It's a tale about my shoes

I guess I’m more determined than I thought.  And when that happens, the stars have a way of lining up … just right.   And today – they did.

I worked out Thursday night.  The ho-hum stuff.  Nothing special.  40 minutes elliptical and 20 minutes weights.  Came home hot and sweaty.  Showered and as usual packed my gym back for the next time.  “Umm, where are my gym shoes,” I said to myself, mildy aggravated. “I guess I left them at the club,” I said --- even more irritated.   

Put my bag in my trunk for the next time (which was this morning), and went on my way.

Saturday morning spin class is the favorite of the week.  It’s with Fern and I’ve been taking her class for 3 years now.  Fern’s excellent – best there is as far as I am concerned.  Now, a good spinner is something that I am not.  Ashley, yes.  Sharon, yes.  Neal, yes.  Sheryl, yes. Michael, yes.  Me – well not so much.  But it’s enjoyable. And I try the hardest. 

I get to the club a few minutes early – and yup, it’s just then that I realized my bag had everything except my shoes.  Duh?!?!?

I search frantically through all the lockers in the men’s room, including the locker where I most likely left them.  Empty.

I go to the lost and found.  Of course my shoes are not there, but out the corner of my eye I spot another pair of shoes, that could (in a pinch) fit me.  I hustle them on --- and they fit (almost) perfectly.   Maybe gross, but my determination to do Fern’s spin class was rewarded

It’s 9:27am.  Class starts in 3 minutes.  Run upstairs to the spin studio.  Jump on my bike and enjoy another one of Fern’s awesome classes.

So why am I blogging about this seemingly trivial story

1     Sport is a great equalizer and when you find a way to play the game, others around you find the same ways for you to play the game

      It puts the spotlight on the disgust I feel for Egyptian wrestler Islam El Shebaby who when defeated by Israeli Or Sasson, refused to shake his hand.  The Olympians of old would have had El Shebaby immediately thrown out of the games.

And in other news, this morning, I bought myself a brand new pair of sports shoes.  

Jason's first year of University --- Is Over

2016 so far has been an amazing year ... it was 9 months ago that Jason (our oldest son), started his University career at Huron College at Western University.  It was an extremely emotional time for me.  And if you don't remember, please see my emotionally-charged blog posting about his departure here.

Well, it's now 9 months later, and he's home for the summer (that's if this dastardly cold Canadian weather ever improves) - and so last week, I made the Toronto-London pilgrimage (like all good parents do) to pick him up.

Jason Leaving South-West Residence
for the last time

He's had a stellar year by all counts --- and as I look back on his first year, I thought I'd share some insights I've gained

1.  It was a major step for Jason, but an even (unseemingly) larger step for me.   I vividly remember saying goodbye to him last year, knowing full well I would see him 5 weeks later.  It was not that that killed me, but it was the realization that he was far more accountable tio himself than he would be to us

2.  Texting is far more efficient (at least to Jason) than phone.  I think it's true to say that kids no longer give good phone ... they give great text.  Jason and I had many great text convo's this past year.  Phone --- not so many.

Father and Son

3.  You gotta trust.  This is a big one for me.  In my world, trust is something that's earned.  It does not simply come.  I think it's fair to say that Jason earned our trust --- in every way.

That said, I'm kinda tired --- so I will end right here.  Nest year (September), Jason moves into a house with his 4 university friends.  The chapter continues

Blessings!

I turned 50 last week --- now what

This old guy turned 50 the week before last (on February 11, to be precise).  No question, it is a milestone date.  As I reflect, I am exactly where I want to be in life.  Exactly.

That said, tomorrow I plan to do something a little different - perhaps.  I do a weekly spin class at the local gym.  There are about 25 of us die-hard souls to who it.  The teacher is Fern.  She's excellent - focuses on drills, technique and fun.  Of course, the music is the most important part (at least for me) and it's kick-ass, far as I'm concerned.  It's retro one week, Bowie the next, Donna Summer the next and AC/DC the following.  It's a melange (ohh, I love that word).

No matter the music, it's good karma, and that's what keeps me coming back.

I'm going to surprise each person tomorrow.  I am going to spread more good karma.

Attached to each person's bicycle, will be a five dollar bill with a note attached to do a good deed. Any deed.  That's all.  And we will see what happens.

You know, I think the Beatles said it best, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."  And I want to make a lot of love.

Le Chaim!

Bowie And The Week That Was

Last week was not a good week for me. I hope this one's better.

7:01am Monday 10 January 2016:  Q-107 wakes me every day at 7:01am.  "The music world is in mourning.  Rock legend David Bowie has died of throat cancer at age 69 at his home in Brixton," says Rick Derringer, Q's morning man.

Huh?  Really?  I think I'm dreaming.  I turn over, mumble something to my wife, Karen.  It's true though.  David Bowie had died --- and the world is in mourning.  

I think it was Darwin who said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change."

And Bowie was the most adaptable there was - no matter what his persona, he was always recognizable.  His voice, and message, was always his own.  And I love that.

His last offering, Blackstar,both enigmatic and exploratory was released on his 69th birthday.  Only the Thin White Duke could have the chutzpah to do that, as he lay dying.  I know he knew his days were numbered.   He was Major Tom, afterall.   The only Major Tom that ever was. 

His innumerable songs were about being an outsider, a misfit, an alien, an astronaut, a crazy man - the list goes on.  His music was rock, jazz, punk and even cabaret.  His music was all his own. Completely adaptable, he continually morphed his persona, inspiring Madonna and Lady Gaga.  He was as influential in Japanese Fashion as he was in Philadelphia Funk and German Electronica.  He also collaborated with classical composer Philip Glass, who based two symphonies on David's albums, Low and Heroes.  

His anthem, (in my opinion) was Changes from his 1971 (I was 5 at the time) offering, Hunky Dory,  ... "Turn and face the strange/ Ch-ch-changes/ Oh, look out you rock and rollers/ Pretty soon now, you're gonna get older."

He was a major influence on Nirvana who chose to sing The Man Who Sold The World in its brief set for the 1993 MTV Unplugged in New York set.  His Under Pressure collaboration with glam-rock icon-band Queen supplied the deadly base line for the 1990 Vanilla Ice hit, Ice Ice Baby. 

He spent several years in Berlin, creating.  Hanging.  And befriending Mott The Hoople, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop.   He was relentless in his own re-invention. He was married for more than 20 years to supermodel, Iman.  In the 70's he succumbed to drug issues, mostly cocaine and in 1973, he suddenly announced his retirement - though it was the retirement of Ziggy Stardust, not of Mr. Bowie.  Whew!

It was the mythical album Ziggy Stardust, who made David into a major rock star.  It was also a blow to his head in the late 60's that caused David's left pupil to be permanently dilated.  

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996,  he did not attend the ceremony, asking Madonna to accept the award on his behalf.  She recounted the Bowie concert that she once went to that changed her life. David Byrne, who inducted Bowie said "Like all rock and roll, it was visionary, it was tasteless, it was glamorous, it was perverse, it was fun, it was crass, it was sexy and it was confusing".  

Byrne's correct and this is exactly what made The Thin White Duke the Thin White Duke.

Listen so some excellent remixes of Bowie's hits here https://soundcloud.com/djmarc7/sets/r-i-p-ziggy

Chris Hadfield performed Space Oddity on the International Space Station in 2013, said it best in a tweet last week, "Ashes to ashes,, dust to stardust, Your brilliance inspired us all.  Goodbye Starman."

Goodbye David.  The end.