So Vivian and I are a few days away from crossing the line that seperates us relatively normal and hip folk from the world of geekdom.
We've scoured the Web, purchased costumes, makeup and props and fine tuned our annunciations and voices. Come the weekend of May 16, she and I will shed our coolness to become the Joker and Harley Quinn at the San Jose Super-Con
OK, so we are a little nerdy to begin with in some way. Maybe that's why we get along so well. I don't know who else I could have convinced with such little effort to join me in this! You rock, Vivian!
I expect us to have a lot of fun with this little adventure as I cross this item off my Bucket List. I think we'll come out looking sharp, maybe in the Dark Knight style? Stay tuned, kiddies ....
One of the best perks about sports journalism – besides free entry into games and complimentary buffet spreads (49ers had the best, sorry to say) – was undoubtedly meeting the most amazing people, be it coaches, players, fellow reporters and yes, cheerleaders. OK, ESPECIALLY, the cheerleaders.
I've been fortunate to call some of these talented women my friends, having covered the 49ers, Raiders and SaberCats. And over the last two weekends, I was happy to learn some will once again show off their moves on the football sidelines in 2009.
Raiderettes Itza and Lytisha will surely be among the best reasons to head out to the Coliseum this season. I've penned articles about both in the past and they were among the best to talk with.
The Gold Rush's Lauren, Jasmine and Tasha, meanwhile, can really make a guy question his football team loyalties. I still remember being field level at a 49er game and having Tash recognize me as she walked onto the field, mouthing my name and waving. “Dude, you know her??” the guy behind me asked incredulously. What a rush.
Jasmin Lauren Tasha
Check out their moves!
One last thing. I've seen first-hand what it takes to be part of a professional dance team, having sat in on tryouts for the Raiderettes and believe me, it's no picnic. It’s a long, long day of routines and interviews, an emotional roller coaster if there ever was one for the participants. And once you're on the team, you've got the hours upon hours of hard core workouts and practices.
It's not easy. I've learned how these ladies are themselves amazing and dedicated athletes and I have a lot of appreciation for their talent, dedication and amount of work they put in to make the fans smile and in some cases, ease the pain of how our teams are doing.
So, congrats, my friends. See you on the sidelines!
Started looking at the Channel Islands Bicycle Club's web page this morning – which I do a lot, it seem during the work hours – to see which bike ride I’ll be doing next.
The page lists charity rides throughout the year and state so there’s always plenty of options. So far, the only rides I’ve committed to in 2009 are the LiveStrong Challenge in Seattle on June 21 and San Jose on July 12. I consider those to be my biggies for the year, if not in distance, then surely in importance. In the meantime, a quick look down Channel’s and I’ve come up with some potential events to get me on the road:
Bike the Bay on Aug. 30 in San Diego. Sure it benefits a worthy cause in San Diego County Bicycling Coalition, but this ride is unfinished business for me. It’s the only one I’ve never completed due to a crash five miles from the finish. I need me some retribution!
Wow, that’s a lot of rides. And this doesn’t even count if I join Team in Training again as a mentor to ride alongside one of my fraternity brothers for the El Tour de Tucson on Nov. 21.
I don’t know how many of these I’ll actually do. Anyone who knows me well knows I always tend to stretch myself thin when it comes to activities. But hey, they’re something to shoot for, yeah?
Eight months after I adopted my German Shepherd-terrier mix, I’m thinking it’s time to bring another four-legged friend into the fold.
At just over a year old, Tai is incredibly playful right now. At the dog parks, she’s right in the mix with others regardless of their size. When friends and family bring their pets over for extended stays, she’s just as good with them, playing games of chase or wrestling. And honestly, it kills me when I leave for work and she plants herself in the backyard with a ball in her mouth, looking at me with that “You mean you’re not going to play with me?” stare.
So lately, I’ve been checking back in with Petfinder.com, where I originally found Tai and some other shelter and rescue sites. As a side note, if you’re thinking about getting a dog, please, please don’t get it from pet stores, especially Pet Land. Pet stores are typically supplied by large commercial breeders that may be using puppy mills, which house dogs in poor, unsanitary conditions. Puppy mill puppies often have health problems which can lead to thousands of dollars in veterinary bills. The best way to shut them down is to force them out of business. So go to a rescue site or shelter for your next best friend!
Anyway, I’ve narrowed the search to an adult dog, also of medium sized and so far, the following have caught my eye:
Shielded from the sun's rays under the cool shade of a palm tree, the old man sits in his chair and watches the wheels go round and round.
He stretches out his weathered hand and waves at each of the cyclists as they pass. He gets wide smiles and nods in return before they kick up the pace again.
As they head down the street, he clasps his hands together before they fall to his lap. From this spot across from the California Veterans Home building in Yountville, he can see the bike riders pull into a nearby dirt lot and invade the tables of cookies, hard boiled eggs, water and bananas. They'll say the layout is like a gourmet meal when you're looking to ride 25 and even 50 miles in this mounting heat.
The man adjusts his blue baseball hat.
"I loved riding bikes when I was a boy," he said. "Oh, me and my neighbors would ride everywhere, to the store, to school. We loved it. Felt free."
If anyone knew anything about fredom, it was surely this San Francisco man, who served in the United States Air Force working on planes during World War II. I glanced at his cap that bore the WW II patch and was reminded how my dad always wore his hat with pride. Around his wrist was a black bracelet with silver enscriptions and the P.O.W. logo.
"We were kept busy, always on the go. I loved it. Didn't like that we were at war, but getting my hands dirty was good," he smiled.
I can't help but smile back. He's easy to speak with, this veteran. Comfortable in talking about his experience, though definitely not held captive by it. He's someone who had served his country and that was it. That was enough.
I don't ask how he ended up in the motorized wheelchair he sits in, an American flag hanging from a long stick attached to the back of his seat. It doesn't matter, really. Besides, I'm only 10 miles into this ride and I've got a long way to go. It was time to mount up, though I could have stayed and talked with him longer. I shake his hand, thank him for his time and walk back to the dirt lot, stopping for one more egg and a swig of cold water.
I throw my feet into the pedals, feeling good in knowing this charity ride will benefit the veterans hospital and provide our heroes with needed services, as well as help the Enchanted Hills Camp For The Blind and Visually Impaired.
It's the least I can do, really. I wonder if he realizes how he helped make my ride today. Maybe, I brightened his too in some way.
I get my answer. When I pass by him, he tugs at his cap, nods, smiles.
I can’t believe it’s been seven months since I last saddled up on my bike.
I’d planned on some heavy riding during the winter months at several organized events, all towards the goal of training for one more century ride. But five miles from the finish of the 25-mile Bike the Bay in San Diego, my wheel caught the edge of a jutting railroad track that threw off my balance and sent me crashing to the pavement alongside several other unfortunate cyclists. Bruised collarbone, bloodied legs and a broken bike = no finish for Tony that day. A doctor’s visit later and there went my winter season.
I may opt to do the shorter 25-mile route, not because I can’t do the 50 without any training since I did that before for the Honolulu Century. But hey, we’re talking a ride in wine country so the sooner I get back to the finish, the sooner I can partake in pleasing my pallet at the post-ride festival!
But I digress.
I’m looking forward to stretching my legs and wheels out after such a long time on the sidelines. The exercise will do me good and the grand scenery will help settle my mind. And I can’t wait to once again yell out, “Woooo-hooooo!!” when I make a descent down a steep hill.
