As per Lynne’s request
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
If you look close you will see that some rotate clockwise while others rotate counter clockwise at the same time.
Enjoy!
Archive for October 17th, 2007
Toddler Smithers
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
A rare shot of him in public! He’s watching the crazy crossers at Boom Island and holding the hand of his nw best friend.
(sent via mobile)
Baby Sick Day
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
101.5°F fever last night. Seems better today!
(sent via mobile)
Team Announcements
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007I have had multiple individuals contact me to ask my opinion about starting new bike racing teams in the Twin Cities for 2008. It’s been on the QT and I have kept these discussions private as per their request. I am always happy to share my (limited) knowledge base regarding cycling and new cycling teams and, despite my obvious internet presence, happy to keep these conversations off the record.
This puts me in a fairly awkward position when I am out in public, say observing an event at Boom Island last weekend, and multiple people ask me what I know about some new cycling team that is starting up for next year. These individuals seem to know just as much as I do, in some cases more than I do, and don’t seem to have any reservations about discussing these matters out in the open and in front of anyone.
Is it still a secret at that point? Has the individual who contacted me originally also contacted this additional person who is asking me about the team? Do I talk about it? Do I play dumb?
Websites are then launched without any fanfare. Riders who have been associated with other teams e-mail me to announce these websites. Are these e-mailers associated with this new team? Is this information something I can or should share? I don’t know!
Other websites and podcasts start reporting on teams and riders and soon I start hearing about individuals who are pissed off and whose feelings are all hurt.
What the hell is going on?
I’m not saying that a local cycling team should hire a press agency to make their team announcement, but it should be fairly easy to keep this information under control if you really want to. It’s natural that, the more people you talk to about a project, the less secure the information regarding the project is going to be. If you want it to be a secret then keep it a secret. It’s easy. The proof is that one of these teams has launched their website and I have not seen or heard anything about it on other blogs or message boards. It’s obviously still a secret!
If you decide to share information and something gets leaked, don’t get irate or hurt about someone reporting on gossip. You should really step back and evaluate who you shared this information with. More importantly, you should keep things in perspective and know that bike racing and bike teams are really not that big a deal in the scheme of things. Besides, any publicity is good publicity right?
Finally, to those who know that I work in the bicycle industry and are planning on submitting a sponsorship proposal for 2008, know this: I am not interested in working with any team or individual who does not represent a positive image of the sport. End of story. Negative racing, public bickering, internet sniping about other riders (how ever they may deserve it) reflects poorly on you, your team and your sponsors. I refuse to associate my company’s reputation with some local cycling soap opera. So think very carefully about the public image you want to project if you are interested in support from my, or any, company. In my case I will not hesitate to pull sponsorship and require the removal of my company logo from team use if I think that team is a poor representation of the sport.
Right Brain vs Left Brain
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
The Right Brain vs Left Brain test … do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?
If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.
Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to reverse the direction and now I can see her spin either clockwise or anti-clockwise. How about you?
LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe
RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
“big picture” oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can “get it” (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking
