Steve Godfrey
318-229-3559
progressivepromotions@gmail.com
progpromo.com
biketourdelife.org
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Tina Lewis & Kelly Kelley vs. Craig Lord & James Roberts in Doubles Net Semifinals of 2011 Texas State Footbag Championships
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Eeyore's Birthday & Ghost Bike Memorial Ride
Was a bit eerie how these two events, both of which I wanted to attend badly, seemed to seamlessly melt into one another today. Eeyore's Birthday technically ended at 6, while the ride started only minutes down the road at 6:30, Lamar hooking up Pease Park with the start of the ride at Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. Eeyore's was wonderful. Amazingly, I think I kicked my heart out for about 4 hours total, in the midst of much merry-making all about, a massive lineup of virtually endless drumming the whole time. A "real" Eeyore was there for the kids & young-at-heart, many great & silly costumes all over, many beautiful, smiling hula-hoop girls all over the place, while I got to kick with my local hacky sack/footbag freestyle pro friends, and they thoroughly tore it up in spite of the heat. My speed-kicking went ok, in spite of my rookie shoes, not used to , and my overbearing, large cargo shorts. For a 48 year tradition, Eeyore's was amazingly non-commercial and actually highly community-oriented, as all of the vendors were locally based with many of them supporting numerous local good causes. Just a very cool event all-around. The memorial ghost ride for Andrew Runciman was very meaningful too. I happened to meet one person with New Orleans roots & another who I'd met in Shreveport while he was bike-touring from New Orleans, among other typically overly friendly Austinites. The ride was to remember Andrew Runciman, who was killed just this past week by an SUV driver who is still at large, and to post a white ghost bike at the spot of his passing, to remind us all of this unbearable tragedy, so that we all will hopefully learn to make sure this senselessness doesn't transpire again.. Andrew had been in town from Tennessee since about when I got here 7 months ago, a young guy, 24, a brilliant software/tech guy, who valued the power of getting involved wholeheartedly to make the world a better place. Local people who he worked with in Austin spoke, remembering him fondly, saying he'd want us to gracefully fight on. Unbeknownst to me, much of his family had come all the way down here to participate in the ghost bike dedication event. They were waiting for our ride to arrive at the site. His little sister spoke, joking about how he'd feel like the tribute t-shirt that she made, and was wearing, would've irritated him, so that's why she had it on. She finished by pleading for there to be better bike traffic safety in place, so that no one else had to lose their big brother for no good reason. It's simple...bikes should be respected & admired for the innumerable benefits that we all know improve society. The few who choose to travel by bike definitely should be able to operate under safe enough circumstances to keep them from being killed. In the meantime... Cyclists: I think in Austin, we can be lulled into thinking that all motorists here are considerate around bikes, and the vast majority really are. Surely though, we as cyclists should never give them an automatic benefit of the doubt while on the road. Motorists: At 1 ton-plus, the vehicle that you drive from 30 mph & beyond in the city limits is a potential deadly weapon to all you come across on the roads...other motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and so on. Please be very considerate & cautious, accordingly. If that SUV driver has any conscience whatsoever, it's surely being eaten alive for the rest of that person's life until they turn themselves in. By using common sense & courtesy, such a guilt-filled fate won't befall you.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Tears for Innumerable Good-Hearted Muslims in the East
On my route today for an Indonesian restaurant in South Austin, I had the privilege of meeting a friendly retired professor in front of his house. As he saw the Indonesian restaurant's flyer, he commented that he has made numerous trips to Malaysia and other nations in the Southeast Asia region. He pointed out that if Americans made trips to that part of the world more often, they'd see how wonderful the vast majority of that region's people, many of whom are Muslim, really are. He quickly remembered that a friend's daughter had a wedding scheduled in Malaysia, back in 2001, an event to which he was invited. There was an amazing number of 2000 in attendance. He said everything was wonderful. Tragically though, the spirits of everyone were severely decimated when news came through about the 9/11 attacks. Of the 2000 attendees, he said that he, his wife and a friend were the only whites/Americans. Also, almost everyone there was Muslim. I thought I saw a glistening in his eyes begin to develop as he spoke, then I thought I heard his voice started to tremble, then as he clearly started to sob for a moment, he told me this: After the 9/11 news traveled around the wedding event, he said that many of these thousands gathered began to form columns of humanity, humbly and patiently waiting to express extreme sympathy to he and the other two Americans for this horrible tragedy. They also went through great efforts to make clear that these horrific acts were not representative of their Muslim faith, in spite of al-Qaeda claiming that the act was in the spirit of Islam. His tears were obviously generated by the appreciation and feeling that he had for these people, who were so warm and supportive to him during that horrible time, even as so many in the West characterize their faith as inherently destructive and violent. And of course, the violent events that these vast multitudes of peaceful Muslims have had to endure both at the hands of the West and al-Qaeda, isn't even nearly comprehensible to most of us. I told him about my New Orleans/La. friend's work for Tibetan refugees over the past decade in Nepal & Dharamsala, India area (The Louisiana Himalaya Association). I also told him about how a major sport in Malaysia, Sepak Takraw (a kicking volley game, played with badminton-like court/net dimensions), put a very similar American-invented game, footbag net, to shame, in the sense that Takraw players are massively more skilled. Says a lot, as footbag net players are extraordinary in their own right. I hope he gets to see some video of Takraw players, as it'd just be at least a tiny extra reason for him to find pride in the great people of Southeast Asia.
Steve Godfrey
318-229-3559
progressivepromotions@gmail.com
progpromo.com
Steve Godfrey
318-229-3559
progressivepromotions@gmail.com
progpromo.com
Tears for Innumerable Good-Hearted Muslims in the Eastern World
On my route today for an Indonesian restaurant in South Austin, I had the privilege of meeting a friendly retired professor in front of his house.
As he saw the Indonesian restaurant's flyer, he commented that he has made numerous trips to Malaysia and other nations in the Southeast Asia region. He pointed out that if Americans made trips to that part of the world more often, they'd see how wonderful the vast majority of that region's people, many of whom are Muslim, really are.
He quickly remembered that a friend's daughter had a wedding scheduled in Malaysia, back in 2001, an event to which he was invited. There was an amazing number of 2000 in attendance. He said everything was wonderful. Tragically though, the spirits of everyone were severely decimated when news came through about the 9/11 attacks.
Of the 2000 attendees, he said that he, his wife and a friend were the only whites/Americans. Also, almost everyone there was Muslim.
I thought I saw a glistening in his eyes begin to develop as he spoke, then I thought I heard his voice started to tremble, then as he clearly started to sob for a moment, he told me this:
After the 9/11 news traveled around the wedding event, he said that many of these thousands gathered began to form columns of humanity, humbly and patiently waiting to express extreme sympathy to he and the other two Americans for this horrible tragedy. They also went through great efforts to make clear that these horrific acts were not representative of their Muslim faith, in spite of al-Qaeda claiming that the act was in the spirit of Islam.
His tears were obviously generated by the appreciation and feeling that he had for these people, who were so warm and supportive to him during that horrible time, even as so many in the West characterize their faith as inherently destructive and violent. And of course, the violent events that these vast multitudes of peaceful Muslims have had to endure both at the hands of the West and al-Qaeda, isn't even nearly comprehensible to most of us.
I told him about my New Orleans/La. friend's work for Tibetan refugees over the past decade in Nepal & Dharamsala, India area (The Louisiana Himalaya Association). I also told him about how a major sport in Malaysia, Sepak Takraw (a kicking volley game, played with badminton-like court/net dimensions), put a very similar American-invented game, footbag net, to shame, in the sense that Takraw players are massively more skilled. Says a lot, as footbag net players are extraordinary in their own right.
I hope he gets to see some video of Takraw players, as it'd just be at least a tiny extra reason for him to find pride in the great people of Southeast Asia.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
A Bit of 6th St., SXSW Friday Night
Steve Godfrey
318-229-3559
progressivepromotions@gmail.com
progpromo.com
Thursday, March 17, 2011
N'awlin's Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Just happened to stumble onto the 2nd Line on way to work in Downtown Austin, right when SXSW Music is gearing up. Super cool!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Hard Rain in my brain, for Japan
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