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I thought about posting this on the wisdom thread, but then thought it might get lost there. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did (do?).

I found this on a racing forum. The poster (is that correct grammar? ) had lifted it from another board and did not know the origin. So, I would credit it if I knew where it came from, but I don't.

I do, however, find it to be advice I would like to try and live by.

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Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older,
Will someday be old.
Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of
thinking I must say something on every subject and every occasion.
Release me from the craving to try to straighten
everyone's affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful
but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity
not to use it all, but thou knowest, Lord that I want
a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind from the recital of endless details; give me the wings
to get to the point.
Seal my lips of my many aches and pains. They are increasing and
my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter
as the years go by.
I ask for grace enough to listen to the talks of other's pains.
Help me endure them patiently.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that
I maybe mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint, some are
hard to live with, but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the
devil. Help me to extract all possible fun out of life. There are so many
funny things around us and I don't want to miss any of them.

AMEN

John,
Love the quote I hope I can remember it as I get senile.
I noticed a couple of racing reference in the posts I've seen in the last couple days and took a quick peek at your profile and noticed that your a kindred NASCAR fan. My husband and I will be going to Talladega the last weekend in September. Sorry to go off topic, just wanted to comment on that.

Cathy

As an aside:

Talladega is one of the most competitive tracks on the circuit, if everything on the cars is set up right.

The last few laps, as almost always, are the most crucial.

I don't follow NASCAR too closely, but I did take my son to Talladega a few years ago (thank goodness they changed the race to September, it used to be in July )

Enjoy.

Yes - but John - if everybody here followed those lovely rules, this place would be so BORING!

Jodi

Jolly,
There is probably no better place to watch a race except maybe Daytona but I haven't had the pleasure of being there. Talladega races always are exciting (watched Dale (Sr) pass up the middle with no one helping to win the race a few years back). A great choice for taking your son to a race.

Cathy

Cathy,

I go to all the races in So Cal. Next year that will be one more and under the lights no less. Awesome!

I've also been to about 15 or 16 Indy 500's as well as the last two Brickyard 400's (I have season seats there too) which are also held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While that track doesn't necessarily produce the best racing, it is an awe inspiring place to go and see a race. The museum inside the track is also just amazing. Highly recommended if one has the opportunity.

Talladega is a great track. You should have fun there. I'd like to see a few races at some of those old southern tracks. Maybe some day I will.

Jodi,

Not to fear, this place will never get that boring, but your right. Following these guidelines could cause too much boring behavior. However, IMHO, I think sometimes that wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Oh and Cathy, I'm already developing CRS which is one step removed from senility. Maybe that is why this struck home to me.

Pianos, music, politics, religion, homosexuals...anything but NASCAR!

I'm with Gryphon

I'd also like to ad that according to me the funnest track to watch would be Monaco .... Formula 1 of course

KlavierBauer

OK, thems fightin' words!

How can a car hound like you not like NASCAR? Please don't tell me your into the high tech parade known as F1?

I like the IRL too. Does that count for anything gryph? Can I be saved? Please tell me there's hope!

OK KB, you snuck in there while I was reprimanding gryphon.

What is the fascination with $100M cars where the last on track lead change was during Bush 41's term? All the excitement revolves around what will or won't happen in the pit. And even then it's not really a surprise. Can you say Ferrari? Schumacher? Boooooring!

JohnC

Very funny gryphon.

Competitive, door banging, tempers flaring racing versus hi tech, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison geek fest!

John,
I guess I better jump in and help you out. When you're there and see how close those cars are passing and how faaaaassssstt they're going there's nothing like it. If that's not exciting enough where else can you see Harvick leaping over his car to "congratulate" the driver who ran him off the track.
I also like Indy Racing but don't follow it much since the IRL/CART split. We did go to the Denver Grand Prix last year just wasn't the same. All those turns they gotta slow down for.
I love drag racing but don't ever get to those nymore (I love the smell of nitro in the morning ).

Cathy

Cathy, how right you are. If you stand near the track when 800 horsepower go by it truly makes your whole body shake!

And watching "Happy" Harvic crash and bang his own teammates when he can't find Biffle is just pure entertainment!

Bush and Spencer, Gordon & Gordon, Gordon & Rusty, the previously mentioned Harvic and Biffle, the rivalries make for a lot of fun!

Yes, the cars are a bit slower and the technology older, but the rivalries, competitivness, and close racing make for some very enjoyable races.

You might also look into the IRL. All ovals but some pretty close and exciting racing. Not the boring parades as put on by CART.

It just doesn't seem right, though, to say "Nextel Cup".

Perhaps, I'm just old-fashioned....

I kinda like drag racing. That's where all the guys dress up in spiked heels and strapless evening gowns (almost said gownless evening straps) and race around the track. Real funny.

John:

My father used to race quite a bit, and used to work on some Pits that were famous across the East Coast. He was always a big fan of Indy, and never really watched NASCAR except for some of the bigger races. He remembers when top qualifiers were placed at the BACK, and had to gain advantage, rather than being given an advantage. Basically all of my Uncles sit around and talk about how bad racing has become these days, as they are all old gear heads.
So I found Formula-1.
I couldn't care less how much their cars cost, they are so darned fun to watch!
They make right turns!!!!

If you watch it a bit, there are a few people that stand a chance of winning, and are always pushing eachother to the absolute limits.
Watch Monaco

KlavierBauer

Amen!

While the PC crowd will get it correct (i.e. broadcasters, drivers, owners, and crew), I think many will just call it Cup racing or even still call it Winston Cup. Nextel Cup just doesn't have that ring!

KB,

Actually I do find myself watching the Sunday night replays quite often. And the cars really are cool. 19,000 RPM, oooeee! And i do love all the hi tech gadgets. $50,000 steering wheels! six figure carbon brakes! I just wish there were more competition "on" the track.

BTW, did you see the little promo at Indy a couple of weeks ago where Jeff Gordon swapped cars with Juan Pablo Montoya? It was covered by Speed channel.

Jeff ran the Williams car to about one second slower than JPM did in his shake down drive. Jeff's time also would have been within the 107% rule for making the field in last year's Indy F-1 race. Not bad for a guy who makes his living driving "taxi cabs"!