Can't sleep, but there's nothing to do?

"I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it.” - Albert Einstein



For all my readers who suffer from insomnia, tonight you are in for a treat! If you happen to be awake around 3:51 AM (CST), hop outside for a quick look up at the night time sky. As you gaze at the moon, you will begin to see a partial eclipse. By 4:25 AM the eclipse will be full, and the moon should be red in color--what the Chinese once believed as the moon becoming consumed by celestial dragons.



The next chance to catch a full lunar eclipse is February 21, 2008, and after that the wait is longer: December of 2010. Who knows whether we'll be alive by then! Time for an early morning or a late night!

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
- Buddha

Liverpool Football Club

Though my big sister, Running Bear, may have dubbed me Blue Thunder, when it comes to soccer (football for my international readers), I'm a Red supporter. By that, I mean I support the Liverpool Football Club ("LFC"), the most successful club in the history of English football, and home to the greatest fans in the world (You'll Never Walk Alone).

After Liverpool was robbed by Milan in the Champions League final last May, the club manager, Rafael Benitez, was outspoken in saying that the club needed to approach the summer transfer period with intensity and fervor; signing truly world-class talent. The general consensus was that Rafa wanted the club to sign an elite Striker (or two!), and a left-wing.

Throughout the summer, rumors spread regarding numerous star atheletes. Whispers that Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, or Samuel Eto'o, or David Sevilla were signing with the club all turned out unfounded. One rumor, however, turned out true when word that Fernando Torres, the young and talented striker from Atlético Madrid was heading to Liverpool.



Apparently, mullets are still a rage in Madrid. Supporters of Atlético (whom Torres had played for his whole career) were so overcome with the anger and grief of potentially losing their only true superstar, that they protested in the streets of Madrid.


Ultimately, Liverpool offered £20 million, for the 23-year-old kid to play for Liverpool. On July 4th, 2007, Torres bid farewell to Atlético Madrid fans, and Liverpool officially confirmed his transfer to the club.



Last Sunday, on August 19th, 2007, Torres made a fitting debut appearance at Anfield (home of LFC). In a match of great importance against chelsea ("the blues", one of Liverpools' top rivals for the Premeire League title), Torres received an outlet pass from team-captain midfielder Steven Gerrard, quickly moved the ball past the chelsea defender, and scored a riveting goal past the goalkeeper into to the far side of the net.





Hopefully, we will see more of this world-class finishing that Liverpool has been needing for so many years in a striker. Perhaps Torres will become the next 20 goal scorer for Liverpool?

cherry pie in a bottle...leather sandal...melted asphalt...

By happenstance, I found my browser directed to an article on "why wine writers talk that way." The article is an interesting read, with layers of complexity and a smokey rich aroma; light on the palete with a lingering reminder of freshly cut grass.



It reminded me of a time a few months ago, sitting on my futon with someone special, reading reviews from the Wine Advocate late into the night...

The Pencil Maker

The Pencil Maker spoke to the pencil. "There are five things you need to know before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and you will become the best pencil you can be."

You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.

You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but this is required if you are to become a better pencil.

You have the ability to correct any mistakes you might make.

The most important part will always be what's inside.

No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. You must always leave a clear legible mark, no matter how difficult the situation.

The pencil understood, promising to remember.

The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

Sometimes I feel like I'm living on the edge. Sometimes. Then I see this.

The Chinese Archer. The Power of the Mind.

This ancient Buddhist fable is meant for one of my closest friends who just happens to think she is going to die before 30:

"There was once in China an expert archer. One day she went to a very high mountain with her bow on her back. While strolling on the mountain, she became thirsty and wanted some water to drink. Fortunately, she found a small spring under a bush, and she immediately bent over the water to drink it out of her hands until her thirst was quenched.



When she finished drinking, however, she thought she saw a snake crawling in the water. She immediately felt sick. She became seriously nervous about the water in her stomach, feeling something wriggling in it. When she got back home she became seriously ill. Numerous doctors gave her medical treatment, but in vain; finally, she became nothing but skin and bones, resigning herself to die.

One day a traveler stopped at her home. Seeing the condition of the patient, she asked the reason. The patient told him that she saw a snake crawling in the water of the spring and that she had swallowed the snake. The traveler said thats he could cure the illness if the patient would do as he told her to do, taking him to the same spring where she had drunk the water.

He told the patient, who was bearing the same bow on her back, to take the same pose as she had before. The patient reluctantly bent over the water and was just going to scoop it up in her hands when she screamed out that a snake was crawling in the water again. The man told her to be quiet and to observe the snake more closely. The archer got control of herself and found that it was not a snake at all, but the shadow of the bow she was carrying on her back.



The archer realized that the snake she thought she had swallowed before was only the shadow of her bow. After this, she felt quite relieved, and soon she regained her health.

We must recognize that often, our mind is the creator of our 'fate.'

Emissions: It's What's for Dinner

Beef and climate change? What's the beef?

The folks over at TreeHugger reference a new study published in New Scientist magazine that argues that eating one kilogram (approximately 2.2lbs) of beef to the equivalent emissions as driving for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home!

Now, I am all for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but I'm not willing to argue that people should stop eating red meat. Quite the contrary! I do think, however, that it's important that we--as a society and individually--do everything we can to improve the quality of our beef!

“The scientists behind the study are calling for a range of measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry. These include better waste management and reducing the interval between calving by a month, which the authors say could reduce the environmental impact by nearly 6%. A Swedish study conducted in 2003 claimed that raising organic beef on grass rather than feed, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and consumed 85% less energy.”

Years ago, our government began heavily subsidizing the corn industry. The beef industry began feeding cattle corn (and soy) feed. It became "more efficient" to grow and store corn than to maintain grass land and pastures.

The good news is that alternatives do exist! The industry for grass-fed beef has taken off. A year ago, Time had an article describing "The Grass-Fed Revolution":

"It makes sense. Grass is a low-starch, high-protein fibrous food, in contrast to carbohydrate-rich, low-fiber corn and soybeans. When animals are 100% grass-fed, their meat is not only lower in saturated fats but also slightly higher in omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats found in salmon and flaxseed, which studies indicate may help prevent heart disease and bolster the immune system."

Memories past

We all have memories of good times, and of bad times in our life. After watching a movie last week I started to think about a question raised by the film. What if we could erase someone–erase all memories in our head of a relationship with someone? I quickly decided that, even though certain relationship(s) ended terribly, that I would never want to forget everything.



In some ways, memories are like beaches. Always changing as the tide moves in and out...at times the tide will deliver wonderful sea shells, while other times the beach becomes overrun by jellyfish and littered with trash.

Over time, memories long past can become distorted. During a relationship, memories can even evolve to represent idyllic fragments of a fractured whole. If things turn sour, those same great memories are often hidden away to somehow ease any fleeting sorrow. At the same time, the mind works to excavate old hatchets.

It seems that only once we become comfortable with and recognize both the good and the bad, the bliss and the regret, only then do we become adjusted to the thoughts long past. At that point, one becomes free from the push and pull of our memories.

my liitle butter cup

14th Arrondissement

Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and all the people I knew, a feeling came over me.

As if I recalled something, something that I had never known and for which I had been waiting.

But I didn't know what it was. Maybe it was something I had forgotten. Or something I had missed my whole life.

I can only tell you that at the same time I felt joy and sadness. But not a great sadness. Because I felt alive.

Yes. Alive. That was the moment when I fell in love with Paris and the moment I felt that Paris had fallen in love with me.

Tour Eiffel

Tuileries

Eye contact should be avoided.

Sunrise in Memorial

"Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.”
- George Washington Carver

This morning I experienced something wonderful. I awoke early (5:45), quickly pulled on a shirt, shorts, and some tennies, and (my legs still sore from last night's jog) trudged downstairs to hop on my bike for a morning ride. I promptly made my way over to Memorial Park, and started my morning workout.



On my second or third lap around the picnic loop, the morning sun appeared in the treeline. It's been a while since I have been able to wake up and connect with the woods and sunrise. With nothing on my mind but the trail (not trial) ahead of me. Clearing away the thoughts that had built up in my head throughout the night. The sounds of the trees and city coming to life, with the constant hum and vibration of pavement and tire. The soundtrack of a peaceful morning.

Growing up, there were many time when I would wake and enjoy a morning sunrise. After years of alarm clocks, snooze buttons, CNN, sportcenter, reading the Post and my daily skim of blogs, this morning was a refreshing change of pace.

“What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?”
- E. M. Forster

Freeroad

2007 Specialized Tricross Sport Triple.

I finally purchased my new bicycle! After mulling over my options for quite a while, and speaking with a few people at my local bike shop, I ended up purchasing a Specialized Tricross Sport.

The bike is considered a "cyclocross" bike, which resembles a traditional road bike, with drop down handlebars, road-based components (27 speed gearing, Shimano shifters), a lightweight aluminum frame and a carbon fork. For adventures that take me off-road, however, the bike comes equipped with Specialized Borough CX tires, which provide enough tread to handle dirt trails. Also, if ever I want to try out the trials in Memorial Park, the wide fork allows me to switch out the tires for real knobbies.

I had the chance this weekend to try the bike out a few times and see how it performed under a variety of terrain. Riding along the roads from my house to Buffalo Bayou allowed me to test out the bike's road speed. As someone who has ridden a mountain bike for the past 10 years, I am surprised at how comfortable riding seemed in the forward style (roadie hunchback) of riding. I feel that the bike will handle long distance rides with ease, and the road style of riding will definately help to distribute weight across the bike. Also, with my old mountain bike I never reached (and maintained) such fast top speeds. Overall, on the roads I'm quite excited to start training for 30-45 mile weekend rides, and eventually working my way up to handle the MS150 next year.

After a short 5 minutes, I reached Buffalo Bayou and decided to take the trail ride along Memorial/Allen Parkway into the downtown Houston area. The route was mostly a curving paved trail and my bike hugged the turns quite well. Occasionally, the pavement would end and I'd ride along a dirt trail. The Tricross handled the changing terrain wonderfully, but a little bit of mud caused some concern with my brakes. With so much rain in the Houston area, I was bound to find trail areas inundated with mud. In those places, I dismounted and easily threw the bike over my shoulder for a quick trek through the muddy areas.

Overall, I'm certainly pleased with the endless riding options available on my new freeroad bicycle. It's a wonderful form of exercise, and a great way to get outdoors!

Mr. Rogers learns to breakdance

Desafinado

Desafinado / Out of Tune
Antônio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonça

Eu desafino, amor
Saiba que isso em mim
Provoca imensa dor
Só privilegiados têm
ouvido
Igual ao seu
Eu possuo apenas
O que Deus me deu
Se você insiste em classificar
Meu comportamento de antimusical
Eu mesmo mentindo
Devo argumentar
Que isto é bossa nova
Que isto é muito natural
O que você não sabe
Nem sequer pressente
É que os desafinados
Também têm um coração
Fotografei você
Na minha Rolleyflex
Revelou-se a sua
Enorme ingratidão
Só não poderá falar
Assim do meu amor
Este é o maior
Que você pode encontrar
Você com a sua música
Esqueceu o principal
É que no peito
Dos desafinados
No fundo do peito
Bate calado
Que no peito
Dos desafinados
Também bate um coração

If you say that
I'm out of tune, love
Know that this
Provokes immense pain in me.
Only the privileged have a hearing
Equal to yours,
I possess only
What God has given me.
If you insist on classifying
My behavior as
anti-musical
I myself, lying,
Have to argue
That this is bossa nova
And it's very natural.
What you don't know
Or even suspect
Is that those who are out of tune
Also have a heart.
I photographed you
With my Rolleyflex.
What developed was your
Enormous ingratitude.
Only you won't be able to speak
Like this of my love;
This is the best
That you can find.
You with your music
Forgot the main thing
Is that in the breast
Of the out-of-tune,
Deep within the breast,
Beating quietly,
That in the breast
Of the out-of-tune
There also beats a heart.

Giants steps solo by a Robot (350bpm)!

Baden Powell

Baden live playing tristeza by Haroldo.

Baden Powell and Pierre Barouh - 1960's

Pat Metheny, Live at the 2003 Vitória Jazz Festival

Desenho Aquarela do Brasil

During World War II, Walt Disney--on behalf of the United States Department of War--visited South America to brainstorm ideas for new Disney cartoons that would create American support abroad as part of Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy".

Disney's creation was Jose (Joe) Carioca, a parrot from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jose Carioca and Donald Duck first appeared in 1942, and later the avian duo joined together with a Mexican rooster named Panchito Pistoles in the 1943 cartoon "The Three Caballeros".

Tres Picos Garnacha & Avenue Montaigne

Began the evening, last night, sharing a wonderful glass of 2005 Tres Picos Borsao. The Tres Picos, poured from a notably heavy and thick bottle, was dark red with slightly subtle shades of purple. Upon tasting it explodes with numerous sweet fruit flavors including plum, raspberries and blackberries. In addition to the plum, Kelly noticed a hint of "wood". The finish was pleasant and smooth.



Before too long we were off to the River Oaks theatre to see Avenue Montaigne. The movie had an optimistic, light-hearted story, featured by an ensemble cast of many interesting characters: the master pianist who is at the peak of his career, yet searching for a meaningful audience; the art collector who would rather sell his entire life collection than become a "museum guard"; a soap-opera actress dealing with the difficulty of being loved by the masses, yet unknown by the "artists." The character interaction and playful storyline provided an enjoyable 90 minutes. And the scenery made me want to travel to Paris some day.

After the movie we made our way over to a house I'm looking at and had a very nice 'night viewing'. I like the place and viewing it during night-time hours really showed off the lighting and various fixtures. Now, the big question becomes whether the seller will accept my offer!

Blue Oyster Cult

really explore the space