Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Another day, dreaming about motocross

Well I've had to put a slight hold on the Mustache Monologue's recording sessions. I have to find a suitable area to record and shave at the same time, as my bathroom is too close to my sleeping fiancee for me to be chatting with my ipod at 6:30am. I think I can just shave in my car before I leave for work. This should be much better for the acoustics as well. More from that later this week .

I bought a 1991 Honda XR200 on Saturday, for $900 from a guy in Western MD. It's beautiful, looks like it's only been ridden around someone's property, never seen a trail at all. This will give me something to play with while I wait for a month for my Ducati to get fixed. Ram Cycles in Gaithersburg is doing the the work , the guys there are great. I can't wait to hear and see my new Zard Full Exhaust system either.

Quite a bit more brainstorming for the blog direction, currently I'm trying to incorporate several blogs into a few of the wine sites I've done in the past. After really looking into the blogosphere regarding the wine industry, I see quite a future in conversational marketing with regards to these products. Reading Ross Dawson's blog , lots of great stuff about the future of this medium and it's business applications, well worth a read.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Mustache Monologue 1

This evening I would like to upload the first in a series of installments entitled

"The Mustache Monologues"

Mustache Monologue 1.mp3

In which I share my morning thoughts with you over a shave.

Currently an electric, Norelco Model #5814XL, amidst maintaining a pretty solid mustache and small sliver under the center of my lower lip for over two months now.

Green Cadillacs


From BusinessWeek Green Biz
The new hybrid design is a smart blend, combining a new organization of the gas-electric drive train with GM's existing engine technology that imperceptibly turns off cylinders at cruising speeds. The combination improves mileage at both low speeds in the city and at high speeds while cruising on highways. GM pledges this approach will deliver a 20-25% mileage boost overall, even on big SUVs and pickups, and without sacrificing the horsepower American car buyers crave.


Reading about General Motor's laggard response to our consumption concerns, a hybrid Escalade would be nice...
But the gas mileage might still only be 12 MPG with that big 6.2L engine they use !


Soon there after, the 2-mode hybrid will appear in 2008 models, including a hybrid Cadillac Escalade

My current 1998 Cadillac Eldorado was one of the first GM models to introduce the turning off of cylinders at highway speeds, and it makes a considerable difference in my gas mileage. From around 20-22 MPG in the city and on my commute to work. While when I'm cruising to New York on 95N going at least 70 the whole time, I see around 30 MPG. All the while I've been wondering,

"Why hasn't this system been incorporated into all their V8 engines?"

And a few years ago I read about a 'Hydrogen Combustion Adapter' to retrofit existing gas engines to allow the burning temp of the gas to get much higher because of the hydrogen injected. This led to stated MPG gains of 40% on the SUV's they were fitting them on. I believe it was a Canadian company that made it. I haven't been able to find anything else on it since. Anyone hear of this ?
I'd love to get 40 MPG cruising a '59 beauty...

Monday, August 20, 2007

A Beginner's Blog Brainstorm

The rain was falling all weekend in my head about jumping into the blogosphere the 'right' way. Yes, I realize there is no "right" way, but you understand. Just educate myself a little more before really posting a few times a day in a 'less than focused' direction.

The initial question I kept asking myself was,

"Should I have different blogs for different passions / aspects of my life?"

and the answer I've come to so far is

"Yes, but not too many, or just one, but efficiently structured....ahhh I'm still thinking about it ....."

Dissecting the closer and more passionate aspects of my persona, I came to realize that outside of my profession and my external interests and hobbies there are a few quirky things I'm incredibly passionate about in my personal daily life. I really could blog about quite a few subjects, as I'm sure many people could as well. But another question kept ringing...

"Should I ?"

I would really like to hear other people's opinions regarding these sometimes idiosyncratic passions I have. I believe whole-heartedly that this is the ideal forum to indulge my obsessive-compulsive needs to converse about this kind of thing.
I put it to a friend yesterday like this regarding the blogosphere and myself.

"Of all the people I PERSONALLY interact with on a daily basis, a very small percentage actually and honestly care what I'm asking or talking about."

I went on to express that especially with the fact that my personality, (ahem) brutal honesty, turns another portion of my potential companions away as well. Realistically leaving me with very few people to honestly talk to about what I'm curious about or just feel like randomly expressing." - ( Just for the record I AM capable of existing in a realm of niceties and BULLSHIT for the sake of smiles and society's commongood, but I'd just rather not LIE all the time. )

"So enter the blog," I said, "where people decide to find ME and what I'm talking about and make their own decisions to join my conversations, instead of me wasting my time ( and pissing some people off ) trying to honestly converse with those that don't care, don't want to, don't like me, or just don't have the time..."

"Wow, you've found the perfect world for YOU! " He said.

I really think he's right.

Friday, August 17, 2007

the fair was a blast



worth a thousand words or more.....

good words

I just came across a fantastic quote from a blog I just happened to click thru,...

Thuy profile say's

"Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

This might not be her words, but nonetheless, words I live by....

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

act of god. my ducati is bruised

Yesterday leaving work on a tree covered two-lane road in upper montgomery county, a 5" in diameter tree branch fell into the road in front of me while traveling about 45 mph. i had no time to react, yet thankfully braced for impact and struck the 10' long branch perpendicularly. My back tire came off the ground about a foot, and i rode it out into the side of the road.

Blowing the front tire, bending the rim in by at least an inch, and crushing the front fork, i remained upright...thanks to some recent motocross experiences.

Geico is covering it all, ...but my baby is very sad right now,. and so am i.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

my own evil truth...

As my woman says,

"..shane is best served with a tall glass of silence."

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the gaps of time that exist in between the following posts will have to suffice as this requisite beverage.

I crave conversations yet I continue to find my 'no bullshit' attitude towards genuine and honest interaction actually limits how many I partake in with people in front of me.

" Who wants to have to defend themselves all the time? ", I'm asked often, or

"When I'm around you I feel like your judging everything I say..."

I'm NOT terribly sorry about this.
Call me crazy (a story for another time) but I have a great passion about upholding this virtually 'lost' measure of honesty in conversation. ( or was it ever there? ) I'm not prejudging, simply judging using my mind to make a rational and measured decision based on what information I gather.

Why is this so hard for people to accept?

I don't turn this 'filter' on or off. If I think what you're saying is bullshit I'd like you to tell me why you think I shouldn't think this. How could you want me to just roll over and accept it as truth without out further explanation? This I cannot do.

I feel that communication is wasted too often on bullshit niceties, I've witnessed entire existences shaped by these rote responses, devoid of thought and life, for years.

With the dawn of our information age at least I'll hopefully be able to find more like me, as the medium so beautifully invites, to converse with.

While at the very least providing me an outlet of words that are too often just cluttering my fiancee's world for no reason.

So thus begins my blog offering.