Smashing the Competition

INCIDENT:
This evening I went to see Chris McCormack speak to a crowd of aspiring triathletes. McCormack, or Macca as he is known in the triathlon world, is a professional triathlete who has won the triathlon world championships in the Olympic distance. He now focuses his energies on the longer distance ironman triathlons. Somehow these past several years the Ironman World Chamionship has eluded him.

MORAL:
There is nothing more humbling than being reminded of our weaknesses. Macca openly admits there have been many times that he was over confident and this confidence was ultimately his downfall. But the challenge keeps him coming back year after year. If we are not challenged by our pursuits then why pour our hearts into them? It is in the challenge that we find meaning.

Broken Angel - Art? Architecture? Hazard?

INCIDENT:

image from the New York Times

Arguably Broken Angel in Brooklyn is a historic landmark. It is a hodgepodge of interventions and personal art projects. The owner Arthur Wood argues that it's beauty cannot be fully appreciated from the exterior. But I think everyone can agree that it's novel and unique facades make you stop and question.

Broken Angel is the name of the old Brooklyn Trolley headquarters that Wood has been adding to and renovating since he purchased the building in the late 70s. A fire last year alerted officials to building code violations and have led to the building's condemnation a couple of months ago. This project questions - What is art? What is architecture? And how much compromise must we make for what we believe in?

An Angel Is Pulled Closer to Earth - The New York Times

MORAL:
Self expression is a great gift. And it is through self expression that we can uncover and define our selves. Broken Angel is such a controversy because it is more than the expression of one individual's creativity. It is a part of the daily life of everyone who lives in Clinton Hill. It is a destination for art lovers. It is home to Wood's family. When art becomes more than itself, do we still call it art? Or is it something more?

Changes

INCIDENT:
There seems to be a concentration of major changes occurring in my friends' lives. As friends move to new cities, have babies, accept new jobs in different cities, become engaged, and get unexpected job offers, I realize we are constantly met with life altering challenges. The question is if we can meet those challenges and find ourselves equal to them.

MORAL:
Even though change is occurring all of the time we only really perceive it when there is a difference. Otherwise there is perception of stability in those aspects of our life. But when we are caught off guard by the awareness of change it becomes too overwhelming. We are unprepared and it can hit us like a ton of bricks. It is these moments that I think are the most challenging. But they are also the moments that I am reminded how wonderful life is...

I have a blog?

INCIDENT:
Wow, where did the time go?

MORAL:
Alright, I have been horrible about blogging in the past month or so. But I am hoping that will change in 2007. Let's give it go.