Just Imagine....

Imagine one day you're at sea, sailing... sailing ... sailing.... away.

Life is pleasant and peaceful. Picture yourself parked on something like this:

There's lots of activity around you. All the people are laughing and having fun.

The next thing you know you're no longer sailing. In a millisecond, all that you had in front of you has vanished.... You're now holding on frantically to the only thing in sight - a small piece of driftwood; the only remnant of the posh life you left behind you hours ago.

You look around in all directions but there's no one or nothing in sight.

You look to the North.....


Here's your view:

You look to the South, here's what you see:

The East and the West yield similar views.

You focus on the horizon and hope for the best. Your mind starts to make a mental note of the rhythm of the waves as you stare and imagine each speck is not merely a figment of your imagination but actually a ship coming to rescue you from impending doom......

A few days ago, I parked myself in front of the above view for a few hours. Partnered with a good book, some water and shade I felt that I had truly found paradise. I felt so relaxed. Too relaxed if you will.



Never one to be encumbered by routine.... I think I relaxed myself into a state of confusion. I stopped at one point and actually drifted into fantasy. I wondered..... what would it be like to be stranded at sea. Nothing around me for miles. No telephones, traffic, loud music, or television. Not even the simple familiar pattern of speech to occupy my attention. Nothing but the sound of the water and the wind blowing over my head. The pain from the sun baking my exposed skin is interrupted by the occasional relief of a bird flying by and blocking the suns' powerful rays, if only for a second. The monotony is broken only when I stop thinking about the threat from above and focus on the predators below the surface of the water. I realize that the bleeding scrape on my shin is more than just a stinging reminder of the salt water around me but a crimson invitation to deadly creatures in all directions. My fear of what lies beneath the surface of the water takes a second place to the fact that there's no water to drink and no one around to share my misery and desperation. Every minute that passes brings me a flash memory of loved ones, friends, family, and the simple comforts that I've grown accustomed to. I struggle to stay afloat.... my arms and legs tire but I keep kicking and paddling.... never giving up hope!



Yikes... Enough of this nightmare.

Time for some coffee and a muffin!



And back to the good life!

Have a beautiful Day!

Do make the best of it!

Tequilla Sunrise? or Tequilla Sunset?

Yes, sounds like a great name for a cocktail huh? (giggle)


A glass of wine? A cold beer? A classic martini? Maybe just a cool sip of water........

The choice is yours!

That's not my boat!

You can stop it with the cards, letters, flowers, and emails.....

I just got another email from a "Friend" asking if this was my boat and asking if I'm okay. :)






Interesting story huh? And talk about being in the right place at the right time with your camera ready.

Happy Summer!

Diana Nyad - Courageous and Determined!

Wanna hear something inspiring?

"Diana Nyad "

Simply said.... The name is inspiring enough. But here's the story anyway.

In 1979, Diana Nyad stroked her way into the history books by completing the longest swim (men or women) in written history. The path --from the island of Bimini to the Florida shore-- 102.5 miles. Apparently, that incredible record still stands today.


But here's the most inspiring part - 30 years later, Diana will make her second attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida... Yep. non-stop; sharks, sunburn, dehydration, and jelly fish included.

Her first attempt was thwarted by a storm. Here's part of what happened:

41 hours and 49 minutes later, Diana's team was pulling her out of the sea – battered, delirious, ravaged by jellyfish, scarred by the salt water; and only 50 miles from where she had started. That left her almost 60 miles from her intended landing spot see full story

Diana Nyad

In her words talking about her 102.5 mile swim: "I knew that this was going to be my last swim. I was 30 years old and I thought, it's about time I grow up and join the job market. And you know, as an athlete, it's part of the tragedy of sports, is that you have to retire when you're young. Nevertheless, I was swimming 102.5 miles, from the Bahamas to Florida, and it took a long time. It took many, many long hours. But in the end, when I saw the shore, of course, some of the perspective started flooding. But the way to do it is not to think of the big picture. It's to think of stroke by stroke and do it as perfectly as you can."




Now she's at it again.... Watch these videos taken during her 24 hour practice swim:

Impressive... I'm inspired.

How will she do it? Stroke by Stroke!

Wish her luck.

Creative Ideas! SSI Shredding Systems

The other day my paper shredder jammed. I was trying to figure out if I should repair it or buy a new one.

I came across this while surfing the web:

SSI Shredding Systems...

SSI designs, manufactures and supports industrial shredders and size reduction solutions for a wide array of applications from alternative fuels processing to tire shredders.




How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.

How do you eat a Volkswagon? Watch This!




Fascinating!


So if you're looking for a quick way to get rid of some of the extra junk around your house, Maybe you should consider buying one of these gigantic shredders and keeping it in your back yard. Just think, your neighbors will love you!

Who said bigger isn't better?

In My Head?

It's summer, and summer for me means travel ...... travel ..... and then more travel........

Fortunately, I LOVE to travel. I don't like crowded airports very much but that has just been the cost of doing business lately so I've learned to just tolerate the lines and crowded security checkpoints etc., I've re-defined the word patience and embraced the entire concept more dearly.

Alternatively, I've had the chance recently, to jump in the car and do a bit of driving around the "Good Old USA." That has been quite fun indeed. You get a completely different flavor driving through the heartland of America and seeing things at a different pace and up close and personally. I'll certainly cherish my memories from a Truck Stop in northern central California just last week. I'm not sure I've ever seen so many tattoos in one place at one time. But the coffee sure was good! And boy did I have to pee. I can't tell you the things I learned while standing at the urinal in the bathroom and listening to a few truckers. (I'll eventually get around to throwing some photos on the blog from my travels)

Driving on the open road was quite nice. For me, there's something a bit romantic about throwing a few bags in the car, strapping a vehicle to your back, popping in a few tunes and then hitting the open road. I just love the freedom of traveling that way. No schedules, no time crunches, no dead-lines.... It's just you and the road.

Anyway, all this driving got me to thinking about poetry. In particular, a piece by Robert Frost popped into my head and it's been roaming around there for a few days. You ever get a song stuck in your head? No matter what you do, the song keeps spinning around in your brain until finally you threaten to kill yourself and in the interest of self-preservation your brain finds something else to think about. Well that's kind of where I am with the Frost piece. I'm hoping that if I put it down on paper, well in this case - on Blog - I'll be able to move on to something else.

Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) as you may know, was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. He is a very popular and frequently-quoted poet. Frost was honored during his lifetime and actually received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.

Robert Frost

Here's the poem that's stuck in my head:


Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Random Stop Signs, Traffic Lights, Bad Drivers, and Accidents!

You may not want to believe your eyes when you view this video!

Initially, I found it pretty painful to watch. Once or twice I scratched my head and wondered if it was possible that the infamous "Jane Turley" was at the wheel during some of these crashes - Silly me, I'm confident that she's a much better driver than most of these people.






Wow... from now on I'll view traffic lights and stop signs quite differently. There's something to be said for order and predictability. Watching this video was vexatious Indeed! Those pedestrians getting pummeled was hard to watch sober! Ouch!

And the "smash up derby" with the folks on bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles will surely induce PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

My recommendation is that you knock back a few of your favorite adult, alcoholic beverages and then watch this video. That way, it might give you a bit of a giggle.

From what I could discover, this Youtube video shows Traffic accidents captured on CCTV in China.

If you're traveling to that part of the world this summer, be careful .... It's dangerous out there!

Graeme McDowell delivers a great Father's Day Gift!

In the words of Graeme McDowell,

"Good golf got rewarded, bad golf got punished pretty badly!"


Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland pulled out the stops, remained calm, cool, and collected and won the U.S. Open today delivering a great Father's Day gift to his Father who followed along in the audience. Additionally, this is the first time that a European has won the championship since Tony Jacklin won in 1970.

Interestingly, three non-US players; McDowell, Gregory Havret, and Ernie Els finished in the top three spots followed by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Dustin Johnson, who commanded a big lead going into today's final round finished today at 11 over, leaving him well out of the limelight.

It was fun to watch this round but it was a clear reminder how unforgiving some golf courses can be. This round made these champions appear quite mortal.

I was happy to watch it from the comfort of my home and not experience the pain and agony first hand.

Isn't golf great!

Lakers Win!

Please bear with me a bit while I bask in victory! I know it's World Cup season and the US Open is going on but remember, we do not have a Pro Football team in Los Angeles so I need to steal a moment whenever I can....

I was lucky enough to catch Game 6 at Staples Center and watch the Lakers dominate the Celtics.

Game 7 was a different story.......

Watching game 7 nearly half a world away with Japanese commentary was a bit different but I am happy with the result. I will say, it was a bit stressful at times as the Lakers fought their way back from a 13 point deficit. My hat is off to Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher! They, among others, delivered a world-class performance. Kobe was a bit cold on the offensive front but fortunately, the rest of the team pulled him through!

Congrats to the Lakers and fans!

The Original Ultraman!

This week, I'll be traveling to Tokyo, Japan. It will be a short stay but my venue this time will be a lot different than my trips before. I must say, I'm excited about the upcoming change. I wish I could disclose more..... Anyway, while anticipating my upcoming travel, my mind drifted back to a time where life for me was a lot less stressful. A time before oil spills, financial melt downs, consumer recalls, war, and disease.

A time where "Monsters" visited our world and the only thing between us and them was an occasional super hero or "Ultra Warrior."


There have been quite a few "Ultra Warriors" but Eiji Tsuburaya from Tsuburaya Productions, gets credit for creating one of my favorites; the original "Ultraman."












He was a pioneer in special effects who was responsible for bringing Godzilla to life in 1954. The original Ultraman show was preceded by a series called Ultra Q, a black-and-white 28-episode series very much like the original Outer Limits, although some compare it to today's The X-Files or The Twilight Zone.

Check out the book-Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters to learn more.

Eiji Tsuburaya - Master of Monsters

In case you don't remember the corny "Ultraman" series, here's a clip to remind you and take you back to a time where goofy monsters threatened our existence.

Wait a second.... Did Ultraman tickle that monster? That's sneaky!

Bono and U2 cancel tour! Bono has emergency back surgery

Some bad news for fellow U2 fans....

According to CNN, U2 singer Bono has just been discharged from a German hospital where he underwent emergency back surgery. Bono apparently suffered a serious back injury on Friday while preparing for the continuation of the band's US tour. It seems the American shows will be postponed until next year. The group has also canceled an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival in England next month.

Dr. Muller Wohlfahrt (is that pronounced "Will Fart"?) had this to say:

"Bono suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve. On review of his MRI scan, I realized there was a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc, and that conservative treatment would not suffice. I recommended Bono have emergency spine surgery with Professor (Joerg Christian) Tonn at Munich's LMU University Hospital on Friday."

Tonn said:

Bono is now "much better" and has regained all movement. "The prognosis is excellent, but to obtain a sustainable result, he must now enter a period of rehabilitation."

Wohlfahrt indicated that eight weeks of rehabilitation is considered a minimum recovery period.

Catch the latest updates on Bono and U2 at http://www.u2.com/.

As best as I can determine, all of the US concert dates have been postponed until 2011.

Who said being a "Rock Star" is easy?

Get well soon Bono!

Just an aside, if I'm ever assigned a doctor named/pronounced "Doctor Will Fart," I suppose I'll just giggle a bit. But don't give me a Doctor named Hurt, Paine, or Dye! I'll be forced to ask for a change!

Traffic, Cell Phones, Fast Cars, and Accidents!

But not necessarily in that order!

If you look at the below photo on the left side you'll see a gentleman standing in the shoulder of the highway! Fortunately, I'm not that guy! Ever have a day when you say, "Wow; better you than me?"

No, I'm not that guy standing in the shoulder of the highway, I'm merely one of the many people impacted by the fender-bender that caused this back up. (Get the pun.. Impacted?) I was safely sitting behind the wheel of my vehicle (and behind my trusty camera) but stuck in traffic on this lovely California freeway.

What you may not be able to make out (unless you zoom in) Is that the guy in the shoulder is talking on his cell phone and staring at what is probably "his" smashed up car.

Now I'm not completely sure.... But

I think this small blue car was on the receiving end of this smash up. Or the "Smashee."

This sporty looking red car.... Probably the "Smasher."

The good news.... No one appeared to be hurt.



(What's wrong with this picture?)

Here's my take on these things.

I hate being stuck in traffic, especially when I'm going somewhere. And guess what? If I'm in the car, I'm usually going somewhere. Los Angeles is known for traffic but honestly, every big city has traffic and if you pick the wrong time of day and the wrong route it will take longer. You might as well plan accordingly.

Cell phones are great! There's so much capability these days packaged into these compact devices. You can pay your bills, take photos, browse the web, listen to music, check and send emails and so much more.... But driving down the freeway at 80 mph is not the time to be texting or looking away from the road. And if you're one of those people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time, you probably shouldn't drive and talk on the telephone at the same time either. Know your limits.

I'm not a big lover of "Fast Cars." Yeah, they look cool and go fast and make lots of noise but where can you drive them? You usually can't enjoy the speed of a fast car because there's too much traffic. If you try to drive them like they were meant to be driven, the cops will pull you over and write you a ticket. Or else, someone pulls in front of you quickly and you become a smasher. I look at cars more for their utility and comfort. Can I carry all of my crap inside of it? Can it get me to where I need to go? Through the snow, ice, mud, hills, mountains and such. Does it have enough leg room? How's the stereo? You know.... things like that.

Accidents- Simply put: I don't like accidents. Especially if someone gets hurt or if it's my fault. Accidents are no fun at all.

Well, that's all I have to say about these things... so be careful out there because someone is driving really fast and talking on their cell phone or texting and it's gonna cause an accident and back up the traffic!

Courageous or Dumb? Running shoes are Bad for you!

Christopher McDougall, the author of the national bestseller, Born To Run has a courageous idea when it comes to running shoes and runners who wear them.

Throw your running shoes in the trash!

Christopher McDougall claims that the entire multi-billion dollar (running shoe) industry "is based on a campaign not of facts, but of fear. Fear that if you don’t buy a $175 sneaker and replace it in three months, you’ll ruin your knees." He claims that humans have evolved in a manner that makes running barefoot better for your muscles and joints and that the technology introduced via the running shoe is actually bad for you and promotes injuries.

Here's a snippet:

Nike, naturally has a different perspective!

Well, clearly this is a tough debate. I haven't read McDougall's book yet but he seems to present a valid argument. But for now, just between us....... I'm keeping my running shoes!

They are super comfortable!

Just Do It!

(Note: no fees were received by me from Nike for making this post - But, I'm receptive to the idea)

Outliers The Story of Success - A promotion

Today, it occurred to me that in the past few weeks I've unintentionally become a huge promoter of Malcolm Gladwell and his books. I've found myself in no less than 4 extensive social and business conversations where his books and the subject matter of his books have been the focal point of discussion. At the end of these discussions, I've felt more like a salesman than ever before. I'm thinking of calling Gladwell and asking for a percentage of his gross sales.

Malcolm Gladwell


Have you read any of his books?

It all started for me when I read the book "Outliers" after a close friend suggested it. He was so jazzed about the book and kept saying.... "This is right up your street." I really wanted to prove him wrong.... (I hate it when he says "right up your street") So I went out and bought the book last Fall. The somewhat steep $27.99 price tag for the hardback copy was slightly mitigated by a 40% discount coupon that I had for a Barnes and Nobel purchase. I'm sure it's in paperback by now or in your local library.

Needless to say, I read the book and found it quite illuminating. The book was fascinating from the start. I was drawn in by Gladwell's analysis of hockey players and birth dates and his discussion of the "Matthew Effect." I held on and enjoyed his writing style as he discussed "The 10,000-hour Rule", The Beatles, Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer, Steve Jobs, and others..... I felt the book stalled a bit in the middle and I found myself laboring through the center chapters. I woke up towards the end and felt engaged as he discussed "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes" and other affable topics. Ultimately, I was a bit surprised at the end of the book as Gladwell introduced another one of his interpretations of "opportunity" and shared a personal story. I won't go too deeply into that idea because I don't want to create a "spoiler effect" for those who haven't read the book yet.

Overall, I enjoyed the book! To be honest, I enjoy talking about it and sharing and discussing the ideas and concepts in the book more than actually reading the book. I received another book by Gladwell, "The Tipping Point" as a gift and I'm over three quarters finished with it. I just ordered "Blink" and as soon as I finish The Tipping Point I'll be jumping directly into "Blink." I'm on a roll.....

Here's a clip from an interview featuring Malcolm Gladwell:

Gladwell's words:

"I'm very anxious that this book not be seen as a self-help book but as a community help book..... What I really want people to do is start thinking about how we as a society can build institutions that provide opportunities to work hard."

If you're thirsty for more Gladwell, click here or on the photo of the "Outliers" book above. It will take you to a link to a video where Gladwell discusses his book in more detail. It's a nice presentation and summary of the book. Gladwell who has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996, "has written on a wide range of topics, including the science of cool hunting, race and sports, physical genius, the concept of moral hazard and health care, and the difference between puzzles and mysteries..." Clearly I find him interesting to read, but he's very interesting to listen to as well! He strikes me as a "Funky, Nouveaux, Intellect" and I like the way he critically explores Intrepid Ideas. I think I'd enjoy sitting down to a Martini with him one day and talking about ..... Whatever!

Happy Reading!