw the metaphors away because I'm carrying the weight of "telling people what they don't want to hear".
I've been on the receiving end of this before, but more often I've been the one telling. So, "your shift is changing", "your work assignment is changing" and "you're not performing your job well" has been my focus for a few weeks. Fewer than 20 of 115 have had to hear me say it directly, but it carries heavy on everyone.
Day care, second jobs, spouses, families, obligations - life. Number two. That's the unspoken truth of my message.
It's my job. It makes good business sense. Better utilization of resources. Consistent with strategic plan.
When did I become this guy?
I've been on the receiving end of this before, but more often I've been the one telling. So, "your shift is changing", "your work assignment is changing" and "you're not performing your job well" has been my focus for a few weeks. Fewer than 20 of 115 have had to hear me say it directly, but it carries heavy on everyone.
Day care, second jobs, spouses, families, obligations - life. Number two. That's the unspoken truth of my message.
It's my job. It makes good business sense. Better utilization of resources. Consistent with strategic plan.
When did I become this guy?
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Zen Stories
What do patient satisfaction, motorcycling and competition have to do with Zen Stories? Short answer - I'm intimate with all three.
Long answer - I attended a "lunch and learn" meeting last week with a group of people seeking to improve patients' experiences at the hospital where I work. The theme for the hour was "Zen Stories" and was facilitated by a beautiful woman who works in the Lab as a phlebotomist. I won't retell the Zen Stories here but I will summarize that they all had to do with people being "fully present". We talked a lot about what "fully present" means and I think we reached consensus that, at least in the realm of patient care (customer service), it implies a singular focus and broad receptiveness to the reality of a shared now. We are asked to do this repeatedly throughout the day as we tend to one patient's needs and then tend to another patient's needs. The first patient never loses importance in our minds, but our conscious mind must continually re-focus on the "now" patient.
The motorcycle both allows and requires the rider to be fully present. Extraneous external stimuli are muted - phones, radios, snacks and beverages - but senses stimulated into awareness. Each deceleration, acceleration and curve; each stop sign, car, truck and deer requires that elapsed moments be allowed to flow into the past so that the present is the focus.
(Bad buddhism, bad Zen. Sorry)
And competition...
'Competing gives purpose to my training and allows comparison of my efforts with those of other men. It’s also a relief not to be typecast by Parkinson’s. There’s no “PD” placed after my name on the whiteboard in the list of competitors. There’s no-one telling me to “rest if you feel tired.”'
This comes from a post on Stumptuous.com. Here's the link: http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin
"PD" is Parkinson's Disease. I think this gentleman gets the same thing out of competing that I do. Read this story and the shaky-man-1 and you'll learn of a man improving his future by focusing in the now, and by refusing to adhere to the tenets of his pathology.
Peace man.
Long answer - I attended a "lunch and learn" meeting last week with a group of people seeking to improve patients' experiences at the hospital where I work. The theme for the hour was "Zen Stories" and was facilitated by a beautiful woman who works in the Lab as a phlebotomist. I won't retell the Zen Stories here but I will summarize that they all had to do with people being "fully present". We talked a lot about what "fully present" means and I think we reached consensus that, at least in the realm of patient care (customer service), it implies a singular focus and broad receptiveness to the reality of a shared now. We are asked to do this repeatedly throughout the day as we tend to one patient's needs and then tend to another patient's needs. The first patient never loses importance in our minds, but our conscious mind must continually re-focus on the "now" patient.
The motorcycle both allows and requires the rider to be fully present. Extraneous external stimuli are muted - phones, radios, snacks and beverages - but senses stimulated into awareness. Each deceleration, acceleration and curve; each stop sign, car, truck and deer requires that elapsed moments be allowed to flow into the past so that the present is the focus.
(Bad buddhism, bad Zen. Sorry)
And competition...
'Competing gives purpose to my training and allows comparison of my efforts with those of other men. It’s also a relief not to be typecast by Parkinson’s. There’s no “PD” placed after my name on the whiteboard in the list of competitors. There’s no-one telling me to “rest if you feel tired.”'
This comes from a post on Stumptuous.com. Here's the link: http://www.stumptuous.com/shaky-man-in-the-gym-2-keep-on-shakin
"PD" is Parkinson's Disease. I think this gentleman gets the same thing out of competing that I do. Read this story and the shaky-man-1 and you'll learn of a man improving his future by focusing in the now, and by refusing to adhere to the tenets of his pathology.
Peace man.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Competition
I've gone on the record stating that I am not competitive. I enjoy competing to the extent that it allows me to gauge my abilities against others, but generally winning and losing are about the same to me. I assume that I will give my best, in the moment, and my best will not always measure up, but that does not make me a loser.
So, that being said, I'm officially registered for the Capital City Strong Man competition on June 12. I think I'll finish somewhere around 2nd to last (compared to last year's results). My goal is to perform sufficiently to be measured in each event: flip the 600 pound tire once, carry the two 175 pound milk cans a couple of feet, press at least 165, move the 550 pound sled a foot and pick up one Atlas stone.
What's that? Why am I doing this? Well, let me tell you. Last year my wife decided to run the Crazy Legs and she invited every one to run with her. A lot did, but the real news is she's still running. Since the Crazy legs she's done two 1/2 marathons, will soon be doing the Syttende Mei (sic), and in October the Chicago Marathon. She's entered these events and she's learned and met people and now she's a Runner.
I did the Moonshine because I consider myself a Motorcyclist. I went, I learned and met people, rode 962 miles in 3 days and I am a Motorcyclist.
I've always wanted to be a strong man. I remember when I was 4 or 5 trying to lift my dad and just being amazed at how heavy he was and how strong he was (Shout out to my dad - he may be a bit heavier now, but still strong. Very strong). So I'm entered in this event and I hope to learn and meet people.
And maybe in a year or so become a Strong Man.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Well, really...(from a reply sent to my friend Jim)
"You're an atheist?". Yes, I am one atheist. Yes, I am an a-theist.
Therein lies the problem with categorizing atheists as a group...people don't identify themselves as members of groups based on what they don't believe in (tea partiers excepted, perhaps). It would be kind of like calling christians "a-moslems", when most christians identify themselves based on what they do believe in, i.e. catholocism (WTF!!), rather than what they don't.
Unless one believes in a god or god-like deity, one meets the definition of atheist. Buddhists are a-theists, but whether they're atheists is a big, stinking, worthless debate (you don't believe in a god, you're an atheist, I don't give a shit how damn spiritual you are, IMO). But "atheist" has become a meaningless label, especially to atheists. It's come to imply secularist, science-ist, devil worshiper (double WTF!!) and other things when all it means is "there ain't no god(s)". Frankly I don't want to be a member of a group defined by what it's members don't believe in, unless it has something to do with really, really hating the Chicago Bears. But even that would be based on a common belief, "the Bears still suck", as opposed to a common disbelief (a-belief?).
Therein lies the problem with categorizing atheists as a group...people don't identify themselves as members of groups based on what they don't believe in (tea partiers excepted, perhaps). It would be kind of like calling christians "a-moslems", when most christians identify themselves based on what they do believe in, i.e. catholocism (WTF!!), rather than what they don't.
Unless one believes in a god or god-like deity, one meets the definition of atheist. Buddhists are a-theists, but whether they're atheists is a big, stinking, worthless debate (you don't believe in a god, you're an atheist, I don't give a shit how damn spiritual you are, IMO). But "atheist" has become a meaningless label, especially to atheists. It's come to imply secularist, science-ist, devil worshiper (double WTF!!) and other things when all it means is "there ain't no god(s)". Frankly I don't want to be a member of a group defined by what it's members don't believe in, unless it has something to do with really, really hating the Chicago Bears. But even that would be based on a common belief, "the Bears still suck", as opposed to a common disbelief (a-belief?).
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Goddamn. That's a pretty fucking good milkshake.
If you find yourself somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Eastern Indiana. Look for this place. Vince Vega would have approved because it was good AND $2.01 less than $5.00.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I had to stop and get a pic of the "Welcome to Farmer City" sign for two reasons - I love the thought of living in a town called Farmer City, and because when I was living in Bloomington I always listened to a radio station called "The Whip" which broadcasts from Farmer City. You can check it out and stream it from here: http://www.wwhp.com/ It is the best broadcast radio station ever.
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