Thoughts, Comments, Whatever I spew out.

oh yeah?!?

NickET — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:22:50 GMT

Bitch . . . . bitch . . . . . bitch. Moan. . . . moan . . . . . moan. Poor me. Poor, poor me. Tired . . . (yawn) F-in Thursdayz Suck. . . . . . they really do. That just about covers it. Peace –N.

“Moist”. . . .

NickET — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:09:32 GMT

“Moist”. . . . Remember that word. . . ? I mean when we were in Jr High we’d use it to descried something not cool. . . like, you see that guy? Man he’s moist. Or “Massive” The opposite of “moist”. . . . Dude my new bike is “massive” Then there’s “Word” I still use this one today. . . . It means to agree. . . . Beastie Boys rock! . . . “WORD”! I wuz in a high school assembly. I wuz NOT paying attention (imagine?) and I remember the Dean getting up there and shouting at the auditorium full of NYC High Schoolers. . . . We were all a bunch of graffiti artist back then breaking into the train yards after hours to “tag” up the cars. So the Dean is bitchin' and then the room goes quiet and some faceless voice from wayyyy in the back just says. . . . . “Word. . . .” I think milk shot out of everyone’s nose at that point. Oh yeah. . .the “mullet” if you still have hockey hair you are one sad Mo-Fo and do not deserve to get laid ever, ever, ever again. Cause Hockey Hair is Moist my friends. Peace –N.

the house that Ruth built. . . . .

NickET — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:04:16 GMT

On the left is the new Yankee stadium still being built. . .on the right is the old stadium that I have attended countless games in over my lifetime. . . . My boys & I drive past the stadium each weekend and we have watched the new home of the Yankees being built from an empty lot to the near completed and what is being billed as the most luxurious ball park in the world. . . . (Screw you, NYC rocks!) The photo was taken out of the back seat of my truck doing about 60mph by my youngest son. We are on the other side of the Harlem River heading north to the GWB. A ride we take every weekend as we drive back to their mothers in (cough) New Jersey (sneeze, wheeze, gasp) I’m ok. . . . really. The Mets are having a new stadium being built too this year. Both teams will be playing in their new homes next season. My crew & I are looking forward to out last games ever in both parks & our first ever visit to the new diamonds too. “Let’s play ball! . . .” Peace out, free Tibet!

Fu¢kin' Grey Hair!

NickET — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:29:24 GMT

grumble grumble b!tch b!tch that iz all. . . . . . .

My blog. . . .

NickET — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:55:33 GMT

My blog. . . . Here’s the thing about my blog. . . . I post from the heart most of the time. . .raw feeling & emotion. . I get it out there. We are only as sick as our secrets (heard that somewhere) Some people actually read my postings. . . . . I duuno why? I don’t think I am a very good writer. I just type it as I think it. . .like right now. La la la. Most of my posting are filtered “friends only”. I do this in an attempt to maintain some order and because as mentioned above. . .I post from the heart. I understand that some of you reading my blog actually copy it and send it to people not on my friends list. . . now if you are going thru all this trouble to copy and then send my posting to people not in my inner circle. . .well. . .enjoy. (I’ll reserve comment on what kind of whack-azz borderline stalker act that is but. . .whatever. . . ) Just Fu¢kin ask me. . . now when it comes to random inspired replies from the stellar few who take the time to click my little place here in cyber space. . I never edit, delete, or go shot for shot. . . . but I did have to respond to the one time accusation that I wuz a bad lay. . . . . a-hem. . . . yeah, right. Jealous much? Freedom of expression much like artwork hanging in a museum. we look and we all see it completely differently. I wuz at the Smithsonian a few months ago with my small crew and had a great time explaining what I saw and then listening to what they felt from looking at the same artwork. . . . Some of you call me on my BS. Some defend me. some think I am a narcissistic fool. . . guess you are all correct. The only person I take responsibility for is ME. so in my ever-positive attempt to do the next right thing. . . . I say. . . . . peace. Speak soon. –N. 143dd247365 WC1

The Top Ten List. . . .

NickET — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:10:34 GMT

feel free to google fer yerself. . . . The Ten Worst Cities For Asthma Sufferers If you value your health, and you live in Scranton, Richmond, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Greensboro, Youngstown, St. Louis Detroit then you might want to consider relocating to a city that has cleaner air since the ten cities listed are among the top worst for asthma sufferers. Breathing problems are already a top priority among people who suffer from respiratory problems, and researchers have given people the heads up on places to avoid living if you suffer from these types of health issues. Researchers developed their list from three major categories that affect asthma sufferers which include medical factors, risk, and prevalence. Also included on the list of the worst place for asthma sufferers to live was Knoxville Cincinnati Toledo Baton Rouge Pittsburgh Memphis. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ten Worst Cities for Commuting Not everyone is fortunate enough to live close to their job, and sometimes the better paying job means commuting, but who wants to add two hours to their already long day by being stuck in traffic? The answer is nobody, and by avoiding the ten worst cities when it comes to commuting you will also be limiting road rage, stress, and wear and tear on your vehicle. The U.S. Census Department lists New York City Chicago Newark, N.J. Riverside Philadelphia Los Angeles Miami Baltimore San Francisco Washington, D.C. as the top ten worst cities for commuting, mainly due to traffic jams, accidents, road work, and distance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Top 10 Cities With the Worst Pollution 1. Los Angeles, CA 2. Pittsburgh, PA 3. Bakersfield, CA 4. Birmingham, AL 5. Detriot, MI 6. Cleveland, OH 7. Visalia, CA 8. Cincinnati, OH 9. Indianapolis, IN 10. St. Louis, MO ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Cities For Singles If you are a single person and looking for a great place to live that focuses on your wants, desires, and needs, Forbes has come up with a list of the Top 10 Cities For Singles. * Denver-Boulder * Boston * Phoenix * San Francisco- Oakland * New York * Raleigh-Durham * Seattle * Austin * Washington- Baltimore * Miam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Cities With Highest Disaster Risks If you are looking to live safely and have no worries about natural disasters affecting you or your way of life, I have one word of advice. Avoid these 10 cities as they are the most susceptable to natural disasters in the country. The criteria that SustainLane using information from Risk Management Solutions to determine how dangerous the cities are to live in from the ill effects of Mother Nature are hurricanes, major flooding, catastrophic hail, tornado super-outbreaks, and earthquakes. They also looked at the potential frequency of disasters as well as the extent of damage to the individual cities. 1– Miami, FL 2 – New Orleans, LA 3 – Oakland, CA 4 – . San Francisco, CA 5 – Honolulu, HI 6– San Jose, CA 7 (tied) – Los Angeles, CA* 7 (tied) – Houston, TX* 8 – Long Beach, CA 9 (tied) – Tulsa, OK* 9 (tied) – Oklahoma City, OK* 9 (tied) – Columbus, OH* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Most Populous Cities in America Do you like living in the big city, well this list is of the top 10 most populous cities in the United States. New York is over double the next closest city Los Angeles and nine times as large as San Jose which holds the tenth spot. 1. New York City,NY 8,214,426 2. Los Angeles CA 3,849,378 3. Chicago IL 2,833,321 4. Houston TX 2,144,491 5. Phoenix AZ 1,512,986 6. Philadelphia PA 1,448,394 7. San Antonio TX 1,296,682 8. San Diego CA 1,256,951 9. Dallas TX 1,232,940 10. San Jose CA 929,936 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Worst Cities to Visit/10 Best Cities to Visit Of course, no one wants to waste their time and money traveling to a crummy destination. In an effort to help you steer clear of those crummy destinations, Road Junky put together a list of what they consider to be the 10 worst cities in the world to visit. * BombayMumbai * Dubai * Liverpool & Manchester * Any American Suburb * Guatemala City * Sao Paulo * Beijing * Singapore * Milan * Cancun ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weird. I always wanted to visit Bombay (or Mumbai, as it's now called). And Ember seems to be having a great time in Beijing, so I guess the list is colored by Road Junky's perceptions -- which is, of course, totally acceptable. Personally, I hope I never make it back to Harare. Or Bulawayo. So depressing. Rather than simply mention the dregs and not point out the shining stars of world travel, here's Travel + Leisure's list of what they consider to be the 10 best cities in the world to visit. * Florence * Rome * Bangkok * Sydney * Chiang Mai, Thailand * Cape Town * Buenos Aires * New York * Beirut* * San Francisco ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The 10 Worst Cities for Jobs and Business in the USA • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Hartford, Connecticut Philadelphia and Hartford have lost out in terms of jobs and population. A recovery made in Philadelphia's downtown district has not countered high costs, political problems, and progressive decay in its outlying neighborhoods. Hartford's city continues to shrink at this time and Connecticut is an rather expensive place to do business and to live. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- By the Texas Transportation Institute's reckoning, the cities having the worst traffic problems are: 1. Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Calif. 2. San Francisco, Oakland, Calif. 3. Washington, D.C. 4. Atlanta 5. Houston 6. Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Tex. 7. Chicago. 8. Detroit 9. Riverside, San Bernardino, Calif. 9. Orlando, Fla. 11. San Jose, Calif. 12. San Diego

the secret of happiness

NickET — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:30:07 GMT

Once upon a time a man seeking the secret of happiness in life climbed to the top of a mountain to visit a guru who was said to know this secret. When he arrived, the guru gave him an egg and a bottle. "Get the egg inside this bottle without breaking it, and you will have the secret to happiness in life." The man took the egg and the bottle and struggled. How could this be done? He pondered and pondered. In the meantime, the egg hatched and a duckling was born. Now he was really perplexed. How could he get the duckling in the bottle with harming it? Finally the man gave up. He climbed the mountain to see the guru. "I give up," he said. "It's not my bottle, and it's not my duck." "Ahhh," said the guru. "Now you know the secret of happiness in this life." must give props to Tim. . . . Thanks Bro! --N.

i am off. . . . .

NickET — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:26:20 GMT

So I am off to Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio Pennsylvania & New Jersey (but we’ll ignore that last state till we are safely ensconced back home in the York known as New. The forecast iz fer snow. . . lots of snow. So I ask you. If I find myself buried and they send out a search party (like I know they do according to the old Bugs Bunny cartoons) and a St Bernard finds me on the verge of the “big sleep” and my only option is a sip of the brandy that is carried in the small wooded keg around the neck of said St Bernard. Might this result in my having to reset the clock back to day one?!? I shall be off line tomorrow and Saturday FYI Perhaps you could do me a favor and keep your cells phones on and your snow shoes at the ready. Mush I say!

December 09, 2007

NickET — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:26:47 GMT

Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.

My kind of town. . . Chicago iz. . .

NickET — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:41:59 GMT

My kind of town. . . Chicago iz. . . So I find myself doing a road trip (car not bike too damn cold out) from Chi Town to my hometown of NYC. In & out whole thing 48 hours start to finish. First. Any one near the Chicago area and want to say hello? Second. Any suggestion on what I should check out during the 13 hours drive back east? I am thinking from Chicago check out Toledo & maybe Cleveland while in Ohio but Pennsylvania . . . I mean sheeeeet, there’s nothing to look at. I mean nothing. Anyone familiar with the middle of this state? Route 80 is a perfectly straight line. . . read as “tunnel vision” Happy trails. . . . .

Electric Gloves

NickET — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:15:07 GMT

Just home. Tired. Lil cold, still. Making soup with all the leftovers. House smells good. Wow, I am tired. . . Clocked mucho miles over the past 2 days. Paid the most I ever have fer gas. $3.73 a gallon. There’re outta their figgin mindz. Hey! I wrote a song, kind-a. . . (Think Jingle Bellz) Oh, electric gloves, my plug in gloves. You keep my fingers toasty warm. . . I fi-na-ly installed them And I rode all frigg–in morn. Oh, electric gloves, my Harley gloves. I wuz smiling ear to ear I can’t wait to ride again all winter long this year. I know it sux. But I’m happy. More later. . . meeting time! Peace –N.

A quick thank you. . .

NickET — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:08:56 GMT

A quick thank you. . . I am not melodramatic (gawd I hope not). This past weekend was a living hell fer me. Cold sweats and back-to-back nightmares. I was climbing the walls. I need to thank you all, each and every one of you who e-mailed & called me to make sure I was okay. I cannot believe how many of you reached out and kept an eye on me no matter how far away you are. I hear a rich man is not judged by the amount of money he has but rather by the number of friends. I felt rich beyond imagine. The honesty some of you shared about your own lives made me feel that I was not alone and not an outcast. I am a human being with flaws and the strength to recognizes my flaws and I have the friggin brass balls to kick their azz. I will do this. I need to say a special thank you to Cyra. She saved my life this past weekend. Her and her beautiful little princess. These two women kept me going & made me smile when I felt I was as low as I have ever been. Thank you Cyra. I need you guys. All of you. I need you. And I swear by god if you ever need me for anything. . . . . Ask. BTW Hello, my name is Nick and I am. . . . . . .

You ever drive in NYC?

NickET — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:49:38 GMT

You ever drive in NYC? I mean Manhattan during rush hour? Ever drive in it? If not then recall a time you have driven in any major metropolis. . . okay? Remember? Now multiply that traffic by 100. That’s driving in NYC. Thing is NYC is an island and while there are numerous bridges (and tunnels) that connect it to the rest of the planet there are but a few major crossings. Bottlenecks as it were. If you have ever stumbled upon my tiny place here on TRIBE you know that motorbikes & me go hand in hand. So I am at a major advantage when I drive in NYC, which is practically daily. Now while I am zipping up the LIE or BQE or insert some NY roadway here. . . . and across one of the bridges I have an opportunity to look into the many cars I pass sitting in dead traffic (I do not sit in traffic often). You know what I have noticed over the many many many years of doing this. There are far too many people riding in cars all-alone. I mean one car one person. It’s like car-pooling is unheard of in the town. The other day I am in Brooklyn and I was struck by the overwhelming number of people just sitting there staring at the taillights in front of them not moving. All that fuel just burning. I mean hundreds of people ALL on their cell phones just taking up all that space not going anywhere. . . . . . Clogging up the roads. One car. One person in it. I mean people. . . . Figure this one out. When I pass them I get looks of disgust from many a driver. . . . WTF? I am taking up a tenth of the space. Damn near no fuel and not contributing to the traffic problem what-so-ever. Not to mention the tiny parking spot my bike needs. NYC Mayor Bloomberg wants to impose a “tax” to all cars that drive into midtown Manhattan during rush hour. Let’s call it the “Hey stupid capitalist MoFo, get your god damn car with the NJ plates the hell outta my city” tax. I am all for it. I say whatever he wants to charge double it. The public transportation in this town will get you from point A to point B faster than any car and I have proven this time & time again. Why do so many insist on driving into NYC? When I had my drivers’ license for only a few months I figured out that driving a car in NYC was not going to work for me. Hence the numerous motorbikes in my garage. On the seldom occasion I do drive a car I grind my teeth and look at the motorbikes with absolute envy. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Figgur it out folks. I welcome your pros to my con or vise versa. I don’t expect anyone to reply too quickly as your probably all stuck in traffic. Enjoy the view of my azz passing you. Peace.

Oh you f-in pussy (an open letter)

NickET — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:54:43 GMT

You f-in pussy! Do you do anything at all but bitch and moan and complain?!? Do you do anything but fish for people to rub your shoulders and pat you on the back and tell you it’s all going to be okay? Can’t you wipe your own azz? Blow your own nose? I hate chronic “victims” I hate ‘em. There is a very good chance that whomever is reading this is gonna think oh that’s about me. . . . But you are wrong. The person this is intended for prob don’t even know I am scribbling this BUT IF YOU DO think this is about you then perhaps you need to reevaluate your own self. Look in the mirror and if you see snot running down from your nose while you stare at your reflection and say “whoa is me”. Oh man. . . . This person just pisses me off and has been doing so for a while now. Boo f-in hoo you pussy. God for bid we meet and you start this shit in front on me. I’ll lean in on you like a ton of bricks. You F-in puss. There is a reason you don’t get laid. There is a reason you are viewed upon by the masses as weak. I’ll tell you something your father never did. . . Step up to the plate. Bite the bullet and take it like a man. Stop with the whining it is a HUGE turn off and makes other want to back hand you. The occasional I am tired or had a string of bad luck is one thing but when it is ALL YOU DO. . . . . I gotta go kick in some dry wall. . . .

A Day in the Life. . . . . .

NickET — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:54:27 GMT

So I’m having lunch at Da Silvano’s Greenwich Village NYC this afternoon. I shan’t name whom I am dining with. Sitting at the table next to us next to Ron Delsner (look him up). Sitting on my other side is this director Brett Ratner, he was on a few episodes of entourage & directing Rush Hour (I Think). Too tired to IMDB right now. Wait let me make you really annoyed. Yesterday I meet Nikki Sixx of Motley Crew & the entire cast of Sex and the City cause they are filming outside my building all week. Life in the big apple really sux some times. . . . NOT. Okay enough name-dropping. During lunch we are discussing the next presidential elections. I shall not go into my own personal politics cause I like some of what both parties have to say but I will go on record stating the past eight years have been the biggest mistakes and shams and just plan god-awful display of running the greatest nation in the entire world. Holy smokes someone please get this guy outta the damn office already his brain checked out decades ago. Back to my story. We are discussing the up coming presidential election and I say we are gonna have another republican in office. This really upsets my lunch date. . . and rightfully so but look people. .. . in between NYC and LA is this great big grey matter called America. All them Ford pick up driving, gun shooting, toothless, double wide trailer livin in Mo-Fo’s are NOT gonna vote for Obama or Hilary. They are NOT GONNA DO IT. NY votes democrat. Period. If I drag my azz to the poles and wait in the long azz line and throw the little switch it is not gonna make a difference because the Dems get NY. Less than half the population votes anyway and as per the last two elections it don’t seem to matter who we vote into office cause the Bush family will win. . . . . even if they are not running. Friggin Florida & Ohio. You really think Hilary or Obama are gonna get in when Gore did not? Bring Back Bubba and give him all the BJ’s and cigars he wants! Hell I’ll be his wingman. Peace all –N.

Goin’ fer a ride. . . .

NickET — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:10:16 GMT

Anytime I do not get out there on 2 wheels I get cranky. I’ll go so far as to say male PMS. Irritable and fer no apparent reason. Weather, scheduling, life, obligations have kept me off my scooters for a while. Far longer than I’d like it to be. I have missed out on some nice group rides and this past weekend the clouds kept my boys and I from the dirt track. This morn I was able to wake up early and get my azz on my commuter ride. No not Athena. She is never parked far from my sight. But the good ole’ pothole loving DRZ. Felt nice hitting the LIE and going over the Williamsburg Bridge this morning. Sun shining. 60 mile an hour winds in my face listening to the engine purr and looking at the folks stuck in traffic. Wondering what the commute was like for the masses stuck in the underground (subway system), that I am forced to ride when mother natures makes it unpleasant and sometimes outright dangerous for me to do the two wheel thing. Today, for some reason I remembered a time years ago. My eldest son was not yet 2 years old and I was still a married man. My ex sat on the back of my motorcycle and we put our little man between us. I’d went 10 MPH around the block and my mom sat on our front porch and wave as we rolled past the house. My little man waved and called to my mother all huge grinning so happy to be on his dad’s bike. I look at both my boys now and they are so big. Well they are still small but they are not tiny. They are becoming young men. The dreaded “tweens” are fast upon us and I fear how well we shall all handle the big changes that accompany them. We sold the PW-50 (look it up) this past weekend. Both my boys learned how to ride on that little scooter. It seems like yesterday I picked it up and brought it home. Looked huge when my boys first sat on it. This past Saturday they both took it for a farewell ride. Their knees up behind their ears as they putted away. I got very sad when the family who bought it drove off with the small bike in the back of their truck. Another chapter of my life comes to a close. I wonder how many more chapters are there left to write? Peace –N.

Relationships. . .

NickET — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:21:37 GMT

Relationships. . . . After all these years they still baffle me to the point where I lose sleep. When you date a person. As in schedule a get together with them. Dinner, a movie, or just a slap & tickle at your place. How deep of a relation ship is that? How committed are you? I mean you see each other when you want to see each other. When it works for you. When it’s convient. And they when you are done with the little get together you put your pants back on and both go about your routine. Alone. If you are upset with the other person you simply do not see them. You can work all this around your calendar and mood. It’s about you. Not about the couple. I get that this is a relationship but a very controlled and deliberate relationship. Now, when you live with some one this to me is a very different and far more complex and challenging relationship. You see one another whether you want to or not. Good mood or bad. Happy, grumpy, sick, smelly. . .you get my point. It is on this deep and intertwined level that things get very challenging. It is not for the self-centered. You cannot always put yourself first. It is not always your opinion that rises to the top. You cannot just crank the A/C or turn up the thermostat. You need to consult with your other half. You need to mind your bathroom etiquette. You need to not blast the TV or radio. All things that you would not ever pay any mind to become issues for discussion. Cause for debate. Fodder for arguments. And if you are not able to come to terms you end up in a full on ugly fight. And this fight is with the one person that means the world to you. Relationships are work. And if the person you are in this relationship with is worth it sometimes it is a lot of very hard work. I have in the past never really put in what I feel is the right amount or work. Or, I should say my fare share of work. If things were not going my way I’d pout, bitch and ultimately leave and move onto the next whomever. NYC is chock full of the next whomever. And you do not have to go very far to meet someone who is looking to meet you (or at least help you get your swerve on). I think many of us know this and this is why we bail out when things get hot. Eden does not exist unless you want it to. Eden requires effort. So. . . I shall continue to scratch my head and ponder. I know that when I am in love it is wonderful. Top of the world. But the climb to get there is sometimes brutal. Be well. –N.

My first HOG rally.

NickET — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:53:07 GMT

My first HOG rally. Hunter Mountain, Catskills, New York. Diva & I loaded up Athena. Two huge saddle bags & a T-bag on the back. We brought four, count em four helmets. I thought we had the bases covered. . . . you know what I did not factor in. altitude change & temperature drop. When we left NYC it was hot. I had a t-shirt & a leather vest on and I wuz warm. A few hours later as we kept driving up & up & up you felt the dampness in the air and the mercury start to fall. We rode thru a short and very eye-opening hailstorm. You ever get hit with hail the size of golf balls while traveling 60 on a Harley? We’ll me either. . . . Till now. In a word OUCH. After we found our B&B (very nice I might ad) we had the chance to take Athena on a few of the nicest winding roads I have ever ridden. One-horse town kind-a roads. The skies turned blue and the sun made an appearance. The afternoon and evening were beautiful. Then nightfall. Fog rolled in. thick like pea soup. Could not see past your nose. I rode looking at the painted line on the road to my right occasionally looking up to make sure there were no large critters jumping out in front of me. My 7-mile ride from the rally to my room took a half hour. Did I mention the temperature drop? I was freezing. I had no jacket at all. I wanted my full leathers. Damn near almost bought a second set while we were there. The rally itself was tame but we did make some new friends and got to spend some real nice time up in the mountains. Gotta say while the riding conditions were far from perfect I am damn glad too have done it. Another new experience. Life is full of them never stop learning. Peace –N.

Just another brick in the wall. . . . .

NickET — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:06:10 GMT

I am listening to Howard this morning and he is talking about Alec Baldwin & that whole mess. . . . Some woman calls in and says she can fix him. . . . She is perfect for Alec and she is just what he needs to have his life be harmonious again. . . Now this is not the first time I have heard of some “fan” or any individual, if you will, create a life and manufacture relationship merely based on the fictional persona created for the public eye by someone they in fact do not know at all. They can “fix” things. They can “save” a person from themselves. They are just what this person needs in order to be happy. Well to this I say. You may need to take up a hobby cause you apparently have far too much time on your hands and in fact an empty life that you are desperately trying to fill. This may seem harsh to some but believe me when I tell you my response is far more mellow than it would have been 10 years ago. I have been married and went thru a horrible divorce. Fact is it still looms overhead and pokes its ugly face into my life far more often than I’d like it to. I have built a small empire and lost it all. I joke and tell other that after the ordeal I was looking up at zero. I am okay now but have the battle scars to remind me of what life can toss your way. The good things. The real good things require work. Dedication and at times mean you can’t have it your way. I am one to grind my teeth when faced with an obstacle and maybe even punch a wall as an initial reaction but then after I have had the opportunity to sleep on something I usual see things much clearer. In the past year or so I have met many people. This was a something I actually planned to do. It had been a while since I “dated” and wanted to experience new people. I learned quite a bit about people and how we all have some real big baggage issues. I did not go on the journey of people meeting with any expectations. Nor did I want to “rush” anything if I clicked I hung around for a while. If not I’d see what awaited me round the bend. Without much effort and in the strangest of places I met a marvelous woman. Someone I would never have had the pleasure of calling my reason for smiling had I not gone on said journey. And I again I remind myself that the good things. . .the really good things in life require a little work and all things easily acquired are never really appreciated. On a side note when you encounter a person who says how it’s always the other person’s fault. . .smile politely, tip your hat and quietly exit stage right. Peace.

I’ve been quiet.

NickET — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:55:26 GMT

I’ve been quiet. Some have comment on the lack of my posting any new ramblings. Dunno what to tell you. Been busy. Tired. Working. School. Kidz. . . . It’s this funny thing called life. Not very predictable but I guess that’s what I like about it. I’ve been cooking a lot lately. Not just heating up this or that but real full on five star returaunt cooking. Due to some recent and wonderful changes in my life I need to experiment, assembling & presenting new meals. The masterpieces I have been putting together for years are no longer in frequent rotation so I am using ingredients I have not worked with in the past. Oh, BTW, I do not read cookbooks. I really don’t. I work from things I have tasted and enjoyed and I open my pantry door or look at the local markets produce and fresh fish and decide then and there what I’m making that evening. Radio blastin’, all four burners flamin’, me in my boxers and t-shirt dancing in the kitchen while I flip this pan and throw that one in the oven and press the button on my blender to grind one spice or another. The sent of fresh basil & rosemary in the air. The whole time I keep thinking, what the hell is this gonna taste like? In the end I sit and watch the faces of my private dining party. They are a tough bunch. When I see mouths full and cheeks stuffed while they flash me the thumbs up and smile. I know I did good. And now. . . . A non-sequitor. . . . I am getting my hair cut soon. This is the longest it has been in a while. It’s pretty long even for me. I have been debating with the idea of cutting it all of. I mean marine buzz cut. Gone. So short it’s never wet. . . . So, I have been asking a few people around the office. I get mixed responses. I know. . . . I’ll cut my hair off, get a neck tattoo, and pierce everything. . . . Stay tuned!

Rode in this morning. . .

NickET — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:50:57 GMT

Rode in this morning. . . B.F.D. you say? Well, why yes it iz. Two months a year (give or take) I am subjected to the NYC MTA. MTA is The Metropolitan Transportation Authority better known as public transportation. Now in NYC this is a must. Unless you are making crazy money and do NOT have an ex wife to support. . . . parking in NYC is not an option. It is not cost effective. The MTA works just fine but you have to tolerate a guy’s elbow in ur ribs or some foul FOUL bad breath. Not to mention the train never shows up and the homeless guy with B/O so thick ur eyes water. Oh yes, rats. Lot’s o rats down there too. Y’all know I love NY right? I do. . . Bitch. So I rode in today. Nose running, fingers freezing, teeth chattering and a smile so wide & bright I am sure they could see it in Jersey & from under my helmet no less. That old familiar sharp turn that brings me to the bridge entrance ramp. I instinctively gun the throttle to make the lights before they go from yellow to red. The “maneuvers” around the cars & trucks and S L O W walking pedestrians. You know when you see a biker and he/she does something kind-a close to you that first scares the hell outta ya and then you turn and yell at him/her as they speed away. That always put a huge grin on my mug. Got 2 of them this morning. That and when I’m on Athena and her pipes are so loud I set of car alarms. Glorious! Back to my ride. . . . Left on second ave. Sun still rising. Everything gold. Long shadows. Cold smoke foggin my helmet windscreen. Lane splittin like a fiend. Always gotta be at the front of the line so I can raise the front wheel (just a little) when the light turns green. Get to the secret block all the other bikers in the area know about and as I am lockin the front wheel nameless faces that I have not seen for the past 2 months are right there waving and saying good morning to me as they are locking their bikes up as well. The day just runs smoother. My shoulders don’t hurt. I don’t have that feeling of dred when it comes to the commute home nor the concern of what illness the guy next to me might have nor wondering what the hell is that odor? It’s riding season. Spring haz sprung and I just renewed my registration on all my scooters for the new year. All I had to do wuz survive February and now I do not have to think about it for another 11 months. Peace all. –N.

Mac & Cheese

NickET — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:33:57 GMT

I am postponing Valentines Day this year for personal reasons. I am not a fan of a manufactured holiday anyway. You all know the The Hallmark Corporation invented this holiday don’t you? Be that as it may. . . . I officially declare today as “Home Made Mac & Cheese Day”! It is official. That’s right. I am going straight home after work and whippin up like 20 pounds of home made Mac & Cheese with real cheddar and whatever other politically correct cheese I feel like throwin in the damn concoction. Then I’ll crank the oven sip some vino and let the delicious aroma fill my nostrils. Oh, fear not people. I plan of getting big hand fulls of scrumptious booty whilst I am working my culinary magic. Mac & Cheese day is all about hand fulls o’ Booty too. Happy Mac & Cheese Day Everyone!

It’s friggin cold out side. . . .

NickET — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:36:09 GMT

Every year about this time I get very antsy. Cabin fever is what some call it. I leave my home and the comfort of my toasty warm bed, occasionally wrapped in the arms of some one special. . . (points towards Diva and winks) and contemplate the work day ahead. I look out my bedroom window at the still dark sky and the baron oak tree across the yard. You can tell it’s gonna be a cold one. I glance down at my deck and little garden and see the remains of were the robust tomato plants were. Where my herbs stood last summer and the flowerbed bloomed. My truck is covered with frost. During the warm months she is always shiny and black. My boys and I take great pride in spending an afternoon with the garden hose and bucket making her all clean & pretty. Then we turn our nozzles to our respective scooters and we each spend the hours washing and polishing our rides. It is predictable that the three of us end up soaked as we each blast the other and toss soap filled sponges across the driveway. It’s only mid January. I shouldn’t complain because I have been ridin right thru Christmas week but I have not taken either of my scooters around the park going on three weeks now. I leave the office and then drag my azz to school or wherever I need to be. My only free week night evening is Wednesday, it is the only night of the week I can get home by 6:30 but they usually fill up with dinners with friends that I have not seen in a while. Jeez it is difficult to even squeeze in a “date” with my best gal. I see my 2 boys each Friday after work till Sunday evening. I do not accept many invitations that I cannot bring my guys along to during the weekends. It’s a safe bet I’ll not attend any adult Saturday night gatherings. I almost never do the Friday dinner and a movie thing. I am an outdoor person. I like having my windows and doors wide open. I walk in and out of my home barefoot constantly. I’ll spend hours in my garage organizing it and sweeping the cement floor. I eat all my meals in my back yard surrounded by my garden. I take my 4 parrots out back with me and will have one if not two of them perched upon my shoulders while I weed my tomato and pepper plants. From where I am standing this seems like a long-long way off. I have to some how get thru February. Historically the bad azz of all the months here in NYC. You leave the house & it’s dark. You get home after work & it’s dark. It is to cold to do much of anything out doors once the sun goes down and I am stuck in an office for what little daylight there is. I am now reduced to taking public transportation back and forth while my scooters sit covered in their hibernation until the mercury climbs outta the 20’s. Again I get antsy, cabin fever has set in. I become short tempered and little things that I would normally ignore bother me a lot more than they outta. C’mon spring I am ready for ya!

Family is funny. . . . (friends too)

NickET — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:03:58 GMT

Family is funny. . . . (friends too You never really know what makes one tick. What their life was like when they were young. What their parents did to them or maybe some influential adult in their life. Their peers. . . What betrayals or emotional disappointments happened to them? What they tell themselves each day to make it easier to look in the mirror. At some point you need to step up to the plate and become your self. You know the difference between right & wrong. Between treating your fellow man/woman with respect. The whole do unto others thing. I’d say in my travels most people had a less than perfect upbringing. Your parents are not perfect. You are not perfect so we do the best we can. There are exceptions where I think to forgive and forget are not an option. I shall not go into details here but I am none too happy about some of the decisions my parents made concerning the well being of my siblings and I. their huge mistakes scared us deeply and while we do our best to heal and move on some of the emotional wounds run deep. I raise my children based on how I was raised. . . . I do the polar opposite. How my mother can still judge me and say I am a poor father is hilarious. But as motioned earlier what we all must say to ourselves to make it easier to face the mirror each day is just that. To accept the out own truths at face value is no easy task. How well do we really know ourselves? Do we like ourselves? I ask rhetorical questions. I judge no one. I am not fond of being judged myself. I would like to think that after my time on this earth is done a few people would have kind words to say about me. I shall base my parenting abilities on how well my two boys continue to relate and communicate with me as they enter the dreaded teen years. At the present time I think we are good friends and I feel I am doing a pretty good job with the whole fatherhood thang. You know that grumpy family member you have? The one you’d rather not see or perhaps have not spoken to in a long long while. . . just for the hell of it. Maybe you tray and reach out to them. . . take a new approach. Take the high road as it were. Look, if they screwed your wife behind your back or stole your life savings or physically abused you. . . . Okay F-em where they breath. . . but maybe if they are just a grumpy mo-fo you ask them why. . . I bet you’ll find they are really sad, disappointed about their own short comings and a little love from another family member could be all the doctor ordered to make them feel better. Relationships are hard. Family is challenging. Do not for one second feel that any one has it any easier than you do. There is no bias based on race, creed or color. . .of financial status fro that matter (although I’d rather have the dosh in my pockets than not). Recently someone very close to me had a death in the family. . This made me think of my own relationships with my bloodline. They do tend to make me search out the bottle of vodka under my microwave at times but I would miss them terribly if I were to never speak to them again. Nothing that comes easy is every appreciated. Peace all. –N.

So, two guys walk into a bar. . . .

NickET — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:20:31 GMT

First guy’s already seated. For the sake of this discussion we’ll cal him Mr. Pink. He’s seated at the bar & talking to his guy friend who we’ll call Mr. Who-Gives-A-Sh!t. Now the second guy, whom I just decided to call Mr. Blue walks in with a very glamorous and not-at-all conservative looking woman and takes the two chairs next to the afore mentioned Mr. Pink and company. Mr. Blue notices than Mr. Pink has plenty of room to slide down to his right giving a bit more breathing space for Mr. Blue and his lady friend. So he politely asks if they would not mind shifting a few inches down the bar. Mr. Pink decides this is a good time to “show off” to his friend and say he’d rather not move. . . . . what? Dude, look. . . my gal pal and I are sitting tight over here. I’m just asking you to slide a few inches over where there is a bit more of unutilized bar space. Mr. Pink turns away mumbles something to his friend and they both laugh. Mr. Blue turns to his attractive date. Explains the situation. Weighs the possible options and decides to go with plan B. You guys familiar with plan B at all? Well, take notes. . . . Next thing anyone in the bar knows Mr. Blue is opening a doorway to the side ally with Mr. Pinks face. He then introduces Mr. Pink’s face with the dumpster he found out said side doorway. Skip a beat. . . . Two of the 300 pound paid gorillas are now assisting Mr. Blue out the front door. Mr. Blues feet are not touching the ground as they politely ask him to step outside. No one is sure what happens to Mr. Pink after this point but it’s a safe assumption he’s not looking OR feeling very pretty this morning. After a few minutes of “reflecting” on the events of the evening Mr. Blue reenters the establishment walking past the gorillas and slappin one on the back saying job well done my good man but I must know why of the two of us did you decide to escort me out of the bar? The gorilla replies, we went after the one beating the snot out of the other. This in some small & odd way made Mr. Blue feel pretty good about the whole transaction. Mr. Blue orders another drink. Moral of the story. . . I guess both Mr. Pink & Mr. Blue need to be less of a d!ck when out in polite company but of the two whom would you rather be? Hope y’all had as much fun as I did this New Years. . . LUV –N.