Rock Climbing is an amazing sport and this week we speak with Zavi who walks us through the basics and gives listeners a taste of what you might want to know before trying to scale a monstrous rock.

Resources this week include:

www.rockclimbing.com/
www.climbing.com/
www.climbing.com.au/
alumnus.caltech.edu/~sedwards/climbing/
www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/
www.joshuatreerockclimbing.com/

And even another podcast that has 100 full episodes on rock climbing!!!

www.podclimber.com/

ALSO, as I mentioned in the podcast, I was at the Boston Independent Film Festival and saw some great shows this past weekend. Here's the link to that event and a few other film festivals...

www.iffboston.org/
www.filmfestivals.com/index.shtml
www.tribecafilmfestival.org/
**Tribeca starts this week!!!!

If you've got an event to share, just write to me alifeofplay@gmail.com with your adventure recap, comments and ideas for future shows.

Leave comments here on the show notes. And check back to A Life of Play each week for another great adventure in having fun.

See you out there...

Here's the official, A Life of Play promo clip. It's 47 seconds long, but is finished and ready for use.

A whirlwind tour.

The last week was more like an adventure in the wilds of urban lifestyle. I had a birthday, saw the Boston Marathon, went to a Red Sox game (they won via walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th), rode my road bike (2 hrs on real roads), rode my mountain bike with a group of local riders for 2+ hours over trails that are in phenomenal shape (see the Wompatuck link below), saw a bunch of movies, won $40 in poker and interviewed a guy from St. Louis for this week's topic - Rock Climbing.

PHEW!!

As a reminder, this podcast has been made possible in part by the contribution of time and tips provided by Peter D'Angelo of http://www.petersmactips.libsyn.com and http://www.podcastingmacstyle.libsyn.com - head over there to listen to my ongoing interviews with Peter and to hear the advice he's given me on making A Life of Play more successful.

A Life of Play podcast is now in its fifth episode and I'll be including show notes in the next post. We talk with Zavi from St. Louis about Rock Climbing.

If there's something you want us to explore - send us an email at alifeofplay@gmail.com or just leave a comment on any post.

And please share your adventures with us. People love to hear what other people are doing because it gives us all great ideas on stuff to do in our free time.

Thanks!

See you out there...

alifeofplay@gmail.com

Show notes are posted in the previous post. BUT, as a quick recap we talk with Brian Mollica of the All-In Poker Podcast on My Sports Radio. Then we talk with Kathleen Rogers, the president of the Earth Day Network.

Show is about 35 minutes long and will help you find ways to have fun in Vegas and on Earth Day around the world.

Finally, let me know if the format works for you and if the audio is OK. This podcast is for you the listeners, so help me make it a fun experience for you...just like our topics that are here to help you have the most fun you can in your free time.

See you out there...

A Life of Play episode 0004 will be out sometime on Tuesday - again a day ahead of deadline - and features two great interviews.

We first hear the second part of Brian Mollica's chat with us about the fun you can have in Las Vegas. Brian tells us about learning poker online and also gives a hot tip about how you can get an $8 meal at one of the best known restaurants in the world.

Then, we talk with Kathleen Rogers of the Earth Day Network. She comments on how Earth Day has progressed from its first showing to where the event is today.

We also talk about different things you can do to make a difference and the resources available to find events and fun things to do in your neck of the woods during your Earth Day celebration.

Send your comments and suggestions for future shows to alifeofplay@gmail.com.

Here are a few links to the resources we talk about during our interviews with both Brian and Kathleen. Also, I've listed the phone number for the congressional switchboard where you can call to do two things:

Ask your congressperson to allow online poker in the United States, and ask that same congressperson to support initiatives like Ethanol and other environmentally friendly ways to save our planet.

They can be reached at 202-224-3121.

Links:

http://www.mysportsradio.com

http://www.earthday.net/

http://earthday.net/resources/2006materials/EarthDay-in-a-Box.aspx

http://www.earthdayny.org/

http://www.kayak.com


And, as always, if you have links you want posted or info you want covered, just toss it into the comment field for all to share.

Thanks for listening and I'll see you out there...

This is the photo that's up on iTunes right now - right next to the A Life of Play podcast.

Well, I've enlisted the help of a talented designer to help create a new logo for the show and we're going to put it on all sorts of schwag that we can give away to listeners.

All we need is your participation.

As you know, each show we give away a prize for the best weekend adventure email OR best "hey, you should do this topic" note.

So send your emails in to alifeofplay@gmail.com and listen for your name on the air. Episode 0004 is coming up on April 19!

Until then, see you out there...

Each month, Podcast Alley tabulates votes for the most popular podcasts. I'd like to gain some ground and I can do so with the help of my loyal listeners.

Just head over to http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=23888
and put in a vote for this podcast.

Thanks!

See you out there...

The link to Brian Mollica's All-in Poker Podcast is:

http://boards.mysportsradio.com/forumdisplay.php?f=45

See you out there...

A great interview with Brian Mollica from the All-In Poker Podcast on MSR (My Sports Radio). We talk about Las Vegas, stand-up comedy and the game of poker.

A Life of Play episode #3 is the first of two episodes with Brian Mollica. Here are the questions we asked Brian. He was a lot of fun to talk to and gave some great tips on having fun in Las Vegas.

What's special about Vegas

Tell me about gambling in Vegas

Talk about the casinos

You do a poker podcast on My Sports Radio...what's the fascination the world has with poker right now

Is it the same game everywhere or are there variations

How easy is it to learn

Where should a person play if they're just starting out

What's the whole thing about online gaming and playing poker online

Tell me about your other life - outside of podcasting - as a comedian

How does entertainment tie into your proximity to Vegas

Do you play the clubs or hotels in Vegas

What other things can people do if they jet down to Vegas for a weekend

How much money will people need

What's the easiest way to get in and out of the city

How often have you come upon bodies - it seems like CSI finds them all the time

Talk for a moment about comps and how 'normal' people could stay for free

What's the story about the $1 buffet

Is Vegas dangerous

Is a weekend long enough

Anything I've missed about enjoying yourself in Vegas


LINKS FOR GETTING YOURSELF TO VEGAS AND LEARNING ABOUT GAMBLING AND POKER

Vegas Map

Vegas

Vegas Online

Poker School

Casinos

Handmade Poker Chips

Learn the Odds


Hey, if you know of any great Las Vegas links or links to poker sites, drop them in the comments section here.

Also, hit me with an email and tell me your best gambling adveture and I might read it on the air.

Send it to alifeofplay.com and include your mailing address so if we choose you as the best adventure, we'll mail you a nifty gift.

See you out there...

Here's a photo of me volunteering for the NCAA Women's Tournament Hoop City in Boston.

Remember, you too can take advantage of volunteering to have great experiences like seeing pro athletes, musical icons and other famous people. Volunteering can also get you access to great vistas and locations around the world.

Write to me at alifeofplay@gmail.com to tell everyone about your best volunteer adventure or your brush with a memorable vista or person.

See you out there...

Hey Loyal Listeners. A Life of Play caught up with Brian Mollica - a Las Vegas based comedian and poker podcaster for a 40 minute interview this week.

During the interview we talk about gambling, comedy, secret tips about Las Vegas attractions and just random chatter.

In trying to keep A Life of Play to 30 minutes or less, I've broken the interview into two parts. So, Episode #3 will have the first part of Brian's comments and then in Episode #4 we'll wrap up with Brian and then delve into Earth Day and all the celebrations going on around the world for that event.

Episode #3 will appear on iTunes and here on LibSyn on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. If you have show ideas, comments, questions or neat stories to tell - send them to me at alifeofplay@gmail.com.

AND instead of little trinkets for prizes going forward, we're creating an A Life of Play logo design and will be making T-shirts and other higher-end merchandise for you guys!!

Stay tuned and I'll see you out there...

We explore golf in all its glory. From getting into the game to the Masters to rules and codes, to how you can play golf for free - or at least very cheaply.

A Life of Play makes golf one great sport that's fun in your free time. John Dvorak probably plays golf, but I'm not sure about Mr. Gervais.

The link to the show is below left or you can subscribe using the button on the top right of this Show Notes page. The song credit for A Life of Play - Episode 2 is: Another Day in The City by Classic Tragic Hero.

Holy cow. 50 minutes on golf. Well, it is fun and you’ll learn some valuable stuff.

Future episodes will be back down to 30 minutes or as close as I can get to that.

Here’s what we talked about this week:

Visit my blog – www.bowlofcheese.com

You’re already here at the show notes, but send me an email about the show alifeofplay@gmail.com

Peter D’Angelo of www.podcastingmacstyle.com has been indispensable in this endeavor.

Golf is a great sport, it’s a lot of fun and here are pointers to get into it.

Reasons to play golf – Social, Fitness, Relaxing/Scenery, Challenge

Social: meet people, make business connections, go to tournaments, call local country clubs to see what their tournament schedule is, play in leagues, get friends involved

Fitness: incorporate Tai Chi or other exercise while waiting for others on the course, carry your bag, walk the course (pick hilly courses), go to the driving range, practice practice practice. ALSO, use other forms of exercise to ensure that you’re in golf shape.

Scenery: It’s all around you, great golf destinations

http://www.golfdestinationsonline.com/

bring a camera with you, relax and enjoy the outdoors

http://www.hiltonheadisland.org/index.html

http://www.travelersdigest.com/best_golf_courses.htm


The Challenge: play against yourself first, wagering, games within games, sportsmanship, scoring, etiquette, unspoken rules, manners.

Etiquette: dress code, conduct, rules, pointers

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/rules.html

Great ways to play for free or cheaply:

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=23657

Tour a new property, get invited by corporate clients, work a tournament, work at a course, stay at places that have free golf, sneak onto the course, play off season, play odd times

Ways to see the pros:

Volunteer at an event, raffle for tickets

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=200001


OTHER stuff:

New format

Letter from Tom Walker

Masters History

http://www.masters.org/en_US/index.html

What equipment (balls mostly) will change your game (practically none - just buy for price unless you're a 14 or lower.)

Stuff you need:
Sunblock
Clothing
Shoes
little necessities for your bag
Tricks of travel - put all your dirty clothes in with your bag on the way back.

Why do golf balls have dimples?

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question37.htm

GET A PRIZE FOR WRITING IN:

Next week it’s either a deck of cards or a coffee mug.

alifeofplay@gmail.com

Episode #3 will be either Brian Mollica or a surprise culinary expert to talk coffee and coffee houses.

Thanks for listening.

See you out there…

Just a heads-up that episode #2 of A Life of Play will be out this Wednesday (that's the plan), and the topic is:

Getting Excited About Golf

We'll cover cool golf tips for the golfer who wants to get more fun out of the game. Ways to lessen the load on your wallet and still play some amazing courses. The best ways to see the pros. What equipment will help your game the most. And much more.

If you have a golf experience you'd like to share, just send me an email with the details. If I read your email on the podcast, I'll send you a sleeve of golf balls to help you get ready for this season.

See you out there...

Hey listeners. Just wanted to let you know that future show notes will be easier to read as I'll be putting them up in plain text.

Some listeners were also wondering where the link was to download the first episode.
Here you go...   Subscribe at iTunes

This will bring you to iTunes where you can subscribe.

Thanks for listening. Send me comments on what you've done this week for fun. And send me your requests for future show topics!

The email is alifeofplay@gmail.com

See you out there...

To know me is to love OCD. Actually, I won't disparage those who have an existence controlled by this odd and sometimes ridiculed condition. I just wanted to note that I SOMETIMES get a little focused on the minutae in my life.

On a side note, if you're wondering if you have OCD tendencies I have made it possible for you to find out. I called a doctor friend of mine and he created - http://psychcentral.com/ocdquiz.htm - a nice little OCD quiz for you to take if you're worried.

Continuing, the focus in my life right now is podcasting. For me it's a developing pursuit that has already seen me create my first podcast-related blog entries and my first episode.

But it's now 7:36AM. I've already had my delightfully prepared eggs and grits. The sun is streaming through the window and I actually saw a - http://www.nps.gov/miss/features/birding/brdwatch/gallery/cardinal.html - Northern Cardinal on a tree outside my living room window. None of this deters me from frequently checking on iTunes Music store to see if they have put my feed up OR from making notes in my http://www.pocketmod.com about upcoming subjects.

I guess there are more important things than a podcast, like providing a - http://www.rabbit.org/fun/net-bunnies.html - random photo for MaoTseKhayteeUnderhill, or making sure the entries on Bowl of Cheese are linked to fun stuff, but I can't think of much more than that.

Looking ahead, I am changing the podcast format and will start with a couple emails, a recap of things I did between podcasts, maybe a news snippet. Then I'll go into the body of the podcast and do the rambling or interview about fun things you can do with your free time. Finally, I'll wrap up with more listener emails and suggestions for upcoming shows. I'll also provide resources, credits and links in this closing segment.

For more info, or to read this entire entry again, go to http://www.bowlofcheese.com.

More to come...

http://www.nemba.org/

New England Mountain Bike Association

 

http://www.imba.com/

International Mountain Bike Association

 

http://www.uci.ch/

Union Cycliste Internationale

 

http://www.railstotrails.org/

National Rails to Trails Conservancy

 

http://www2.trekbikes.com/

Trek Bicycle Company

 

http://speedgoat.com/

Speedgoat Bicycles

 

http://www.globepequot.com/globepequot/index.cfm

Globe Pequot Press

 

According to pedalinghistory.com, bikes have been around since 1817. They evolved from a two-wheeled straddle mobile to the velocipede (like a tricycle design, but with two wheels instead of three), to the High Wheelers of the late 1800s.

The first bikes that really resemble today’s machines were created in the 1880s and 1890s. They had pneumatic tires and incorporated a chain driven design.

These days, bikes can have up to 30 gears and can weigh as little as 17 pounds. More likely, your current road bike weighs in the vicinity of 23 pounds and has 27 gears; while your mountain bike weighs around 27 pounds and also has 27 gears.

Mountain bikes also feature suspension in the front and sometimes rear.

If you don’t have a bike, I have five words of advice for you. Go to a bike shop.

The staff at the bike shop might be making $7 an hour, but they eat, drink and sleep bikes and can match you with the bike of your dreams a billion times faster and more accurately than the bike and grill assembler at Wal-Mart.

Let’s go over bike buying for a second and then we’ll get into bike and body prep for the spring.

Bike buying is easy if you know what you want. Get a pen a paper out (you can pause me for a second while you do so. Please DON’T get out a pen and paper if you’re driving or riding a bike right now).

OK. When buying a bike you need to know the following. **And you need to tell the bike shop guy or girl because they need this information to get you onto the right bike.

1 – How much are you going to ride your new bike?
Don’t overestimate your riding habit. Tell the truth. If you try to impress the bike staff by saying you’ll ride every day, they’re going to get you a different bike than if you tell them you’re going to ride once when camping in the middle of the summer and then probably a few times in the spring and a few times in the fall.

2 – Where will you ride the bike?
Paved roads, bike paths, smooth trails in the woods, rocky trails in the woods, down ski slopes. Pick a few, but again, be honest.

3 – What is your level of skill in handling a bike?
If you’re a complete novice, you won’t want a twitchy, racing style bike. If you’ve been riding quite a bit and know how to control your bike, you’ll want a more responsive bicycle.

4 – Finally, what is your budget?
This is a tricky question because you want to have money left over in your bike budget for a helmet, lock and other accessories. You also might not want to spend your entire budget. So, make it clear to the salesperson that you want to explore the most affordable option in the bikes that he or she recommends. Be aware that most shops have some models that are left over from previous seasons that can be purchased for a discount.

A word about discounts – don’t expect much of a discount on a bike. Our society is so focused these days on getting a deal, that some buyers feel gypped if they don’t save 20% on a purchase. Well, the margin on bikes is abnormal when compared to other retail outlets.

You typically pay 50% over dealer cost for most retail products and that’s why stores can offer huge sales that seemingly go on every day of the year. Bike dealers are more stingy. They only offer their shops a mini margin to work with, so your neighborhood bike shop is making very little on the price of a bike.

The places you can negotiate are on accessories, upgraded parts before you pick up the bike, a helmet and even on energy gels and snacks.

If this is all making you nervous and you’re now thinking you might just go buy a pair of sneakers and take up jogging again. Realize that it’s not 1978 and that it’s not that frightening to venture into a bike shop.

If you’re worried, go in and don’t even talk to the help. Just tell them you’re just looking and spend about 15 minutes getting familiar with some of the prices and designs of the bikes. Or you can get a skilled bicyclist to go shopping with you. If you don’t have a friend who rides, check the Web for resources like New England Mountain Bike Association – NEMBA.org; International Mountain Bike Association, IMBA.org; or the League of American Bicyclists.

You can also check out Craigslist for local biking clubs under the activities section of the site.

Now, here’s how you get ready for the season. You’ve got your new bike or your old bike and it’s March. You’ve enjoyed a winter full of candied yams and pig meat and your body has acquired some additional space and girth.

Here are the steps. If your bike is brand new, focus on your body. If you bike is older and has a cobweb or two on it, get that to the shop for a seasonal tune-up (should cost around $65) and then concentrate on your body.


etc.