Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Morning Commute

Commuting to the UFC Boxing GYM this morning, temperatures at zero, major chain slip, near face plant. Oh look, cassette gear lost some weight. Another piece of it is still somewhere on Belmont Ave. Looks like its Get A Grip Cycles time!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Solitary Experiments



Solitary Experiments is a German Electro/Future-Pop band out of Frankfurt. The band’s story started in 1993 with a Commodore Amiga and a Kawai K4 synthesizer. Michael Thielemann and Dennis Schober experimented with this equipment under the name “Plague”. One year later, in 1994, the founding of the project known as “Solitary Experiments” had begun. (Double click on videos for full screen.)
https://www.facebook.com/solitaryexperiments
http://www.solitaryexperiments.de/


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Life Aspirations


This simple cell phone image represents the beginning of a new life aspiration. Uwe the bicycle racer as most have known me is no more. The aspiration of being a scholar of ancient oriental philosophy has been put on indefinite hold. Even longer in the past are my attempts as a sports car racer and Buddhist Monk. And finally, my present involvement as an amateur boxer will never be more than an athletic hobby.

My new aspiration is as an actor. The above photo was the first shared as a headshot to a Chicago based casting company, Atmosphere Casting. The plan was to land the role as a driver for the film “Jupiter Ascending”, instead it landed me the job of stand-in. It is not my first exposure to acting. Long ago I was part of four different Operas at the Chicago Lyric Opera and several years ago I was a key actor in a commercial for SAP where I played the part of an elite cyclist. There were other small roles such as in a music video and in an independent short film.

But none-the-less, the aspiration of being an actual actor is a real challenge for me. I could easily give in to psychological comfort and continue on the path to being a scholar and hide myself away behind a mountain of books in a tiny office at some university. But instead I’ve chosen to confront my personal introverted and passive aggressive self, to broaden my character, to challenge myself, to embrace the change that occurs all around me and in me everyday, to make imagination become reality.


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Apoptygma Berzerk

Apoptygma Berzerk is a Norwegian/Danish musical group. Stephan Groth and Jon Erik Martinsen formed the band in 1989. They have achieved success with a brand of synthpop and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene and referring to themselves as "futurepop" or “electro-rock”. The name "Apoptygma Berzerk" either has a secret meaning or does not mean anything. The name is reminiscent of the word apophthegm, which means a statement that speaks one's mind - which would make the title mean a berserk manifesto. 1984 IS NOW! (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Get A Grip Cycles

On the road Get A Grip Cycles bike service and race support.

Monday, July 8, 2013

2014 Porsche 911 GT3

The purest and most viscerally engaging Porsche; the 2014 911 GT3. Base price: $131,350, vehicle layout: Rear-engine, Rear wheel drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe, engine: 3.8L/475-hp/325-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve F-6, transmission: 7-speed twin-clutch auto, curb weight: 3200 lbs, wheelbase: 96.7 in, length x width x height: 178.9 x 72.9 x 50.0 inches, 0-60 mph: 3.2 seconds, EPA city/hwy: 18/26 mpg, on sale (in the U.S.): Fall 2013. (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Friday, July 5, 2013

Boxer Highlight: Mads Larsen

As an aspiring amateur boxer who also happens to fight out of the unconventional southpaw stance I wish to pay tribute here to a fellow southpaw boxer, Mads Larsen. Mads Larsen from Denmark, known as “Golden Boy”, was the European, IBO and WBF world super middleweight Champion and once held a 51-2 record with 38 wins by KO.
Though age and multiple injuries have all but retired Mads, his past achievements are still remembered here by me. His tattoo circled around his neck/upper chest reads: “Better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not”. The first video also pays tribute to recently passed (6-19-2013) American actor James Gandolfini. James is most known for his role in The Sopranos as Tony Soprano. (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Who am I? Why am I? What am I? Where am I?

I'm a spiritual being having a life experience as a human on earth. You are what you know and not what you believe, nothing yet everything, always changing yet never ending. Gnostic Joachim.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

History Snapshot

The inaugural year for Team Get A Grip Cycles at the 2007 Winfield Twilight Criterium. (Top Left) Bryan Merrill, Angelo DiGiovine, Jonathan Tenney, Lee Heaton, Uwe Krueger, Seth Meyer, Eric Wiecek. (Bottom Left) Steven Vandeven, Jonathan ‘Chip’ Gray. (Not Shown) James Holton and Michael Possley.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Clan of Xymox - Imagination and Evelyn

The band, Clan of Xymox, also known as simply Xymox, formed in the Netherlands in 1981. Early pioneers of the dark and moody electronic music known as darkwave, their 1980's releases included synthpop and electronic dance music. Here are two tracks off their 1989 album, Twist of Shadows. (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Sunday, June 30, 2013

BMW M3 GTS

BMW announced the M3 GTS in November 2009. The car is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 based on the 4.0-litre engine found in the standard M3, which produces a maximum of 450 PS (444 hp). The car weighs 300 pounds less than the standard M3 due to various weight savings. A total of only 250 units were produced. The M3 GTS can accelerate from 0-62 mph in just 3.6 seconds and 0-100 mph in 7.8 seconds. In Germany deliveries began in May 2010 while other countries were scheduled for the summer of 2010. All E92 M3 GTS models have been sold. (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Friday, June 28, 2013

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Angels & Agony - Stronghold and Division

Based in the Netherlands Angels & Agony was forged in the fall of 1995 by Reinier Kahle. In contrast with many electro-industrial projects whose lyrics center on violence and provocation, Angels and Agony songs are philosophical and humanist in character. The lyrics of Angels & Agony deal with metaphysical, philosophical issues, visions distilled from Buddhism and Taoism, combined with intensely perceptive speculations on life and death. Although the music can be dark and melancholic, but still danceable with pumping beats and sequences, the songs have a very positive message. (Double click on videos for full screen.)

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Team Get A Grip Cycles

2009 marked the final season for Team Get A Grip Cycles. As the sole remaining rider and former director of the team I continue my affiliation and positive relationship with what was the team's most dedicated sponsor, Get A Grip Cycles. As with the team, my own personal racing career mostly ended in 2009. I had sustained several severe injuries to my hip, ribs and back from a crash that took place while competing in the UW Whitewater Road Race in July of 2009. Although I would race again in 2009 with a season final top ten finish in the Cat 1/2/3 Ronald Reagan Criterium all further attempts at making a real comeback were cancelled out by chronic injuries and illness. Truthfully though, I had become mentally burned out with racing several years before the physical hindrances actually stopped my racing.
Meanwhile my leadership role on the team and strong relationship with many of the riders kept me going, experiencing happiness through the success of the team as a whole. Now a days with the Team and active racing career in the past I now only occasionally take part in a local race or hammer fest ride, the bike has become mostly my primarily form of transportation. As my cycling career wound down I began to more and more frequent a local boxing gym. So now as a mostly retired bicycle racer I’ve become an ever more dedicated amateur boxer and so my athletic adventure continues.