Dyngus Day and Earth Hour

I'm deviating from usual themes.  Last night, at Liz' urging, we participated in Earth Hour, killing all the lights for an hour.  I've never been a big fan of symbolic gestures, but the issues of global warming and energy waste are too urgent to keep ignoring.  A site to visit:  http://www.earthhour.org  If you want to see some photos of how Earth Hour played out in Toronto and other cities, check Liz's blog Speedy Ice Effect (link over to the right).

The Irish have St. Patrick's Day, the Nawlins folk have Mardi Gras, but in Buffalo, the Poles have Dyngus Day!!! (I am told that it is celebrated in Pittsburgh and in Chicago too).  The idea seems to be a city-wide post-Lenten party, with good food and polkas everywhere, and busses to move you from bar to bar. The story is that on the Monday after Easter, long ago, people would sprinkle potential lovers with water, and touch them with pussywillow branches.  Dyngus Day in Buffalo has that, and I am told (have not seen it yet myself) that squirt guns are now involved.  Anyway, I invite you to check this out at http://dyngusdaybuffalo.com or, more generally at htpp:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Monday  You have to love the idea of a party involving "the world's largest squirt gun" (a red fireboat);where there are bus shuttles to the"official Dyngus taverns" and where the dancing, eating and partying even includes a public library (Adam Mickiewicz Library, known locally as Mickey's) and some churches (such as St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish, known as St. Stan's).  There is a parade too.  Google this thing!  As a NYS car dealer says, "It's HUGE"

Bruce Connor: An Accomplishment to Applaud

Anyone who reads this blog knows that the accomplishments of older athletes are my thing. I strongly recommend that you link to Andrew Love's blog, Zen and the Art of Speedskating (see column to right) and look at the pictures and text about long-tracker Bruce Connor. I have never met Bruce but I want to shake his hand. At the age of 53, he has qualified for 2009 Olympic trials with a 500m time of 38.xxx seconds!!!!! I'll have some of what he's eating, please!

The End of A Season

The cycle ends, the cycle begins.  New job, too much commuting, too little practice resulted for me in a season that was a lot of fun, but more of a plateau than an advance. For Liz, a completely different story: she came in to her own this season in Salt Lake, as a skater and as a young adult.  It was so much fun to serve as a timer in Midland MI at American Cup Finals and see her and her teammates, both from Salt Lake and Rochester skate so very well...both those who won, and those who those whose efforts deserved better outcomes (yes, Matt, I am thinking of that great display of aerobatics!!!  I have no idea how you stayed on your blades).

Midland also brought four days of what I love most about our sport...the company and friendship of really good people, parents, skaters, officials. It's a privilege to be part of a sport where so many of the people are open, supportive, genuinely friendly.

Now, a deep breath, a short pause and begin again.  Yesterday I brought my bike to the shop for a tune up.  Like the first robin, the tune-up is a sure sign of spring and, of course, of dry land practice!