It Was a Very Good Year...

Oh, 2014!  It seems you were just beginning, in some ways, and in others, boy were you a lot of fun!  The Fat Kid has had a lot of things happen this year - some were tremendous, like marrying my best friend, and some were tragic, like saying farewell to my grandmother and my aunt.  In both the good and bad things, this year has been a wild ride, and one for which I am grateful.

The good:  Wedding planning is over!  Yup, my love and I were united in holy matrimony in September, and it was pretty darned amazing.  It was also a lot of work, as we did as much of it as we could ourselves.  We are most grateful for the countless hands that helped us with everything, especially all the family and friends that were press-ganged into service for decorating and other minutiae of that weekend!

In October, we took off for the sunny lands of Louisiana, to honeymoon in New Orleans.  Vampires and jazz, baby!!!  A week of sunny and 75 when home was cloudy and 42 certainly makes us long to make a dramatic move to the southern climate!  I would say it's too bad we don't know anyone there, but, well, having met so many fantastic people there already, I'm not sure if I can claim that!!  Seriously, if you ever find yourself wanting to visit a party town where you can choose the kind of partying you get to do, I highly recommend NOLA.  Great people, fun times, fantastic music, amazing history, spectacular food, and even though I mentioned it once, GREAT PEOPLE (they're THAT awesome.)

We said good-by to my grandmother this year.  She was a pretty amazing woman, and I miss hearing stories over and over and over and...well, ok, maybe I don't miss it completely...I think I miss the opportunity to hear all those old stories again, more than anything else.  Her parting gift to me is an opportunity I shall talk more about later.

Saying farewell to my aunt this fall was equally as challenging, and equally painful.  It's never fun to lose anyone, and to lose them to something as insidious as cancer sometimes makes me mad.  I remember, though, that my aunt was a woman of inestimable grace.  She knew how to be content with being simple, and that is a rare gift indeed.  Her greatest lesson to me is in how to live simply and be content with the hand you're dealt.

Other good things:  KITTEH!  Yeah, we adopted a kitten this year, and she supplies our life with laughter, frustration, mild annoyance,  She came to us through a funny story:  My now brother-in-law had a couple cats who...well...got busy while he was out one day, and a bit later, a litter of kittens appeared.  So, one of the littles was given to us, and we are now the proud parents of a tortoise-shell kitten/ hellspawn of mischief.

Well, those are the highlights...except for that opportunity I spoke about before.  I'm pleased to announce that I will be going forward with plans to launch Bellissimo Custom Works as a secondary source of income.  This stemmed from my grandmother, in a way, for the box I made for her a couple years ago is now serving as the vessel in which her ashes are housed.  It promises to be an adventurous new beginning, but it is one that I am very anxious to pursue.

So, BRING IT ON, 2015!  THAT'S what you have to beat, and frankly, I'm not sure you can.  But do your worst, for I will do mine.  Bring us the storms of life, the sorrows, too.  But know that I am  a storm myself, and I will take your challenges and turn them into something pretty.  I will see your challenges, and i will come out of them the victor.

May you all know peace in this new year, and may 2015 help you become more than you ever thought possible.  Happy New Year!!!!!

Thanks for Reading,
The Fat Kid

Heroes

There are many times through our lives, when, if we really stop and think about it, we meet people who are worthy of a little bit of hero worship.  As per my usual, this is my post MS150 evaluation - but with a twist:  this one is about all the heroes I met this weekend.  These are in no particular order, other than how they're coming to my mind.

Hero #1: Spider Man/ Batman.
     This guy was wearing a Spider Man kit (kit = the jersey and shorts you wear) on Day 1, and a Batman kit on day 2.  He's a big fella, and looked pretty muscular and fit.  Spider Man pulled a good ride on Saturday, but it looks like he emptied the tank.  Sunday, he really suffered.  When I met him the first time, I couldn't resist but to sing the Spider Man theme song, and he told me to practice my Batman theme song for the next day.  I was told that at every rest stop on day 2, even though he was suffering, there were kids who were THRILLED that Batman was there.  They were in awe of this guy.  He drew his strength from there, smiled, persevered, and finished.

Hero #2: Air Force Veteran.
     It's easy to say a Vet is a hero - he/she actually is, on many levels.  I came up on him and mentioned his Air Force jersey.  I asked if he was a Vet, and it turns out, he was in Vietnam.  We chatted for a short time, and he told a couple stories of how the USAF would station him in 6-month shifts in one location, then off to another, then back, etc.  He said, "There's nothing like getting to a new location like Japan, getting your combat pay, and blowing it all in a new city."  I think he said he was there from '72-'74.  I told him that my own father never talked much about it, stating to me once, "There's nothing good to remember about it, so why bring it up?"  He agreed.

Hero #3:  HandBike Guy.
     It's one thing to ride those miles using your legs - arguably the strongest muscles in the body.  But to do that in a handbike, where your arms are the driving force to propel you up all the hills???  That is courage and guts.  I don't know whether the guy's legs were paralyzed or not - and I thought it was rude to ask, and frankly, none of my business.  But the weight distribution is so vastly different on the handbike, that it takes some serious cajones to even try it.  He finished.

Hero #4: Fixed-Gear Riders.
     Kind of like the handbike guy, fixed gear riders are in for some pain on this ride.  Not being able to drop the gear on climbs pretty much states that you are a badass.  Seriously.  Tough stuff.  I shall never attempt anything like this.

Hero #5:  Schmoopsiepoo.
     OK - the Fat Kid is gonna get a little sappy here, perhaps to the point where you will want to vomit.  You've been warned.  But my bride-to-be did this event with me.  Shad had not slept well for the previous week.  Her nerves were shot with worry.  She had some biological x-chromosome-related issues.  And then - to top it all off, when we got to the starting location, she realized she forgot her cleats.  OK, for those who don't understand the importance of cleats, here you go: cleats enable you to stick your feet into your pedals so they can't come off with the generic movement of a pedal stroke.  It enables you to not only push DOWN on the crank, but to pull UP as well.  This decreases the pressure on certain muscle groups, saving your strength. She didn't have her cleats, so she could only push down.
     We had a strategy going in that relied on her having cleats.  Suddenly, that strategy was gone.  This is unsettling, to say the least.  She felt unprepared, nervous, and generally ill before this - now, she was approaching scared.  And she got on the bike, anyway.  Day 1 was 85 miles - and a lot of that was uphill, where being able to pull up on the crank is just as important as being able to push down.  She was in a lot of pain.
     Day 2 dawned and we were some of the last to make the start - seriously, there were maybe 10 people left on campus after us.The terrain was much simpler, though there were still a couple of nasty climbs to be ridden.  But on she pushed.  She found a group of riders to go with, and they pressed on.  The rain began when she still had 22 miles to go.  They actually closed the course because, well, it's NOT good to be on aluminum bikes in a lightning storm.  They eventually re-opened the course and let them finish in the rain.  She finished the course with a smile on her face.  Despite the problems - of which I only touched on - she still finished.  Heroic.
     Thank you, my love, for being my partner in this, as well as in life.  I've never had a partner in ANY of my riding efforts - just to have someone who will try it, let alone persevere the way you have...just one more reason you are my hero.  There are many more reasons.


OH, and for those wondering - I had a pretty good ride, too.  Ain't no shame in my game.  The course was very tough, once again, and there were moments when I really didn't want to keep going, but I did my damnedest.  For my team, I finished a very close second on Day 1 (only second by about 20 feet) and third on Day 2 by about 10 minutes.  Not bad.  Certainly acceptable.  I have yet to crunch the numbers, precisely, but I'm sure I will be pleased.  Possibly a new PR?  We'll see.

Thanks to all those who've supported us, both in monetary donations and in good wishes and positive thoughts.

Thanks for reading,

The Fat Kid

Poetry Challenge v. 5.0, days 20 and 21

Oh wow - another two poems today!  Well, here it goes - and the week of having to write "hopeful" poems is done, at least.  I suppose, if I wanted to keep with the theme, this week's stuff should be more "victory-focused," but I think I'll just sort of see where the wind takes me instead.  A) it's much more fun, as most of the time, I have no idea where a poem is going until I'm halfway through it, and B) you have no idea where I'm going at all, so it's an adventure for both of us!!  YAY, poetry adventures!

Inward

Stop.
Peel back layers,
pulling sheets of self away
looking at the freshly exposed soft underbelly
that no one gets to see except when allowed,
and even then, it is a rarity
that I should allow it,
let you see
me.


On the Porch

Nothing is as nice,
as sitting on the front porch,
lighting a pipe, and talking over the day
with the one you love,
just there to enjoy hearing
about the other's day,
comparing notes and making plans for the future.


Thanks for reading,

The Fat Kid

Poetry Challenge v. 5.0, Days 18 and 19

Ummm...SO all that hope and stuff about last week being Easter?  Well, that sorta makes it a little difficult to keep up with poetry contests!  No, seriously, it was a long weekend of prepping to host Easter Dinner, and that made life quite a bit hectic.  So hectic, in fact, that I took three days off writing, and have today to make up, too!!!  That's 4 days of poems, if you're keeping score at home.  I think I'll try and spread it out over two posts today!!  I think I still have a couple hopeful poems left to write.....

The Sailor

I stood along the shores of the sea,
with sadness my companion,
until at last a boat with no owner came ashore,
there was within it one seat only,
no more could go, no less required.
And I held onto my sadness,
we tried to fit, but to no avail,
until at last, we knew it was time to part,
and I sent my sadness sailing off,
towards another shore,
for I no longer need his companionship.


Friday

It often dawns brightly,
warm air on a sunny day,
the temperatures running hot,
until the afternoon.

The clock tones the hour - three rings,
and life becomes still for a moment,
as though the entire world waits with baited breath
just to make certain it will keep spinning while the sun disappears.

Thereafter, the bright sky returns,
and real or imagined,
for me, the world stopped anyway,
and from that stop,
issues forth a renewed faith,
And it is good.

Thanks for reading,

The Fat Kid

Poetry Challenge, v. 5.0, Days 16 and 17

After tonight's group ride - which ended up with some rather significant climbs, cobblestones, cinder paths, paves paths, playing in traffic, and dropping a couple riders (in short, just about everything you could want) - I turned on the radio as I left to my favorite radio station - the local public radio station that only plays classical music - to hear a tribute to Jewish music, as it's the feast of Passover.  It was really nice to hear something a little different than the normal things one hears.  I found it to be at once sad and hopeful, hence it's mention here.  It also inspired the first poem today.

Solo

A single note, full of want,
waivers simply in the air,
forlorn and haunting as the melody grows,
a song of loss and woe,
remembering loved ones
from long ago,
nameless faces across the generations,
that inspired a people's faith,
broke a king's will,
and breathed freedom.


Climb

The climb looks daunting and deadly,
 the turn in the middle faces the wrong way,
 it will be steeper, but that is the route.
It begins, and the rhythm starts,
turn the crank, drop the gear,
raise the cadence,
drop again,
out of the saddle and back in it.
Accelerate.
Climb.
Breathe.
Screw the turn.  Turn the screw.
Create the rhythm again,
ever climbing up,
not giving in.
Freedom is at the top.
And I will win it.


Thanks for reading,

The Fat Kid

Poetry Challenge, V. 5.0, Day 15

It's April 15th, do you know where your tax return is?  Well, I certainly hope you do - because those things tend to be a little important.  And, the promise of returned money usually makes everyone just a little happier - since this week is about hope, what gives folks hope like a tax refund?  I have no idea how I'm going to spend mine yet, but I'm sure that something will demand it!  But hey, let's get on to some verse, shall we?

Escape

Winter's last stand,
  a cold and snowy leftover,
  not yet ready to let go,
  even though I'm ready to leave it far behind.

I'll head to the south,
  the land of the sunshine,
  and sip cool drinks as the surf crashes
  and wipes away the castle of sand.

Away from the wrath of Winter's last gasp,
  embracing the warmth of Apollo's
  chariot as he races across the sky.


Not my best outing, I think, but they can't all be the best ever.

Thanks for Reading,

The Fat Kid

Poetry Challenge v. 5.0, days 13 and 14

It's Holy Week - for those of you playing along at home, that means the week before Easter - this year, that means ALL of Christendom.  Sometimes, the Orthodox and Byzantine rites celebrate easter at a slightly different time than Catholic and and other Christian denominations, but this year, everyone who calls themselves Christian is celebrating together.  For those who do not practice this faith, it means that stores will be awesomely empty for you this coming Sunday, while we're all feasting and enjoying family.

Why is this important to the Poetry Challenge??  Well, frankly, if poetry isn't on some level a spiritual experience - whether a secular or "religious" spirit - then it means virtually nothing at all.  Gabriel Faure - French composer - was quoted as saying, "To me, (art, and particularly) music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life."  It makes a lot of sense, to me, to look at poetry in much the same way.  It elevates us from the often more mundane parts of life, and reminds us that in all things, we can find beauty and hope.  We just have to open ourselves to look for it.  That is what Holy Week is for Christians - the promise of hope.  That's why it's important to the Poetry Challenge.  And that's why this week's theme is all about hope.  I...ummm...hope...you enjoy it!!

On another note - the "experts" (whatever that means in terms of poetry) say that you're not supposed to write about topics like this.  Hope, Love, and all other HUGE concepts should never be written about, according to them.  Instead, you should try and show these concepts through smaller things, moments, anecdotes, etc - because they are a) more easily relatable and b) you won't sound like a wool-headed ninny.  They have a point, of course, and it's mainly that they're tired of reading the Romantic Poets and flowery language that's really just a lot of "fluff."  Well, screw them.  If poetry is supposed to bend the rules, then that's what I'm a-gonna do!!

Dream

I dreamed I was small,
  too small to be noticed, I thought,
  as the giants fought around me,
  over me,
  threatening and ominous,
  a fate I could not escape.

The wall stretched into a corridor,
   black walls and floor, oultined in white,
   the door at the end, my only refuge.

I ran, and through the door I went,
  leaving the giants in their epic tussle,
  not knowing the outcome.

I enter a chamber,
  white walls and a blue elevator,
  I push the button - the doors open,

There She is,
  radiant light from around her
  shines upon my face and warms me,
  comforts me and brings me Home,
  Her look of mercy and love remind me
  there are no dark times.



And, because I didn't write a poem for yesterday, here's your two-fer!!! 

72 Degrees

The day begins cold,
the sun barely visible above the grey clouds,
poking through occasionally,
between the bouts of gentle spring rain.

The clouds thin,
pale yellow diffused between the puffs of water,
the pavement begins to dry,
yielding the promise of an evening on the porch,
a cigar and whiskey in hand,
a fine spring day


Thanks for reading,
The Fat Kid