Salvaging Sunday

As reluctant as I am to take time away from family day, really needed to come in yesterday and try and catch up on some projects.  Finished up repairs and even managed to pump out a new ride as well!  This one is a REAL sharp looking dual shock MTB with front disc brakes!
Shortly before leaving, Angi came up with the idea of a trip to the local park and a barbecue.  Turns out to have been a great idea.  She and Elijah got everything ready and we pedaled down and hung out with some friends and I grilled up some dogs and burgers!  Actually found myself compelled to get up and play as well, somewhat out of  caricature for this old couch potato.  Swatted it around in the handball court for a bit then shoot hoops one on one with Logan. 
Once home, kiddos clean and in bed,  we vegged   out to Iron Man 3 (again) and hit the sack.  At that point I found the dark side to exercise,  the unusual rush of energy.  Sad to call that  negative  but I found I just wasn't tired and lay awake until after 2 am reading through my collection of Will Eisner Graphic Novels.  Surprisingly, though, got up on time to get the kiddos to school early! 
WOW!
Yea, my life's a wee dull.  BUT, back at it again this morn with a new ride in my rack yearning to live again!  So with that, come on down and check out our wares, and we'll meet you with an enthusiastic smile!

26" Dual Shock MTB
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Sunday Go Ta Meetin' Time!

Well, not so much for us. 
Decided would get a jump on some of the goodies we picked up yesterday and open our doors fer y'alls perusal!  Put out ah couple more gems yesterday, so wanted to let you know about them as well!  We will be here until Five today, so come on down and grab up the goodies ya want before the new week starts!  And some folks are already taking advantage of it as we have sold two so far!  So COME ON DOWN!!
See ya soon!

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With Bob Marleys "Three Little Birds" Playing In My Ears.....

What a BEE-O-TI-FULL DAY!!!
As we treated the kiddo's to Iron Man Three Last night for movie night on Blue Ray, it was quite late by the time we hit the sack.  I LOVE the reaction the kids have when we surprise them with a film they have been dying to see, so we spoiled 'em a bit and let them stay up even later then usual and watch the special features (a point I'll whine a bit about shortly) which resulted in a 1.40 am bed time! 
*YAWN*
So it was with GREAT hesitation that I rose out of bed this morning (not to mention having a lovely, warm wife to snuggle up against!  Always difficult to leave her!) and stumbled off to work.  A delay compounded by the tingling joy I felt at once again being greeted by the mild air, gentle breezes and joyous sunshine (yea...starting to sound a wee bit like Uncle Remus there for a moment!) as to motivate me to take a more leisurely ride into work this morn'!  As I rode, my senses alert, I couldn't help but  become aware of bird song.  OK, I know, some of you are most assuredly becoming concerned that I have stepped over the precipice of sanity, but I assure you, I and the voices in my head are all QUITE sane, thank you!   At the corner of Union and Patricia, half way to the shop, sits a Wallgreens.  Not all together an expected source of nature.  However, sitting to either side, are a grove of trees to the East and a small marsh to the North.  As I came closer I could hear a cacophony of birdsong.  Certainly out of character for me, I detoured from my normal progression and shot behind the store and paused, transfixed by the diversity of sounds.  Edging closer I could barely make out the many small avian forms dotting the trees, but after a scant few seconds all other audible street sounds, and aimless meanderings of man ebbed away, and all I could hear was the conversations taking place between each winged creature.  Briefly paused by the occasional croaking of some enormous sounding frog.  I'm not quite sure how long I stood there, mesmerized as I didn't bother to check the clock when I finally got to work.   It just didn't matter that much anymore.
Life is DEFINITELY different from the seat of a bicycle!
Now, moving away from my natural revelry, I will refocus on work!  Thanks to all for paying us visits yesterday.  Moved the GT BMX to a newly arrived Floridian from Chicago.  Looking for transportation, the sight of this BMX throwback sparked musing on his youth, and so inspired, sought to rekindle old passions, as well as propel him to his employment.  We also appreciate ALL the trust folks bestow upon us in the way of repairs, my only regret being that two of them were bikes that they JUST bought elsewhere and had found to be damaged or possess failed parts.  I tried very hard to be gentle with them!  Many more Looky Loo's as well, as folks are shedding the oppressive sweltering, and soggy summer in hopes of a prize riding season!
Was quite busy in the building department as well.  Steeped in kiddo bikes, my attention was drawn there, putting out five new ones, with three pic'd below for your perusal.  Why not all five?  Two sold rather quickly to a young family, obviously motivated by the self same desire to explore their surroundings, now no longer entombed in the air conditioned confines of their home!  Today will be focusing on two more, his and hers cruisers, and a Coleman (?) MTB! 
Now...ON TO MOVIES!  (big shock, hunh?)
I won't go into another IM3 review.  Did that after seeing the flick in the theatres.  I will however take a moment to address some criticism of the flick by some other reviewers I have perused!  IM3's take on the Mandarin was lambasted, as he is one of the primary and more formidable of  Ol' Shell Heads Nemesis's (nemesis? Nemisi?) and in the film he is portrayed as a shill in the form of a failed, drug addicted stage actor (in my opinion HILARIOUSLY portrayed by Ben Kingsly) .  A figure head drafted by the REAL villain behind the scene, Aldrich Killian.  Once again, I have to remind the reviewers that you have to embrace the fact that these movie projects, while embracing the roots of the characters they bring to life, are limited in their ability to include the rich continuity of  each and every character given the constraints of the medium.  And as the flux of the story was Killian's Extremeis, Mandarins part was apropos.  Also the complaints about Stark's fledgling and riddled with glitches technology of the Mark 42 suit?  Well, not only allowing for comedic relief, it was in line with his sleepless nights, derived from PTSD in regards to his near death experience in the "Avengers".  He was a "mess".  Also, hearkening back to MANY classic Marvel yarns regarding the "fall" of a hero, they often times broke a character down, through a multitude of mishaps.  Not only reaffirming Marvels theology of "humanizing" super heroes, but to give them the opportunity to "rise from the ashes" as it were.  Look at MANY great examples throughout Marvels illustrious career!  Fantastic Four #9, when the group loses everything, or Frank Millers BRILLIANT Daredevil: Born Again series when the Kingpin, discovering his alias, destroys his entire life!  Or Spiderman, fed up with bad press and the pressures of "Great Responsibility" hangs up the suit (or rather throws it in the trash can)  (yea, they did it in Spiderman 2 'cause they did it in the milestone "Amazing Spiderman #50") albeit temporarily.  Yes, reviewers need to realize that these two merging mediums need to be approached with a more nuanced eye for detail when considering their content! 
Now, on to my gripe about DVD'S!
Remember VHS tapes?  Yes, rather archaic to some now, I personally mourn their passing.  Speaking from the point of view of a parent, with children who are amused by the shiny, EASILY scratched silver Frisbees, why did we abandon the more durable item? Oh, sure, now we have the Blue Ray, billed as more scratch resistant, but I'm here to tell you, "Don't believe the hype!" 
But, do you remember when DVD's were premiered.  Outrageous price not withstanding, they offered up a bevy of not seen before goodies!  Hours upon hours of special features.  Featurettes, "making of" cast interviews, behind the scenes, gag reels, music videos...The list goes on.  Now?  Perhaps one brief featurette, maybe a five minute gag reel but more often then not you get nothing but an audio commentary and a list of "Sneak Peeks" of movies the production company wants you to buy.  No, for ANY features worth watching, NOW you have to buy the Blue Ray.  Even then, you get maybe an hour of goodies, and that's it.  Even worse is the films that offer the DVD, or the Blue Ray/DVD combo and the Blue Ray/DVD combo with the BONUS DISC package! 
ARRGH!
Just give me back the Durable VHS!  If I ever have to pause or stop it, I just turn it back on and its RIGHT where I left off!  No stumbling about with a temperamental remote to try and figure where I left off!
OK, I'm done.  'nuff grumbling!
So ruining my Chi.
See ya soon!

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Fall Madness!

I am definitely in a love/hate relationship with this time of year!
Perhaps it is a hereditary remnant of a genetic imperative within my ancestry of nomadic Indians, but every year at this time I feel the overpowering urge to climb out of my own skin!  As my wife so wisely observed, perhaps the native Blackfoot felt compelled to move to warmer climates at the first hint of Autumn, and as such I feel compelled to wander.  Wanting to shed the confines of my daily norms and leave behind the concerns, and obligations in pursuit of more personal enrichment.  It may be the longing for a dissipation of the constant precipitation, who knows!  For as long as I can remember it has been this way.  My Father as well suffers from this same malady (fortunate for him, his retirement has been to a truck and trailer, and has fully embraced his nomadic roots!) and perhaps his before him.  Angela, bless her heart, all to familiar with this affliction, foresaw it's emergence when I got my first whiff of fall air a couple weeks back, and has been bracing herself in anticipation.  Last night she just put her hand on mine and gently whispered,  "just go, we'll handle everything until you get back".  Now how can you NOT love a woman like that!?  It's tough enough wrangling all these kids on a day to day basis, but to try and handle the shop as well?  I just can't bring myself to inflict all that upon her.  So, content to just TRY and wriggle myself from the norm a wee bit, I focused my energies yesterday on concentrating on work, and went from cleaning and organizing, to repairs (thank everyone yesterday SO MUCH for giving me stuff to keep me busy!)   and building up some trades we brought in!  Once home, instead of the normal veg on the couch, watch a film, and go to bed, we just talked, listened to music and hung with the kids (Kaleb did a racy, impromptu "Dub-Step" to rival the "Go-Go Boys" in most all-male dance clubs!  HILARIOUS!!).   This morning though, did not help calm my demeanor, however, as when I left to take the kids to school I opened the door and was met with a tantalizing cold breath of sweet fresh autumn air, almost compelling me to grab a pull over! 
Oh....these next few weeks, as I acclimate, are going to be VERY hard, indeed!
ANYWAY!
Check out the goodies we have below, and there are more to come, as I busy myself to try and forget what more could be out there!
*sigh*

MEN'S 26" MTB W/NICE COMPONENT, NW TIRES!
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GORGEOUS CONDITION, 18 SPEED, 26" LADIES MTB!
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Missed it....by THAT much!

And her I thought the inclement weather was behind us!  Silly, silly boy!  Pat two days have been morning met with the reality that a bike ride for the kiddos was out of the question and had to rely on a cab just to get 'em there dry!  YUCH!!  Makes them feel special though, so I guess its a small price to pay. 
Yesterday. in spite of the rain was busy,  surprisingly!  Thanks to the folks picking up their rides and we appreciate the trust!  Put out another SAH-WEET Rat Rod!  Okay, not our most ornate or complicated one, but sharp looking none the less!  Also have a clean looking Mongoose XR 200 we got in on a trade up.  VERY sharp! 
Plans for today are to try and get through some of the remaining overstock.  Either they are getting built, or scraped!  Just getting tired of looking at them, to tell the truth! 
Well, wow.  For once I have very little to comment on, so I will leave you with pics and get to work!
See YA!

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Do You Realize What YOU'VE DONE!?!

That is the opening salvo to the final scene of the landmark CLASSIC comedy from 1994. "Dumb and Dumber!"  For those not in the know, the two leads Harry Dunn (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carey)  are skulking away from the disappointing outcome of a cross country adventure when they are stopped by a bus load of scantily clad Hawaiian Tropic Girls, looking for two "towel boys" to travel with them and lube them up before competitions.  If you haven't seen it, check it out today!  Dumb and Dumber is the milestone that all other "Stupid Funny" films aspire to ascend too.  But none, have come close (Me, Myself and Irene (Ironically ANOTHER Farley Brothers film featuring Jim Carey)  comes a close second).  Whereas most films attempt these lofty goals through an over reaching gross out, or cringe worthy embarrassing situations causing the viewer to uncomfortably try and squirm away from the screen, or grotesquely sinister sexual slapstick (think Scary Movie 1 thru...whatever)  the Farley Brothers are geniuses when it comes to knowing just when to slap you with a tire iron , Flush the toilet or hand you a bottle of Urine!  But at no time do they overwhelm your senses with an overabundance of any.  Of course we will forgive them the excesses in "The Three Stooges" as, well....look at the source material!  No, the sheer bliss of complete ineptness on the part of the two leads and all the hilarity their two well meaning but void heads conjure up is a joy to behold as they extort a multitude of gut wrenching guffaws! 
So why am I writing about an 20 year old comedy?
Because they are coming BACK!!!

YES! Once again Harry and Lloyd, above in full splendor (oddly...in exactly the same clothes) Bowl cut, wild hair and chip tooth all in play, are once again hitting the road in search of Harry's long lost off spring (apparently Harry is in need of a kidney).  A sequel had been talked about shortly after the original release, but as Jim Carey had entered the elite Hollywood A-List, and the Farley Brothers themselves have been continuously busy (hey, don't count out Jeff, he's been keeping his face out there, just check out the latest Emmy's!) so the project just went by the wayside.  In 2003 New Line released "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" without any input from any key player from the original.  It was met with a resounding "THUD!"  A complete bone of a flick, best just forgotten about.  I know I did!  Couldn't even finish it!  They lost me at the "Slurpee Scene". 
But I digress.
Well, perhaps now, with a gentle push from the Farley's who obviously never let the project completely go, and Jim Carey's A-List club card a few years expired, they've dusted off their baby blue and orange cream tuxedos and look to be at it again as filming started in Atlanta yesterday!  And lest you think they may have mellowed with age, promises have been made!  As Mr Carey is surely out to attempt to reclaim his crown as comedic genius, be assured, there will be lines crossed!  It has already been assertions made that there will be a profound display of skat humor to rival that of the originals laxative induced explosion!  And to all aficionados, Frieda Feltcher is professed to be finally unveiled in the guise of Kathleen Turner!  For those wondering who I am talking about, once again, go rent the flick and pay close attention to the tender "Hot Tub Confession" of Harry to Lloyd in the Honeymoon Hotel. 
And remember..
"Beware, the "Gas-Man!"

NOW!!  MOVIE REVIEW!!!
First off  "Gallow Walkers"!
One of the few final films starring Wesley Snipes prior to going away for three years on a trumped up tax evasion scandal.  Completed in 2006, then shelved, it finally saw the light of day this year.  After viewing this weekend I was left with only one question: "Why didn't they just leave it shelved?"  Capitalizing on Wesley's release, as well as the success of "Django: Unchained", that other, GOOD film about an African American gunslinger out for revenge. 
I tried real hard to enjoy this film,  I kinda thought, in reverence to a good action star, and actor I owed him that much.  But far to many times during the film I had to fight the compulsion to shut it off and just read the new collected works of H.P. Lovecraft I'd bought (unrelated but noteworthy!) I've never been a big fan of Spaghetti Westerns, the long drawn out "duals" shot in a multitude of over the shoulder and between the leg cam shots.  For what appeared to be a seven page script, the story and prerequisite, mid film  flashback sequences could have been filmed at a walking pace and the flick STILL would have ended before I put a dent in my bucket of popcorn!  The "evil undead" were less then fear inducing, trifling on the edge of comedic.  At times there outward appearance, while supposedly only the tortured souls of men killed at the hands of Wesley's protagonist, via a family curse "doomed to rise from the dead", they looked like demons of some kind, sporting tentacle heads and what have you.
????
The ending of course was cliche, good guy beats and beheads bad guy (yea, can't kill the undead less you take off the head) culminating with a type casted tough guy quip "But I don't know how to be dead? Nobody taught you how to live"
Well, apparently the film makers definitely knew how to do "Dead"!

NEXT!
"EPIC"
Rented this flick for Logan's birthday and was not disappointed.  A fun, spirited animated film dedicated to the concept of the precarious balance of nature:  growth vs rot.  Without having to resort to highhanded, preachy tactics, the cast and grew told an engaging and exciting story of a woodlands populated with a variety of sprites, and fairy's and otherworldly creatures where the battle to maintain balance between the "Green" and the effects of decay is brought into tumultuous turmoil with the assassination of Queen Tara (voiced by Beyoncé).  She alone holds the power to replenish the forest and her death leaves it all vulnerable to the onslaught of decay in the guise of the evil master of the Boggans, Mandrake (voiced by the BRILLIANT Christoph Waltz).  It's not a hard leap to recognize the correlation between this story and our own human tragedy of the self inflicted damage to our own eco-systems!   Much more subtly infused into the collective conscience of today's youth, then say the blatant and ineffectual story of the Lorax, with all due reverence to Dr. Suess's original.  Definitely a must see, and doubly so with Steven Tyler on the cast!

Am I On The Wrong End Of This Argument?

First off, I have to pre-qualify any of my following opinions with this statement:
to wit: I fully support any and all citizens of the world to follow any religious doctrine of their choosing, or to follow none, if they so deem appropriate.  Any faith, or non faith from Christianity to paganism to the "Church of the Holy White Bread" (ask me about that story later)  is just as valid as the next.  I myself was Christened Catholic, although as far back as memory serves I have only  known to be lapsed.  As so much of our beliefs are based on the opinions and teaching of our parents, I follow a rather simplistic but all together brilliant philosophy my father set forth for me at a very young age when I inquired as to why we no longer attended mass.  He stated (and in retrospect I believe there must have been some other crisis of faith that drove him or my Mother from the church) that "Church is where folks went on Sunday to pray together and sing together in peace and harmony, then tried to kill each other getting out of the parking lot."  In, short organized Religion was tantamount to hypocrisy.  A belief I have embraced and refined over the years.
So it is with that in mind that I comment on the following story I read this morning that fills me with a wee bit of trepidation.
Pope Francis recently spoke in the Sarinian capital, Cagliari in front of a gathering of roughly 20,000 people.  Abandoning his prepared speech, in lieu of a more personal, improvised speech, he rift for about 20 minuets after listening to the heart wrenching tale from Francesco Mattana, a 45 year old married father who has been unemployed for over four years.  The Pope went on to rally against the Global Economic System and stated  "We don't want this globalized economic system which does us so much harm. Men and women have to be at the center (of an economic system) as God wants, not money." 
"The world has become an idolater of this god called money," he said.
He then went on to state,  "It is not a problem of Italy and Europe ... It is the consequence of a world choice, of an economic system that brings about this tragedy, an economic system that has at its center an idol which is called money," he said to the cheers of the crowd.
Francis said globalization had brought with it a culture where the weakest in society suffered the most and often, those on the fringes "fall away", including the elderly, who he said were victims of a "hidden euthanasia" caused by neglect of those no longer considered productive.
"To defend this economic culture, a throwaway culture has been installed. We throw away grandparents, and we throw away young people. We have to say no to this throwaway culture. We want a just system that helps everyone," he said.
 Francis, who as bishop of Buenos Aires sided with unemployed workers in their conflict with government austerity plans, ended his improvised speech with a prayer asking God to "give us work and teach us to fight for work".
Hmmm? 
OK, so here's my issues.  While I agree with the sentiment, that work and a realistic equality and division of wealth amongst all people should be made a reality, I question the source of the rhetoric.  I will be the first to say my knowledge of the wealth of the Vatican is limited to what I hear in anecdotal reference and assumption, and to tell the truth I spent some time this morning researching my preconceptions and quite frankly came away even more uninformed.  There doesn't appear to be any real empirical data as to the extant of wealth held there.  BUT, considering the assertion that there is held, within, an extensive stock of gold, not to mention historical and artistic treasures of immeasurable wealth, as well as some PRIME real estate, what hinders the church from, maybe, spreading the wealth?  As someone who has, in the past, found it necessary to swallow ones pride and seek assistance from the local Catholic charities, I can say from experience that whatever clothing, or food, or monies I have been blessed to receive did not, in fact come from the church coffers it self, but through the generous donations of the folks filling the pews on Sunday.  Folks just like you and I.  Truthfully, I do not know, to what extant, if any the church digs into it's deep pockets to help various causes, and I leave it to the better informed to correct any erroneous statements I may be asserting, but it just seems like they could be doing more, at the very least for the self same suffering country that they reside in.
Now, more importantly is the underpinnings of some of his statements, I dare say me be rather....inciting?  The term "Fight for Work" and his assertions that the Global Economy is to be blamed for the worlds woes.  How much of that is true?  And how much is damning? 
Globalization, while flawed, is in fact responsible for the cessation of Global conflict.  Look at Europe.  In a perpetual state of War for the majority of it's existence, culminating in the events of World War Two, only waylaid their aggression when their financial realities became linked with the formation of the European Union.  And only through economic downturn, and some ill advised maneuvering on some head honcho parts, has the old specter of cultural and ethnic biases started to rear their ugly heads again.  No one was fighting when the economy was prosperous.  And true with prosperity comes those who exploited it.  But do we really need a religious slant as far as "those who worship the God of money"?   Quite frankly, history has shown us what swirling religious fervor has done to the course of human events, and I don't think I would like to see the direction those words would take us, especially on a population desperate, and starving and looking for heads to place upon a spike. 
No, I don't have the answers.  Years ago I questioned an economy based upon the trading of paper in deference to one based upon production, goods and services.  Or why the opinions of a select few shouting "Buy or Sell" in a stress filled atmosphere dictates the course of humanities prosperity.  But what I DO now, is religious leaders spouting out potentially dangerous, inflammatory statements would be best kept quite, in this tumultuous atmosphere.
OK, I'm gonna get off that for now, and speak of our own, meager contribution to the global economy.  We would like to thank all the folks visiting on Saturday, and they had us hopping first thing!  Sold the Iron Horse commuter right out the gate to a young man looking to get to and fro work, lickety split!  As well as the Dual Shock "Daily Banger Special" to a gent who, humorously was incredulous as to the asking price.  Asking several times "Are you SURE it's ONLY $70.00!"  ESPECIALLY after taking the sweet ride for a test drive!  I LOVE it when they say things like that!  (his eyes got REAL big when I told him about the one year warranty!) Also, sold off a couple of the kiddo bikes, and got a really nice 18" girls Tony Hawk BMX in trade! FINALLY sold the Schwinn Stingray chopper that has been camping out here for a few months.  Some young man is gonna be REAL happy with that B-Day present!
Also got IN a couple nice rides as well!  A 26" Mongoose Edge that needed A LOT of work, but we needed some stock, so I did her up good!  ALSO a SWEET Big Boy Cruiser MADE IN AMERICA!!!  So check 'em out below!
So I will end with a special "SHOUT OUT" to our newest "Tweenager", Logan, who today has hit the Twelve year Mark!!  We celebrated yesterday (as is the "nearest Sunday" tradition in our house) and he absolutely glowed at the goodies he got!  Love ya son!
Peace!

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A Night Out With The Girls

I would like to say thank you to my lovely wife and daughter in law for shaking the dust off me and taking me out for a wonderful evening.  And in extension our son Elijah for not only minding the wee ones but our grandson as well.  Not to mention Angi taking some of her hide-a-money to secure me a clean T-shirt, and the loan of one pair of Elijah's CLEAN pants.  No, just a T-shirt is NOT cheap, she just knows me well enough to reluctantly accept that anything with long sleeves, or a collar will never adorn my frame, she gave up that effort a long time ago.  Once I agreed to wear a tux for our wedding she hasn't asked since.  She however was stunning in a lovely little black dress with fire red shawl. Definitely her colors!   We hit the restaurant/sports pub at the Countryside mall and after an enjoyable dinner, sat out on the veranda luxuriating in a most mild evening engaging in conversation as they sampled the Martini list and I enjoyed the rare indulgence of Corona (s) with a couple shots of Petrone (something I have never tried before, and in retrospect will shy clear of in the future)  Thankfully, no hangover but a slight pressure in the back of my eyes.  Hence why I am not a drinker.  But that being considered, I quite enjoyed the opportunity to step out of my norm (albeit initially, somewhat reluctantly) and just relish in my wife's chance to breath.  Although I don't think me passing out when we got home was her planned culmination for the evening.  Another reason why I stay away from the drink.
So ANYWAY!
Seeing as this is MY soapbox, I'm gonna step on up and preach a wee sermon on the subject of etiquette!

Disrespectful people!  That's right!  And to some extension, prolonged texting! 
It is an established fact that we do purchase bicycles from folks.  That's our bread and butter!  Now 99% of the folks we buy from are well intentioned, intelligent and courteous folks who understand that we are a shop in the business of buying and selling bikes, for a profit.  Not a HUGE profit mind you, but at least enough to keep the lights on.  There is that 1% though that really "Grinds My Gears!"  The ones who think that "We buy bikes, any style any size any CONDITION" means we are going to pay FULL market value for them.  As in (and here is where my description may sound condescending, but believe me when I say some people just don't get it!) if it is a bike I am going to SELL for $80.00 they EXPECT us to PAY $80.00 for it!
Yes....let that rationale sink in for a moment.
And regardless of how I try to explain that, by doing it that way, not only would we not MAKE any money, but the mere fact that we would have to tear down, clean, repair AND reassemble the bike BEFORE we could sell it, we would, in fact LOOSE money!
Are you shaking your head yet?
Then there are that small portion of sellers who tell US what we can get for the bike.  As in, that Next bike they bought ten years ago for $109.00 at Wal-Mart, then left in the back yard for eight of those years, and bring an ant colony in with it when they want to sell it,  tell US that "you know you're gonna get at least a hundred bucks for it, come on!"
It was that degree of frustration I endured yesterday afternoon via text.  Now here's where I gripe on that subject!  First, please don't get me wrong, at 46 years of age I have long since embraced the usefulness and functionality of texting.  It not only allows me the occasional love note during the day to my wife, but the easy access to pictures and what have you from prospective purchases is quite handy.  It's when some folks want to engage in long term conversations via text that I find inconvenient.  Unlike a phone that can easily be placed on speaker and I can continue in my work as I converse, texting requires me to stop, clean my hands and respond to each one. 
One individual was looking to sell a few bikes and text us photos.  In kind, I responded I was interested and they should bring them in and I would assess them and offer a price.  At this point the back and forth commenced.  Each increasingly demanding response was met on our end with reserve and understanding, but conviction.  They wanted us to commit to a price BEFORE they would come in.  I realize theirs was concern for gas consumption, and the needed cash was to pay a bill but as I tried to explain, without actually "seeing" the bike, we could not commit (pictures are always better then the real thing, and cannot reveal any mechanical issues).  Their expectation was that by merely stating we "buy" bikes, we were in fact obligated to do so, at their requested price. 
In the end, their inability to comprehend the simple necessity of appraising the items, led to some rather impolite words on their part, and inflammatory remarks regarding my character, as well as the recommendation that I perform an act I consider to be physically impossible.
And THAT good people is what really Grinds My Gears!
ANYWHO!
Managed to put out two new goodies yesterday!  A real sweet old Iron Horse we turned into a  commuter (which subsequently sold as soon as we opened the doors this morn) and a bang around dual shock MTB "DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!!!"  I'll also take this mo to thank all the good folk for their trust in bringing their rides in for refurbing and repair!  And we have even more goodies a plenty acquired yesterday.  One old Huffy cruiser, that coupled with the Springer front end I've had kicking around for a while, promises to be a real hot looking Rat Rod soon! 
So with that, I bid you a fond farewell and see ya soon!

AWESOME COMMUTER
SOLD

DUAL SHOCK
"DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!!!"
ONLY $75.00!!!!

NOT That I'm Whining....

JEEZ!  Has it been three days since I last posted?!  WOW!  What HAVE you folks been doing for entertainment!?  I am SO sorry for leaving you defenseless in the barren wilderness of mindless drivel that passes for "engaging" nowadays!  I shall attempt to rectify this oversight!
So yes, my absence HAS been due to blessed busyness, and several rides have come and gone since we last spoke, but at the moment we are in a bit of a holding pattern (get to that in half a mo!) but we would like to take this opportunity to THANK all the great folks who have made this such a busy week!  In the last couple days we have moved MANY bikes to new homes, so much so that our cupboards are a tad bit bare (get to that in a full mo!) But like in Vegas fortunes can change "just that fast!"  Speaking of Vegas (get to that in one and a half mo's!).  As I was saying before I so RUDELY interrupted myself, the rides built that never saw the light of day (day being the pic's posted on this site) "were as follows, and I quote" (special NO-PRIZE for anyone who can guess where THAT partial quote came from! ((and a BIGGER No-Prize and bragging rites if you can finish it!))  (((hint:  think "Boris")))
Wow....I do love using (  ) don't I?
Crap....where was I....
Oh yea,
Had a real sweet older Ross 6 speed step over, two El-Cheapo BMX's, A BIG BOY Schwinn Sport, a Townie Electra (that lasted all of about three minuets) A Motiv MTB (weird name but NICE components) and also ones you DID get to see, sold as well!  The Recumbent, Cannondale, Jamis hybrid, Sub Rosa BMX....and I KNOW there were a couple more but I lost track! So a big Granola....'er, Kudos to all the folks for helping us out and pleasing themselves with an AWESOME ride! 
(wait...that didn't sound right...)
Now lets go back to Vegas (no, not a sequel to "Leaving Las Vegas") Found out the hard way that my "dealer" (bike parts officer....bike parts)  took off to Vegas this past Saturday for the week to attend the annual Big Wig Bike Expo...or whatever it's called, so we got left hangin' on any new parts for repairs and rebuilds and what have you.  Not wanting to stop building, however,  I commenced to re-furbing up to the point of new parts (primarily tires and tubes) but at mid morning yesterday my chain breaker (a CRUCIAL tool in the fight against Chain Decay!) well....broke.  Realizing I've got about four more days before he's back, and NO place else around SELLS it, I would have to go to....
Dum...Dum.....DAHHHH! 
"ANOTHER BIKE SHOP!!!"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Now I won't go into details as to where, but even though I knew I could make a trip to Wal-Mart and for $5.00 get a cheapy "Bell" tool (that would last for about four days) I didn't want to close the shop up for THAT long (I'm old...I take my time riding) so I opted to hit the nearest "Boutique" bike shop.  Really...that's all else that's out there.  Upon arriving and perusing the wares in search of the right tool I became keenly aware of the sticker shock that others have spoken of.  WOW!!  I mean, for a moment on the way there I thought, perhaps, while I was there I could wrangle up some of the parts I needed to fix a couple of the rides I'd recently "partially" built.  That though was QUICKLY dashed on the jagged rocks of capitalistic reality when I realized I'd pay more for the tubes and tires then I would charge for the WHOLE bike!!  SO, with that liberal dose of reality slap, I sought out what I had come for, a simple Park Tool chain breaker.  I normally pay $8.00 for this little chunk of metal, and normally go through them at about a rate of 1 every couple months.  Dealing, as we do, with MANY a rusted out chain, they just don't last, and paying more dough for what is consider a higher quality one didn't pay of in the past, as they broke just as quickly.  Finally locating the one I needed, I damn...near....died.  Granted, it was sold as a "Tool Set", comprised of a chain breaker, small hand held allen key set, and a two sided (14m./ 15m.) cone wrench in a lovely plastic-formed case....but for $87.95!?!?!?!
WHAT THE!?!?!
Remember...I normally pay $8.00....that's EIGHT dollars, for the EXACT SAME TOOL!!!!  The allen set sold by Bell (same design and material...different name) at Wal-Mart for $3.79 and the last time I bought a real good cone wrench it was about $3.00.  SOOOOO?  What's the mark up for?  Look, I'm not knocking Capitalism or profit but SHEESH! 
SO, anyway.  My only other choice was a small, collapsible breaker which, honestly is built with the same cheapo material and inferior push pin as the Bell tool, but this one cost $27.95?!?! 
I was shtuped, but had no choice.  Cost of doing business I guess.  The only saving grace was that, as I left, my conviction and commitment to what WE do was strongly reaffirmed!!   It's good to know that there is at least ONE bike shop out there that caters to common people, like us!  \
Well, with the shameless, self-aggrandizing plug I am OFF...to try and find SOMETHING that I can build! 
PS!  If you got any bikes or parts to sell...HOOK US UP!
PEACE Y'all!!

Two-Ply! For Extra Absorbency!!

No, No!  Thank YOU very much!
Yesterday was proof positive that riding season is starting to kick in, once again !  (Thank the Almighty!)  Have several folks to thank for making it such a kick ass day!  Two gents happened by and even though they were only looking for ONE bike, after one of them had test drove, and enjoyed the "low-step over" 12 speed (we don't call them ladies bikes anymore) the other gent, who had been patiently waiting in the shop for his friend to finish the test drive,  kept admiring the Schwinn Sidewinder, and when all was said and done, decided that THAT bike was much better then the one he had, and grabbed it as well!  Also many thanks to several anonymous tipsters who ALL gave the skinny on us to a young man looking to get into road biking.  Apparently not wanting to get left out of his bike riding friends frivolity, he'd been looking for some time to get onto a road racer, but couldn't find one that wouldn't break his bank.  It was then that a couple of acquaintances let 'em in on a little secret.  US!  They'd all gotten their rides from us and told him we had real choice rides at outrageously LOW prices!  He was NOT disappointed at scoring the SAH-WEEET! Raleigh Team USA ride! 
At this point in the day, the skies opened up in a torrential down pour.  As I have reluctantly grown accustomed to this business killing deluge, I occupied my self with getting repairs done and putting out some more rides.  Surprisingly, I didn't have much time to do that.  After a couple of hours the rain abated and folks flowed back immediately to life! Several calls came in from folks asking for me to stay a little late as they wanted to come in and check out the shop and we ended up selling one more, this one the Mongoose BMX, and had several more visiting Looky Loo's!  SO with a great swell of blossoming hope, I anticipate a GREAT season!
Now onto one of those little life moments of saccharine sweet cuteness that working causes me to miss out on!
In life, we all have our "particulars".  Certain ways of doing things that quickly become routine, or certain items that we find we can not live without, or brands that are a demanded preference.  Such is the way with my wife.  Thankfully, it is not one of diamonds and pearls, satin gowns and the like (as if THAT would ever be an affordable luxury) but of preferential household brands.  Maxwell House "Master Blend" coffee.  Either Fiji, or Peligrino bottled water, and Charmin bath tissue, two-ply.  Now, I lost the fight on that one LONG ago.  It was my contention that toilet paper had but ONE use, and then it was gone, so I could not understand the necessity of spending $10.00 when $4.00 would do the same job.  BUT, upon realizing that if nothing else,  this was a MINOR luxury, I acquiesced.  Now, unless you have been living under a rock, the days of Mr. Whipple having an aneurysm every time the shoppers indulged themselves in a squeeze, are gone.  The newest spokesperson(s) are bears.   Big, cuddly Momma, Poppa and baby bear to be precise.  Further explanation should not be necessary, just access your collective social conscience and remind yourselves of the old adage "Doe's a bear $#!+ in the woods" and you'll get the picture.

Ever omnipresent in each bathroom of the house, this package is a familiar staple in our home.  Izabella, our 3 year old and second youngest child is in the process of being potty trained.  Agreeably, this is a little late.  We started with her just before Miranda was born, and then she went though a slight regression.  As is oft to happen, not wanting to be left out of the simple pampering and bonding moment of a diaper change, she was reluctant to take to the porcelain.  BUT, now as she has almost outgrown the largest size of diapers, Angi has renewed her efforts with vigor.  Yesterday, at a predetermined interval she inquired if Izzy needed to use the potty.  Izzy consented, and proceeded to the kids bathroom.  After a few moments there came the incessant, and all to familiar, plaintive cry "Mommy? MOMMY?!" 
to which was responded "What Izzy?" 
"Izzy needs Wippies!" (she talks of herself in the third person)
Reaching the bathroom Angi pointed to the package of Charmin and said "but you have toilet paper right there"
Staring at her mother incredulously she responded "But Mommy" as she motioned to the picture on the package with other hand firmly on hip
"those are for bears...NOT Izzy!"
ABSOLUTE COMEDY GOLD!!!
And that's it for our show tonight folks! 

CLASSIC GT BMX!!!
ONLY $110.00!!!

Thank YOU Mr. Abrams! I think we got her!

Much to my surprise, and lack of knowledge TODAY was an off day from school.  Wasn't until Elijah showed up at the shop, full entourage of elementary kiddos in tow, looking to pull a Friday on Thursday that I became aware that they all had the day off!  Unprepared and blissfully swamped with work I couldn't bring myself willingly to cope with the whole "he won't leave me alone's" and "Daddy?  What can I do to helps?"  (whilst standing directly in the path of the grinding wheel) so I ushered them home with the promise of a special night, movie night.  Not a hard pitch, as Angela has been chomping at the bit to pick up a copy of the freshly released "Star Trek: Into Darkness"!
Not since Twilight have I seen her so enthusiastic about a second viewing of any film!  Much to my sheer, unbridled delight as all throughout our relationship I have yearned to fully immerse her in the worlds of the Federation.  Yes, if your new to this blog, or haven't been paying attention I am a full fledged Trekkie (with out the foam rubber Spock ears) and have wanted to share my love for the franchises with her.  Much to her credit, she has humored me for many, many hours of absorption in that Universe (although I have NEVER been successful at getting her to sit through an episode of the original series) and she did get enthralled with Deep Space Nine for awhile.  But it wasn't until 2009 with the release of the revamped original characters did she become a fan!  Even more so with the second installment featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as KAHHHHHHN!!!  Even the kids, who have always groaned and wandered out of the room anytime I put on any of the six previous incarnations, sat transfixed to the TV with only a modicum of interruptions.  Even, so engaged, gasping at the "death" of Kirk. Seeing the film again was definitely a thrill (and I caught some subtle in-humor that I missed while seeing it in the theatre, most notably the ship they used to go down to Kronos was in fact that of Harry Mudd!) but it was made that much more enjoyable at the sheer excitement and joy in my wife's eyes as she watched it, as well as the swell of tears when appropriate.  Yes, I finally have seen her become, at least in part,  a Trekker!
SO!
As predicted (and as usual) the arrival, at least in part, of the promise of cooler weather has stirred some Floridians into preparations for the riding season.  With that brings the inevitable awareness of so many garage bound, and back yard stored "old" rides!  We are beginning to get more and more goodies in, just in the nick of time!  Got several sweet picks yesterday and am working like the dickens to get 'em prepped for you!  Obviously the "Full Re-furb's" are in FULL swing!  Have three to show you from yesterday and today are working on TWO older Schwinn cruiser (made in Hungary?") and a well rode (and race winning) Raleigh Team U.S.A road bike!  As well as a couple more BMX's (but I've got plenty of those out right now) Check out the newbies below and for now I best hop back to it!
See ya soon! 

JAMIS HYBRID!!
ONLY $165.00!!



SUBROSA LETUM BMX!
ONLY $110.00!!

SWEETY 20" GIRLS
ONLY $40.00!!!

LIKE NEW! SCHWINN SIDEWINDER!!
ONLY $115.00!!!

Please Sir....May I Have Some More?

HEY!  Here's a switch!  Something new and original!  I'm gonna talk about movies!
It was inevitable.  With the advent of such new and exciting technology in film making, Hollywood is taking out and dusting off a plethora of proven cash cows.  Trouble is, not every movie deserves or NEEDS a sequel!  Recent history has proven that. Let's look at the examples of Star Wars 1,2 and 3.  The sheer eye candy value was not enough to elevate this skat of a script.  Two, count 'em TWO actors portraying Aniken Skywalker (AKA Vader) who couldn't act their way out of a wet paper sack, and a plot line shifting somewhere between episode 1 and 2 that incorporated a thinly veiled slam at the Republican turmoil in our own administration at the time (not that there is anything wrong with politician bashing) starring Emperor Bush, Darth Cheney and Jar Jar Powell.  And now we will be subjected to Star Wars Episode 7!  Although honestly, I'll hold negative word on that one!  After Disney acquired LucasFilms they put all their weight behind the project, putting JJ Abrahms at the helm.  This could be very good if for nothing else the absence of George Lucas.  Yes, he was the heart behind the original but he should have handed over the reigns a long time ago.  Also, the rumors swirling around that some if not most of the original cast may reprise their roles in some way is enticement enough for me to go see it!  Another example would have to be Indiana Jones 4.  Ancient aliens? Crystal Skulls? and a fine actor, but a little past his prime in the lead?  It had it's moments and was a bit of nostalgia to watch, but if not for that I would have given it a pass.  It is definitely a DVD in our collection that has only enjoyed one play!
So here, with much chagrin is a partial list of some of the upcoming or in-the-works projects that should just be shelved!

Independence Day 2...and 3!?  The original was good, scientifically FLAWED but good.  The fact that a sequel(s) would be 19 years later?  What?  More aliens come to avenge their fallen comrades?  We drive another suicidal drunkard fly boy up their bunghole and use an I-Pad to cripple the Mother Ship?  Perhaps, if Will Smith hadn't been so greedy and the production company not been so tight we may have had this one out sooner, but at this point...why Bother?

Jurassic Park 4: Jurassic World.  I can remember the original vividly!  Long a lover of dinosaurs in the scene where they first come over the hill and see the Brontosaurus  nibbling on tree tops, I wept it was so beautiful, and the rest of the flick was a thrill ride!  Then came two  and then three.  I was less and less impressed.  Seriously!  HOW does a satellite phone get swallowed, pass through the digestive track and get shat out and STILL WORK!?!?!  I spill a couple drops of coffee on my phone and it shorts out!!  Again, fun to watch, but the third one was just a stretch in story telling!  The only way I see it working is if they take the title LITERALLY!  A bunch of randy dinosaurs, unchecked by humans make it off the island due to some ignorant thrill seekers, grow,  multiply and you get some post apocalyptic, dinosaur hunting, underground dwelling human fighting for survival...blah blah blah. 

Pirates of the Caribbean 5?  Honestly, I can't keep any of the sequels straight, they are that unmemorable.  Disney, you have Marvel , you have LucasFilm.  Just let this one DIE already!

Avatar 2...and 3?  Well, it was a given.  Being the highest grossing movie of all time,  it was inevitable they'd pick this one up by the ankles and shake out all the coin they could.  But just how many times can you spin the tale of the "White Mans Burden" in outer space?  Bad guy capitalists come back in force and try to, once again,  overrun the "ignorant savages"?  Bow and arrow VS heavy artillery ensues, with a smattering of a spiritual, morality tale included.  All wrapped up in psychedelic day glow colors.  And just WHY do the call it "unobtanium"  if in fact they CAN obtain it?

Ghostbusters 3?  Supposedly a new generation of "Paranormal Elimination Specialist's".  The second one tanked if for nothing else because it just plain sucked, so why bother?  Yes, new and awesome "other-worldly" effects aside what would be the point?  Without Venkman there, it would be like doing The Blues Brothers WITHOUT John Belushi!  Oh wait.....

Bill and Ted 3?  Come ON!!!  25 years after the events of the second flick and the original stoner/surfer/rock saviors of humanity are STILL trying to write the hit song that brings about world peace?  (like, dude....didn't we already DO that in the second film?  Strange things are afoot at the Circle K?) and they end up going back to the STONE AGE?  OK...Rock.....Stone....I get it!
 Best 5 out of 7? 

The Legend of Conan?  OK....OK.....I'm REALLY trying NOT to laugh!  Ahnuld...after his stint in public service has been trying REAL hard to cash in on old fame and make some bank.  But THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!  Apparently totally bypassing the 2011 reboot (which I liked WAY more then the original gag flick)  this one puts the Gov back in the skivvies and long sword, this time as an aged (yea....no kidding!) king wearing the crown of Aquilonia.  I think the only POSSIBLE way I would even consider renting this flick is if for sheer humor value they reprised the role of Grace Jones as Zula!  And if you think THIS idea is incredulous......

Terminator 5!?!  I am SO done with this franchise!  Just how many bloody times can they go back in time, change the events leading up to the apocalyptic future and make NO BLOODY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE!?!?!  Destiny be damned!  I liked the Christian Bale pre-quell, totally bypassed the lady terminator but to once again bring Ahnald back!!  Just HOW MUCH prosthetics or motion capture (via Jeff Bridges as a younger man in Tron 2)  are they going to have to employ to pull this one off!? 
Which brings me to another franchise that has WELL exceeded it's expiration date....

Prometheus 2?!  Well I called it right after the first miserable appearance of the wretched Prometheus.  Ridley Scotts ill advised, and continuity disregarding rewriting of the Alien Mythos, scored some swag on it's first showing (ALLOT of folks shelling out their twelve bucks on wishful thinking) and are going ahead with a second go around.  As I had stated, the first one was just a long winded and exceedingly boring, not to mention confusing preamble into a franchise reboot. 

Indiana Jones 5:  The Apology!  Apparently the two richest directors in Hollywood just can't let Indy rest on the sad Swan Song of number 4.  Maybe they have learned from their errors (hey there never was a Howard the Duck 2 or a 1941 2) and may go back to basics on this next one (and on the soul of Henry Jones Sr, hopefully the last) I say put Mudd, the air to the throne under the fedora!  Let Indy play a supporting, fatherly figure and then lets just be done with it.

Tron 3?  Light Cycles aside....Legacy was trite, confusing, unbelievable and just downright pathetic.  WHY a follow-up?  Disney's animated attempts to the franchise are a much more worthy "legacy" and enjoyable to watch.  And I'll be damned if I can watch another white washed Jeff Bridges!!

Snow White and The Huntsman 2.   I guess Twihards can breath easy that at least Kristen Stewart can get SOME mainstream work (wonder if she's gonna have to sleep with this director too?) even if it is starring in an ill conceived reboot of the Snow White saga!  Will this one have a completely un-climactic ending as well? 

Blade Runner 2?  OK, Ridley Scott is COMPLETELY off his rocker!  Will one of the best Sci-fi flicks be subjected to the same continuity slashing treatment as Prometheus?  Just let this one retain it's dignity and stature and don't muddy it up with a cash grab attempt!

So now onto some promising forays into updates, reboots and sequels, and then I'm gonna tease you with idea's of my own!

Obvious choices aside, IE: Avengers, Capt America, Thor, Hulk and the promise of redemption for Fantastic Four here are a few I'd be looking forward to...

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes;  The first Tim Burton/Mark Wahlberg was a travesty, ultimately ending with a HUGE "WTF"!  But the franchise was redeemed by Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  No longer men in rubber suits, the second installment was quite ominous.  Looking forward to the continued revitalizing of the wonderful original Sci-Fi classic!

Transformers 4.  What can I say!  The real life culmination of a youthful joy!  I just can't get enough of this automotive product placement!  But what would be REALLY cool is if they had a scene in which the Tour De France is interrupted by a Decepticon attack and several of the cyclist are shown to be dematerialize holograms as their bicycle morph into really skinny auto bots!  SWEET!  Seriously, though  Keep 'em coming!  Won't get tired of this eye candy!

Dumb and Dumber To!  With both Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprising their rolls as two of the biggest dweebs in history they made the "Stupid-Funny" HILARIOUS!!  It has been a project long in negotiation (a trial hindered by the release of the absolutely DISMAL "Dumb and Dumberer) and a real MUST HAVE for a waining Jim Carrey. 

The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of The Sun!  The world is devoid of really GOOD family movies!  Relegated to whatever Pixar may put out (and some of their more recent attempts have been anything BUT flattering) Angi, the kids and I truly love the heart pumping, furious action of the first installment of this motion capture classic.  Visually breathtaking and with a classic good hearted adventure story I have been looking forward to the next installment of Herge's classic characters since the ending credits of the first!

Chronicle 2!  I was a late bloomer on this one, not having seen the original until well after it's release but was spellbound by the writer and directors take on the "sudden super hero' epic.  The filming technique using "lost footage" was, while not original (think Cloverfield) very well done!  I especially loved the final fight scene which played out on a mixture of hand held, cell phones, traffic 'copters and security cameras.  Sporadic jerky movement, lens flare and gritty resolution lent a great deal of realism to the story.  Looking forward to finding out the fate of Matt.

Pee Wee Herman 3!  I have to admit I am a more-than-closet fan of Paul Reubens!  Much maligned in the media after he "took matters into his own hands"  He is a Survivor!  From his Hilarious bit on the MTV music awards, where shortly after the debacle he came out on stage in full Pee Wee Splendor and asked "heard any good jokes lately?" or his brief stint on Murphy Brown where playing a sniveling exec Andrew J Lansing the Third he and Candice Bergan are having a battle of words and she breaks the fourth wall and spouts off "What? You think you can just shave off the Goatee and everyone will forget what you did!?"  Anyone who can take bitter public humiliation and not only survive it but through self deprecation get the majority of the world behind him?  That is a true perseverance!  And to don the too small suit once again and visit this classic "Not-so-much-for-kids- kids show" (seriously, check out some of his and support casts not so subtle "Adult" humor rifts) based on his formerly FULL ON adult humor stand up bit!  And come on, he's got his BiiiiiiiiiiiKE!

Sherlock Holmes 3!   I admit it, I'm just a huge Sherlock geek.  Especially the two latest incarnations visa vie BBC's "Sherlock" and Robert Downey Jr. classical take on Doyle's original master sleuth!  Have been thrilled with the first two and looking forward to more!

So now onto some films I'd love to see in the reboot/remake/sequel status!!

Forbidden Planet!  The 1956 classic originally starring Leslie Nielsen in an actual SERIOUS role, was a stalwart Sci-Fi classic bucking the trend of the cheesy B-Reel flicks so prevalent then.  A true tale of humanities woes regarding the dangers of absolute power told through the fatal history of a lost, once great alien race.  A timeless lesson that could aptly play to today's audience.  And it would be interesting to see what kind of upgrade they could come up with for Robby the Robot (often time's mistook for "Robot" from "Lost In Space")

Iron Giant 2!  One of the best retro-age Sci-Fi stories of all times,  the ending, while not requisite of a sequel left some tantalizing teasers.  It would be a real treat to see the reanimation and eventual reunion of Robot and Hogarth.  Not to mention, possibly answering the question "where DID this massive weapon come from"

Creature From The Black Lagoon, Reboot.  With the constant incarnations of Dracula, the Mummy The Were Wolf and Frankenstein how come Universal keeps snubbing old Gill?  In today's day and age of ecological disasters why not a morality tale featuring the old Sea Monkey himself?  Maybe do like a Twilight thing and sex him up a little bit!  He was, after all, always chasing the babes in Bikinis!

All right, there is so much more, I could meander on forever, but I'll chill there for the time being and maybe do some REAL work!  Speaking of which...Check out these rides we have put together over the last couple of days!  We'll be talking to ya soon!
And remember, "save me a seat on the isle!"

SWEET 20"!!
ONLY $40.00!!!

MONGOOSE REBEL!
ONLY $45.00!!

21 SPEED, 20" MTB
ONLY $60.00!!

COMFY LADIES 12 SPEED!
ONLY $70.00!!

LIKE NEW SCHWINN ALUMINUM
ONLY $125.00!!!

OLD SCHOOL 10 SPEED!
ONLY $90.00!!!!

An unexpected, yet welcome kiss.

Awakened this morning by the urging of my lovely wife, I rose, somewhat mechanically.  Beset upon my morning chores by instinctual urgency, I heard a faint, yet urgent tapping on a long forgotten door.  As each child was roused into animation, I clumsily set upon a cup of liquid motivation, all the while the incessant, yet oddly comforting tapping began to stir some long forgotten memories.  Behind the muddled haze of normalcy, something wriggled.  As I stood silently, impatiently waiting for my cup to fill, the sudden loud din of city trucks broke me from my silent musing.  Realizing I'd forgotten to bring the barrel to the curb, not pausing to put on shoes, I shambled out the door, and heavy barrel in hand, lumbered to the curb.  Once in place, poised to return to my morning, it was then that it's caress grazed me.  Gently, a sudden rush of remembrance overtook me, as if by  the sudden, unexpected touch of a long forgotten mistress.  My mind suddenly filled with welcome images of apple orchards, wagons of hay drawn by burdened horses along grass lined paths, gently dancing in early morning wind, heady with earthen scents.  Tree lined roads, snaking through mountain passes, brightly painted with blazing shades of red, yellow and orange.  For a moment I closed my eyes, and I was home.  Once again, carefree, unshackled from the drudgery of a sweltering and seemingly unending hellish summer!   I stood, awash in color, gone was the fear and uncertainty of the oppressive heat and stifling humidity, to be replaced with a rush of cool air, and the undeniable yet undefinable sensation of the return of Autumn.  Every year it comes, yet every year seems an eternity.  Without fail, each time it fills me with such joy and revelry.  My very soul revitalized, I breathed deeply of it's tearfully welcomed scent!  Tender arms engulfed me and held fast, reassuring me while urging every fiber of my being to life once again.  Then, once it was assured  I knew it had returned, slowly drifted away, with a single kiss and promise to stay.

Spartans 1, Evil Empire 0

Sometimes there is justice.
In response to the conversation I had with the kiddo's school yesterday, the counselor had a conversation with the bully in question AND his parents informing them that he would not be allowed to leave class until the second bell at the end of the school day and therefore be briefly late, giving our brood enough time to vacate the school, unperturbed and avoiding any unfortunate altercation.  The class room teacher has also been made aware to keep an eye on the young hoodlum for any further problems.  A very diplomatic solution to deter inevitable escalation.  Fingers crossed we will see how it goes!
Our seventeen year old, Elijah is still marinating in the brooding juice of a persecution complex, but we are striving to get him back on track for his employment search. And Kaleb appears to be taking the Army gig a tad more serious as he has been inquiring into necessary requirements and researching fields to study when in.  So there's the seeds of hope there.
Now to any parents out there who perhaps have had to field complaints from their kids school, or patronizingly listen to their adolescents ramble on about their extensive collection of Pokémon cards I'm here to offer a little advice.  Take your little trainer aside and ask them if they wouldn't mind you going through their collection.  While doing so keep a close eye out for THIS card!

 

Apparently only SIX are known to exist, and currently one is up for auction on E-Bay.  It sold at auction back in '97 for $23,000.00, and the current credible bid sits at $47,000.00.  So, all annoying animation and strobbing, seizure causing, colors aside, this annoying little creation is setting all sorts of non-sport card sales records!  Unreal.
ANYWAY!
Praise be mother nature for easing up a wee bit on monsoon season.  More and more folk coming out of self imposed house arrest and taking to the trails once again, so the flood of repairs and tune-ups continue unabated.  Thank you very much for your continued trust! 
So with that, I' better "toddle off" and get some work done!

GrandMa Would Be Proud

There's an old adage my Mother taught me.  I learned it very well way back in 1980.  It was Mid afternoon one summer and her and I had taken some laundry to the local laundry mat and while we were waiting to switch from wash to dry two local thugs were passing by and noticed me and decided to come in and start crap.  My Mother was, at that point,  in the adjacent office talking to the manager as the two started familiar taunts.  These two boys were several years my seniors, and to a very scrawny 13 year old, they were Goliath to my Sampson.  Only I didn't have the benefit of a slingshot.  Once my mother noticed the hubbub she stepped in.  Now, lets be clear, my mother is about five foot nothing and small framed, but with the ferocity of a lioness defending her cub, without concern for her own well being she stepped in the middle and gave them a thorough verbal thrashing, and they skulked away.  As she stood  watching them slither away, poised to strike,  I couldn't help but inquire as to why she put her self in such imminent danger (quite honestly at that impressionable age I was convinced my Mother really didn't care to much for me) she turned around and I saw her face quickly change from one of anger to gentle compassion and with a sly grin she stated "Only family, Fu@k's with family!"
So it has been, with that credo in mind, I have tried to instill the same belief in my children.  A task greatly assisted by my falling in love with, and coupling with a very feisty Irish woman. 
Knowing this now, you'll understand the swell of pride I got yesterday when I was informed of an incident after school yesterday.  Every child's school career is burden with the occasional bully, Owen is no exception.  Quite frankly, with his hyper active, somewhat abrasive personality, he tends to get on some folks nerves at times.  However in this case it appears that his penchant for righting injustices is the culprit.  A very admirable trait, he is a firm believer that if he sees wrong he will intervene.  A young girl in his class was being picked on by a larger boy and Owen stepped in and in no uncertain terms, ordered the boy to stop.  Now Owen is small (his three year old sister is close to eye to eye with him) but he more then makes up for it in fortitude (think Spartan child) and can hold his own. Apparently this intervention drew the anger of the young thug.  The rule in our house for dealing with bullies is report first to a teacher, but if it continues, stand your ground.  Don't throw the first punch,  throw the last.  However, even with that knowledge he withheld his ire yesterday when confronted at the cross walk.  The bully in question started in, verbally at first then pushed down his bike, kicking the tire.  Words were exchanged but he held back, perhaps waiting for the first strike, which quickly came in the way of a face slap.  HOWEVER, before Owen could act, Elijah (the imposing seventeen year old in charge of picking up the three elementary kids) ferociously intervened, and in his very best guttural growl stated....well, lets just say I CANNOT repeat the words he uttered, but suffice to say the little animal scurried away, tail firmly tucked underneath. 
All this was retold to me in a fervor last night, and being the diplomat that I am I had to cast warning to our eldest that getting involved in a fight with an elementary student would not be wise.  Honestly though, I could not conceal my feelings of admiration, respect and pride in the revelation that my children, however much they might fight amongst themselves will not hesitate to not only step in to help someone else but be there for each other when the call arises.  Of course, wanting to avoid any further confrontations I took Owen in this morning to talk to the appropriate people at the school, and to also pose the question as to why the crossing guards did NOTHING to intervene.  Also to inform them in no uncertain terms that were they NOT to take it seriously and handle the problem, I could not guarantee that neither Owen nor Elijah wouldn't take care of the problem.  I do SO hope they stick to their assertion that they will remedy this today.  I have no desire for any of them to have to withstand an inevitable escalation.
Is it bad of me to contemplate the similarities of these children in comparison with the protagonists in "Boon Dock Saint's"? 
Does that make ME Billy Conolly?