Jogging Memories

Unusually, I was the spectator, rather than participant, in a recent running/jogging/walking event.  It was refreshing to be there, and take in the buzz and energy of the event without enduring the discomfort and unease of maximum effort exercise.  It was also fun to get a full glimpse of what goes on around and within the ranks of participants, filling the full spectrum of personality.

Competing rather well in a full marathon distance run were:

Punkathon

Mennonthon (check the gent and his wife wearing jeans, boots, suspenders, backpack and requisite mustache-less beard)

Buzzathon (runner who likes to dress like a honeybee)

Poohathon / BlackedOutAnonymousManathon

Insprirathon (runners in a local charity to raise funds for clean water access in Africa)

RegularJoeathon

RunnerWithSpouseWhoWalksHisCatathon

Ninjletathon

 Watching the competitors rather than watching the stopwatch felt luxurious.  It's really a great experience to help support those undertaking the nearly impossible to succeed, knowing that humanity supports them, even as complete strangers.  It stands as one of the ever more rare situations where people drop boundaries and simply openly support others. Support for choice of clothing for certain racers was tough to give however, as the whole range of personality is exhibited in the choice of clothing for the event.  From pictures alone, one would face difficulty in determining whether it was 100 degrees outside or 10.  It would be tough to figure out what was at the end of the race as well -   A beach? A dance club? A pole barn build party?

Entertaining,surprising, impressing, inspiring...sign up for a race as a spectator soon!

The Seas Were Angry My Friend

Recently, I experienced one of those events that truly instills fear.  One that really tests you well beyond what people often experience.  An experience on that short list of times when you really haven't control over the moment, and you simply have no comfort other than reliance on your wisdom, training, and prayer.

I've spent a few decades learning the many nuances of boatsmanship, and I'll surely spend remaining decades in my life continuing to learn.  The event of Sunday, Sept 1st was one I'll never forget, and has exponentially added to my boatsmanship skill set.  This is one event that will exist in my pantheon of scariest life experiences- err, near death experiences.   Unlike the major motor vehicle accident I was in, wherein the car rolled twice and flipped end over end, this experience took more than 6.3 seconds.  This event lasted 30 minutes or so, but felt like 30 hours. 

Around 11am, my younger brother and I headed into the Atlantic mid-day under an oppressively hot and humid day.    We went in search of the sea's bounty, settling in at a little known artificial reef that often hides sharks, striped bass, Atlantic croaker, skate, sting rays, summer flounder, tautog, and other salt water species on migration.    As this area is only 50 or so feet of depth, I often anchor to hang right on top of the reef.   This day, however, I didn't do so, for no particular reason other than some internal nudge - The proverbial "gut feeling".   

We drifted with the minor wind and current, taking in the sun and reeling in a few Atlantic Croaker... 

 Noticing a bit of darkness in the sky over the land, I immediately checked the weather radar, which reported a minor area of precip a few miles southwest, but on a heading toward us.  We thought "No problem...a short shower will feel good to cool off.  20 minutes later this shower came by and it cooled things off a bit, pushing the temperature down, yet producing little rain.  

Fishing continued, and more fun was had pulling in more fish, and trying different baits and techniques. After one catch we turned to look at the sky again, feeling some wind kicking up, and noticed a much more ominous cloud, very dark and funnel-ish in shape much like the picture below.  

We began to weigh the option of returning the 5-10 miles to shore, but before we had pulled in the fishing lines, the rain really started coming down, and the winds picked up. This is when it began to get interesting, but still just little more than an inconvenience.

10 minutes later, the ocean had taken on an entirely Mr. Hyde to the Dr. Jekyll of earlier.  The wind had picked up tremendously pushing waves ever higher, but worse, it was blowing hard enough to blow sea spray into the boat and worse still, into our faces as we stood watching the situation deteriorate.  At this point, the boat was really getting pushed to it's limits of seaworthiness.   I pulled off my drenched shirt and hat, and stood in the sideways rain pelting me at 50+ miles per hour.   That hurt.  It's similar to being hit by hail or a bb gun.  And the noise...it's such a freakish noise with all that water being blown in every direction.  Watch the final sequence of The Perfect Storm and you'll get the idea.

I worked to keep the boat pointed into the waves, and did so successfully for a while although the rain and salt spray from waves was now making my vision nearly worthless, so I was really running out of scientific, skills based actions to counter the now tremendously sized waves, coming at odd frequencies, and seemingly even directions.   I had the engine running constantly, and was constantly making steering adjustments to try my best to keep the water out of the boat, although a few waves cleared the bow entirely and splashed water onto the deck.  The gps was left on during so that I had some semblance of direction and position.  Although we could clearly see the shore 30 minutes prior, it was now to the point where we couldn't see 30 feet from the boat.  During the storm I was forced to continue further to sea, so as to keep the boat from rolling over in the waves by pointing the bow directly into the waves.

There was a clear point where I became very afraid of the consequences of having to do this for much longer.  I could see the Japanese paintings of huge scary waves in my mind, and trying to remember if the ships in those made it, or were sunk. 

My vision was down to nothing, I was freezing, and the waves and wind grew larger and faster, such that something would soon cause that 1 in 10 sequence where the boat can't sustain the abuse, and a wave either rolls or floods the boat, sinking it quickly.   This was the point that silent prayer began in earnest.  I wasn't about to let my younger brother know just how grave the situation was...as he was being a trooper and staying low and out of the stinging spray as I asked.   I wasn't saying much to him, as I was concentrating on two things: prayer, and the waves.

This is the moment at which I knew there was a clear possibility that we would sink, an ever increasingly probable inevitability.  Therefore, I began to ensure I had everything down for an SOS call to the coast guard, and all we should do before abandoning the 7500 pound boat.   I was trying to recall how to figure out direction without visual reference.  Luckily, the winds began to slow, and my vision returned with that change.  Seriously, this was the first moment in about 25 minutes in which I could see anything.  Ever get sprayed directly in the face from a garden hose nozzle?  Yeah, try it for 25 minutes straight.  Eyes stinging, my vision did return, and also returning was some confidence in being able to keep us safe.   Conditions subsided further, and I was able to sigh with relief that I would be able to return my niece and nephew's dad to them.  That was really one of the scariest thoughts I had during the 30 minute ordeal. 

As the waves mellowed, my shivering and shaking due to cold and nervousness subsided.  The boat began to clear its excess water entirely, and I told my brother it was ok to stand up and look around again.   Such elation filled my shivering skull as I was able to see the shore again.   We were all smiles...adrenaline flowing, cheating death, and claiming a minor victory.   We put on some dry clothing to warm up, and returned to calmer bay waters, reflecting on the experience, and just how lucky we were to survive - keeping the catch for dinner was simply cream on top.  

So many factors could have led to that day being my last on the earth, and I truly have none to thank other than the person upstairs.  The events on the sea that day taught me once again that life is short, and fragile. One really mustn't take anything or anyone for granted. Be kind. Don't sweat the small stuff, and for damn sure, make the most of absolutely every minute.   Anyone up for a fishing trip?

Act Naturally

Often advice, a lesson, or wisdom arrives unexpectedly- in it's timing and source.  I inadvertently caught a television program recently that struck a chord, and my subsequent following has provided some great wisdom I've used in my daily life.  Any guesses?   A drama from a different era? The latest sitcom?  A psychological thriller? A "reality" show? Nope.

I've gathered great insight from some inhabitants of a faraway land...all of whom live their lives on four legs.  The BBC did an exceptional job capturing the lives of some groups of lions, cheetahs, and leopards in the Masai Mara since 1996, and titled the effort as Big Cat Diary.  

 

The documentary series captures every moment...happy, sad, triumphant, and depressing. It also details the ongoing effort to remain alive - one much less difficult for our grocery-store-no-more-than-2-miles-away human selves.   Not all humans have this luxury of course, and that's just another of life's realities highlighted in this series.  Cooperation, selflessness, trust, candor, assertiveness, mating, parenting, death, life...all are exhibited in their raw in-disguised and un-shielded view from these animals that have no ulterior motive.   Sure, these animals don't think as much perhaps, but I'd argue that human "thought" sometimes makes us act less intelligently.

In my current corporate business life, I have seen many humorous similarities.  Numerous mornings I'll watch the series as I prepare for another day on the corporate savannah, and I can't tell you how many times an incident I watched on Big Cat Diary directly mimicked a situation in a meeting room.   It's hilarious and sad at once.   Hyenas pester a lion until they get their way simply because they are endlessly annoying with their cackle and ignorance of personal space.  A cheetah mom stands its ground for her cubs, risking certain death, against two large male lions, and somehow makes it out alive. A brave leopard excels at making the kills, but seriously lacks the wisdom to stash its prize, and time and again, loses it after a few morsels.

The lessons aren't on the surface, and so you really need to bring an "Art of War" approach...breaking an interaction into fundamental components and rules.

 

There are some real parallels between human and animal behaviour that can be drawn.  I've learned to truly respect the adage about finding the greatest wisdom in the simplest of models.  You'd be hard pressed to find an animal on the savannah that wouldn't agree whole heartedly with "Life is short", "The  God lives in the details" or "There's no such thing as a free lunch".  (ha)   I hope you can mine some of the same wisdom I've taken from nature.  If nothing else, take the opportunity to learn about one of the most diverse ecologies on the planet - the African Savannah.

An Influenza laced Flyover of American Pop Clture

Too many factors couldn't be controlled in my life recently, and I came down with a nasty variant of influenza.  Whether the stress of 17 hours of travel, no sleep for an evening, being stuck in a middle seat between a sneezer and wheezer, or a stressful work day immediately thereafter the aforementioned were the ultimate primary culprit, I am now paying the price.   For those who haven't experience the flu, it's not fun.  Colds with their coughs and headaches and congestion are a relative field day compared to the additional body pains that accompany the flu, and do not accompany sleep.  Not being able to get regular sleep surely is prolonging my flu bout, but I'll just keep trying all the tricks and recommendations I've heard from all.

Anyway, while suffering the day away trying to get comfortable on a typically comfortable couch, I for once was forced to stay in, and take in current American pop culture.    I spent 6 hours in front of a TV, and found myself intrigued, shocked, dismayed, and encouraged...

1. Are Geico and Progressive insurance companies competing for the worst commericals on television?  If you want to run such trite ads, please please choose a reduced frequency.






2. Why are so many American advertisements using a British-accented voice over?   (Are we really so insipid to not catch on that a British accent doesn't make the person, or product, smarter/better?

3. Grammar is all but dead in popular culture.  I think we may have hit the tipping point where idiomatic definitions of phrases have outnumbered the actual definition. E.g. pleading the fifth (but not carrying the "because it could incriminate me"), using "could care less", instead of couldn't care less, and many more.   What saddened me most about this one was that I watched a few C-level executives speaking today, and the incorrect tense, grammar, and word choice flowed.  A few mistakes are fine, but the constant flow I noticed from two execs was dismaying

4. All collegiate BigTen university commercials are 95% identical, save for the specific logos and still shots.  Why make a very expensive commerical if it doesn't convey much of anything about that's university's experience?
Penn State's Men's Basketball team cannot play while on the road.  I viewed a crushing loss at Minnesota (who has fielded a great team this year!), making it a big fat 0-9 on the road record. Ouch...keep the heads up team.

5. T.G.I Friday's wins the award for the worst series of commercials I watched.  Their food offerings didn't seem worthy of a plate either.

6. Reality TV really has "jumped the shark".  Airtime has been given to the most uninteresting situations/people, and these shows cannot possibly go much further, so hopefully soon, rock bottom will truly be stricken, and the air will fill with entertainment or informative programs once again.  I was surprised just how low these show producers aim when aiming at the American public...Hollywood has admitted we're idiots, in large part.

7. Sex continues to be at the center of most advertising...the more things change...

8. Catherine McCormack in Braveheart was so unbelievably attractive!  No makeup, thank you very much.   Even in this medieval era film, her natural beauty flows through.

9. The truth in advertising award goes to Kleenex for their "cool touch" product...this is finally a variation on the hoary facial tissue that is truly different! Kudos, Kleenex.









So, I'm fairly certain you got little use from reading this blog entry, but perhaps it was just a wee bit more entertaining than the latest episode of Alaskan Pawn and Child Beauty Pageant.   Here's to you not contracting the flu this season!

Silver Saab Sedan Stereotype

On this day, I found three silver Saab sedans.  Each time I see a Saab at all I kinda crack a smile, sometimes only internally, but often externally, flexing all those smile muscles in my face that we heard so much about as students in physiology class.

I smile because I once inherited a run down Saab which was very good to me.  I loved that car...great power, sportiness, utility (hatchback)...in fact I loved it so much that I drove it beyond the point of typical operation.  I had little expendible cash at the time, so when the sunroof started leaking, it wasn't trade in time, it was red duct tape time (my Saab was Carmosine Red Metallic like the one below).  This car was so much fun that I continued using it when reverse stopped working, and  when the ignition wouldn't work on a hot day, requiring putting the key in ice for 5 minutes before the ignition. Even scarier, I continued my long 500 mile sprints to Boston when the engine mounts were blown out, causing crazy rattling and never knowing if the engine might just fall out somehow.   I just didn't want to see her go, but the time to sobb for the Saab came...my 9000 turbo soldiered on to 268,000 miles, when at last it left me stranded in an airport parking lot 100 miles from home- after travelling 23 hours from Australia.   This was a breaking point and so the directions for the tow truck driver had to be to the dismantler... but I surely shed a tear.  This car was special - it had a certain je ne c'est quoi - a saab-ness that made it hard to part with.

I further shed a small tear, mostly a tear of worry, when GM invested in a Saab auto spinoff (so rarely do these live up to expectations, but lawyers benefit, so. Anyway, different blog post).   GM plunged completely into Saab in 2000...or rather (I should be more precise), GM made it a wholly owned subsidiary in 2000.   The marketers at GM swore Saab wouldn't lose it's Saab-ness, but surely it was diluted year after year as more GM shared parts became part of making Saab profitable (a handicap likely brought on through the brand bruising of GM's ownership itself), but that's a long story for someone more expert than I.  Here's a video link for someone preferring to watch than read.

This blog is about those three silver Saab sedans. A different smile I get when I see a Saab is because some very good friends drive cars similar, with one friend driving one identical to the cars I saw- a silver saab sedan.  That internal smile turned to an external smile when I noted the driver of the first car - a professor type replete with beret, trimmed beard and some steampunkish oculars.  Awesome! The stereotypical Saab driver!   This made me smile for I've had much experience with Saab owners of the US Northeast, who often turned out to be professors wearing elbow patch sportcoats and beards.  I brought my case for this stereotype to a fellow auto-knowledgeable colleague in the US Midwest, and she thought I couldn't have been further from the truth...

Her case for the Saab driver stereotype was rooted in the gay / lesbian community. Except the convertibles, which were for successful professional women.  I heard plenty of this line of logic when I disclosed that I once drove a Saab.   I couldn't get a good look at the second silver Saab driver I noticed - even after racing around some traffic to get a good view.  However, I did spot a rainbow flag bumper sticker and some sort of "equal marriage for all" message on the back window.   Second stereotype...check. This is easy.

The third silver saab sedan I noticed was when I was leaving Trader Joe's, unsuccessful in finding decent grits...Southern food hankering again.  This Saab's driver blew away all stereotype's entirely- a miss so far from the stereotype mark as to cancel out any points earned in having the earlier drivers match the type.  This driver was a young man with a coiffed mohawk haircut, wearing some punk like earrings.  He was certainly enjoying the saab-ness of his car as he turbo'ed right past my anemic suv.

We often rely, or rather over-rely on stereotypes, and mass decisioning in our lives.  I would encourage you to step forward, pretend you're a Saab driver, and stand up for all that drives you individually.   Wear it proudly.   I for once, savor the smile silver Saab sedans give me...that, and alliteration.

Life and the Extension of Experience

Simple rules abound.  Behind the most complex scientific concepts are simple rules - E = mc^2.  Regardless of flavor, all religions come down to a simple rule of faith. Human relationships, often highly nuanced, boil down to a few basic rules as well.   A few interesting, obvious and absolutely simple rules of life in general recently made themselves evident to me:

1. Life is short.  This one has been handed down in many languages and short phrases through history.  Tempus Fugit, literally "time flees", but oft interpreted as "time flies", and my favorite "time's a wastin'", which I often hear Carl Smith and June Carter scolding me with.  A close relative is Carpe Diem, or "seize the day", which is the natural extension of what to do with the limited time we have on this planet.

This rule can take a while to appreciate in life.  I can imagine some who make it through a lifetime without ever realizing the depth of its wisdom.  Many find this one through the process of a "mid-life crisis" - the point at which looking wholly forward clashes first with a contemplative look backward.   This is an epic moment, a drastic epiphany, where youth graduates, and wisdom is conferred.  At this point, one stops to look both ways, like crossing a road.  Looking back, we see all that we've experienced, and just how much has occurred within a limited span.  Turning to look forward now takes on a new process - one that evolves the question of "what's next?" into "what's the next thing I want to spend limited time on".   Until this point, we were in a rush of the spontaneous road trip of life...all smiles and in the moment living, looking only forward as life's events blurred past.  But then all of a sudden, just as the rush of the road trip of life subsides just a tad, we see a road sign that reads simply "Life is short".   This gives us pause.  We look in the rear view mirror, check the odometer, and most importantly the fuel gauge.  Where next?  What should I do with the fuel I have left?  What sort of story should the rest of this road trip become?  This point in life brings many of us to the next simple rule...

2. The meaning of life is to have meaning.  Happiness, success, love, etc all come from having purpose in life.

Now realizing we've got limited time and resources, decisions about how to spend them become much more difficult.  Or does it?  Virtual experience has continued to expand through time...from second hand storytelling to written word to motion pictures to virtual reality, all dependent on the stage of development in which we reside.  An indigenous indian in the jungles of Colombia has only storytelling , while we developed world denizens have a limitless supply of Travel Channel episodes on demand.  These new channels for knowing just how wide and expansive our world is could make it more difficult to make decisions on where to go and what to do with our ever shrinking, and always fragile life.   However, I'm here to take some stress out of that decision.   Seeing and doing it all doesn't have to be the goal.   Watching and reading it all certainly doesn't provide a valid substitute, as that clearly breaks simple rule #2.

Kicking off with a well tuned imagination, we can effect an experience through our real experiences that are closely related.  Imagination can take actual experience and sort of graft it onto a new setting or context.  Kind of like a merger of the real and virtual or develop an experience that closely resembles an actual experience, yet without the spontaneous interruptions.  High Definition video really helped make this possible, as now you can experience more than center stage.  Between HD clarity and wide cameras, we can a close approximation of the real experience.

Before you stop reading this seemingly suspect line of logic, I'll prove it.  If you've ever had a dream, your brain has followed this exact process without your express permission.  You dreamt of a scene that likely involved you doing things you've never done in places you've never been.   So, if it works while sleeping, why not make it work while awake?   Certainly, this is not an excuse to lay on the couch and daydream, as only real experience provides life meaning.  However, it does allow one to take some of the less important real experiences off the list of "life to-do's" so we can make wise decisions, under less duress, about which real experiences we want to pursue.  If you need more proof, take a read of this New Yorker article.  Then, get started on your next life experience, real or effected, immediately because as even Mr. T knows, Tempus Fugit!