Let me go back...

I totally skipped christmas, and I know I'll skip...er forget more.

Xmas eve seafood festival...sorta. Crab legs and scallops = yum. Plus some Wii, iirc. Or was it Rock Band?

Xmas day brought an early wake-up call for me. I have been sleeping poorly, and waking between 1am and 4am. So, at about 4am....I crept downstairs and turned on the TV. I can't tell you what movies I watched...all boring stuff, lots of surfing. Around 6 or 7, I think dad was up next. Slowly Frank and mom woke. And....Jen - the late riser! Breakfast was...tortilla and sausage. We lazy people ate while Jen went for a run.

Somewhere around 9 or 10 - we started opening gifts. Fun highlights:
Ma got a portable dvd player.
Frank got a coconut w/ a monkey head carved into it.
Dad got swanky glass picture frame bookends w/ pics of his kids.
Karen got a dictionary w/ Hanukkah highlighted.
Jen got a fish (wall art).

Missing from the party....Alice, Tony, Liam and Hannah. So, I (we?) are going to Kansas for Xmas 09!

New Year

Not... "happy new year". Just 'new year'. It's on its way. Postmaster says arrival in 1.5 days. I think I can wait.

Personally - 2008 was pretty uneventful for me. No life altering moments. No heartbreaking moments.

Just the usual stuff:
got back into some charity moto events
10-day motorcycle trip to visit seester and family
helped friend w/ remodeling
hung w/ good friends
cut off bad friends
helped friend w/ living arrangement
got promotion
reacquainted w/ old friends (though feels false...)
hung w/ brother a lot
spent christmas w/ mom, dad, frank and roommate, Jen (among others)

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot.

2009 brings:
2 week moto trip (maybe even 3 weeks).
charity moto events
Christmas in Kansas

Thats it for now...

Christmas - come and gone

I had off the past few days (M-W) and had a nice 6 day weekend - I could get use to that. Where is my sugar mama?

A few of my favorite things....

in no particular order:

bmw r1100rt
baltimore (yeah....)
downtown (DC....yeah, that too)
snow
friends
family
tramp, maddy, nik (& langley and willie)
Wild Turkey American Honey
beer
days off
vacation
road trips
planning a road trip
fond memories
pictures of fond memories
mammories (NOT pictures of fond...)
LOLcats
best friend
venison....and beef (cuts, not ground)

Obviousily....

i'm behind in my drinking.

Chicken Foot and Pooh

Back in July 2002, my grandmother died. I was depressed for months... I knew we were close, but I didn't know how close, until she was gone. I had a much stronger bond with her then the 5 other grandkids. I frequently took off on a 3-day weekend, leaving my home at 10pm, driving 8 hours....bringing bagels for breakfast. I'd knock on the door to surprise her. She'd open it, drop her jaw....and then slam the door closed. I'd knock again. We'd spend the weekend watching movies, eating great chinese food, maybe a lobster roll... My grandmother was awesome...when she did know I was coming, she'd have a cold beer waiting for me.

Anyway, after she died, I was miserable. My friends were around. I had my old Yamaha and would go for a ride, but there was no real comfort in it. Nothing was snapping me out of it. I started sneaking into my roommates Rx of Percocet. At that point, I knew I needed help. I started seeing a therapist and she put me on Zoloft. I also wasn't sleeping, and she put me on Ambian. (and thats a story for another.....story?!) I had never dealt with that type of loss before - my first significant death. We talked about lots of things, but I stopped seeing her shortly thereafter. I weened myself off the Zoloft, and muddled through it. I'm not sure how talking to the therapist helped, but I know that after talking to her I found my voice. I found that I could express my emotions and embrace them. It was scary, but I've learned a lot about myself and continue to learn.

Eventually, I felt I was ready to come out of my funk but didn't know how to do it. I was laughing again, and hanging out with my friends, but needed that one last push to get myself back to....myself. That normal, fun-loving, happy-go-lucky person who I liked being around... I was done w/ the mourning and nothing anyone else could do would help with that. The last push had to come from within.

One random Saturday, a good friend packed me up and took me to Eastern Market. Eastern Market is a famous open-air market in Washington DC. It was nice to be outside. We walked through the fresh meat section...and the push occurred. The meat man....had chicken feet for sale. I asked "How much for one?". My friend was looking at me cautiously. The meat man replied "25 cents". "One please" and I paid my quarter. In return, I got a chicken foot in a baggy with a red twist tie. I put it in my pocket and we continued our walk through the market.

I got home that afternoon and wondered about my purchase. Not wondered WHY? I wondered WHAT? What am I going to do with this? Well, I'm going to dry it....for starters. And then I'm going to hide it in the house. A practical joke was needed to snap my funk. So I spent several days salting and drying this chicken foot. I showed it to someone while it was drying, "look....I have this". The expression I received in return was not priceless, but wonderment = "McGinn has flipped".

A few days later, after finding the proper little sealable jar to store my chicken foot, I started hiding it around the house. I started in the kitchen, in front of the cereal bowls. I heard after the fact that my roommate, Jen, expression......was priceless. At that point, there was laughter again. And, my friends got in on the action and we all started hiding the chicken foot. I remember spotting it in the fork drawer and the medicine cabinet.

A few months later, the chicken foot left my life. Jen was packing to move out, and I was mad about that. I didn't want her to move. So, I thought - "Jen is taking the chicken foot!" I was alone in the house one day and feeling a momentary sadness, decided to pack the foot in one of Jen's boxes. I found the perfect hiding place....in a wind breaker. You know...one of those ones that fold into it's own pouch... So I open it all the way, place the jarred chicken foot in the pocket, refold the breaker, reclose the box...and forget about it. We move Jen out.

A month or two goes by and I'm talking with Jen, and I ask if she ever found the foot. She looks at me with one of those "What have you done?" looks she's good at. I told her about my hidden treasure and where I put it. She starts laughing....and tells me that box went to Good Will. Somewhere, someone thinks there is a voodoo curse on them.

Fast-forward to this month, and it's been a heck of a month. More so for my friend Jen. I've been rather sad too, by whats effecting her and dealing with my own separation issues related to what she's dealing with. Jen and her g/f broke up and Jen is staying with me for a while. At least that deserves a "Hooray!". (the temporary living w/ me gets the hooray, not the breakup)

Jen, her friend Dube's little sister and I were having dinner the other night, and somehow the subject of Jen being a big Winnie the Pooh fan came up. She told how her mom made a Pooh bear for her, and she slept ON the bear (its flat now). I told Jen to bring her Pooh to my house, so she could have a little comfort of home. She declined....

Driving home from dinner, I remembered...I have a giant Pooh bear. I've used it on charity events, he rides behind me on the motorcycle. He really does cheer people up. So, last night, I dug him out of storage and put him in her bed. She'll be home late tonight. I hope she doesn't wake me screaming...

At least it's not a chicken foot under her pillow.

/postscript - I wasn't home when Jen saw the bear. But I got a text message...."yay pooh".

Catch and Release Vagetarian

that is all.....

LOL

Ode to Curls

(October 2, 2003)

Ode to Curls

(straight roads vs. twisties = everything is motorcycle related!)

Curls. To me, curls are like a nice twisty. The twisty should be long and give you butterflys.

If the roads were straight, you could see what's coming and that makes no fun!

But, with twisties, there is adventure around every turn. You get the butterflies and that edgy feeling of "Fuck yeah!", "Let's go", "More...NOW!".

Straight = boring. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO HIDDEN MESSAGE HERE. ;-)

Face it, curls are kinky!

Riding in the Rain

(june 11, 2008)

"Phenomenal"

In a word....that lightning storm last night was phenomenal.

I got stuck at dinner in Fairfax when the storm hit. My friend and I sat out the worst of the thunderstorms watching the Red Sox vs. O's game (Sox eventually lost).

At 9pm, when the rain had abated for a good 30 minutes, I figured it was time to begin my journey home. Rain gear in place, I head for home. Ugh...need gas. But wait! Trusty new reflective vest has handy pocket for quick access to credit/debit card. Sweet! Gas and go!

Hit I-66 (local interstate) and the temperature is cool, which I appreciate because the I'm melting under the rainsuit. Also, it's not raining...yeah! However, road was wet, but now has dry tracks from the car traffic. I'm in no rush and just plug along at about 60mph.

WHAMO! FLASH. BOOM!

Holy cow - that was spectacular! Because of the darkness, I couldn't see how cloudy it was.

However, as soon as that lightning zipped across the sky, I knew I was in for a great ride home.
Though, my toes were crossed for no rain, as my hands were busy guiding the BMW.

The lightning seemed to be settled over DC and north on DC. I skirt onto 495N and head to the American Legion Bridge. Traffic is relatively light and there is no one around me. The view as

I'm crossing the bridge is awesome - how the lightning lights up the whole skyline of the Potomac River/Great Falls area.

BOOM!

I could barely hear the XM over that one... LOL

CRACK

That bolt was shaped like ﮎ, but backwards. And...bright!

Conscience: Hey Repo - remember reading those ride stories on ADVrider about riders being hit by lightening?

Repo: Yes Conscience, I remember.

Conscience: Well...dummy, maybe you should wait this one out?

Repo: But...if I survive this, it'll be a fun thing to write about. Besides, when have I ever really listened to you? And why should I start now?

Conscience: Ah...yeah. Good point. Catch ya later...

Repo: Hey Conscience?

Conscience: Yes dummy.

Repo: Did I ever tell you that you sound like Kazoo?

Conscience: I get that all the time.

Repo: Bye Conscience.

KABOOM!!!!!!!!

So, I make my way around the Roller Coaster of the top side of 495 (between River Road and Georgia Avenue exits)...and it's still not actively raining. It looks like I'm chasing the storm, as the light show is north and east of me. Hmmm, maybe I'll make it home without rain? (Thanks....lucky rain suit).

I make the turn onto 95N and the roads are more wet, but no rain. I'm closing in on the storm and decide to slow down a hair. The lightning is much more active now and when it shoots, I can see that the cloud mass is east of 95.

"Punch it, Ponch!" 15 miles to home. Will I get rain? The lightning is moving east...and the roads remain dry.

Nope - no rain. Home in about an hour....not bad. That nature show was much better then TV.

I'm proud of my pop

(from May 9, 2008)

Today, he is 25 years sober.

We didn't have the best relationship:
ignored me and siblings.
divorced when I was 10.
redeployed himself to Diego Garcia for few years to stop drinking.

In fact, there was no relationship. The courts said we had to stay with him once a month. When we'd return to mom, she'd have to 'rebuild' us because of the things he would say about her. (Interestingly enough - I have ZERO memory of whatever he said).

I shut him off for years. Didn't need him. I knew WHY he was the way he was...but when I asked him for help with one thing (just to go with me car shopping, not borrow money - it was my first adult purchase - I was 18, and I wanted him there), he said no. Right there, I was done with him.

A few years passed, and I was in Kansas visiting my sister. She knew I was hurting and convinced me to see him on my way home. I lived in Virginia at the time, so Michigan was not on the way. But, I agreed. (Who knew then, that I liked taking the long way home? I did it before it was popular.)

I got to Michigan and had fine visit. I stayed busy with my cousins more then my dad. On the last night, we sat on the beach (lake house)...watch the sun set, stars come out, and fires outline the shore. And, I told him I hated him. Talk about killing the mood, right?

I rattled everything off. We had very civil conversation. He explained things I didn't know...or forgot. I told him allll the reasons I hated him. There were really no questions from either of us. We knew why....

I left early the next morning for a 16 hours drive to Murphys Grande Irish Pub in Alexandria, VA....my pub. I was done in MI...and needed to be with my peeps.

A few days later, I fired off a letter to him, further expressing my angry. He replied a few days after that. We eventually talked. Which in turn, lead to me forgiving him. From there, we've been building our father/daughter relationship.

We now see each other a few times a year and talk weekly or so....and it's a very easy conversation...not forced, you know? It's comfortable.

I stumbled across those letters a few weeks ago....and re-read his reply to my 'i hate you' letter, along with letters he sent when he was on Diego Garcia. It's interesting reading them, through the eyes of a 37 years old now...vs. the eyes of a 15/16/17/18 year old then.

Why am I sharing this? Not really sure....I called him a few hours ago and congratulated him on his sobriety. He sounded very happy, as he should. He didn't have the easiest childhood or adulthood.

His golden years are certainly looking better for him.

Good Deeds

I have a closet need to do good deeds. Sometimes it comes in the form of vounteering at local food kitchen, charity office / clerical work....or along the road (I can change a tire in mere minutes!).

A few days ago, I was pulling in a Target parking lot and noticed a lovely elderly woman wandering the rows. She was obviousily lost...wagon in front, car remote and keys in hand, looking around...for her car.

I was talking to my mom, sitting in my car...in a parking spot for several minutes.

I must have seen this woman 3 more times.

I told ma I had to go, describing the scene...

I approach the woman - I'll call her Mrs. Bluehair. She was a little embarrsed. I told her not to worry, my ma does it all the time. I said "may I show you a trick?" Thankfully she said "yes". I asked for her remote and described a function of the "panic" button. Most older remotes have a red key that says "panic". I told Mrs. Bluehair, that if she's within range of her car and presses that button, her alarm will engage. I also told her the trick of putting remote on her chin to get larger array/spread for remote range. Well, it works with mine...

Anyway - she thanks me and I leave her to continue her search. Yes, I left her. I wasn't going to take her keys from her and look around for her car. We part ways, and I call my ma back.

As ma and I are talking I hear a car alarm, and it's only 100 feet away from me. Mrs. Bluehair is only about 50 feet away. I shout my congratulations, and she shouts "how to I turn it off?". I tell her to press the panic button again, and silence falls over Target.

I notice she's driving a bronse mini-van...and I scan the parking lot. There are 6 bronze mini-vans. That poor woman....

Thing you should have seen coming...

U: pulled out in front of me, cutting me off.

I: flashed highbeams, b/c you also slowed down...???

U: turned on your wipers on that nice sunny day, spraying me.

I: passed you, and there was ample space to pull in front of you, without cutting you off. Ample space? Yes, b/c you never accelerated. Then, I did pull a dick more, and turn on my wipers, thereby now spraying you.

U: then you give me the finger.

we're even sister...

Message from Langley

Doggiedate: 11112008

Dear Moms,

We like Patapsco State Park. Repo & Champs took us for 2hr walk. Would have been 1.5, but we missed a blaze & lost the trail. Repo told stories till we felt safe again. DID U KNOW??? repo got lost in woods when she was 7? That was her first ride in back of a police car. hahaha It was fun! At repo's homo - the cats make weird noises when we go near them. Well....Nik doesnt anymore. He is HUGE compared to Willie ma. But I think I could take him. We have nice little yard, but Repo put me on the leash b/c i snuck out Sunday night. I didnt mean any harm & she was pretty mad at herself & scared about it. I guess i deserve that. I try to be good Mom, but sometimes i gotta wander. Repo said she understands my need to wander, and told me ways to work through it. I'll try to be better! Willie says HI. He has bonded with Champs. They fell asleep on couch together. I didnt get a picture. The lack of opposable thumbs really limits my creative side. xo Langley

My first blog....10/24/2005:

movedate 10242005:

Yesterday, worked at townhouse all day. Very productive. Finished putting contact paper on the shelves (thanks Mom for starting that project).

Unpacked the 'dish/pan' box. Painted the pantry; the coffee and tea makers, a hand-held mixer, 3 bags of rice, a bottle of fat-free Jiffy(not sure where that came from), the crock pot and a bottle of Papa Joe's Merlot stock the shelves.

Unpacked the boxes of kitchen stuff and put it all way. I thought I had more crap to load the cabinets, but I don't.....and I like that.

The kitchen has 3 drawers. Unfortunately, the fridge is a bit too big for it's home and sticks out a few inches and prevents one of the drawers from opening all the way. So, this will be the junk drawer.

Due to lack of counter space, I think I'll have to get a counter-top spinny utensil holder thingy. But, it will work. I generally do not like them, but don't have much of a choice. We'll see.

Emptied 3 boxes from the basement. Well, not exactly... I had several cardboard boxes of stuff that I moved into the empty plastic containers....to keep the bugs from chewing.

While it doesn't seem like alot, I feel like I got a ton accomplished and am quite happy.

Now, need to get the upstairs electrical fixed (Thursday) and get the dining room stuff out of storage and the bedroom set from mom's.

I had wanted to get the floors done before bringing all that over, but it'll wait.

Highlight this week = bringing Levi (and Nik) over! Going to be cutting some doors tonight to enable me to 'hide' the litterboxes, but still allow easy access for the boys. Fun w/ power tools.

Lowlight = Pete (Alice's dog) had to be put down. While it wasn't my lowlight, Pete was a fun dog.

How do I feel today?

I feel great actually.

I'm happy that Champs is leaving town for a week. Not that I want to see her go... LOL...but that she needs a wee break after the clusterf*ck that was her life for a few weeks. GO CHAMPS GO!

Xmas is coming. Pop is coming. Ma is coming. Bro is already here... And, maybe some snow is coming too???

Pick a quote

Champs: "Its like the Scarlet H."
repo: "Do you mean Scarlet W? It's not a silent W in whore."
Champs: "oh yeah!"
(repo is playing the role of SWSRN)

My warranty is void if I experience shock in excess of 350Gs. - repo

"Why are people always trying to kill me?" - Homer Simpson

"WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your bra."

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. "

"Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world" Kaiser Wilhelm

"I reserve my constitutional right to offend you"

"It's going to look like a cadbury egg factory exploded"

definite straight does not equal defenestrate

"never moon a werewolf"

I'm ok!

Attack Date: July 14, 2008

(apologies...no pictures)


Soo many titles ran through my head...

"T-bone, not just a steak"
"Hit & Fly"
"It was small enough to eat at one sitting"
"Wing and a Prayer"

So, I'm minding my own business again. Took the ramp from River Road, to access the outerloop. I'm doing about 25-30mph. Car ahead and behind.... in right turning on-ramp.

Out of the corner of my left eye, I see something. I remember my MSF class training..."If its small enough to eat at one sitting, hit it.". Well, that really wasn't an option, as it was not in front of me. However, I didn't have breakfast.....

Anyway, I feel it. THUNK Didn't really hit me, as much as the tank, just above my left thigh.

I look down, and see Roger. Don't ask "Why Roger?". Maybe it's b/c I was listening to Duran Duran, and the drummer is Roger...and the 'thunk' made me thing of a bass note. Get it?

So, I look down, and Roger is looking up at me. He's not really stuck, but looks a little out of place and uncomfortable about his possible first motorcycle ride.

Says "Excuse me (in a british accent no less), would you mind helping me out here?"

I think...."this is the easiest drive-thru meal I've ever had." However, wasn't in the mood for poultry at 9am.

I reach down with my left hand, with the slightest grip and gently pick up Roger. It tickled, and he laughed.

Now, I'm still in this right-hand turn....and accelerating to the on-ramp for the beltway.

I can't really take Roger to work with me, and I don't know if he's allowed on the beltway.

I ask..."are you ready for launch, little guy?" and he replies..."Roger". We both laughed at the double entendre.

So, I gracefully chuck him into the air...and watch him fly away. I check my thigh for poop - his, not mine. And am all clear.

I begin laughing....and am still chuckling a little.

The end.

Startled Starling

Starlingdate: Oct 26

What is it with me and birds lately? This big fella busted into my bedroom through plastic shield around window AC unit. Captured and released. Tramp tried to help with the capture part. I'm sure he had other intensions then 'release' part. I'm going back to bed.

Whats a fluffer?

Smokin': "ok so i'll play the naive one in case its not what i think it is... whats a fluffer do?"

repo: "a fluffer sits off camera, 'prepping' the guys for their shots. no pun intended. camera shots.... "

Smokin': "i almost took a job as a fluffer for a film in atlanta, but it wasnt paid and i couldnt get out of class. "

repo: lol

How to Handle: 40mph bee sting to face

How to Handle: 40mph bee sting to face

So, you're riding around rural VA, happily cruisin' about 40mph on beautiful road, babysitting (motorcycle marshalling) some bicycle riders who are riding 100 miles. Your task on this marshalling is to make sure the riders are safe…from dogs, bad drivers, wrong turns, dehydration, etc. The temperature is a little high - feels like 75°-80°. You've got full helmet on, sunglasses and visor open all the way. At .02 seconds before impact you see IT. IT is a bee, coming directly at your right eye. At .01, you flinch and start turning head to the left, hoping the bee will hit helmet, or just go wide. You fail. The bee impacts between cheek and helmet. STUCK! And stinging......What do you do?

You check mirror and try to remain calm. And you feel the bee still there, doing what bees do.... Did your hook miss the trepasser?

There is no one behind you (nor ahead)...so you roll back just a bit on throttle and remain calm. You notice there are no shoulders on this road. You also notice there are ditches. You're on a twisty road, so there is no safe place to just stop. You look ahead for driveway/cross road (none). You check your GPS for any next cross road (none close). You remind yourself that you are not allergic, so it's only discomfort, and a little heart pumping. You have to keep riding.

You slow to about 30-35mph. You take your left hand index finger and fashion a J out of it. You guess how high to stick finger in, above the intruder. You could push the trespasser further into helmet or cause other issues. You take a chance, and hook the bee.

Did you kill it? Is the bee still in your helmet? Is the bee still in helmet, and alive, just catching it's breath waiting to strike again? Where can you pull over?

Heart is pumping a bit - but its adrenalin. Face is feeling little weird, but think it's your imagination.

Remain calm - look for safe pull off. "Oh - there's one! Ugh…no luck." You keep riding - check mirror - control your breathing - stay calm.

Ok - there is driveway - opposite side. Pulling in – you're thinking…"Remember to engage side stand. You're already stung, can't help that. Be sure fully off road. Stay safe. Don't need another death or injury (IT was first fatality)".You stop and engage side stand. Kill ignition. Unplug helmet and unhook chin-strap. You take off your helmet in manner to clear right cheek - in hopes that if the bee is still there and stuck, that it won't sting again. You hang helmet on handlebar – do not throw frantically into trees across the street. You remove gloves and place on tank, and then check cheek in mirror. See bump growing... UGH. Is stinger gone? Looks like it. Stung site is warm and bump is swelling.

If you're working a marshalling event, you can call an event person to come to your aid. Your conversation may go something like this: "Hey Cat - you free? I'm ok. No, no rider is hurt. Can you bring me ice? I just got stung by a bee on my cheek and it is swelling. I'm at mile 87.3. Not sure if stinger out. No, not allergic. Ok - see ya in few." (If you are just out for a ride by yourself, look for any place that may have ice; gas station, fire/rescue station. If bad enough, knock on someone's door and ask for some ice. ) My only concern was....how close the bee stung, in relation to my eye. The swelling continued for a bit, but stayed localized to sting and no more then a quarter diameter.

Once said and done, you should spend a little time checking your helmet that the trespasser is gone and no stinger is embedded in the helmet liner, waiting for your return.

The End.

Oh, I did get my picture taken with McGruff the Crime Dog, but that's a story for another edition.

p.s. So, did I continue to ride w/ visor open, you ask? Yeah - just not all the way.