Homeless man wisdom

When I was walking today and i passed a homeless man on a park bench, i smiled and asked how he was doing, with no reply he smiled back offered a note card to me which i took and then he smiled again and i continued on my way.

the note card had a hand written quote which is as follows

“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”


- Dalai Lama XIV


I got a knowledge bomb dropped on me by the most unsuspecting person.


I really really like this quote because it is so true and in a way relates to the Paradox of Choice.


This is my break down of the quote in my own words:

If you can fix a problem. then there is not need to worry, it's fixable and you know what to do.
If you know there is nothing you can do about the problem then there still is no need to worry, because it is out of your hands and what's going to happen is going to happen. so don't worry youself about it.

The Paradox of Choice

Finally finished reading the book, and i have to say i enjoyed it a lot more than i expected. Barry schwartz made a lot of good points that i never really realized but are all true.

we have so many options and we don't want to make the wrong choice, but with so many options available to us we often find ourselves second guessing the choice we do make.

Along with the introduction of e-commerce and online buying we have choices that we can make with out actually seeing in person the product we are buying and unless we are buying something we have already owed and liked we don't know if we make the right decision until we get the product. and then you have to go through the process of mailing it back and hopefully making the right decision the second time around.

some of the points that i took away where:

Made our decisions non-reversible, so when we do make a decision there is no going back and second guessing or changing it.

 Regret less. be happy with your choice, you made it in-brace it.

Control expectations. I know i do this a lot i will buy something and just set the bar so high that i do find myself being let down quite often.

Be a Chooser, not a picker. don't just pick something so you don't have to think about all the other choices choose the one you want

Finals

well it's the week before finals which is called dead week, but here at MSU dead week isn't a true dead week. when i was attending the University of Arizona dead week which was the same week, right before finals was a real dead week, which meant no classes were held only offices hours.

i dont know if it's just me but most of my classes are finished during Dead week. I only have one final on "finals week" everything else finishes this week and its all due the same day so for a little pick me up watch this video of the kid who's party was the inspiration for the movie "project X"

Creating a new Market (NIKE Motocross)

Whether you like Nike or not it is well known that they sponsor the some of the worlds best athletes, and produce some of the best sport equipment for those athletes to use.  Nike started as a shoe/running company and has since grown to shoes, clothes and accessories for a wide range of sports.  

with there move into action sports market Nike has sponsored athletes in Skateboarding, Snowboarding and surfing. along with this move Nike has again picked up the top athletes in their respected sports including Paul Rodriguez and Eric Koston (skateboarders) and Danny Kass, Gigi Ruf and Scotty Lago (Snowboarders) along with this athletes Nike had produced a line of exceptional products to support their riders and the general public.

This leads me to the point of today's blog, Nike has yet again entered into unfamiliar territory Sponsoring and creating one-off Motocross Boots for their team Riders Ryan Dungey and James Stewart, both of these Riders are past Champions and continue to Podium in almost every race.

Ryan Dungey during the design process with Nike (went through 30+ proto-types)

Ryan Dungey explaining what it took to design the boot.

James "Bubba" Stewart Jr. 7 time National Champion showing off his Nike 6.0 Boots

These are a closer look of Bubba's custom boots with custom color-way, his number "7" on the ankle and his bubba on the front. 

360 degree view

and my favorite colorway and red with the iconic white swoosh.

what makes this boots so incredible is the amount of time, money and research that when into making these one of the if not the most technological advanced pair of boots to date not to mention one of the lightest and strongest pairs.

And here's the kicker unless you name is Ryan Dungey or James Stewart there is no way you'll be wearing this pair of boots any time soon. Team Riders only and no talk of a production model anytime soon.

but what it has done as created quit the buzz around the motocross industry, plus any one that is a fan of these two riders or Nike in general wants a pair, me included.

When or if they ever produce a commercial model, myself and i am sure a lot of other will be in line and willing to pay for em. 

here's a video of Dungey explaining the technology of the Nike 6.0 motocross boot.

http://motocross.transworld.net/1000088526/news/a-closer-look-at-the-nike-airmx-boot/

Formula One

Okay, I first want to start of by saying if your a NASCAR fan i am sorry. I do immensely respect the drivers for their dedication to training and skill it does take to drive a car that fast, but when it does come down it's only 200 miles of left turns.

 If you want a real race Formula One is were it's at.  formula one is open wheeled high performace race care that is races on road track, sometimes made of closed of city streets in city such Laguna Seca, Los Angeles and San Diego to name a few.

This Sundays race was held in China were after the unfortunate exits of several high profile drivers, Fernando Alonso of the Ferrari team took the checkered flag for his first win of the 2013 Formula One racing seaon.

The Points standings after the first three races are 

1	Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull	–	52	‒	1
2	Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus	–	49	3	1
3	Fernando Alonso - Ferrari	+3	43	9	1

Vettel the 25 year old phenom is again set up early for his 4th consecutive constructors cup which is unheard of from a driver his age.

my favorite driver Kimi Raikkonen who is in second after winning the opening race in Australia and finishing second this past weekend. I feel this is his year for another cup.

Let's go KIMI RAIKKONEN

and if you have never watched a Formula One Race check one out races air on Sunday afternoon on NBS sports network.  enjoy

Adam Scott

ok i know it is the day after and any one that really cares, already knows that Adam Scott is the 2013 Masters Champion. Congratulations Mr. Scott




Not only is this Adam's first ever master win, but his first major win as well as the first Australian ever to win the Masters in its 77 year history.




I came across and article on Forbes online that talk about how Uniqlo a Japanese company that made the right decision at the right time, "Uniqlo Japan’s leading specialty retailer. In a case of excellent timing, Uniqlo announced last week that it signed Scott to a multi-year contract to serve as a global brand ambassador."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2013/04/15/adam-scotts-masters-win-is-boon-for-new-sponsor-uniqlo/

talk about getting in at the ground floor. Scott was a relative no namer with some top 10 finishes but no major wins. for Uniqlo signing Scott a week before this win is like buying a horse that wins the Kentucky derby a week before it wins just straight profit.

Masters Sunday

Well the day is upon us, Masters sunday one of the most exciting days in golf.  this is when the players are at there best, where they are tested not only physically but mentally and only the strong will survive in the hopes to be the one wearing the green jacket at the end of the day.  well the show begins here in hour will post after its over and let you know who won.

The Masters

I don't know how many of you follow golf but the masters championship is being played this weekend at Augusta National Golf course. there have been some unusual happenings this year, with tiger woods being given a 2 stroke penalty for a fail that happened the day before.




and the younger player to ever play in a major championship the 14 year from China, Guan Tianlang even after being handed a 1 stroke penalty for slow play came back and made the cut for today even though he tended to struggle in this afternoons round.

there will be more on the final round of the masters in tomorrow blog along with one of my favorite sports to watch Formula One racing with is live from China at 1230 midnight.

Stoli Thursdays

so after hearing nick E ritual in class the other day i joined him and his friends at specs for his thursday ritual and asked him to write my blog for mw in his words and this is what i got.

 "after hearing nicks presentation about his ritual, I decided to join him for an adventure in alcoholism. A drink was especially necessary after hearing the rantings of the mad Jesus freaks on campus. Its rather ironic that their campaign, if you can call it that, against the basic hedonic needs of mankind are essentially evil and radical in their minds."

must say i am a big fan of this ritual even though i learn of the passing on angela and by passing i mean she quit and moved to a different state i never really knew her but the way nick spoke of her, i felt like it did

Family Ritual

After hearing some of the other ritual being read aloud in class yesterday i started to think of all the other rituals that had avoided me while writing my paper.  That one that i still can believe i forgot about and wish i had written about is that yearly camping trip i take with my dads whole extended family to Carpinteria state beach, just south of Santa Barbra, CA.

It is always the second week in August when any were from 40 to 60 of my extended family members all gather together to camp on sites that back right up to the pacific ocean.

 

My dad and his family have been going for the last 35 years, i myself have been going since i was 6 months old and have only missed one year when we where living on the east coast.  this week long trip is filled with relaxation, laying on the beach, beach volleyball games, horseshoe tournaments, drinking, card games and just catching up with family members we don't get to see as often as we would like. 

there are a lot of ritual that go along with the camping trip and the one that is my favorite i had to wait 21 long years for the "ice run" that ice run is when most of the men that ones that can get away aleast ride their bikes into town to get more ice for the coolers, but what they really do is go bar hopping before dinner.  the one story i still remember is when my uncle bob actually though they were going to get ice, bought 3 bags and by the time they sowed up hammered drunk for dinner all the ice had melted.  now that i am of age i am continuing on the ritual of the ice run with my new favorite stop being the Island Brewing Company just on the edge of town.

here are some other picture of the small little beach community of Carpinteria, CA.

Downtown Carpinteria, leads right to the beach

Robitaille's Candy shop (downtown) favorite for the little kid's and some of the big ones (me)

Matt Moore Surf Shop (downtown)

The spot, good burgers (end of DT right next to the beach)

A view of the coast line

Another Bozeman Brewery

If you havent made it over to the newly opened Bridger Brewery above the Town and Country off 11th  then i ask you, what are you waiting for?  open for little over a month now it won't be the new kid on the block for long.  another aspiring brewer has submitted plans to build Map Brewing company across from bozeman beach and if all goes well should be open this coming fall.

Patrick Kainz is the man behind Map Brewing Co. which is planned to be built in North Bozeman off Manley Road where the tasting room will not only over look the bridgers but have a view of Bozeman Beach as well.  being so close to bozeman beach and the trail system this location is prime for those that make use of the trails system just a walk or bike ride away.
 
The question arising is, is there room for a forth brewery in Bozeman?  if you ask me, I say yes. each of the three breweries open right now in town all have there own unique qualities.  Bozeman the oldest of the three has there set taps as were 406 brewery is always rotating beers so it something different all the time and Bridger brewery offers food.  so i am looking forward to see what unique qualities Map Brewing Co. is going to bring to Bozeman

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/city/article_7385044a-9c15-11e2-95ae-001a4bcf887a.html#user-comment-area

hey, every one I forgot the email address to my other blog drod251.blogspot.com so this is my new nixon251 enjoy.

I can across this ad for Knob Creek Bourbon that i found every interesting

 

the ad as you can see states, "Thanks for nothing." next to an empty bottle of Knob Creek, I find this to be a very bold approach to advertising but it does grab your attention. when you read the paragraph below they go on to tell you that because of such high demand and the amount of time it takes to age Knob Creek to get that great taste that they are unwilling to sacrifice the taste to fulfill demand. Bold move Knob creek but i feel it will pay off makes me want to at least try it, if it is that good they ran out.