Shameless Promotion Month Ends but the Promotion Goes On!!!!!

So it goes without saying that I have an incredibly supportive family.  My wife and children are my rock and my life raft, my light house, everything that can possibly keep me afloat in this life.  Amy serves as the Executive Director of Connor's Army and maintains the website, solicits sponsors, provides logistics for the various rides we've done and generally goes above and beyond.

My children, likewise have embraced the idea of traveling cross country with open arms.  Although they know they'll be cooped up in a van for long hours on the road they are looking forward to "helping daddy ride cross country for the children with cancer" and are already talking about how they want to ride part of the ride with me.  Of course it will be along a very wide-shouldered road in the middle of Kansas with no traffic, sort of like this;

And mama (i.e., Executive Director Amy) will be driving slowly behind us to make sure marauding tractors are not sneaking up behind us on route to pillaging their corn crops;

Well I can tell you, if we see that behind us we'll have to pop out the emergency flares and also the large laminated poster of this diagram that will also hold the disclaimer IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU'RE WAAAAAYYYYYY TOO CLOSE!

Needless to say, the family is excited about doing this together - sort of like a familial Mitzvah Project.  Now according to JewishJournal.com, when you choose a Mitzvah Project you have to ask the essential question "Why are we engaging in this project?"  They explain it thusly;

1) Mitzvah projects redirect resources from consumption to tikkun olam.

The bar/bat mitzvah is a peak experience in our Jewish lives worthy of attention and celebration. During this time of increased consumption, a mitzvah project redirects some of our resources (our money, our time, our energy) toward social justice. It reminds us that the celebration of the bar/bat mitzvah student amid centerpieces, flowers and balloons is not only a celebration of age and accomplishment but also a celebration of his/her capacity to heal the world.

2) Mitzvah projects help us to express gratitude.
Saying “thank you” for all of life’s gifts won’t fit into the last few paragraphs of a student’s d’var Torah. At the moments when we are most aware of our blessings, mitzvah projects help us to concretize our feelings of gratitude through service to others. Sometimes, words are not enough; we need to act.

3) Mitzvah projects teach us how to live words of the Torah.
We can talk about the pursuit of justice (Deuteronomy 16:20), and then we can invite a student to Walk for Darfur or Race for the Cure. Ultimately, we are meant to live words of the Torah, not just discuss them. Mitzvah projects help us to embody and express our highest Jewish values, breathing life and giving modern-day form to an ancient tradition.

Now I can't say that this project is for our Bat/Bar Mitzvah or that we will be consumming inordinate amounts of anything (okay, I may eat a little more to replenish all the calories but I'll try to keep it down) and I can't promise that I will particularly ruminate on the words of the Torah (I may just keep repeating "I think I Can, I think I Can, I think I Can" across most of Kansas and Missouri).  However I do know that this will be a way for our family to express our gratitude for our health and the health of all the children in our family as well as the adults in our life who have been affected by cancer. 

For us this journey is a Mitzvah (for my friends and followers who are not Jewish the definition is Mitzvah - Literally translated, a mitzvah is a commandment. This word is often incorrectly used loosely to mean “good deed.” The Torah contains at least 613 individual commandments for Am Yisrael. The purpose of a mitzvah is to help the individual and the nation come closer to God and to holiness.) in the sense that we want to give back to the world.  We want to show our gratitude to what life has done for us and do it on two wheels.

But, in the true spirit of Shameless Promotion, I have to beg, beg, beg, beg anyone who is reading this today (or tomorrow or next week or ever) to encourage their friends to become a follower of this blog.  I will take reader suggestions (as long as they are not too scatalogical or non-family oriented) on subjects for future musings and I will try to tie them into cycling or the trip we are planning.  BUT I PROMISE I WILL DIGRESS!!!!!  I wouldn't be me if I didn't.

So, help me plug away.  For any of you that have ideas on how to promote our Mitzvah please feel free to share your ideas (thank you Jason, we are checking into the new channel idea) and ESPECIALLY any contacts you have to philanthropically minded businesses or potential sponsors - Bicycle Suppliers, Bike Shops, Bike Wear distributors (anyone have a connection to Hincapie?), Gas Companies, Hotel Chains, any of these types of businesses who would like to give "in kind" donations, anything of that nature.  We really can't do this without the financial help.  Its not for our gain, its for the gain of the children.  What do you say?

Well, with any luck this rain will let up tonight and Betty (or Pearl) and I can ride in tomorrow.  Can you believe we're closing in on 2000 miles logged since January 1 and its not even October yet? (well, technically)
 
Stay well my friends and let's get those sponsors!

The Glass is Half Full!!!!!!

So there is a magnet on our refrigerator that pretty much is geared mainly towards me that says, "An Irishman has an abiding sense of TRAGEDY which sustains him through temporary periods of JOY."  Well, I have been working on that and this article about the roadblocks to happiness is one that I've been ruminating on since it appeared yesterday.  You see, for most of my life I've suffered from periods that I've called my "blue funks" and although they usually only last a day or two, they have been known to last months (or maybe years).  Usually during these periods I wonder what the heck I'm doing with my life and I lament the fact that I don't have the money that some of my friends, family or colleagues have.

I guess part of that stems from having grown up in a military family where we moved around a lot and didn't really have a lot of money.  I always had friends (mainly officer's kids) who had the newest stuff or the coolest things and I never really did.  My first car was one that was donated to our family and was about 13 years old when I got it.  Of course now I'd love to have that car back because it was a Champagne colored 1967 Caprice Station Wagon:


(Yes, it looked like this, just without the wood paneling - boy were we stylin')

It wasn't much but I was able to cram about 25 people into it during drive in movie night.  It was all the people you could fit in a car for $5.  And being one of the only kids who had a car at all I was a little on the popular side - at least for a summer.

Its taken me a lot of years to start to make some improvement on the jealousy that I feel about others who have all the things I wish they have, especially those who don't seem to be appreciative.  Its not easy but I am working on it.  I think this summer actually helped me make a lot of strides in that direction.  I also like to go back every now and then and be reminded of what is really important and the words that help me do that are as follows;

Sonnet XXIX

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Because quite honestly, I have my wonderful family and they are my world and my worth in this life.  I have them and they are all healthy and that is my greatest treasure.  Everything else is gravy/frosting/cherry-on-top to what I already have in life - a great job, some good friends and a healthy family.

        

Now granted, if there are some of you wealthy people out there (you know who you are, part of the top 3% of money earners in the country) who want to sponsor us to help us help the kids at Sunrise, feel free to contact us and offer us oodles of money  - the gift that keeps on giving.

And that is filling up the glass all the way!

Okay, my friends, stay well and I'll see you on the road (and lets get those followers on board!)

To Those Who Think They're Cooler Than Me!

So on Friday I was riding my bike home from work and I was having a GREAT ride!  I was really humming along and Betty was really feeling her oats (okay, a bit much on the analogy I admit).  I guess I should say I was feeling MY oats.  I was flying down the road enjoying the sunshine and the feel of the wind rushing by.

On the other side of the road I saw another cyclist approach me on a really fantastic looking bike.  I was going to fast to really see what it was but he was decked out in the latest stylistic cycling wear and looked like he was really something.  Being the cyclist that I am and still reeling from my summer experience (not to mention the fact that with my hands on the top of the bar I can see my scar rather clearly) I waved to my brother-in-arms in a gesture of solidarity.

NOTHING!  Not a wave, not a flick of the left hand, not a nod - just NA-DA!  WEll, in the words of the amazing Steve Martin - EXCUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE  MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!


(And of course if balloon animals are not funny to you and you just want to get to the punchline, fast forward to 3:13!  How's that for instant gratification!)

This, unfortunately, happens way too often when I'm riding.  Personally, I make it a point to somehow wave or gesture to almost every rider I pass in the other direction to give a little show of solidarity, whether it be recreational cyclists, cyclists out training, commuters on thier Jamis hybrids, or the day workers on their Walmart mountain bikes.  To me, its important to realize that we are all part of the same cycling community AND WE ARE THE MINORITY!  There are people out there who rant and rave about how we are at best a nuisance but some feel the the best place for us is under cars and  threaten us with other bodily harm!

With that in mind, I would think that as cyclists we should acknowledge this solidarity and this common bond even if it is only the Texas pickup truck version of the hand flick (which if you don't know is a barely perceptible but nonetheless palpable signal that you have been acknowledged by the driver in the opposite lane).  I guess the issue is that for some cyclists if you are not wearing the most expensive Assos cycling wear or riding one of the world's most expensive bikes then you are below their notice.  I guess they truly think they are cooler than us;

	Mike PosneR - 01 Cooler Than Me (Main) .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

As some of you may know, I am a somewhat avid follower of the Bike Snob and recently in one of his posts I was able to read the Bike Snob's lament (which is not to be confused with Adelaide's Lament which my wife performed amazingly when she played the role a few years ago) in which he waxed rather plaintively (of course he would be a bit nonplussed and give his seal of disapproval to the use of the word plaintively) on the rise of cyclists riding extremely expensive bikes without a clue as to how to properly operate them or even fix their own flat tires.

Now, it goes to say that I'm not a bike snob, I still ride the Frankenbike known as Pearl to work on occasion and I'm not embarassed to be seen operating her.  However I do get a bit miffed (slightly higher on the umbrage scale than nonplussed) when other riders seem to make a point of ignoring your friendly gestures.  Does it really effect their streamlined aero position that much to give a slight flick of the hand?  Will their cadence be thrown off by the energy it takes to nod their head to a slightly different tempo for a nanosecond?  Will their über expensive cycling togs ride up uncomfortably in their arm pits if they lift their arms in a gesture of friendliness?  Inquiring minds want to know?

So for now, I will just continue to remember to enjoy the feel of the wind on my skin as Betty (or Pearl) and I carve our way through the air on our way home and I will wave as I to other cyclists secure in the knowledge that I am strong enough to overcome the minute time deficiencies caused by my gesticulations.  And give me half a chance and I'd pass you up, but I'm sorry, I'm going the other way.  And that's all I have to say to all of you who think you're cooler than me!

Stay well and I'll see you on the road.

P.S. - PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSEEEEEE ENCOURAGE ALL YOU KNOW ON FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKS TO JOIN AS A FOLLOWER TO THIS BLOG - WE'RE TRYING TO GET UP TO 500 FOLLOWERS!  Hey, there's only two more days of Shameless Promotion Month!

Shameless Promotion Month

And how much your support has meant to me?  My friends and family are what have helped me get through so much in the last year from losing two family members to being flattened by a car door during one of my best rides ever you have helped me so much.

I've never been one to toot my own horn:

	Robert Paterson - Fanfare for Trumpet Sextet .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

and I'm really not sure I'll be able to do a good job of it now.  You see, I don't really do what I do for the accolades.  I guess I never really have.  Even when I've danced or acted and received compliments for my performance I always feel a little humbled that people actually like what I do.  I've always considered performing to be a priviledge and the fact that people applaud you (and sometimes pay you) to do it has always seemd to me to be such a great blessing.  Which is why I miss it so much sometimes.  Not the applause, just the ability to be able to do it.  Granted, those of you who knew me when I stopped performing will remember it differently - I was very bitter about getting so close to a Broadway/Production contract so many times in a short space of time that I was just ready to throw in the towel.  I guess I may have thrown it in way too early.  But then again, had I not done so, I would not know all the wonderful people I do now, nor would I have been touched in the many ways that I have been by my students.

But, this is about something totally different.  I see that I'm getting more and more followers to this blog and I thank each and every one of you - BUT WE NEED MORE!!!!  You see, we are now in the process of starting to solicit sponsors for our cross country ride to raise money for Sunrise Day Camp.  We really won't be able to do it without sponsors - corporations and investors who will put forth the money to defray the costs of the trip.  We figure that its going to cost about $15,000 and we can possibly come up with $5,000 of it but the other $10,000 we need to raise.  Now, rest assured if we don't spend all the money that sponsors donate we are going to give it all to Sunrise so the money will ultimately be going to the children.

However, we need LOTS AND LOTS OF FOLLLOWERS so when we approach these potential corporate sponsors we can show them that their investment will have some exposure.  We're also VERY open to suggestions about promoting our cause - SHAMELESSLY SO (after all, it is Shameless Promotion Month).

So, if any of you have any ideas, please send them to us because we have to raises the $10,000 by February if we are going to be able to do this.

Stay well and I hope to see you on the road in order to benefit the kids.

Betty is READY - But Steel is Real!

Okay, so today I tried a little experiment.  I rode in today (since I can't tomorrow, because the dreaded Admin classes start up again) and I decided to ride Black Pearl

Okay, not THAT Black Pearl, the one you see in this photo;

Yes, indeedy, my once and future Frankenbike is still my backup ride and I have to say, she may be the one I take cross country.  Why, you ask when I've been salivating/lusting/longing for the return of Betty?  Don't get me wrong, I love my Betty and I love the sleekness and the newness of her but Pearl is just more forgiving and comfortable.  You see, STEEL IS REAL - it can be easily replaced in the middle of Pennsylvania somewhere (you know, emergency welds, that sort of thing) and its much more forgiving with the road shock.  Also, if I end up having to go self-supported and put on fenders and panniers I have the eyelets for doing that.

It doesn't mean I love Betty any less (yes, I can feel her feelings of perceived rejection emanating from the basement in a truly palpable sense) but I also want to save the wear and tear on her.  Pearl will go the distance I think and I can even put on my bar end shifters, get a compact crankset for the front and upgrade her to 10 speed and be able to handle the Colorado Rocky foothills around Mesa Verde.  I'll still need to find sponsors (maybe Bontrager) to supply me with tires and tubes and maybe some other bike shop/company to supply me with any other bike materials - but the big thing is we are starting to plan.

Admittedly, we are starting a little late in the planning.  I don't think we fully realized that this was possible until after Amy had her trip to Alaska.  We also weren't totally sure I guess because we weren't sure if I would feel accepted or connected to Sunrise.  We I do and I really want to do something to help these kids!  So we're going to approach everyone we can initially to help sponsor us either with materials or funds to see if we can get everything together.  We will then start all the press releases and then see if we can set up the link on the Sunrise website through Amy Pilott so people can begin donating directly to Sunrise.

I don't yet know how this will affect the yearly Victory Ride.  It may mean that I have to take more of a backseat on the ride this year so that I'm not "hitting up" eveyrone I know for donations twice in one year.  For now, I just need followers to log in on the blog.  We need to show potential sponsors that they will get some exposure on their site.  So again, I beg all of you who read this to sign up as an official follower if you haven't already.  E-mail/facebook your friends and explain what I'm trying to do and encourage them to follow me as well - they don't have to read it, just "follow" it.

What do you say gang?  Can we give it the old college try to help these kids?  Pearl thinks we can!!!!

Stay well, I'm on the road again!

My First Century of the Year!

No, I didn't actually ride my first 100 continuous miles (I think we all remember what happened last time I attempted that -  I Made God Laugh!)

However, I did manage to log 100 miles of ride time this week to and from school.  Actually, the number was 110.7 to be exact!  And what did it feel like?  I'd say that Ray says it pretty well;

	Ray Charles - Nothing like a hundred miles.mp3 .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Yep, I managed to ride in every day this week except for Monday (rain, go figure).  I have been putting Betty through her paces and dialing in her performance more every day.  I still haven't gotten the front derailleur shifting the way I want to but I'm getting close.

We're getting closer in the planning also.  It looks like we'll go the southern route from San Diego to Tempe, AZ and then up to the Grand Canyon for two days of rest and tourism.  We'll then head up through AZ to Four Corners (yes, music geeks we WILL be going through Tuba City, AZ - being a former tuba player how could I resist?) and on up to Pueblo, CO before joining the TransAmerica Route and continuing on through to Virginia.  At that time I will then hit the Atlantic Coast route that will take me up to New York and on to Wheatley Heights, NY and Sunrise Day Camp.

Right now we have it planned to accomplish this trip in 54 days give or take five days.  So, it could take 60 days but we're trying to do it in less if we can to have a bit of time to get our lives back in order before school starts up again.

But for now I'm just trying to ride as much as I can so I can get the miles in my legs.  Due to my unfortunate....accident (all of you Spelling Bee fans get your minds out of the gutter!) I lost five weeks and all of those miles but I'm trying to make up for it.  I think I can do it.  Now I need sponsors.  So if you know any corporations that would like to do some charitable work or in-kind donations of supplies, PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY AND HAVE THEM E-MAIL AMY AT connornyc@aol.com.

Okay, so now I'm caught up and ready to go on the road LET'S SUPPORT THE KIDS!!!!!

Stay well, I'll see you out there.

And The World Spins Madly On!

So we just survived the first "week" of school, just two days of instruction before the Rosh Hashanah break (Happy New Year, or  ראש השנה‎ for those of you who observe this wonderful day).

Its at this time of the year that I find myself the saddest of anytime at all.  At the beginning of the year I always expect to see the familiar faces that I have watched grow up over the past four years and invariably they are always gone - my seniors who have entered out into the world to start their fantastic journeys.  I catch up with them sometimes on facebook but its not the same.  What is even worse is that almost every year I see many of their "mini mes";

No, not this guy!

all around the hall.  I swear the other day I saw a little Jaime Diamond, a little Aimee DeShayes and a mini Morgan Grant.  Many of you reading this will have no idea who those people were but I remember.  They're all filed away in my memory and I see these young faces at this time of the year and it reminds me of all the wonderful students who have passed across this stage at Syosset High School and have been in so many productions.  Then I find myself going to the ACT Show Gallery to see pictures of these guys in action back in the day.  And I look at the pictures and I wax reminiscent and I thank God for the job I have that has allowed me to have such incredible young people in my life.  Yes, the move on and go their ways and some of them stay in touch and even become pen pals (yes, I'm talking to you Danielle and Emily) and some of them drop me a line every now and then but I still miss them all.  And yet, the world spins madly on (another reminder of past graduates - Heather Burian introduced me to this tune, one that has become a favorite);

	The Weepies - World Spins Madly On .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

So I listen to my music, look at my pictures and smile knowing that part of me is wandering the wide world with my young friends.

But, speaking of wandering the wide world - WE ARE HOPING TO START SENDING OUT LETTERS TO POTENTIAL SPONSORS AND WE NEED FOLLOWERS.  So, if you're reading this now and you haven't already signed up to be a sponsor - WHY NOT???????  Please sign up today and send out an e-mail, facebook, twitter inviting others to join.  Tell them they don't even need to read it, just sign up to follow it.  There is power in numbers and Amy and I would like to approach sponsors and tell them that we have 1,000 followers on our blog and growing - HELP US REACH OUR GOAL!

Okay, that's it for now.  I'm going to get my bicycle ready to ride tomorrow.  I'm hoping to get out and get some pictures of her to post here for all of you - keep checking back.  And to all my former students out there - I miss you guys more than you'll ever know!

Stay well and look for me on the road!

At Last!

All I can say is;

	Etta James - At Last .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Yes, at last I finally got to saddle up Black Betty and take her on the road as I road in today to the first Superintendent's Conference Day.

To be honest, the day was okay.  The frustrating part for me every year is attending staff meetings and discussing things that really don't apply to what I do in the classroom.  I would much rather be working on new evaluation systems for theatre and dance but alas, I have to go over the new Regent's exam in English.

I am working the final weeks of my District Internship with Michael Salzman so I did get to attend part of the combined music/art department meetings as he showed them how to use "the clicker" - fascinating!

But the true highlight of my day was riding my bicycle!  Its going to take a lot of "dialing in" before I have everything just right.  I have to do a lot of fussing with the derailleur adjustments before I'm happy but so far I think its going to be amazing.  She does seem a little lighter - but I'm a bit heavier.  All of that time off the bike has taken its toll on me.  Nevertheless, I am riding again and the bike is amazing.  I really don't have anything else to add to this other than WOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!  Now to get myself ready for the first week of school.

On another note, I really think I am getting more and more convinced that I will be doing the cross country ride this year.  We're getting a late start on it because we weren't really sure but after this summer I think I've decided that its necessary - I need to do what I can to help these kids who are fighting so hard to survive the opportunity to just be kids for a summer.

So to that end, you two faithful followers PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE encourage other people to become followers too.  Even if they don't read the blog and just delete the notification, I need to be able to show potential sponsors that I have a blog following.  I can then pitch to them the idea of advertising and linking to my blog and perhaps drumming up some sponsorships that way.  This is going to be an expensive prospect and I need all the help I can get to be able to afford to do this - won't you please help?

Okay, that's all for now!  Stay well and I can now see you on the road!