Just Talking

Super Slow Writer

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:31:17 -0400

I haven’t been adding anything! I’ve written a lot with no editing. All these “Just Talking” articles hanging around. For those of you who know me, I’m a hack writer with minor zeal for editing.

I’ll be posting “stuff” soon.

JM

Go Global With Your Music

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 22:42:53 -0400

I mentioned this a couple months ago in the health club world. Go global with your iTunes! I am constantly looking for my next music fix. I NEED NEW MUSIC or I go nuts. I have my variety of music sources I go to online, especially over in the U.K. From time to time I still get vinyl from across the Atlantic through the mail. You can get great “white label” remixes that break copyright laws here in the U.S. but rock the dance scene in Europe.

For starters, and it’s really easy, go global. Use your iTunes to harness the power of ears from all over the globe. What are people listening to in Germany, Japan, Italy, England, and Brazil? All you have to do is scroll to the bottom of your iTunes home page and hit the American Flag button on the bottom left hand corner.

You hit the little American flag and up pops all the flag buttons you see in the background. Look at all the countries you can visit!

What’s the top-ten in Chile...forget that, what’s the top 100? I’ve been doing this for a while and mentioned the song, “We Speak No Americano,” and how it wasn’t being played in the US. It was huge everywhere else and now it’s finally breaking into the American music scene. The cross influence through technology is boundless and fast. What rocking music can you find and pass onto your music loving friends? What music can you post on our ViVe FB wall that you want to hear in cycling class?

C’mon people, lets get the music grooving for the darker days of winter and keep the party going inside. What can you find and share? What’s the next big hit going to be? Beat me to it!

I’m out, I need to find the next groove.

Peace and strength,

Jon Malone

BTW: 1)Did you find out what the flag was above?
2)You won’t be able to purchase the song in the country you visit. Mark the song and purchase it back in the the U.S. iTunes store. If we have it.

inOutside

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:48:05 -0400

New word in creation and being sent to Webster’s.

JM

No Periph’

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:28:47 -0400

My mountain biking skills improved over night, literally. The first time I went night mountain biking transformed how I felt and rode the trail.

Before night riding, I was always looking at the trail. All the little rocks I wanted to avoid, the 20 foot drop off the side of the trail, the color of the fall leaves, and the climb way off in the distance. Ugh. Now, with a light system, I was looking only at what I saw lit by those two beams of light. One beam was fixed to the direction of the handlebar while the other pointed directly at where I was looking. That saber of light shooting off my helmet was my third eye.

“What was that noise off the side of the trail?” I looked away from the direction I was riding and the third eye sunbeam shot into the woods and lit up a deer’s eyes. It was late November when I saw that deer, the first cold evening of fall and it gently started to snow. The little white flakes quickly appeared in the tunnel of light. Dancing innocently like butterflies but quickly attacked any bare skin like cold bee stings.

Instantly going into a Novocain like numbness to the stings of snow, I pedaled deeper into the never ending tunnel of light. I realized my peripheral vision, in a way, was shut down. Darkness on either side of me enhanced my forward focus through the snow and directly where I wanted to go. It truly was tunnel vision. I had no periph’!

The adaption to my new riding environment happened instantaneously. I quickly recognized how my initial trail distance gauge was limited by the light length. Just like head beams off a car, you can only see so far and that’s your focus. “Jon, you only have this much on your plate right now to deal with.” Everything became more manageable in smaller sections.

The trails I’d ridden a hundred times during the day suddenly became easier. I was riding everything smoother and had a lot less “dabs.” I wasn’t sweating the small stuff because I couldn’t see it. If it didn’t show up in the main concentration of light, it wasn’t as important. Awesome, “I see the light,” praise the lord. I can bike faster with a lot less stress.

This change in vision quickly carried over into my day time riding. Snow, rain, heat, and humidity would no longer be as big as factor as it once was. This vision carried over into running at night as well.

Now I love the occasional run at night along the Charles River. I throw on the perfect soundtrack and zone out to zone into the lit path in front of me as I no longer see the white tips of the ruffled river in the darkness. The graffiti across the Mass Ave bridge is dulled along with the noise and bustle of daytime congestion.

Try it out if you haven’t already. Let me know what your experience is like.

Keep it real.

Peace and strength,

Jon Malone

Joining The Tribe

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:31:07 -0400

Finally, I saw the movie Avatar. There is a scene when the lead character, “Jake,” has to prove himself as a Na’Vi tribe warrior. The challenge is to capture and wrestle down a flying Mountain Banshee. The Banshee is colorful mix of a dragon, bat, and lizard with piranha like teeth. Jake must avoid the animals bite, straddle it, and connect with it via hair like strands. These strands connect all living beings when linked together.

Once he connects with the Mountain Banshee, he completes the test by flying off a cliff thousands of feet above the ground. He levels out with the beast and gains smooth flight while another Na’Vi jumps on their own Banshee to go fly with him. The rest of the Na’Vi tribe are yelling in excitement with only one pessimistic Na’Vi saying. “That moron is going to die.” Sound familiar?

The scene clearly reminds me of moments my friends and I’ve experienced in outdoor adventures. Playing games, racing, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, sky diving, all have aspects of uncertainty and risk. It is the individual who with increasing confidence and consistent practice overcomes the risk. The risks are easily understood as evidenced when a person on a borrowed bike tries for the first time, “doing it.” Taking a tumble on the first flight, getting back up, and learning how to ride. With friends that youthful spirit stirred on by the group helps as we guide the "newbie" through important motions and exercise with humor, joking and laughing which balances out any nervousness. Success! When the all while joking around and laughing balancing out any nervous energies. When the newbie performs the jump for the first time and all hands fly in the air, “Dude!! Knew you had it!”

At that moment the tribe has grown another warrior like the Na’Vi, the athlete commands their bike like that Banshee. You see the connections being made on the fly and it’s awesome. The experienced rider jumps on their mountain bike and trails the new rider through the woods as they explore their new found skill. The surfer paddles out yelling, “You got this wave!” The ski group pulls out the trail map and says, “You can totally do this run now, lets go.” Everyone descends the mountain meeting at the chairlift below sharing thrills of the run just like the excitement between Jake and Neytiri after Jake’s first Banshee flight. “You banked this way and I turned so hard....”

The resemblance between that scene in Avatar and real sport life was very real and it got me excited for moments this spring when new people are getting on a road bike for the first time. Going on a group ride with us or coming to a beginner mountain bike class. Even with seasoned athletes who are trying something new. Roadies who are going to tackle some tougher climbs this year or the mountain biker looking to learn some new skills at Highland Mountain bike park in NH.

If you are joining us for the first time, “Welcome.” If you are the athlete teacher helping newbies, be patient and pace it just right. Don’t forget to laugh and keep it all in balance. Help build the tribe and try not to exclude too much.

Warm weather presents opportunities for joy and exhilaration to be shared. I hope to hear all about it.

Peace and Strength,

Jonathan Malone

Tom

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:54:35 -0400

Follow along @jmvive on Twitter tomorrow. I am doing “The Triple S” in honor of my parent’s dear friend, Tom, who just passed away of heart complications.
Over the past year I visited Tom in the hospital (MGH) as he went through heart surgeries, and most recently, was waiting for the right heart for a transplant. Tom and his wife, Jan, and family live in South Windsor, Connecticut, and good friends of my parents in Albany. I live nearby to MGH in Boston so, I felt honored to visit with him. Tom had a huge, warm smile that filled the room, and always was a great guy to visit.
Our talks didn’t span a great deal of time, but we managed to share some wonderful thoughts. He asked me about the time I was biking in downtown Boston and run over by a truck, nearly costing me my life. I explained how I felt at that moment when you think you are in control, but you’re not, you just seem to give yourself to the moment. Similarly, dealing with health and a healing process, you do the best that you can and trying to stay positive through it all. “Stand porter at the door of thought.”
It was if Tom knew something about his future, but wasn’t revealing too much. He knew there would be a time to let go of his desires, but he was supported by the prayers of a community, the doctor’s hope, and family love. He was extremely at peace with loosening the tight human grip we have with staying alive and was giving it over to life eternal.
Even though we had those serious conversations we did keep it in balance. I brought him some fun adventurous magazines and he would joke around while lying in bed and say, "we need to stop meeting up like this!" To which I replied, "Fine. Heal up and next time you’re hiking with me!"
He asked me about some of my favorite hikes which led to talking about hiking Tuckerman’s and “The Triple S,” an event I designed. Land, sea and air all in one day. Three sports which all start with the letter “S.”
“Tom, first you hike up Mt. Washington through Tuckerman’s Ravine, earning your snowy turns down by Ski or Snowboard. You then drive to Maine and Skydive. After that you cruise to the coast of New Hampshire and Surf. – That’s what constitutes the three ‘S’ sports.”
Tom was fascinated, and quickly asked, “Why do you do this?”
I replied, “Funny you should ask. I’ve had some people think it’s all about the adrenaline rush or you’re trying to show-off. I do it because it makes me feel complete. Kind of like experiencing Thanksgiving Day, Earth Day, and a baptism all rolled into one. I’ve heard ‘the journey is the destination’ and this is a great example of that thought.”
“Hiking up the mountain I am thankful to be alive.” I explained, “I have two good legs to help me climb to the highest point of the mountain at Tuckerman’s. There you enjoy a great vista and pay respect to the supreme spirit of the land. Then, you dance down the mountain on your skis or on your snowboard.
“Second, you fly up in a plane to a point where you can start to see the curve in the Earth. Just before you dive out, the plane veers one way and you see the mountain you just climbed, where you began the day’s events. Then, the plane veers the other way and you see the ocean where you are about to surf to end the day’s activity. We have such an amazing playground.”
“Third, you start walking out into the ocean and you feel your body get lighter as you walk deeper into the water. A wave rolls in and your feet lift off the ocean bottom and touch back down. You paddle out and just ‘chill.’ The sun is setting, and you patiently wait for that first wave you want to go for. You paddle hard, pop up, and just ride till you dive back down into the ocean at waves end, completely washed and refreshed.”
Tom shook his head in amazement, smiled warmly with a nice sparkle in his eyes. He told me he had skydived before and wished he could be apart of this day.
But, Tom passed away Sunday afternoon, April 18. So, tomorrow for him, I will carry his generous spirit with me as I go hike. He will be apart of this entire day. He encouraged me to continue chasing down the dreams saying, "Those are great dreams with goals to get you there ...no more time to doubt." His final comment had hit the nail on the head for me.
My last words with Tom, "I don't care what these Doc’s say, as far as I'm concerned, you have a great heart!"
Let's go play tomorrow, Tom, and first, you’re going hiking.

Peace and strength,
Jonathan B. Malone

The Crook Is Down!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:16:34 -0400

1.

Have you ever wanted to write a “choose your own adventure” story? How about being the lead role in a story?

I always had fun reading the stories between my Lego sessions as a kid. The books always started with a stationary plot. The first couple story pages were fixed and then you had the chance to interact with the outcome of the story and “choose your next move.” Do you go down that dark alley (go to page 14) or stay on main street (go to page 27)?

I would quickly go to page 14 and read it, slide a finger in to mark the page and then go to page 27. After reading that I would decide which I thought was the better move.

As you grow up, you realize life has some similarities. You can think out your moves in advance and choose what’s best. You also have your moments where you can retry things. We have moments in sports where we get that opportunity all the time. You missed that free throw in basketball. Follow through a little smoother with the hand and you’ll make the next shot. You sliced that drive on the golf course. What was wrong with your mechanics? You might “choose” to do something different next time.

What about the moments when you get no second chance? Those moments that define who you are and all the experiences that guide your decision making process?

_____________________________
If you want to read about a true experience and start with a real “Choose Your Own Adventure Intro,” read on.

If you want to avoid the crook, stop reading.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.
BEWARE and WARNING

This story is different from other stories.

You and YOU ALONE are in charge of what happens in this story.

There are dangers, choices, adventures and consequences. YOU must use all of your numerous talents and much of your enormous intelligence. The wrong decision could end in disaster -- even death. But, don’t despair. At anytime, YOU can go back and make another choice, alter the path of your story, and change its result.

It is 7pm and you just finished up work in Boston. Needing to get some bike parts for the weekend’s bike race, you head over to one of your sponsors, Back Bay Bikes. The shop sits at the intersection of Mass Ave and Comm Ave. It’s nestled down below ground level and a quick walk down the concrete steps gets you in the front door. The shop lights are dimmed and the “Closed” sign was just flipped on the door. A knock gets you entry after hours. Some of your teammates work there and you all talk briefly about the weekend’s upcoming race as you grab the break pads and cables for your bike. You don’t waste too much time as the shop is closing along with many other shops in the neighborhood. The sidewalks start to fill with patrons scurrying home with bags of bought goodies and managers close up their registers and cash out for the day.

You say your “Thank you and goodbye” to teammates and head up the steps to street level. The little black gate keeping patrons out for the night was shut and you lift your bike over the gate and place it on the sidewalk. You are now straddling the fence when a man running around the corner bumps into you. Unfazed, he keeps running down the sidewalk with big black bag swinging in hand.

Thinking, “That was rude” you get yourself over the fence and start mounting your bike when a second man runs by yelling on his mobile phone. “He just ran off with the money [gasp gasp GASP] and I can’t catch him. He is running down Commonwealth Ave!!”

You think the guy on the mobile phone must be a manager and his placed just got robbed. He has a mixed look of shock and exhaustion on his face while his hands tremble from the adrenaline rush going through his body.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
3.

You ask him while pointing down the street at the guy that ran into you 10 seconds earlier, “He robbed you?” He says, “Yah” while continuing to talk on the phone.

__________________________________
If you decide to take action, continue below.

If you decide to let someone else take care of it, bike home and eat dinner.
THE END

You realize you could do something about the robbery in progress. Your desire to help a fellow Bostonian is strong and action needs to be taken NOW! You need to figure out the best plan of attack and fast.

________________________________
If you decide to grab your heavy Kryptonite bike lock and bike down the street after the crook, keep reading.

If you decide to follow the crook on your bike, go to page 5.

You reach in your back pack and grab the heavy u-lock. Lock in hand you pedal down the sidewalk quickly catching the out of shape crook. He has no idea you’re coming up from behind at twice his speed. With “Big Papi” slugger skills you swing the lock at the Yankee’s sign on the back of the crook’s hat. The barrel of the lock strikes the NY emblem and the crook’s legs buckle from the blow. His entire body goes limp as he hits the cracked sidewalk. The black bag of stolen loot falls to his side as you skid your bike to a stop. Since the robber is out for the count, you assess the scene.

________________________________
If you decide to take the stolen money and bike off, shame on you. Karma is coming.

THE END

If you decide to wait for the shop manager, go to page 4.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
4.

The manager is still on the phone as he catches up to you. He is out of breath and barely able to speak. He manages to get out a “thank you” at which point you swing your bag off your back, throw the lock back in, and pull out a business card. As you give him the card you say, “I am a personal trainer and coach. You could be a lot faster and have better endurance for moments like this. Give me a call. I’ll make you stronger and faster!”

He looks at you with slight bewilderment but realizes that cigarette box bulge in his back pocket has to go.

You shake his hand, jump on your bike and cruise home.

The following day you receive a phone call from the crook’s lawyer. The crook is suing you for excessive force. The lawyer says, “He will have a headache for the rest of his life and his back is deformed from hitting the ground so hard. It looks like you will be training that shop owner and all of his friends to make up the amount of money you will be sued.

THE END

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5.

You decide to follow the crook. You jump on your bike, pedal away and quickly catch up to the out-of-shape crook. Keeping a good 100 foot buffer, you can see every move he makes without giving away the fact he has a tail. Your cell phone is right in your chest pocked of your jacket. You dial 911. The operator picks up the call and asks your location and name as you successfully follow the crook across the park divider between inbound and outbound lanes of Comm Ave. He is now running north up Hereford Street right under some construction scaffolding. No sooner has he cleared the scaffolding he makes a left turn into public alley 429.

The 911 operator is asking your emergency and you tell her what has happened. You keep her on the phone while giving her live updates. “He is running, no jogging. No, now he is slowing...he has stopped. He is resting in the alley.”

You apply your bike breaks and the front break squeals loudly. You think, “I should have fixed that at the shop” but it is too late. Your break pads yelled out, “I see you!” and the chubby crook is looking directly looking at you.

_________________________________

If you choose to turn around, keep reading.

If you choose to continue towards the crook, go to page 6.

You decide to call off the chase. Afraid the crook might have a weapon and it might not be safe, you tried your best. You tell the 911 operator your concerns and hang up.

THE END

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
6.

You slow down but don’t stop. Hunched over in pain from the run, the crook yells out, “What are you doing?” Acting all casual and with no worries, you coast toward the out-of-shape crook.

_________________________________

If you decide to hang up the phone and hand the Crook your business card, keep reading.

If you decide to use your quick B.S. skills you learned in college, Go to page 7.

You disconnect the call to 911 and give the crook your business card. “I am a personal trainer and coach. You know you could be a lot faster and have better endurance for moments like this. Give me a call. I’ll make you stronger and faster! Since you are taking most of the risk, I’ll split the take 70-30 with you.”

The crook smiles at you and says, “Deal. What are you doing tomorrow morning? My back is killing me.”

THE END

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
7.

With your B.S. major you acquired in college, you decide to roll towards crook while asking, “Where is building 28? My buddy said the back entrance was around here somewhere.” You still have the 911 operator on the phone and you make it look like you are talking to your friend.

Believing you, the crook uprights himself, picks up the bag and starts to jog further down the alley. You give him some distance in case he has a weapon but still are watching every move. He turns back around, sees you still pedaling down the alley and yells, “STOP following me!!” At that point he turns right back onto Mass Ave. You quickly accelerate so you don’t lose him and get to the turn just in time to see him making another quick right onto Marlborough Street. He ducks down in front of a parked Jeep Cherokee.

Hunched down by the bumper of the car, he doesn’t think you see him as you pedal a little further down Mass Ave. You slow down just out of sight and wait for him to make his next move and he does.

Not only is the crook out of shape but not very bright. He gets up and runs across the street right into his apartment building. You report the address to the 911 operator and the dispatched cops come right to the location.

You hail the cop cruiser and they roll down the window. You give them your name and tell them what happened along with a detailed description of the crook.

“He was wearing jean shorts or something similar. They went right below his knees. He has big calves and is a little heavy set. He had a dark hoodie on and a baseball cap. Boooo Yankees. His hair was dark and he had some scruff going on his face. He carried a black bag and it looked like there was a white plastic bag in that bag. You might get a kick out of this, but he was really out of shape as well. He could barely breathe at one point and he hadn’t even run half a mile.”

You point out the building and the cops take over.

Feeling good about your quick decision making, you bike home and tell your friends and family about your adventure. They all congratulate you on a job well done.

THE END

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
8.

I still find a “choose your own adventure” to be fun and now can say I have written a mini-version based on a real story that happened to me. I did follow the crook to his place and waited for the cops to show up and take over. I did have those serious and goofy thoughts go through my head and think the best decisions were made in the moment. No second chances were needed to get this one right as I didn’t have to mark a previous page with a finger. I was ready for the moment.

Mark Twain made a great comment about these defining moments in life:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

A lot can happen in twenty years and you never know what crazy crooks might cross your path along the way. “You and YOU alone are in charge of what happens,” and it’s amazing how many more viable options you’ll have when both mind and body are in shape and in balance. Cheers to living strong, being empowered, and feeling unstoppable.

Peace and strength,

Jonathan Malone