The Berlin years

I was browsing books a few days ago and came across a book titled "Christopher and His Kind" by Christopher Isherwood. The book is an autobiography of Isherwood's time in Berlin just before the outbreak of World War II.

The book was released in 1976 and is considered by many critics to be an important work for two reasons. Most important to me is Christopher's candor about his gay life style and gay Berlin in the 1930's. Isherwood went on to be an early leader of the gay movement in the United States. The book is also considered important for its evolution of the autobiography as novel.

I first learned of Isherwood last spring when I watched a DVD titled "Chris & Don: A Love Story". The film is a fascinating documentary about Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy and their 35 year relationship together. (The young Don Bachardy is very easy on the eyes too.)

If you can read this then you are as bored as I am

Last weekend I did a comparison test of the Hoyt Tech MSR-200 HD motorsports video camera, the Twenty20 Contour HD helmet video camera and the GoPro HD wearable video camera. The Hoyt Tech MSR-200 is clearly an inferior camera both in quality of video and design - it's not worth the money. Both GoPro and Twenty20 have made tremendous improvements in their products; I was disappointed with the first release of their product line. Hopefully Hoyt Tech will make some improvements to their camera. I am not going to post the video.

I plan to use the Contour HD and the GoPro HD together. I want to get the GoPro out infront of the wind screen to record a more panoramic view. On top of the headlight is the perfect place for it but it picks up too much vibration there; I may have thought of a way to fix that. I'm going to try filling a Hot Water bottle with a thick liquid (maybe dish soap) attach that to the top of the headlight and attach the camera to the water bottle - I think that might dampen out the vibration. It will look like crap but if it works I don't care what it looks like.

I took down some of my videos that no one watched; I might take down 2 or 3 more. It really doesn't matter if they clock up view counts or not, still if I'm the only one that looks at them they don't need to be on You Tube.

The polyps they took out during my colonoscopy were benign (non-cancerous). The procedure is simple and painless but the clean out the night before isn't much fun. I'm not looking forward to the next one in 5 years.

A pair of Mountain Chickadee's flew past the apartment last Saturday singing "Fee-bee, fee-bee" back and forth to each other. They were too fast for me to run get the big camera out and snap pictures, and too active for me to go out searching for them ... maybe next time.

The back pain has cleared up and I've resumed doing some light exercises and walking again. If I can't go out for a walk then I try to take the stairs instead of the elevator at work at least twice during the day.

I really wish the lady upstairs wouldn't run the vacuum while I'm trying to blog.

Spontaneous ride to Limon

Denver had a few days of fair weather in early January. It got warm enough to melt most of the snow and ice off of the streets. We of the Rocky Mountaineers Motorcycle Club of Colorado got the itch to get our bikes out and go for a ride. Using Facebook and cell phones the clubs Trail Boss put together an impromptu ride.



We rode south on Parker Road to Franktown, turned east and rode through Elizabeth and Kiowa on Colorado Highway 86 until it met-up with Interstate 70; from there it was a short hop into Limon. We were able to find a small Chinese restaurant in Limon Colorado.

It was really great to just get out and go for a ride.

Hear the Coyotes howl

I've never been camping in my life; well that isn't entirely true. I have a faint memory of camping along Yellowstone Lake as a small child. The adults did all the work; I was just extra baggage. I remember that my mother and I slept on the boat, and I remember my older brother chasing black bears out of the camp.

When I was in my teens my Dad hired an outfitter to take us on an overnight horseback trip into Sunlight Basin. Everything was provided and the outfitters did all the work; all we had to do was stay on top the horses. Everyone got real excited when a couple of Moose strolled past camp. That night we heard a pack of Coyotes howling from across the river.

What these two outings have in commons is that I didn’t have to pack anything, do anything, or have any special knowledge or skills; all I had to do was go along. That really doesn’t seem like camping to me. My interest in camping has always been a “passive” interest. I like looking at camping gear in the catalog while imagining an “idealistic” scene of sitting with good friends next to a warm campfire watching the sunset over a beautiful calm lake. I like hearing people tell stories of their hiking and camping adventures and imagine myself in their stories. Then I remember that camping also includes cold, rain, mosquitoes, snakes, smelly outhouses or going in the bushes, and usually no running water.

My interest in camping picked up a little last summer when a 25-year-old girl in our office went backpacking into the Amazon for two weeks, and blog buddy Nick rode the End-to-End on a bicycle and camped out every night. My interest in camping peaked even more when I learned that the motorcycle club I joined has an annual camping trip every 4th of July. If these people can camp out then so can I.

I’ve been reading a couple of books about camping and looking at camping gear again – this time I know a little more about what to look for. I like to tell myself that learning how to camp will give me the ability to get away from the city for a few days, will give me the flexibility to go on extended motorcycle trips, and will give me the satisfaction of having done it. These statements may be true but the real truth is I want to hang with the guys. If the guys are going riding I want to go riding. If the guys are going hiking I want to go hiking. If the guys are going camping then I want to go camping too. I think I’ll stop at jumping off a cliff – I don’t want to do that.

Riding with the club last summer expanded my horizons and gave me more confidence. I’m reading about the basics of hiking and camping safety, the “Ten Essentials”, equipment and technique, so camping with the club this summer should be easy. Some of us might even go hiking and camping more often.

My 2009 review

The year 2008 had its highs and lows like any other year. Our company got a new Vice President, I got back into motorcycles after a 30 year absence, my mother passed away, Barack Obama was elected President, and I had Carpal Tunnel release surgery on both hands that year, but for me 2009 was a glorious year.

Our company has been affected by the financial crises and depression but we have been able to avoid layoffs. I was given additional responsibilities at work early in 2009. I now have two more positions reporting to me and I report directly to the VP. This has changed my job duties considerably; I am no longer involved in the day-to-day technical aspects of the operation. In December I took on even more responsibilities, temporarily, while other people were on leave.

Early in the year my Doctor gave me a very stern warning. My Cholesterol and triglycerides are off the chart and the prescription medication isn't working. He warned me that I only have one option left - make some lifestyle changes. I've cut way back on meat, dairy and carbohydrates, started taking Omega-3 (Fish Oil) and Niacin supplements, and I lost 20 pounds. In November I had the best test results I've had in many years! All of the measurements were within acceptable limits. I still need to increase my physical activity because my HDL is still too low.

I've done more photography this year and have taken up casual birding (looking for birds.) I've had mixed success. I discovered that I wasn't very proficient with my camera and needed to learn how to use it more effectively. Since my first excursion in March I got a telephoto lens and am learning some of the advanced features of my camera . I plan to do more hiking, birding, photography and videography in 2010; I already have a new State Parks pass.

Getting a motorcycle was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I rode during the 70's but hadn't been on a motorcycle in almost 30 years so I took a basic riders course first. After I got the bike I joined a local motorcycle club called the Rocky Mountaineers Motorcycle Club of Colorado. It's not a large club but they are all good folks.

This year I have gone places that I've never been to before, and done things that I've never done before. I rode in the Cruise Against AIDS run for CAP, been to Buffalo Bill's grave, ridden down Lookout Mountain Rd, rode in the Molly-Dharma run for Max Fund, rode at the head of the Gay Pride Parade, rode through South Park, got rained on in Roosevelt National Park, rode in the KSL Memorial run, rode to the top of Mount Evans, and to the top of Pikes Peak, rode through Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road, spent a week-end in Breckenridge, rode on the Leadville train, and spent a week-end in Saratoga Wyoming. I've had a blast doing it!

I've developed a better sense of perspective over the past year and am better able to take things in stride. So much of my personal identity has been centered on work. I think of 2009 as the year of my great awakening. Change hasn't come easily. Some change has come from the school of hard knocks, some has come from trying new things, and some has followed periods of deep introspection. I am gradually developing a state of mindfulness and learning the importance of participating in community, developing relationships outside of work, and enjoying what the world has to offer. All work and no play makes Clyde a dull and unhappy boy.

I am looking forward to 2010 with anticipation.

• I will continue to develop an attitude of gratitude and mindfulness.
• I will continue to build relationships outside of work through the First Unitarian Society, the Rocky Mountaineers, and the local Audubon Society.
• I will continue controlling my Cholesterol and triglyceride by being more attentive to what and how much I eat.
• I will be more physically active by incorporating walking and hiking into my photography and nature activities.
• I will reduce then eliminate smoking by not smoking one day a week in February, not smoking 2 days a week in March, and not smoking 3 days a week in April.
• I will go camping in 2010 (as long as there aren't any spiders, snakes, mountain lions, bears or wolves.)
• And, I will ride, ride, ride.

Mr. Blue Jay

Yesterday afternoon something outside started making a lot of racket;
when I investigated I discovered it was this Blue Jay that was making all the noise.



Blue Jay, December 29, 2009, Denver CO

Learning to take things in stride

I must be mellowing out as I get older or maybe my perspective is changing. I use to see things in terms of absolutes when I was younger. I was certain I was absolutely right and everyone else was absolutely wrong. This way of being was the cause of a lot of frustration and unpleasant exchanges over the years. To be fair, I wasn't a king sized butt all of the time nor am I a perfect angle now.

Not long ago I saw a vivid demonstration of how differently people can perceive even simple things. I was in a room with 30 other people. We were asked to write down our answers to questions about the room: was the room the right size, too small, too big, too bright, not bright enough, too hot, too cold, etc. Then we were asked to go around the room and find others who had exactly the same answers as our own. Out of 30 people only 2 people had exactly the same answers to all of the questions! Imagine if we were talking about global warming, health care, poverty, war, or the "G" word.

Change has not come easily. Some change has come from the school of hard knocks, some has come from trying new things, and some has followed periods of deep introspection. Gradually with time I am developing a better sense of perspective and a state of mindfulness. These qualities are tenuous at best and require continuos practice on my part.

I still get annoyed when people engage in petty bickering or someone tries passing the buck. Its gotten a little easier to take things the way they come and I'm a little more comfortable with ambiguities than I use to be. It's not a case of not caring, it's a case of being a little more aware of what's important. It's more important we get to where we need to be and less important who gets to ride up front.

Psychedelic Tunnel

I thought the video the camera got when I went under the bridge was kind of cool and wanted to do something more with it. I was playing around in Final Cut and this is what I came up with. Note: the "Go Ask Alice" at the end was sampled from Jefferson Airplane "White Rabbit".



I've never done drugs; I use my mind instead.