Ridelog: 03-11-12 - First Ride of 2012


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The weather in Chicago this weekend as fantastic. Mid-fifties on Saturday and mid-sixties this Sunday. I had to bring my motorcycle into M&M Motorsports yesterday to get some new tires installed. I purchased some Metzeler Roadtec Z6 tires and ran over to the mechanic at around noon yesterday. At first I wasn't expecting to get the bike back yesterday since he seemed booked. To my surprise though they called me a couple of hours later saying they got the tires on. I have to give some big props to them and Mark over there. He commented to me that since the weather was supposed to be nice today they wanted to get me back on the road. That was really great of them to do that. 

As for the ride itself today, it was great. Just a good farm road ride. It is unfortunate how boring most of the roads are in central Illinois since everything is on a grid. 

New York : Day 1

Bit of a wandering day today since it was raining. Went to Times Square (meh), Rockefeller Plaza (double meh), St. Patrick's Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, 5th Avenue and Finally the New York Public Library.

New York: Arrival

After having our flight out of O'Hare delayed over an hour and having to change our gate three times we arrived in New York at about midnight. Just checked in and that is about it.

February Donation: Child's Play

This month's donation goes to Child's Play Charity. Child's Play charity is an organization that comes close to my heart as it is based out of one of my favorite hobbies, video gaming. In short the Child's Play Charity donates video games and other toys to hosptials so children in those hospitals can get a way, if for just a little bit from the stresses and complications associated with their hospitalization. 

Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. Over the years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars.

Child’s Play works in two ways. With the help of hospital staff, we set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, books, and other fun stuff for kids. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift.

Child’s Play also receives cash donations throughout the year. With those cash donations, we purchase new consoles, peripherals, games, and more for hospitals and therapy facilities. These donations allow for children to enjoy age-appropriate entertainment, interact with their peers, friends, and family, and can provide vital distraction from an otherwise generally unpleasant experience.

The Child's Play Charity has also received heavy support from Penny Arcade's Gabe and Tyco and to date has raised over $3 million to get toys and videos games into hospitals for children. Overall I think it is a great charity with a great cause and it really has shown that the people in the video game community can mobilize to support a cause when called upon. 

http://childsplaycharity.org