BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad has been building motorcycles for a hundred years -- literally. This is its centennial year and there will be celebrations next month. Over that time, the company has sold 2 million motorcycles. ("Motorrad" is the German word for motorcycle.)

You probably know I own two motorcycles. They're both BMW's. That's no accident. I chose BMW after riding other brands (Yamaha; Kawasaki) and finding BMW to be superior. In my opinion, they make the best bikes in the world. The engineering and build-quality are amazing, better than I thought possible. The brand is expensive but when your life is on the line, you don't cut corners. When you're a thousand miles from home, you don't want to break down on the side of the road. My machines do exactly what I need and ask from them. You can't put a price on that.

BMW motorcycles are serviced every 6,000 miles and I rode to my dealer today for that service (BMW of Manhattan). I used the occasion to snap a few pictures. The people there are exceptionally nice and competent, starting at the top. My old friend Chris is the Sales Manager.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a grueling, two-day riding competition with a group of ten riders. During breakfast it started pouring rain. Eight of the riders bailed and went home. Chris was the only hardy soul willing to endure the rough conditions and complete the event. I was the only crazy rider willing to follow him. The two of us rode through every kind of weather. The ride turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. Facing and overcoming adversity is deeply satisfying.

Happy Birthday, BMW!

Words and Pictures

Toronto Tie

Shopping in Toronto with Suzanne and Patti , I picked up a strip of polka-dot cloth. S&P looked puzzled. "What can you do with that?" they asked. I had an idea.

Today I'm using it as a "lady bowtie." I tied it around my neck while wearing a cute red bodysuit I bought from a dance-website. The resulting look pleases me. What do you think?

Summer Swap

Ashley, a blogger I follow, is hosting a Summer swap. It sounds like a fun idea, so I joined. You can too. If interested, check it out here.

Psycho Barn

Like the Surrealists, I enjoy incongruity. Juxtaposing things in unexpected pairings creates mental confusion which can amusing and enlightening. Right now, there's nothing more incongruous in New York than the "Psycho Barn."

On the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, an artist created an installation using reclaimed barn-wood to resemble the creepy house in Hitchcock's classic film "Psycho." I went up to there yesterday with artist-friend Anne who blogs at Spy Girl. We enjoyed beautiful Summer weather and the skyline of Manhattan. There's also an excellent fashion exhibition on display now in the Met. Anne took pictures of that and will likely blog about it soon.

People Like Me

When you're different, you don't expect people to understand you. For most of my life, I haven't had family or friends who grasped my struggles, who saw my true self, and who understood what I need to be happy.

Fortunately, society has improved. Forty years ago, information about transgender people wasn't readily available. Today it is. Of course, you need to educate yourself and that's an effort few people make, but the knowledge is attainable if you care to acquire it.

If -- and it's a big "if" -- you want to learn about people like me, there's a documentary that is clear, explicit and engaging. It's called "Just Gender." The film is narrated by Bebe Neuwirth who's won Emmy and Tony awards and is best known for her TV role as Frasier's wife Lilith.

The film is mostly interviews of transgender people, supplemented with lucid explanations of the complexities of our lives. It's not a Hollywood thriller but, for an educational film, it isn't a snore either. It's hard not to empathize with the plight of suffering people and you might cry once or twice. I did.

Just tossin' this out there... Oh, and here's something to look at...

Show Some Love

At funerals, it is common to see an outpouring of love for the deceased. People express deep affection and admiration for the person who died.

I always think the deceased would have appreciated hearing that when they were alive. After they're dead, words don't help them. Supportive comments exchanged among survivors can't reach the loved one. He or she has left the building.

I believe people want to hear and receive love when it matters, while they're alive. I believe we should tell them that. Make the effort. Now, not later.

I do this with people I care about. Do you?

Oh, by the way, let me end by saying that I *LOVE* you! Thank you for being my friend. Your support makes me strong. Strong like this...