Thursday, March 02, 2006

TO THE READERS

You have probably noticed that the velocity of the Author’s posts has slowed. There are several reasons, one of which was addressed in January. First, the Author is currently in more of a thinking than a concluding mode. Second, issues in the Author’s personal life currently demand attention. These must take priority.

Additionally, the Author wants to temporarily concentrate on more motorcycle related issues. He is building up a small following writing on motorcycle business issues. So, for the near term, this is the lay of the land in the Desert of the Real:

1. The velocity of posts will slow.
2. More posts will address motorcycles business issues than economic, financial and investment issues.

These steps are being taken to maintain the quality of the Author’s posts. That being said, if an important investment, financial or economic issue emerges, the Author will provide guidance.

But the Author will be back in black later this spring. And he will be working on his next venture, the motorcycle business. It is time to face the obvious. The author is passionate about motorcycles and motor sports. And he has a wealth of business and financial experience. The twain shall meet.

JUST FOR FUN

The Author recently saw the film “The World’s Fastest Indian”. (He has seen it twice. The second time he took his friend and fellow art film enthusiast. And the Author’s friend liked the film.) The film stars Anthony Hopkins in a story of human triumph and affirmation. It is the story about an eccentric New Zealander named Burt Munro. Burt was a tinkerer and a mechanical wizard who set land speed motorcycle records on a 1924 Indian Scout motorcycle. Burt was a crust old guy and getting the bike to Bonneville and beating the land speed record was his driving ambition. And he did it.

The character Burt said a couple of things in the film that are instructive. When asked if he was afraid of getting killed in a wreck, he said: “No. You do more living in five minutes on that motorcycle than most people do in a lifetime.”

And he confided to his friend that “He wanted to do just one big think before he falls of the perch, or kicks the bucket.” And he did.

Here is the link to the film’s website.

http://www.worldsfastestindian.com/

In response to the film, the Author had a compelling vision for a poem. He has only written a handful of poems in his adult life and in college. But he has a BA in English and can work in the genre. The poem in part draws from W.H. Auden’s poem “September 1, 1939”. http://www.gametec.com/poemdujour/Sept1.1939.html

Many people rediscovered Auden’s prescient poem in the aftermath of 9-11.

A Man of Still Emoting Speed[i]
By Rob Feightnerã2006

Blown out of the blocks, yet still not of age.
I flew across the snow at speed unimagined.
Cold but oblivious.
And impervious.
Throttle pinned on a Red Machine.
A ride of all Eros with no knowledge of Dust.

I now know of both Eros and Dust.
Composed, as others, of Eros and Dust.
Transposed, as others, between Eros and Dust.
Yet thrust to life again at speed, riding only of Eros and Lust.
[i] Suggested by W.H. Auden, “September 1, 1939”.


LIVE IN EROS AND LUST IN THE DESERT OF THE REAL!