| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
No kidding ... I was placed on this earth for a reason? COOL ! The are days I admit that my only comfort are those reassuring words from The Deserata assuring me . . . “You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here”. There are also days when I readily accept that I have a right to be here, but still wander aloud if someone more qualified shouldn’t have been sent on this mission. I suppose my internal questioning began several months ago as a result of an incident that quite literally “knocked some sense into me”. Wall Street has become, to the chagrin of the local Chamber of Commerce folks, someone that resembles an armed encampment. The sights resemble movie stills from a Bruce Willis thriller complete with all the shiny black Ford Crown Victoria sedans, with deep tinted windows and discreet antenna, that a person could want. The sidewalks are lined with burly guys who look like they may have been defensive back coaches for Junior High Schools in Iowa. Call me a geek, accuse me of harboring a lingering fascination with the time I spent around the Secret Service while serving the White House Advance Team, but I’ve always dug on the radios, buttons and gadgets thing be it a 32 channel Mackie mixing board or Waring Blender. I buy home stereo equipment not by signal to noise ratio but by a much simpler algorithm…number of knobs on the front panel that I can play with. My character flaw would on this day, in concert with the Wall Street Security folks, take the first nibble of a feast that would soon threaten to rob me of my self-esteem any remnant of human dignity. I was in a hurry. I needed to get to the ATM and get my $20 allowance on the way to one of my entertaining job interviews. I knew there was Chase Bank just blocks away but I’d have to hurry to insure I arrived on time. I’m walking at the “native New Yorker click gait” wherein everyone who substitutes “youse” for “your” moves like contestants in an athletic event. I’m moving and moving fast as I spot the cadre of black Malibu’s with barely visible drivers who are doubtless outfitted with the latest in discreet May Lauer “I really dopn’t have this thing on” earpieces. Like a foreign agent who’s just spotted his quary I continue to walk while glancing to the side. Looking back, the dangers of this in New York City, seem much more obviuous. This is too cool. I, the unemployed construction worker, am spying on spies spying on spies. I have within my grasp the chance to bear witness as the free world is saved. I am poised on the verge of greatness. Just as I squinted to sharpen my focus, it happened….KA-WHACK! I walked directly, as in I smacked dead center, into a “no parking” sign with immediately began a harmonic dance of increasing pitch as it swung wildly in decreasing oscillations seeking vertical equilibrium. I was stunned, but I was also a super-spy in my daydream. I looked around and damnit, yes, there were about 6 people looking as I struggled to restrain myself from grabbing the growing knot in the center of my forehead. My saving grace was that in Gotham, no one just does something this stupid, it almost always mean that you are watching the filming of the next made for TV comedy. Shades of the future, I would later learn. Yesterday represented what I hope must be the epitomy of stupidity and now, ready to change course and heretofore pursue only the worldly and wise, I feel compelled to share my experience as I depart from the domain of the very stupid. For the record, I consider myself an innocent victim. Much of this, I remaintain, is a simple confluence of my ability to end up squarely in the middle of bizarre circumstances that others might spend a lifetime trying to find. Yesterday, yes, was ugly. I am headed for my daily “writing place” at the Starbucks on Astor Place. It’s neat, exudes an aura of intellect flowing from it’s proximity to NYU and, high on my list, sits directly above the subway, this welcoming the lazy with open arms. As I am walking up the Subway stairs I’m thinking how much I missed reading the morning edition of The New York Post. About half way up the staircase I hear a commotion, lots of screamin’, yelling and evangelizing… nothing out of the usual in Gotham. Intent of interpreting the message my eyes are cast skyward and a bit to the left as I try to get a glimpse of what’s taking place. As I hit the top step, I rool my eyes from the sky to level and see a vendor, standing before a newsstand, with his arms in the air stirring up some sort of ruckus. I’m less interested in his cause at this moment than I am the stack of New York Posts before him. I pick up a post, dig through my pocket and am a bit taken back when he doesn’t immediately take the $0.25 from me. Then, more screaming. From behind, I hear more yelling and immediately notice the lack of folks around me. I assume I’ve stumbled into an Eat Village protest of some sort. Like a dog rotating his ears, I listen to catch a hint of the message. At the speed of light, it becomes clear as does most of the things around me. “hey, can you get the hell off my movie set?” come the call. I turn to see who’s talking. I can’t. All I see is an armada of Panaflex cameras and folks sitting in those cool elevated looking beach chairs. I quickly scan the area only to see that my glance, directed skyward and to the left, prevented me from seeing a perimeter of security folks and orange cones meant to insure no one did anything stupid. Somehow the selected level of security measures seemed to never anticipate the presence of a person afflicted with my propensity for overcoming safeguards that consistently stop the sane and stable. I write this today from a room in the basement where I am avowed to stay with my dog and high speed connection until such time as I feel I can safely return to “reality”. Anyone know what S.A.G. scale is? Court    | ||
| Jim_M |
"Just as I squinted to sharpen my focus, it happened….KA-WHACK! I walked directly, as in I smacked dead center, into a “no parking” sign with immediately began a harmonic dance of increasing pitch as it swung wildly in decreasing oscillations seeking vertical equilibrium." Thanks Court...now I have everyone at work asking me why I just laughed ;^D | ||
| Blake |
S.A.G. scale? Sounds like something that RaceTech or Traxion Dynamics sell. You're worth better than scale. Hell, you deserve you very own sitcom. | ||
| Road_Thing |
Court, at your (and my) age, I would advise you against having anything to do with scales of any kind unless they are being played on a musical instrument! r-t (el pendejo gordo, to my friends...) | ||
| Pilot |
Court Mate, What is the title? Need to check the credits or is that outtakes when it comes out.Thanks for the story.Ross | ||
| Fssnoc2501 |
Court, I needed that, my first vision in my mind was a cartoon with the caption "Boing". Remind me to tell you, at the salt, about some of my experiences in your home state since 9/11. Ray | ||
| Ara |
Court, I can imagine Albert Einstein or Thomas Edison doing the exact same thing as you. Maybe not for the same reasons, but the exact same thing. :-D ;-) | ||
| Court |
Yeah....well....they didn't make a habit of it. You are too young...you weren't around in 1995 for the classic "Court and the Ceiling Fan" were you? I mean, you saw the coffee cup glued to the table..that was kid's play. How about the time I took the entire family, by accident, to the ghetto in Phoenix as a "cultural field trip". Or the time, I took them on the fancy vacation for Thanksgiving, ending up at the only Ritz-Carlton that was on strike and ended up eating Thanksgiving dinner in Hooter's..... It's chronic I fear... | ||
| Ara |
No, no, you've got a rare gift! An inherent (I won't say unconscious) ability to to appreciate the absurdities in life, manufacture them wholesale, and entertain others! :-D You're in the right place to try your hand at comedy, too! Thanks so very much for the call yesterday and the help with those pesky brake drive pins, Court. I brought 'em to work and should be able to send you a photo shortly. The difference between the new and old parts should be readily descernable. | ||
| Court |
>>>No, no, you've got a rare gift! Uh, that's not entirely true. Too many of these folks have known me long enough to know I am genuinely stupid. I've been called the most "self defecating persons" in the history of Buell. Let me know what you find. After our conversation yesterday I found a cache of kits of drive pins, 90o tank vents, foot pegs and bag kits and service/parts manuals.  Anything I can shop outta here only serves to make me more popular at home! Court | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Court, I could use one of the 90o tank vents. I have a full replacement set of body work and tank for my M2. The tank has the old style straight fitting. A 90 should thread right in correct? Brad | ||
| Buelliedan |
Court, Same here. I just bought a slim tank for my S1W which still has the older style straight up vent. I could also use one of those rotor kits you have in the pic as well. I have the nice cast rotor which I know will be rattling soon enough!! Let me know how much you need to get for the stuff and postage. Any luck finding a build sheet for my RSS yet? Thanks chevydan1@hotmail.com | ||
| Court |
>>>>Any luck finding a build sheet for my RSS yet? Yes....I have an entire list of them I'm digging out. It may be 2007 before we can get one more favor.  Court | ||
| S1w98buell |
Court et all, Looking for an ex. heat shield and a 90 deg. vent fitting for a 98 S1W. Can you help? Thanks John.Crumrine@Verizon.Net | ||
| Court |
I can help.....this is the part you are seeking. Any Buel dealer can roust that puppy up pronto!  | ||
| S1w98buell |
Thanks Court, JC | ||
| Daves |
Thanks for the card Court! Ride to the edge! Dave | ||
| Court |
Geeeshhh...you guys are welcome. Tell ya what...I'm beginning to believe CJ... I AM getting OLD! Today has begun, well.....interesting. A lot of this is simply not my fault. I am the product of Pavlov's classical conditioning and a big believer, perhaps to a fault, in technology. Both had put scars on me today. I, a fellow who ordinarily sleeps in the same Nike running shorts that he heads to the deli for the paper and the park to run in the morning, messed up last night and dozed off in a pair of Elmer Fudd toting a shotgun boxers. Ordinarily, that'd not be a problem..... IF you notice it before you are standing before Ramesh, the Indian Deli Owner, at 5:15AM. The is, Aaron assures me, a silver lining to each and every experience. I take the free copy of today's New York Times as a quiet manifestation of that doctrine. Okay, one a day, I mean one little stumble, a big boy like me can recover from. I head home, put on the 2nd pot of Chock-Full-O'-Nuts in the library and commence my column. It was during a break that I recalled that in my continuing effort to remain a beneficiary of the public teet that I needed to write a letter, thus certifying that I was capable of great things, simply being denied, by a society bent on emotionally demolishing my self-esteem. In retrospect, I should never write Official letters to the State of New York during any combination of rage and sleepy-eyed stupor. I have just certified, frickin sworn under oath, that I was "edible for continued monetary benefits". Man.... I've got a job interview today and am tempted to commence the session with something roughly akin to a confessional diatribe, citing the litany of things I'd NOT hire me for. Have, as they say, a GREAT DAY! Love somebody…. Court | ||
| Firemanjim |
Court,recommend you go back on ALL meds ,immediately!!!! | ||
| Sarodude |
Cheese 'n Rice, Court... You make me feel positively normal! THAT is an accomplishment! -Saro | ||
| Court |
It's 12:25pm and getting worse. Do not ask me what just happened with a 3# bag of shelled pecans or how the the "excuse me, I'm trying to get my nuts in a can" comment was misconstrued by a recruiter. Anhybody read my horoscope for the day? | ||
| Andrewb |
"edible for continued monetary benefits". Soylent green is people? | ||
| Ara |
Recommend you use a baggie instead of a can. Both the process and the result will be more to your liking. ;-) Court, anything new on those front brake disk drive pins? Russ | ||
| Whatever |
Court, My name is Elmer J Fudd, I own a mansion and a Buell... got any photos of Henrik in said boxers? Just never know, learning of his tryst with Rocket?  Charlotte | ||
| Henrik |
Heeeey ... again. No more photos of Henrik on Badweb!! Henrik (what did *I* do ?? I'm not crazy ??) | ||
| Buelliedan |
Henrik, I think you have a stalker!!! hehe Winking at Charlotte | ||
| Cjmblast |
I'm beginning to believe CJ... I AM getting OLD! NO, NO, NO I said life is just beginning for us !!!! It's so much more fun now !! CJM  | ||
| Nevco1 |
I don't know...Both Court and Henrik seen in Elmer Fudd Boxers sort of reminds me of the old Good News/Bad News joke about the German Army in WWII. The Sergeant addresses his men with today I have some good news and bad news...The good news is you will get a change of underwear today. The bad news is Fritz, you change with Hans, Court you change with Henrik... Ewww...I am going to get flamed for that one. LOL | ||
| Whatever |
Naw, If I were a stalker I would be doing this  on his doorstep. Didn't even go near his place when I was in NYC. Did have a 'Court sighting' though and a photo to prove it! | ||
| Firemanjim |
Not crazy,how many ways is that SO wrong!!!You live in New York,look at who your friends are,not only do you ride motorcycles--you ride BUELLS for godsake!!!,and ride them on salt,you consort with known international criminals(that would be you ,Griz)---should I go on."Hi, my name is Henrik,and I have a problem---" "Give in to the dark side,Luke." Can you tell I am at work and bored,having read all new motorcycle magazines | ||
| Court |
Char: I can't be photographed...and entering Henrik's lair requires dedication. FOR SALE: Great deal on spacious apartment overlooking NYC...marked down to $15K/month....37th floor walk-up In all honesty, Henrik probably has the BEST view of the city and I have the 2nd best. We both, as much through dumb luck as anything, wandered into two "postcard panoramas" | ||
| Henrik |
Fireman: you know too much ... when our task force show up at your doorstep, please open the door and come along peacefully Actually, just reaching my lair takes conviction - it's a bit rough around the edges. Not as bad as 4 years ago, when we moved in, but still. Henrik (and no, no Elmer Fudd shorts ) |
