The Difference Between Knowing and Appreciating Something

A woman knows that kicking a guy in the family jewels will hurt.
A man appreciates that fact.

You Meet The Friendliest People Near Motorcycles

Today a buddy and I went to the New England Motorcycle Show in New York City. An easy day trip from Boston. We hadn't gone to a proper bike show in years, and never one as far and as big as this one in New York.

There would be no proper riding for us until at least April, so this was an nice opportunity to see all the new motorcycle weapondry, accessories, and the motorcyclists they draw. While the motorcycles were very intriguing, it was the people and the stories they brought that enhanced the experienced.

From the guy with the Christian Motorcyclist Association, who matted a stick-shift transmission to a Norton motorcycle almost as old as myself, to the woman who had as many tattoos on her arms as there are days in a month, to the kid who streched his four-foot frame, with glee, across a 1098cc Ducati sportsbike, to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor who gave us a idea of what to expect in an advance course, while we all sampled Nolan motorcycle helmets.

In all these stories of trips, bike, modification, and anecdotes of adventures gone by; meeting for one winter Sunday afternoon, never to meet again, but better for the exchange.

Rebuilding Haiti

I have avoided looking at too many photos or videos of the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Port au Prince. I remember how I became a CNN fiend for the 22 hours (straight) after 9/11, and how it gave me nightmares for a day or two. This time, I'm not worried about the nightmare, but the despair that can come about after such devastation.

We cannot bring the dead back. What we can do is find out (ask, seek, knock) how we can be of service to the living. Today, I donated via church. However, this time. I will approach such giving how I approached campaign donations in the last presidential election. Like the Busy Bunnies in my daughters' bedtime story, I will sow seeds, "a little here, a little there."

Where Does The Terror (List) End?

So, what gets a country on another country's list of terrorist states? I know that's not an official term, but that's what it is ultimately thought of as.

If a criterion is the nationality of the terror suspect, then what happens when a country ends up on its own list.

Knowing and Acting Like It's All Going To End

I ran across a quote I had saved on my phone, a few months back, from D. H. Lawrence: "Every man unknowingly, lives through every year, the day that will eventually be the anniversary of his death."

A chill ran over me, once I gave it some thought. We always see death, barring a terminal accident or disease, as something (hopefully) in the far future. However, the day of everyone's death, boils down to a particular day within a year. A day, if one is more than a year old, that would have been lived through at least once.

The Decade In Review?

It's hard to believe the first ten years of the decade are coming to a close. I would have missed it, had it not been for the media. After all, 2010 is a nice round number.

Most of it has been colored by September 11, 2001, and its aftermath, n0t to mention the Great Recession. It's a grayier time, and leaner time, a meaner time, and a ME-er time. At the end of it, we've become tougher and more resilent because of it.

The World In World Cup

A few weeks ago I left work a bit later than I should have, so I ended up catching a later bus. When I arrived at the bus stop, a gentleman who looked unsure about whether he was at the right bus stop, approached me. He me asked how to get to Porter Square, Cambridge from the stop. I told him he was at the right bus stop, and that from it's destination in Harvard Square, he could take a train to Porter Square. It turns out I was headed the same route, one train stop further.

Then I asked him about his accent? He told me he was from Germany. I told him I was originally from Nigeria. Before you know it we were talking about world football (soccer in the U.S.), the different international leagues, their politics, pros and cons, the World Cup, and the future of the sport.

By the time he got off the train at Porter Square, you'd think we'd been long time acquaintances.