"Once" is one of the better films you might see, because it has the juice.
The raw, electric energy of music being made at a personal level creates the spirit of this film. The performances are spine tingling at times.
They spent less making this film than most films spend on coffee service for the film crews, and it shows in a good way. This film is deeply honest, and the best place they saved money is on the actors. They used a couple real musicians, and the word "real" here can be read in all it's many meanings. You'll enjoy them all the way through. Actors, they are not, and you won't wish they were. Read more »
Jeff turned me on to this one today:
Not a whole lot of videos that I'd put on a blog. You won't be disappointed. This one goes to the core.
I've never dealt with nicer people than the people at Clearwire Corporation, or the unknown "independent" dealer that made the 4G internet sale to me here in Dallas. Really nice folks, top to bottom, and I've had to talk to a bunch of people, so that's saying a lot.
A disaster in every way - other than very nice people:
Everything else about my experience trying to get Clear 4G to work as my internet provider was a complete disaster. Here's the summary version. I've got hours and hours and hours invested in trying to make this work, hundreds of dollars in charges, and not one day of usable service to show for it. Read more »
This is a fascinating video from several perspectives. Read more »
Got this email announcing, among other things, 17 new trail maps for Dallas:
Checking Them Out
Much has already been written on the Ride of Silence, so in keeping with that same spirit of silence here is the 6 minute video of the start, without commentary.
If you've ever been some place that is so cool that you're pinching yourself because you can't believe it, this might be one of those places. The Smithsonian flight museum is less cool by half, because these planes get out of the hanger and start flying around while you're watching. Goosebumps.
These planes are loud, just like old planes would be expected to be. You're watching real guys do real crew work. The electricity is palpable. And these planes were built by Rosie the Riveter, so this is the real thing. You'll feel it. Read more »
I'll be riding with hundreds of thousands of others worldwide on Wednesday, during the annual "Ride of Silence"
What is the Ride of Silence?
The short version is it's just that - In hundreds of cities across the world, cyclists meet and ride in silence, to honor those who have been killed by cars.
This ride has taken on a life of it's own in only a few years since it's founding. The most moving and personal description that I have found is in this article in a local weekly, by the ride's founder Chris Phelan.
This book was on the best seller list over a decade ago, I only just now read it. That's OK it will probably be a classic 100 years from now, so being reviewed 10 years later is not a problem.
Rollicking Good Time
If you had just one takeaway from this review, it would be this: Read more »
The first thing I promised myself after a 15 month contract finished was a straight 21 day cycling spree.
I finished it Tuesday of this week. That was a couple days ago, and my body is still thinking about what it was that I did to it. I swear, I've even got callouses on my butt now, on the bone tips that touch the seat. Guess it's only logical.
It's been nice getting a couple of whole days of work in without a riding interruption, but mostly it's been nice just getting some physical rest, and trying to remember what normal feels like.
Photos
I've got all my best photos from this circuit stored mostly on this blog. Too lazy to re-post them here. They are pretty though.
