So I'm starting of the New Year right, I'm trying to produce a metric ton of snot. Yeah you heard me right, sounds funny, but it's snot. I have been fighting a sinus infection for about a week and a half. Two doctors visits, two prescriptions, a shot in the arse and I still feel not so bueno. Enough about me. Seriously, how much mucus can your body produce? This is crazy, in the last couple of weeks I'm sure I have pound for pound equaled my body weight. At least once or twice. So, it can only get better from here, Right? That's right... Positive.
I am not making any resolutions or changes for this coming year. I'm just going to take it as it comes, and make the best of it. That being said, I would like to be a little more consistent with things (writing). Don't want to jinx things, just trying to get off on the right foot.
I haven't been on the bike much, one because of the weather and two because of being under said weather. I really want to ride the MTB more this year, and I want to do it in other states. I want to use my car even less this year. Wow, this really sounds like resolutions. Na, it's not, just being hopeful for the New Year.
Well so stay tuned, and see where this goes... I could possibly talk about cycling, life, funny stuff, gossip, dirty laundry, jokes, secrets, history, chemistry, algebra -I'm not so good at math. Anyway keep tuned in and we will see if I can stay on a roll and continue making letters into words and stuff.
See you out there on the trail, road, and in the shop.
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Lies
How many people are going to tell lies tonight. Lies to themselves. Here is a PSA for all of you who are planning to LIE. Don't do it. I know it sounds so simple to just not lie, but it is not... It is a night of lies. For exhibit A: I'm going to _______ next year. That is the biggest lie that will be told tonight, it is usually made under good intentions, but mostly made under social/peer/traditional pressure.
1. be true to yourself and don't say something that you are not
2. shoot low, I know this sounds wrong, but seriously... lower your expectations
3. don't change anything, slightly modify something... stop smoking crack -switch to cigarettes
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to lie... it's ok to lie to your friends and family, but don't lie to yourself. Someone said that "change is the only permanent thing in life" this is truth. You can resist change you can try to change, or do nothing. It will happen no matter what forces you apply. So you might as well pull up a chair pour a nice beverage and sit back and enjoy the show.
I had a weird year last year. Some of it was really good, some not so good, but none of it was a product of me trying to resolve to do something different. I did not change my life on 12/31/11, it changed in the subsequent 365 days, no matter the influences I practiced. So on this eve of the New Year I wonder what the next days have in store for me. I will resolve to not be resolute in this newest of years, 'cause time will continue no matter the piles and piles of lies that are spoken tonight.
One last final suggestion if you decide to not follow my anti-resolution stance. Drink so much that you forget anything and everything that you resolved to do... world peace, stop drinking, stop smoking, getting a real life, stealing cable, pirating movies, stealing lunch money, other bad things.
No really, have fun, be safe, live to fight another day... year or two.
1. be true to yourself and don't say something that you are not
2. shoot low, I know this sounds wrong, but seriously... lower your expectations
3. don't change anything, slightly modify something... stop smoking crack -switch to cigarettes
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to lie... it's ok to lie to your friends and family, but don't lie to yourself. Someone said that "change is the only permanent thing in life" this is truth. You can resist change you can try to change, or do nothing. It will happen no matter what forces you apply. So you might as well pull up a chair pour a nice beverage and sit back and enjoy the show.
I had a weird year last year. Some of it was really good, some not so good, but none of it was a product of me trying to resolve to do something different. I did not change my life on 12/31/11, it changed in the subsequent 365 days, no matter the influences I practiced. So on this eve of the New Year I wonder what the next days have in store for me. I will resolve to not be resolute in this newest of years, 'cause time will continue no matter the piles and piles of lies that are spoken tonight.
One last final suggestion if you decide to not follow my anti-resolution stance. Drink so much that you forget anything and everything that you resolved to do... world peace, stop drinking, stop smoking, getting a real life, stealing cable, pirating movies, stealing lunch money, other bad things.
No really, have fun, be safe, live to fight another day... year or two.
Friday, May 11, 2012
National Bike Month
It's National Bike Month.
Wow, we get a month? I had no clue. Next week is bike to work week, or something like that. If it gets someone out there to bike to work and it sticks -great. Since joining the shop, I have been trying to ride my bike as much as possible. I'm not trying to save the world from global warming, I'm not a crusader. Bikes are fun to ride. It might take a few mins more out of your day to get to work, unless you have a huge commute -in that case you should live closer to work. Plus, like I said before bikes are fun. Do something fun first thing in the morning and you are bound to start your day off on the right pedal stroke.
I will say it again, Bikes are toys. Yes, they can be used for transportation, but they are fun. It feels good to ride a bike, and things that feel good put a smile on your face. Driving in a car behind some idiot doing something stupid driving behind another idiot doing something stupider, puts you in a bad mood. This is why your work sucks so much.
Of course you could say, "But Glenn Duh, what if you drove a really cool car?" Yeah, that would make your driving experience so much better, yeah and what if you were the only car on the road, and you could drive as fast as you wanted? And, and, and... get real you don't own an exotic and your commute is not the Twin Ring. BUT if it were, you might have the same experience as riding a bike to work.
Lastly, I know some of you just can't possibly commute because of our wonderful public transportation infrastructure, or the fact that your employer does not facilitate a cycling commute. Alas, it is not a perfect world, if it were it would resemble a Willy Wonka-esk Cycling world. Perfect roads, with the perfect grades for climbs, cambered turns, everything tree covered, domestiques to fetch water, rain that doesn't soak your socks, feed zones for a snack, cafes in all the right places. Wake up, your late for work, and it is not a perfect cycling world.
Get out on a bike and make the best of what you have. Be safe if you are going to tangle with the auto-crazies. Momma always said "it is better to be wrong than to be Dead Right".
Wow, we get a month? I had no clue. Next week is bike to work week, or something like that. If it gets someone out there to bike to work and it sticks -great. Since joining the shop, I have been trying to ride my bike as much as possible. I'm not trying to save the world from global warming, I'm not a crusader. Bikes are fun to ride. It might take a few mins more out of your day to get to work, unless you have a huge commute -in that case you should live closer to work. Plus, like I said before bikes are fun. Do something fun first thing in the morning and you are bound to start your day off on the right pedal stroke.
I will say it again, Bikes are toys. Yes, they can be used for transportation, but they are fun. It feels good to ride a bike, and things that feel good put a smile on your face. Driving in a car behind some idiot doing something stupid driving behind another idiot doing something stupider, puts you in a bad mood. This is why your work sucks so much.
Of course you could say, "But Glenn Duh, what if you drove a really cool car?" Yeah, that would make your driving experience so much better, yeah and what if you were the only car on the road, and you could drive as fast as you wanted? And, and, and... get real you don't own an exotic and your commute is not the Twin Ring. BUT if it were, you might have the same experience as riding a bike to work.
Lastly, I know some of you just can't possibly commute because of our wonderful public transportation infrastructure, or the fact that your employer does not facilitate a cycling commute. Alas, it is not a perfect world, if it were it would resemble a Willy Wonka-esk Cycling world. Perfect roads, with the perfect grades for climbs, cambered turns, everything tree covered, domestiques to fetch water, rain that doesn't soak your socks, feed zones for a snack, cafes in all the right places. Wake up, your late for work, and it is not a perfect cycling world.
Get out on a bike and make the best of what you have. Be safe if you are going to tangle with the auto-crazies. Momma always said "it is better to be wrong than to be Dead Right".
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Midnight oil
This will be an interesting read.
I'm up late, the kind of late where you get out of bed because your body doesn't want to be in any position you put it in, out of bed. I don't know what my deal is. So with my mind racing, dreaming -no sleeping dreaming, I got up to exorcise the sleep depriving demons. How does this work? I'm tired, but physically I cannot get comfortable enough to sleep and then the brain powers up and starts going all ape poo. Should I go all crazy and start writing just whatever is in my head? Should I go cathartic and work the inner peace table talks with my soul? If I were really good I could do both and we would all have a Merry Christmas. Whatever.
Lets try this... The other day someone close to me dropped a bomb on me, no, no one came out of the closet. Someone that I value their opinion straight up told me that they were embarrassed of me. I was a little taken a back, or should we say, dumbfounded? Anyway, that's not the big thing, the big thing is, is that it got me to thinking. (insert thinking joke here) Nice one. Yes, Mike I do think. I really started to think about my life and how I got to this point. Most of you know that I recently started work at a bike shop, to be a bike mechanic and to sell bikes. This has been a, let's say dream since I started riding bikes. I can honestly say I am livin' it. The dream that is.
What I really started thinking about was how I feel, and I have come to the conclusion that, I am me. At this point in time I truly feel that I am as real as I can get. This is who I am, this is what I am. I am happy, and I am really enjoying life. I have always believed that you are not what you do, your job does not define who you are. Here is the problem with that logic, what if you love what you do? What if what you do helps define who you are? I'm talking about it being a real piece to the puzzle that makes you who you are, not a means to an end.
I have a close friend that worries that he does not make a difference in people's lives. He does, he is a life changer, he just can't see the forest because of all the dang trees in his way. He helps people on a daily basis, yet feels that he is not doing enough. Why? Because he really cares about what he does, but what he does, does not define who he is. His caring nature is his definition, this is the person who he really is. I know this because I don't see him on a professional level, I see him as the caring husband, father, and friend.
I will never have the impact on people's lives as say a religious leader, a doctor, or a teacher, but I do feel that where I am right now in life is where I am supposed to be. If I can sell a bike to someone or inspire someone to ride a bike to gain fitness -that is my impact. I want people to know the pure joy and freedom that a bike can bring. You know, the kind you had when you were a kid. The feeling of flying.
I'm up late, the kind of late where you get out of bed because your body doesn't want to be in any position you put it in, out of bed. I don't know what my deal is. So with my mind racing, dreaming -no sleeping dreaming, I got up to exorcise the sleep depriving demons. How does this work? I'm tired, but physically I cannot get comfortable enough to sleep and then the brain powers up and starts going all ape poo. Should I go all crazy and start writing just whatever is in my head? Should I go cathartic and work the inner peace table talks with my soul? If I were really good I could do both and we would all have a Merry Christmas. Whatever.
Lets try this... The other day someone close to me dropped a bomb on me, no, no one came out of the closet. Someone that I value their opinion straight up told me that they were embarrassed of me. I was a little taken a back, or should we say, dumbfounded? Anyway, that's not the big thing, the big thing is, is that it got me to thinking. (insert thinking joke here) Nice one. Yes, Mike I do think. I really started to think about my life and how I got to this point. Most of you know that I recently started work at a bike shop, to be a bike mechanic and to sell bikes. This has been a, let's say dream since I started riding bikes. I can honestly say I am livin' it. The dream that is.
What I really started thinking about was how I feel, and I have come to the conclusion that, I am me. At this point in time I truly feel that I am as real as I can get. This is who I am, this is what I am. I am happy, and I am really enjoying life. I have always believed that you are not what you do, your job does not define who you are. Here is the problem with that logic, what if you love what you do? What if what you do helps define who you are? I'm talking about it being a real piece to the puzzle that makes you who you are, not a means to an end.
I have a close friend that worries that he does not make a difference in people's lives. He does, he is a life changer, he just can't see the forest because of all the dang trees in his way. He helps people on a daily basis, yet feels that he is not doing enough. Why? Because he really cares about what he does, but what he does, does not define who he is. His caring nature is his definition, this is the person who he really is. I know this because I don't see him on a professional level, I see him as the caring husband, father, and friend.
I will never have the impact on people's lives as say a religious leader, a doctor, or a teacher, but I do feel that where I am right now in life is where I am supposed to be. If I can sell a bike to someone or inspire someone to ride a bike to gain fitness -that is my impact. I want people to know the pure joy and freedom that a bike can bring. You know, the kind you had when you were a kid. The feeling of flying.
It's just like riding a bike. No. The only thing that is just like riding a bike...is riding a bike.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Merry Elfin' Christmas
Oh I love the holidays. Let me count the ways. Turn the scarcasim meter up to 11 for this one folks and prepare to be offended. I'm sure I am going to step on a toe or two and will probably taste some shoe leather in the process. Who cares it's the holidayz and anything goes. Try finding a parking space without getting threatened. Seriously, where did all of these horribly bad drivers come from? Who flipped the switch to make everyone insanely rude and hostile? Humanity is so lovely this time of year, middle-finger salute right back at ya.
It all starts with someone pulling pepper-spray and gassing a Wal-Mart on "black Friday", or a trampling and pummeling to death at a K-mart. That is how we know the Christmas spirit is here among us. The Romans may have crucified Jesus at Easter, but we are killing the baby Jesus with our commercialization and politically correctness.Heaven forbid sorry I mean lovely place of afterlife of your respected religion, what is going on people? If you are going to celebrate Christmas, Celebrate Christmas! It's not a holiday... It's Christmas! Stop ruining it for everyone by trying to make it something that it is not.
My family taught me that if you are going to do something do it right, no matter what that happens to be in life. If it is a horrible job that kills your soul, do it and do it right. What we do is not a reflection of who we are...It is how we do what we do, that is the window into who we are. So taking what we know about what we know, we should apply this to Christmas.
Christmas is a religious celebration. Look it up, that's right Google that. Who knew? It seems like in a few years that besides the Bible, the story of the "real" reason for Christmas will be a search on Google. I am by no means a pillar in religion, but I do have respect. Respect...find out what it means to me. When did we stop teaching respect? We instead preach tolerance. Tolerance killed Respect. Oh yeah, if this pisses you off, just remember that you have to tolerate me and my beliefs, just as long as I am not preaching Christianity.
If we do not believe in Christmas don't celebrate Christmas, don't water it down with our half-arsed attempts to degrade a religious holiday that some hold sacred. There are plenty of other quote-unquote holidays that we can wrap presents, give gift cards, and cook turkey.
Merry Christmas
It all starts with someone pulling pepper-spray and gassing a Wal-Mart on "black Friday", or a trampling and pummeling to death at a K-mart. That is how we know the Christmas spirit is here among us. The Romans may have crucified Jesus at Easter, but we are killing the baby Jesus with our commercialization and politically correctness.
My family taught me that if you are going to do something do it right, no matter what that happens to be in life. If it is a horrible job that kills your soul, do it and do it right. What we do is not a reflection of who we are...It is how we do what we do, that is the window into who we are. So taking what we know about what we know, we should apply this to Christmas.
Christmas is a religious celebration. Look it up, that's right Google that. Who knew? It seems like in a few years that besides the Bible, the story of the "real" reason for Christmas will be a search on Google. I am by no means a pillar in religion, but I do have respect. Respect...find out what it means to me. When did we stop teaching respect? We instead preach tolerance. Tolerance killed Respect. Oh yeah, if this pisses you off, just remember that you have to tolerate me and my beliefs, just as long as I am not preaching Christianity.
If we do not believe in Christmas don't celebrate Christmas, don't water it down with our half-arsed attempts to degrade a religious holiday that some hold sacred. There are plenty of other quote-unquote holidays that we can wrap presents, give gift cards, and cook turkey.
Merry Christmas
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Sweat equity
Looking at all the posts in this here sea of social media and it is awash in talk about training, off-season, coaches, and trainers. I think I am suffering from burn-out. Burn-out from training. I have no desire to clamp my perfectly capable bike into a stationary position, or pull the rollers out of the closet. My power to weight ratio, my heart rate data, miles, or time have all become arbitrary. Well time matters, I just want more of it, not necessarily attach a quantity to it. I am more interested in quality time with the bike. I could care less about my fitness right now, I just want to ride bikes. I'm trained out, my desire is in the crapper. I want to go mtb out West. I want to race CX, don't care how I do, I just enjoy the process. The team, friends, family and then cursing the pain of riding crosseyed for 40+mins. The first sip of beer after killing yourself is indescribable. I rode 30 miles this afternoon and yes that is not far at all, and you know...I don't care. I had a great time just being on the bike, the road bike. First time in a long time on the road and I must say I enjoyed myself.
I have self-diagnosed myself with ADHD, which means any amount of time on a trainer is well, torture. I cannot fathom how you people can spend hours on trainers, I'm done before the warm-up is over. Turn on a movie, listen to music, smash yourself in the head with a ball-peen hammer. Trainers are not my cup of tea, and right now especially so. I can't imagine myself with pools of sweat, fan blowing, Fugazi blaring, and watching Fight Club all the while doing intervals. That right there is motivation enough to go outside and gamble with freezing to death or losing a fingertip or two. That's right I'm a little ray of sunshine.
Just took a quick look at WKO+ from last year and I had only been on the trainer 3 times by this date last season. So it could be worse. It can always be worse. I am going to fight training for all I'm worth. In the back of my mind I know I am going to get killed next season, but I'm tired and I want the bike to be my escape. My bikes are toys not tools. I know this, I just have to remember this.
I have self-diagnosed myself with ADHD, which means any amount of time on a trainer is well, torture. I cannot fathom how you people can spend hours on trainers, I'm done before the warm-up is over. Turn on a movie, listen to music, smash yourself in the head with a ball-peen hammer. Trainers are not my cup of tea, and right now especially so. I can't imagine myself with pools of sweat, fan blowing, Fugazi blaring, and watching Fight Club all the while doing intervals. That right there is motivation enough to go outside and gamble with freezing to death or losing a fingertip or two. That's right I'm a little ray of sunshine.
Just took a quick look at WKO+ from last year and I had only been on the trainer 3 times by this date last season. So it could be worse. It can always be worse. I am going to fight training for all I'm worth. In the back of my mind I know I am going to get killed next season, but I'm tired and I want the bike to be my escape. My bikes are toys not tools. I know this, I just have to remember this.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Excuse me, Do you have the...
Up late today, the wife loves the snooze button. I don't see the point in it whatsoever. It is useless and dead to me. In fact I use a watch as my alarm, for two reasons. 1) battery powered. 2) no snooze. I know what time I need to be up to get ready to be where I need to be. Snooze just angers me. I'm just about asleep again and WHAM! Time to wake up, again, and again, and again, and again. Pointless, unless you want a bad mood version of me walking around half-dead.
I am uninspired to write anything worth reading, so if you want to stop now I understand and don't want to waste anymore of your time. Otherwise, if you need to kill a little time...by all means please continue. Be my guest.
Time, it's a funny thing, we invented it, and we are obsessed with it. Age is a unit of measure that explains how many trips one has made around the big glowing orb. I believe that the Native Americans used the Moon, or is this just history provided by Hollywood? Look that up for me, I'm currently lazy with facts. Society places worth to these trips, we categorize each other with this measurement and place social restrictions. We constructed what we call Time, everything correlates to some measure of time. Man created this? The Romans changed the calendar, the Mayans stopped it in 2012. Of course they disappeared, has to be the Aliens who have no concept of Time. Saw it on TV and read it on the interweb...has to be true.
For a people so obsessed with time, we sure waste it as if it were endless. Time is a construct of man so it is a linear thought, but time or whatever one wants to call it is not linear. There is no start and there is no finish, time is not point A to point B. It is for man because we have a birth and a death, but time is not born nor does it die. We are born we live our lives and then we are no more. The debate, a debate I will not get into, is what happens after? What happens after depends on what flavor of cool-aid you drink.
Life is short. I love Fox Riders Co. saying that they put on some of their clothing. Live Fast Ride Hard. I interpret it as life is short, live it to the fullest. Don't waste your time, enjoy life, love what you do and do what you love. No matter what you find yourself doing do it to your fullest.
I am uninspired to write anything worth reading, so if you want to stop now I understand and don't want to waste anymore of your time. Otherwise, if you need to kill a little time...by all means please continue. Be my guest.
Time, it's a funny thing, we invented it, and we are obsessed with it. Age is a unit of measure that explains how many trips one has made around the big glowing orb. I believe that the Native Americans used the Moon, or is this just history provided by Hollywood? Look that up for me, I'm currently lazy with facts. Society places worth to these trips, we categorize each other with this measurement and place social restrictions. We constructed what we call Time, everything correlates to some measure of time. Man created this? The Romans changed the calendar, the Mayans stopped it in 2012. Of course they disappeared, has to be the Aliens who have no concept of Time. Saw it on TV and read it on the interweb...has to be true.
For a people so obsessed with time, we sure waste it as if it were endless. Time is a construct of man so it is a linear thought, but time or whatever one wants to call it is not linear. There is no start and there is no finish, time is not point A to point B. It is for man because we have a birth and a death, but time is not born nor does it die. We are born we live our lives and then we are no more. The debate, a debate I will not get into, is what happens after? What happens after depends on what flavor of cool-aid you drink.
Life is short. I love Fox Riders Co. saying that they put on some of their clothing. Live Fast Ride Hard. I interpret it as life is short, live it to the fullest. Don't waste your time, enjoy life, love what you do and do what you love. No matter what you find yourself doing do it to your fullest.
Live Fast Ride Hard -Fox
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Baby it's cold...
I wanted to title this post Holy F its cold, but in reality it is not that cold. It is freezing, but to be in perspective it is not like the Great White North. I was in shorts just a week and a half ago, so to be fair it is colder than what this hairless ape is accustomed. I just need to deal. All this being said, a conversation was had this morning about the willingness to go forth into the cold and its direct correlation to age.
The older we get the less resistant to cold. ???? Do you have any scientific evidence other than all the shut-ins that freeze to death in the winter? I am not sold on the resistance to cold theory, although it does have validity, I subscribe to the knowledge of cold, and age is supposed to give one more knowledge. I call this theory the been-there-done-that theory. I am by no means saying that I am old or young, or that I have knowledge. I know from experience that when I was a few years younger I wore a lot less clothing in the relative cold. Now that I am adding years to my time on this planet, I seem to be adding layers to my body when venturing out-of-doors. I also find that I tend to do my riding indoors more and more.
I hate cold hands and cold feet. I have poor circulation to my extremities, therefore making my problem a problem. The other nail in my cold activity coffin, is the fact that my hands and feet sweat -a lot. Moisture + Cold wind = Miserable. As I type this my fingers are little icicles, my toes and feet are sweating in my wool slippers. This condition can be a match made in hell when out on a long ride. Thank God for sheep and the lovely wool that they provide my feet. Ewe Rock!
I don't do many PSA's on my blog, because the two of you who read this probably already know what I can teach, but the best thing for cold weather activities is: Know your limiters. Cold hands? Cold feet? Cold head/face? What limits you from getting out in the cold? Cover your skin. Keep your core warm -this means your chest and kidney area, especially your kidney area. How do I do this? Keep the wind off your skin, don't let air into your jacket, secure sleeves at the cuffs. Collar -wear something that will not allow air/wind down your collar mainly down your back. No gaps, no air leaks, and you will be toasty. Do Not Overdress. Overdress and you will sweat, you will get wet and then you will freeze to death, or pretty close to death, or you will wish you were dead. Ok, sorry for that. I know you don't come here for my vast knowledge of the way to ride bikes. You come here for the witty repartee. Oh, yeah you do.
I'm not going to talk about motivation to get out in the cold, because I know nothing about motivation. I know all about cable TV and the couch when it is cold outside. What I do know, is that people will do things with other people that they would normally not do alone. Group mentality, or should we call it peer pressure is step one and then group mentality takes over? "I'll go, if you go." -ever been in on a conversation like that? I don't think it is peer pressure or group mentality. I call it the Mutual Dare. You do it, I'll do it, we will be stupid together, and together we are stronger than our weaker counterparts. That's right, Damn the Torpedoes let's go spit in nature's face... Together.
The older we get the less resistant to cold. ???? Do you have any scientific evidence other than all the shut-ins that freeze to death in the winter? I am not sold on the resistance to cold theory, although it does have validity, I subscribe to the knowledge of cold, and age is supposed to give one more knowledge. I call this theory the been-there-done-that theory. I am by no means saying that I am old or young, or that I have knowledge. I know from experience that when I was a few years younger I wore a lot less clothing in the relative cold. Now that I am adding years to my time on this planet, I seem to be adding layers to my body when venturing out-of-doors. I also find that I tend to do my riding indoors more and more.
I hate cold hands and cold feet. I have poor circulation to my extremities, therefore making my problem a problem. The other nail in my cold activity coffin, is the fact that my hands and feet sweat -a lot. Moisture + Cold wind = Miserable. As I type this my fingers are little icicles, my toes and feet are sweating in my wool slippers. This condition can be a match made in hell when out on a long ride. Thank God for sheep and the lovely wool that they provide my feet. Ewe Rock!
I don't do many PSA's on my blog, because the two of you who read this probably already know what I can teach, but the best thing for cold weather activities is: Know your limiters. Cold hands? Cold feet? Cold head/face? What limits you from getting out in the cold? Cover your skin. Keep your core warm -this means your chest and kidney area, especially your kidney area. How do I do this? Keep the wind off your skin, don't let air into your jacket, secure sleeves at the cuffs. Collar -wear something that will not allow air/wind down your collar mainly down your back. No gaps, no air leaks, and you will be toasty. Do Not Overdress. Overdress and you will sweat, you will get wet and then you will freeze to death, or pretty close to death, or you will wish you were dead. Ok, sorry for that. I know you don't come here for my vast knowledge of the way to ride bikes. You come here for the witty repartee. Oh, yeah you do.
I'm not going to talk about motivation to get out in the cold, because I know nothing about motivation. I know all about cable TV and the couch when it is cold outside. What I do know, is that people will do things with other people that they would normally not do alone. Group mentality, or should we call it peer pressure is step one and then group mentality takes over? "I'll go, if you go." -ever been in on a conversation like that? I don't think it is peer pressure or group mentality. I call it the Mutual Dare. You do it, I'll do it, we will be stupid together, and together we are stronger than our weaker counterparts. That's right, Damn the Torpedoes let's go spit in nature's face... Together.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Being Thankful
Many moons ago when I was a wee lad we made turkeys out of a tracing of our hand. Dressed up an outline of a Pilgrim with a big hat and buckles on his shoes. We put feathers on a native American (formerly known as Indian). We learned how thankful and sharing everyone was back in the day, and then we had time off to eat turkey with our families. We got to travel to relatives who would say "the last time I saw you, you were this tall". Ok, so now that I am not such a wee lad, we know that Columbus was not a Pilgrim, extorted money from the Spanish for a boat ride -because he was just a crazy drunk sailor. He most likely did not even set foot in what we consider the good ole USofA. Vikings, not the ones from Minnesota, probably discovered this here place, but just did not like being away from home -so they left. Of course the "Indians" (native Americans) were already here and had been for sometime. They just did things differently, so we took over. We all know that the aliens were here long ago -saw it on the History channel, has to be true.
As Robert said "Ramble On". I am not sure any of us can be certain what or how Thanksgiving came about, nor do we really care. Turns out that thanksgiving is a time of rest and nourishment for the upcoming battle to be waged on the following Black Friday. We all watch TV, eat and store up as many calories humanly possible and try to rest and relax. We know the following day that we will not have time to eat for fear of missing that big deal, we will need our strength to fight for a parking space. We need our rest to make that midnight opening, or if you are weak that 4 o'clock doorbuster. [yes, spellchecker doorbuster is a word, take your little red squiggly line and shove it]
That's right Col. Kurtz "The horror...the horror". What have we done? What have we done with our time of thanksgiving? Black Friday is turning into a black hole and it is going to suck Thanksgiving down with it. Say no, spend your time wisely, do something you like to do...if it happens to be shopping then good on ya. Seriously spend your time like it is all you have. Time.
Be thankful for what you are thankful for. What does that mean? It means stop taking everything for granted, like life is owed to you. It is not. Life is not owed, life is given. Like a present, take it and be thankful for it, be thankful for every moment that you draw breath. The good book says that "life is but a vapor". It is here today and gone tomorrow. No matter where you are in your life you have something to be thankful. I like to talk about perspective, and this is where perspective comes into play.
To be cheesy I would like to list all the things that I am Thankful, but I will spare you. I am very thankful and I will try not to take life for granted. After reading this think of something that you consider insignificant and be thankful for it in your life.
I'm thankful that one of you read this...
As Robert said "Ramble On". I am not sure any of us can be certain what or how Thanksgiving came about, nor do we really care. Turns out that thanksgiving is a time of rest and nourishment for the upcoming battle to be waged on the following Black Friday. We all watch TV, eat and store up as many calories humanly possible and try to rest and relax. We know the following day that we will not have time to eat for fear of missing that big deal, we will need our strength to fight for a parking space. We need our rest to make that midnight opening, or if you are weak that 4 o'clock doorbuster. [yes, spellchecker doorbuster is a word, take your little red squiggly line and shove it]
That's right Col. Kurtz "The horror...the horror". What have we done? What have we done with our time of thanksgiving? Black Friday is turning into a black hole and it is going to suck Thanksgiving down with it. Say no, spend your time wisely, do something you like to do...if it happens to be shopping then good on ya. Seriously spend your time like it is all you have. Time.
Be thankful for what you are thankful for. What does that mean? It means stop taking everything for granted, like life is owed to you. It is not. Life is not owed, life is given. Like a present, take it and be thankful for it, be thankful for every moment that you draw breath. The good book says that "life is but a vapor". It is here today and gone tomorrow. No matter where you are in your life you have something to be thankful. I like to talk about perspective, and this is where perspective comes into play.
The Real Voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having NEW EYES ~Mary Engelbreit
To be cheesy I would like to list all the things that I am Thankful, but I will spare you. I am very thankful and I will try not to take life for granted. After reading this think of something that you consider insignificant and be thankful for it in your life.
I'm thankful that one of you read this...
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Pulling the trigger
It was just a short while ago that I was forced into a life altering career move. Seems like forever, but it really has not been that long. April. I guess it is a long time if you are stuck on a desert island. Not to be confused with deserted island which might not be a bad thing. Now desert island sounds like it might not be very fun. Dessert island sounds like a good ole time to me, 450lbs later. Time is as time does. The time for me is now, at least it feels like the time is now. Crape Diem, Right? Seize the day? Life is too short not to take a risk or two. Life is wasted when dreams become regrets. Yes, I am trying to squeeze as many cliches into this paragraph before I become nauseous. Ok I'm done.
I have been given the opportunity to do something I have always wanted. I have been handed the keys to a lifestyle that I was born for. It is not without it's drawbacks, but the Pro's column outweighs the Con's. In my opinion, yeah but what do I know? I know what I like, and I am going to do what I like because I am a spoiled brat. There I said it. Life should be an adventure, and adventure is not safe, so therefor I chose to not be safe (really kids you should wear your helmets) in life. I can't stop writing cheesy lines tonight, don't know what my problem is? Oh well, probably should stop while I still have my two readers out there.
Anyway the whole idea was to "blog" about what is going on and what is in store for my future, and quite possibly your future if you happen to ride bikes in the Greater Tulsa area. Is your interest peaked? Most of you probably know what my new endeavor is going to be, but some of you may not know. So, stay tuned to this here interweb of knowledge, follow me on twitter, and if you must hit me up on the fb. If you have not guessed, it involves me (no kidding) and bikes (double no kidding). How cool is that? If you like bikes and you can tolerate me you just might get to see me in person -professionally speaking of course!
I have been given the opportunity to do something I have always wanted. I have been handed the keys to a lifestyle that I was born for. It is not without it's drawbacks, but the Pro's column outweighs the Con's. In my opinion, yeah but what do I know? I know what I like, and I am going to do what I like because I am a spoiled brat. There I said it. Life should be an adventure, and adventure is not safe, so therefor I chose to not be safe (really kids you should wear your helmets) in life. I can't stop writing cheesy lines tonight, don't know what my problem is? Oh well, probably should stop while I still have my two readers out there.
Anyway the whole idea was to "blog" about what is going on and what is in store for my future, and quite possibly your future if you happen to ride bikes in the Greater Tulsa area. Is your interest peaked? Most of you probably know what my new endeavor is going to be, but some of you may not know. So, stay tuned to this here interweb of knowledge, follow me on twitter, and if you must hit me up on the fb. If you have not guessed, it involves me (no kidding) and bikes (double no kidding). How cool is that? If you like bikes and you can tolerate me you just might get to see me in person -professionally speaking of course!
Monday, November 21, 2011
I'm too sexy...
When I say "style" what comes to mind?
Fashion right?
Maybe, but I think of style as the aspect of how one carries oneself in life. It is how you live, how you handle yourself. There are many styles of life and livin' but it is sometimes easy to pigeonhole people into categories, doing this is the absence of style. True style has no name no label. I am writing this thinking of my "Style role models". No! I don't look to the magazines for my input, I look to the people in my life who make me who/what I am. Real people, and I mean Real, not just flesh and blood, but Real. And if I must define Real for you then just stop reading now. I have a hammer for you, just send a S.A.S.E. to the belllap.
I can't help but think of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club while writing. Style is deeper than what we see on the surface, "you are not your job, you are not the contents of your wallet, you are not your f______ khakis". I'm going to point fingers now, but there are so many people who live their jobs, cars, houses, and contents of their wallets. They may be "high fashion" but they are low on style. Get real, be real. "Is that what a real man looks like?" This is of course my opinion and not a guide to live your life.
Here it comes, the point in the program where I tie this into riding bikes. Cycling is Vogue. It is "high fashion". We are all guilty and should go to the Madonna del Ghisallo and ask for forgiveness. We judge. We berate. We ostracize. We are as bad as an Opra book club. "Did you see his bartape? It didn't match his saddle!" No, but really? This is not the point that I want to make, although it is a big part of what we do. Style on the bike and off the bike relates to life. Art imitates life and life imitates Art. How one handles oneself on the bike is a true reflection of the person, even during the heat of battle in a race.
The bike is a window into ones soul. It has the ability to strip one down to their core no matter the ability or status. The butcher, baker, and candlestick maker can all ride side-by-side with the doctor, lawyer and accountant. Ones style is dictated by who you are on the bike, how you handle yourself on the bike, and how you treat your fellow cyclists. Style is a lost Art, but it is not dead. You can't buy it, but you can earn it and learn it. Next group ride you are on, look for the style. It will be there, it has always been there, style is timeless.
My goal in cycling is not to win races, but to bare the torch for future generations to follow. I would like to thank my Roll Models that are Real. I hope to one day turn the crank with 1/2 as much style as you.
Fashion right?
Maybe, but I think of style as the aspect of how one carries oneself in life. It is how you live, how you handle yourself. There are many styles of life and livin' but it is sometimes easy to pigeonhole people into categories, doing this is the absence of style. True style has no name no label. I am writing this thinking of my "Style role models". No! I don't look to the magazines for my input, I look to the people in my life who make me who/what I am. Real people, and I mean Real, not just flesh and blood, but Real. And if I must define Real for you then just stop reading now. I have a hammer for you, just send a S.A.S.E. to the belllap.
I can't help but think of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club while writing. Style is deeper than what we see on the surface, "you are not your job, you are not the contents of your wallet, you are not your f______ khakis". I'm going to point fingers now, but there are so many people who live their jobs, cars, houses, and contents of their wallets. They may be "high fashion" but they are low on style. Get real, be real. "Is that what a real man looks like?" This is of course my opinion and not a guide to live your life.
Here it comes, the point in the program where I tie this into riding bikes. Cycling is Vogue. It is "high fashion". We are all guilty and should go to the Madonna del Ghisallo and ask for forgiveness. We judge. We berate. We ostracize. We are as bad as an Opra book club. "Did you see his bartape? It didn't match his saddle!" No, but really? This is not the point that I want to make, although it is a big part of what we do. Style on the bike and off the bike relates to life. Art imitates life and life imitates Art. How one handles oneself on the bike is a true reflection of the person, even during the heat of battle in a race.
The bike is a window into ones soul. It has the ability to strip one down to their core no matter the ability or status. The butcher, baker, and candlestick maker can all ride side-by-side with the doctor, lawyer and accountant. Ones style is dictated by who you are on the bike, how you handle yourself on the bike, and how you treat your fellow cyclists. Style is a lost Art, but it is not dead. You can't buy it, but you can earn it and learn it. Next group ride you are on, look for the style. It will be there, it has always been there, style is timeless.
My goal in cycling is not to win races, but to bare the torch for future generations to follow. I would like to thank my Roll Models that are Real. I hope to one day turn the crank with 1/2 as much style as you.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Big Legged Woman...
You know what I love about cycling?
Everything
What do you love about cycling, is it love or is it just a junior high crush, maybe you are just friends. Does it encompass your day, hour, second, or is it your world? Can you stop at any moment? Is it a habit, a past time, or does it define you? What does it mean to you, can you live without it?
I live cycling. I can't begin to explain what a ride on a bicycle means to me. The bike is a tool, a toy, but more importantly it is an extension of oneself. I'm thinking about bikes right now, perfectly groomed single-track weaving in and out of Aspen trees. I can't help it. I'm an addict and there is no cure, and I'm not going to stop. So, save your intervention for someone with a glue sniffing habit. I'm good here move along.
I have had the privilege to ride with a lot of people, whether it be racing or just a bike trail stroll, people either "get it" or they don't. The "it" is something that no amount of training, miles, wins, or time will be possible to attain. There is no magic formula, no coaching, and no book will help you find the holy grail. Just riding your bike helps, but that is not the answer. The answer is Zen, it lies within. You, the bike, the cycling community.
What is it that makes us slip on shoe covers, gloves, and long tights to go out and ride in freezing drizzle? Do you do this because you have to? Gotta get in the miles, coach said I have to do..., everyone else is doing it, or do we get out there because it is raw? Man and machine vs Nature. The base layer of the cycling lifestyle. Pain. We want it difficult. Heck if it were easy everyone would do it, and why would you want to do something everyone else is doing? That is just stupid. Cycling is a dare unfulfilled, a self loathing one-up-yourself. How can you truly feel if you do not know Pain?
I would dare say that most bike riders do not see the "beautiful" side of cycling. Like I said before there is no map to find your way, but you will know it when you get there. Cycling is a cold beer at the end of a salt crusted calf cramping town-sprint ride to the parking lot. It is the nod of the head to a fellow in a different kit on the starting line. It is the sweaty handshake or the pat on the back of the guy who just piped you at the line. It is the thanks given for pulling across a titanic gap. It is...
Everything
What do you love about cycling, is it love or is it just a junior high crush, maybe you are just friends. Does it encompass your day, hour, second, or is it your world? Can you stop at any moment? Is it a habit, a past time, or does it define you? What does it mean to you, can you live without it?
I live cycling. I can't begin to explain what a ride on a bicycle means to me. The bike is a tool, a toy, but more importantly it is an extension of oneself. I'm thinking about bikes right now, perfectly groomed single-track weaving in and out of Aspen trees. I can't help it. I'm an addict and there is no cure, and I'm not going to stop. So, save your intervention for someone with a glue sniffing habit. I'm good here move along.
I have had the privilege to ride with a lot of people, whether it be racing or just a bike trail stroll, people either "get it" or they don't. The "it" is something that no amount of training, miles, wins, or time will be possible to attain. There is no magic formula, no coaching, and no book will help you find the holy grail. Just riding your bike helps, but that is not the answer. The answer is Zen, it lies within. You, the bike, the cycling community.
What is it that makes us slip on shoe covers, gloves, and long tights to go out and ride in freezing drizzle? Do you do this because you have to? Gotta get in the miles, coach said I have to do..., everyone else is doing it, or do we get out there because it is raw? Man and machine vs Nature. The base layer of the cycling lifestyle. Pain. We want it difficult. Heck if it were easy everyone would do it, and why would you want to do something everyone else is doing? That is just stupid. Cycling is a dare unfulfilled, a self loathing one-up-yourself. How can you truly feel if you do not know Pain?
I would dare say that most bike riders do not see the "beautiful" side of cycling. Like I said before there is no map to find your way, but you will know it when you get there. Cycling is a cold beer at the end of a salt crusted calf cramping town-sprint ride to the parking lot. It is the nod of the head to a fellow in a different kit on the starting line. It is the sweaty handshake or the pat on the back of the guy who just piped you at the line. It is the thanks given for pulling across a titanic gap. It is...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Got it bad?
I am starting to feel that without the bike I have no life. When people talk about caffeine they say dependent rather than addicted. So, using that logic I would say that I am bike dependent. Addiction is a harsh word, so let's "church it up" and call it something more palatable. You know, that is what we do. We put a "good face" on everything. This is what I call the "PC effect" that came about in the late '80s and early '90s. Let's be a kinder and gentler nation. A nation of tolerance, that will not tolerate intolerance. Politically Correct. I think that Politically Correct sounds like and oxymoron, with heavy emphasis on moron. I should care about your feelings more than my own. Really? But only when it meets a criteria set by the "whiny baby" society. HTFU. Being mean and telling the truth live on a fine line that should not be taken lightly, but come on people use your tiny t-rex brains and be real with each other. Offence is offensive to me. Free speech is not an open license to be an A-hole, grow some skin and learn to live life without crying foul. Yeah, some people are just going to be on the wrong side of the "line" and some will never be able to tell the difference.
Yes, I have a little angst built up that needs to be flushed out of the soul. I've got a fever, a fever for some bike riding. Give me more bike. Really people stop being so soft, soft minded and soft bodied. If this downward spiral continues we will have no ass to kick, it will just be a humongous glob of fleshy waste. Get out of the house and enjoy, fight for life, Live.
I'm pretty much feeling sorry for myself, because I can't ride my bike. Boo whaaaa. There could be like a million things worse out there, and here I am crying a river. I am bike dependent, my life revolves around riding bikes. At work I dream of riding my bike. I see the world as either paved or off-road trails. Driving around this little corner of the world selling coffee I see lots of places that I would love to ride my road bike, and I also see places that would make for some excellent single track. I dream that I am riding my bike, and then I watch the clock to see when I will be home to ride my bike. When you talk to me and it is not about bikes, I am thinking about bikes, or how I can work bikes into the current conversation.
The world for me revolves around bikes. The Earth does not rotate about its axis, it is propelled by the action of cyclists pushing against it with pedal and crank. I wear my cycling socks to work. I drink recovery drinks to help hang-overs or when I am sick. I check people for tan lines, shaved legs, and road rash scars. Porn for me is bike catalogs, and pictures from Interbike, thank you highspeed interweb. I will break my neck looking at every bike that I pass just to see what kind it is, it does not matter if it is a kid or a homeless person riding.
I am bike dependent, admittance is the first step.
Right?
Screw it.
I am helpless.
Yes, I have a little angst built up that needs to be flushed out of the soul. I've got a fever, a fever for some bike riding. Give me more bike. Really people stop being so soft, soft minded and soft bodied. If this downward spiral continues we will have no ass to kick, it will just be a humongous glob of fleshy waste. Get out of the house and enjoy, fight for life, Live.
I'm pretty much feeling sorry for myself, because I can't ride my bike. Boo whaaaa. There could be like a million things worse out there, and here I am crying a river. I am bike dependent, my life revolves around riding bikes. At work I dream of riding my bike. I see the world as either paved or off-road trails. Driving around this little corner of the world selling coffee I see lots of places that I would love to ride my road bike, and I also see places that would make for some excellent single track. I dream that I am riding my bike, and then I watch the clock to see when I will be home to ride my bike. When you talk to me and it is not about bikes, I am thinking about bikes, or how I can work bikes into the current conversation.
The world for me revolves around bikes. The Earth does not rotate about its axis, it is propelled by the action of cyclists pushing against it with pedal and crank. I wear my cycling socks to work. I drink recovery drinks to help hang-overs or when I am sick. I check people for tan lines, shaved legs, and road rash scars. Porn for me is bike catalogs, and pictures from Interbike, thank you highspeed interweb. I will break my neck looking at every bike that I pass just to see what kind it is, it does not matter if it is a kid or a homeless person riding.
I am bike dependent, admittance is the first step.
Right?
Screw it.
I am helpless.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Freedoms
I love riding bikes. I love the feeling that a bike can elicit. I come home after work grab a bike off the wall and hit the street, the trails or both. I've got the tools of the trade, I'm fortunate to have a "quiver". I have a bike to suit my fancy, and even though I have a plethora, I always want more. N+1 is life.
Yesterday was 11.11.11. Pretty cool. But. More importantly it was Veteran's Day. A day to honor the people who serve/served our country (that means you and me). There are these people out there that took an oath to protect us, with their lives if necessary. I ask myself why? Why would someone do this? What type of person does this? And, why would they do it for me? I made a choice to not serve my country, but I respect the choices our men and women in the military have made...for me. To protect me, to give me my freedoms. At any cost.
This takes a different breed of person. A breed above all else. It goes against everything we are taught. Stay away from danger, be safe, don't do that you will get hurt, but yet these people run into the heart of danger without self, but with purpose. They have been doing it for years and years, and we the non-militarized society reap the benefits.
I take it for granted that I can come home, jump on my bike and go anywhere I want. I can dress the way I like, I can say what I want, I can own land, I am free. I can never say "Thank You" enough for the freedoms that I enjoy. This great country was built on the backs of our military, our government came from the military, our expansion came from the military, our safety comes from the military.
To those that came before and those that will follow,
Thank You.
Freedom is not Free
Yesterday was 11.11.11. Pretty cool. But. More importantly it was Veteran's Day. A day to honor the people who serve/served our country (that means you and me). There are these people out there that took an oath to protect us, with their lives if necessary. I ask myself why? Why would someone do this? What type of person does this? And, why would they do it for me? I made a choice to not serve my country, but I respect the choices our men and women in the military have made...for me. To protect me, to give me my freedoms. At any cost.
This takes a different breed of person. A breed above all else. It goes against everything we are taught. Stay away from danger, be safe, don't do that you will get hurt, but yet these people run into the heart of danger without self, but with purpose. They have been doing it for years and years, and we the non-militarized society reap the benefits.
I take it for granted that I can come home, jump on my bike and go anywhere I want. I can dress the way I like, I can say what I want, I can own land, I am free. I can never say "Thank You" enough for the freedoms that I enjoy. This great country was built on the backs of our military, our government came from the military, our expansion came from the military, our safety comes from the military.
To those that came before and those that will follow,
Thank You.
Freedom is not Free
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Adjust this...
Man this day started off like any other day, just like Bill Murray hitting the alarm clock in Groundhog's Day. Routine is as routine does. Potty and feed the dogs, make coffee, eat cereal, stretch, make/pack lunch, dress (put clothes on, not wear) head out the door, check -work phone personal phone keys, drive to work. Etc... Today was a day that was supposed to be easy and fast, and with my leftover time I would work on Thursday's and Friday's route, you know just to have it done. BS...I want to leave early on Thursday and Friday. It was going so well right out of the gate that I thought it was Thursday and I was happy down in my soul and then I realized it was still only Wednesday, but happy it was Wednesday 'cause Wednesday kills compared to Monday.
'It hit the fan at stop number three today. Then on the way to my next stop, we will call it stop number four, my work truck died. Tits up at 65mph on the Creek Turnpike in the left hand lane. Oops. Put it in N and tried to restart, nothing. Checked traffic and signaled to pull off the road, again tried to restart. Nothing. Dead. If it were a horse I would have pulled out my gun and put it out of its misery. Routine just became a missing person on the 10 o'clock news.
Long story short, Good day became crappy day became #&^%$@^%#$!!!!!!! I became a clock watcher and began to calculate at what point I would have to quit running route drive back to the shop get my car drive home and still have some daylight left for a ride. Priorities! I made it, got into my car and was about six or seven mins into my drive home when to paraphrase Chicken Little the bottom dropped out. Seriously? So now it is raining, and my mtb ride is just a work day dream that was being washed into the gutter. Turn the soul crusher to 11, break out the whine and cheese, I think I'm gonna cry.
Got home. Was about to put on some Joy Division lay on the couch in the dark and create a black hole of depression the likes of which have not been seen or recorded by man or machine. I looked at my phone for some reason and saw that it was 65* and raining. No ____ Sherlock. Wait a min, 65* is warm. So if you add rain, 65* is now cool, not cold, but cool. My work induced rage coma is starting to wear off and I realize that I can ride my bike in the rain, and 65* is well within my manufacturer's tolerances. Oh, what's that? I have a CX bike? A bike that is just begging to be ridden in the harshest of conditions that I am probably not man enough to dish out.
Quick look at the clock said that I had better hurry if I wanted to be back before the dark had a dual-fisted hold on the earth. Leg over the saddle, clipped in, drilling it down the block. Oh crap, might want to let off the gas on this corner with all this liquid on the ground, yeah whetevez... I laugh at the rain, the wet grass, the mud, the leaves on the ground, and all the jealous fools in their metal coffins trying to kill me in a fit of vehicular homicide. Slow it down there Git-r-done dude.
Hate, Rage, Fury, Anger, Madness flowed in my veins. With every pedal-stroke they were broken down into the most enjoyable smooth flowing calm. A calm that can only be gained from the distillation of the negative chased out of the body with the magical powers of the bi-wheeled contraption that we like to call a bike.
'It hit the fan at stop number three today. Then on the way to my next stop, we will call it stop number four, my work truck died. Tits up at 65mph on the Creek Turnpike in the left hand lane. Oops. Put it in N and tried to restart, nothing. Checked traffic and signaled to pull off the road, again tried to restart. Nothing. Dead. If it were a horse I would have pulled out my gun and put it out of its misery. Routine just became a missing person on the 10 o'clock news.
Long story short, Good day became crappy day became #&^%$@^%#$!!!!!!! I became a clock watcher and began to calculate at what point I would have to quit running route drive back to the shop get my car drive home and still have some daylight left for a ride. Priorities! I made it, got into my car and was about six or seven mins into my drive home when to paraphrase Chicken Little the bottom dropped out. Seriously? So now it is raining, and my mtb ride is just a work day dream that was being washed into the gutter. Turn the soul crusher to 11, break out the whine and cheese, I think I'm gonna cry.
Got home. Was about to put on some Joy Division lay on the couch in the dark and create a black hole of depression the likes of which have not been seen or recorded by man or machine. I looked at my phone for some reason and saw that it was 65* and raining. No ____ Sherlock. Wait a min, 65* is warm. So if you add rain, 65* is now cool, not cold, but cool. My work induced rage coma is starting to wear off and I realize that I can ride my bike in the rain, and 65* is well within my manufacturer's tolerances. Oh, what's that? I have a CX bike? A bike that is just begging to be ridden in the harshest of conditions that I am probably not man enough to dish out.
Quick look at the clock said that I had better hurry if I wanted to be back before the dark had a dual-fisted hold on the earth. Leg over the saddle, clipped in, drilling it down the block. Oh crap, might want to let off the gas on this corner with all this liquid on the ground, yeah whetevez... I laugh at the rain, the wet grass, the mud, the leaves on the ground, and all the jealous fools in their metal coffins trying to kill me in a fit of vehicular homicide. Slow it down there Git-r-done dude.
Hate, Rage, Fury, Anger, Madness flowed in my veins. With every pedal-stroke they were broken down into the most enjoyable smooth flowing calm. A calm that can only be gained from the distillation of the negative chased out of the body with the magical powers of the bi-wheeled contraption that we like to call a bike.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
What do you want?
I have recently found myself in a recession, not unlike the one the world economy has found itself mired. A little background info on my situation: I am a horrible money manager, if I have it I spend it, if I don't have it I spend it. The latter is not a good combo I hear, I hear from my wife all the time. I try, but I have a problem similar to drinking or drugs or sex or food or yes please! OK, enough time on the couch talking about my problems. I, like many of you, am a consumer, I want I want and then again I want. I want so much that they eventually become need. ADDICTION -when your wants become needs. I no longer want I need, Give it to me yesterday. When FedEx comes up with time-travel shipping I'm in, I'll pay for it.
Bikes are an obsession, which is a fancied-up word for addiction. I subscribe to the n+1 theory, whereas n is equal to the number of bikes owned. So no matter how many owned you always need +1. I recently +1ed with the addition of a new Cross bike, everyone was doing it. So, I needed to do it. (see what I did there NEEDED, not wanted) I did not want to be left out of the cool kid group. So, here is where the train comes off the tracks. I had the money for the +1, but in my money spending stupor, I failed to recognize that I did not have the funds to race, drink man sodas, sushi happy-hour, more man sodas, frozen pizza, brewing man sodas, and everything else not related to the +1 or everything related to the +1.
I am a consumer, I consume. I am not a generator, I am not an earner.
I am in the process of a mid-life transitional period. A big part of me just wants to "walk the Earth". I realize that something has to change so that I can do the things that I want to do, but yet still fulfill the need to do. I have been adding up the need column and it is pretty small compared to the ginormous want column. What is important to me and what is necessary are so far from each other that I have a lot of work ahead of me to get things right.
Right now what I really want, is to go ride a bike. Or, do I need to go ride a bike?
Bikes are an obsession, which is a fancied-up word for addiction. I subscribe to the n+1 theory, whereas n is equal to the number of bikes owned. So no matter how many owned you always need +1. I recently +1ed with the addition of a new Cross bike, everyone was doing it. So, I needed to do it. (see what I did there NEEDED, not wanted) I did not want to be left out of the cool kid group. So, here is where the train comes off the tracks. I had the money for the +1, but in my money spending stupor, I failed to recognize that I did not have the funds to race, drink man sodas, sushi happy-hour, more man sodas, frozen pizza, brewing man sodas, and everything else not related to the +1 or everything related to the +1.
I am a consumer, I consume. I am not a generator, I am not an earner.
I am in the process of a mid-life transitional period. A big part of me just wants to "walk the Earth". I realize that something has to change so that I can do the things that I want to do, but yet still fulfill the need to do. I have been adding up the need column and it is pretty small compared to the ginormous want column. What is important to me and what is necessary are so far from each other that I have a lot of work ahead of me to get things right.
Right now what I really want, is to go ride a bike. Or, do I need to go ride a bike?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Talk show
Hope this doesn't turn out to sound like some forced BS, because this is exactly what I am doing. I am forcing myself to write something in the smallest of hopes that I will actually generate a thought that I just might be able to share, well, I am going to share it good or bad. You are just going to have to live with whatever I decide to put out there, which is kind of a free flow of me just thinking and typing. Lucky you. I had better not unlock any of the closets for fear of skeletons coming out and appearing in print. Yeah it would probably make for good reading, like watching a train wreck, but then I most likely would not be able to look some of you in the eye.
What's new with you? Work did not totally suck the life out of me today, or did it? I had no motivation to do anything other than watch a replay of an English Premier League match. My motivation had to work late so my mtb ride went out the window, as if it were going to materialize in the first place. Got "stood up" yesterday, but had the motivation to get in a ride none the less. Did not feel it today. Would really like to get in a ride tomorrow, or is it I really need to get in a ride tomorrow? Not talking about need to for my fitness or training plan -cause I don't have either. I'm talking about getting in a ride so that I don't fall further down the rabbit hole, the one where TV is life support and the couch is the next best thing since, oh...sliced bread.
Did I mention that I baked a loaf of fresh bread? I have a bread machine and it totally rocks, that is when I use it. Not like it is hard, just put the ingredients in and press a few buttons, wait a few hours and viola, Fresh Baked Bread. Butter Baby. French toast kills with homemade bread, oh now you want to sleep over. That ship has sailed.
Yeah, that pretty much went where I thought it would...nowhere. OK, I've got to look at the positive...I am practicing my typing skills. Speaking of skills, thank Bill Gates and Steve Jobs for instant spell check, is that not like the coolest thing ever? Predictive typing or whatever you industry people call it is pretty darn annoying, yeah turn that crap off. I have swype on my phone and it works pretty good, except when I have no idea how to spell the word in the first place, then it is I who sucks.
P.S. I just thought of an excellent gadget for my blog... I need to put a little indicator of how many beers that I consumed for the post down at the bottom of said post. Just for the record, 0 beers were harmed during the making of this post. If anyone knows how to make gadgets, that would be super cool.
What's new with you? Work did not totally suck the life out of me today, or did it? I had no motivation to do anything other than watch a replay of an English Premier League match. My motivation had to work late so my mtb ride went out the window, as if it were going to materialize in the first place. Got "stood up" yesterday, but had the motivation to get in a ride none the less. Did not feel it today. Would really like to get in a ride tomorrow, or is it I really need to get in a ride tomorrow? Not talking about need to for my fitness or training plan -cause I don't have either. I'm talking about getting in a ride so that I don't fall further down the rabbit hole, the one where TV is life support and the couch is the next best thing since, oh...sliced bread.
Did I mention that I baked a loaf of fresh bread? I have a bread machine and it totally rocks, that is when I use it. Not like it is hard, just put the ingredients in and press a few buttons, wait a few hours and viola, Fresh Baked Bread. Butter Baby. French toast kills with homemade bread, oh now you want to sleep over. That ship has sailed.
Yeah, that pretty much went where I thought it would...nowhere. OK, I've got to look at the positive...I am practicing my typing skills. Speaking of skills, thank Bill Gates and Steve Jobs for instant spell check, is that not like the coolest thing ever? Predictive typing or whatever you industry people call it is pretty darn annoying, yeah turn that crap off. I have swype on my phone and it works pretty good, except when I have no idea how to spell the word in the first place, then it is I who sucks.
P.S. I just thought of an excellent gadget for my blog... I need to put a little indicator of how many beers that I consumed for the post down at the bottom of said post. Just for the record, 0 beers were harmed during the making of this post. If anyone knows how to make gadgets, that would be super cool.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Perspective..or something like that
Someone always has it better than you, and someone always has it worse than you. I'm a glass is half empty kind of guy, always looking for the negative. Don't judge, it's easy to be on the team of the not so positive, it takes a true hardas$ to be positive even in the face of failure. I am not. Admittance is the first step, it's the second step -the one where you actually start the change is the hard part. I don't see myself changing into a lollipop kid and seeing the good in everything anytime soon.
I have a good life, I do (not bragging) sometimes I just don't see the trees for the darn forest. My job is trying my sanity, I swear that this job is going to kill my soul. I don't love what I do, and it is just a means to and end. It is a rare thing that one loves their vocation. I'm just going through the motions as best I can. What I'm really trying to say and to convince myself is...is that I don't have it that bad. In fact I have it pretty good in the grand scheme of things. It could always be worse, Right?
Looking at ones life from a different set of eyes alters the view. When life hands you a lemon say "what else you got?" and be glad you have a lemon, 'cause the guy next to you was just handed a pile of manure.
I'm trying to break this absence of words, so I apologize for the nature of my writing and I hope that it does not bring you down, but helps you look at your situation from a different vantage point. I figure, at this point, that writing anything is better than writing nothing at all. This is a self induced therapy aimed to cure the brain to keyboard mandatory black out that has occurred.
Did you click on to read something about cycling? I rode a bike today, Did you? I was about to melt into the couch of oblivion when "The Julie" called and said she was coming home and wanted to go mtb. Savior. We rode in some light rain and chilly weather until we were on the trails up at Turkey. I let Julie lead the ride and I shut off my mind and focused on her rear tire, so much so that at one point I was lost and had to look for landmarks to reorient myself. Much needed. I am so lacking in the motivation department, don't you dare call it burn-out. It is not. I love to ride and I need to ride like a junkie needs a fix. There is a black hole of time right after work that if I cannot make it out, I will not do anything but dive deep into a vegetative state. This has nothing to do with burn-out, I have the desire to ride, I just don't have the motivation to change clothes, fill bottles/camelbak, and go ride. TV is just too easy, and beer is just too tasty.
I have a good life, I do (not bragging) sometimes I just don't see the trees for the darn forest. My job is trying my sanity, I swear that this job is going to kill my soul. I don't love what I do, and it is just a means to and end. It is a rare thing that one loves their vocation. I'm just going through the motions as best I can. What I'm really trying to say and to convince myself is...is that I don't have it that bad. In fact I have it pretty good in the grand scheme of things. It could always be worse, Right?
Looking at ones life from a different set of eyes alters the view. When life hands you a lemon say "what else you got?" and be glad you have a lemon, 'cause the guy next to you was just handed a pile of manure.
I'm trying to break this absence of words, so I apologize for the nature of my writing and I hope that it does not bring you down, but helps you look at your situation from a different vantage point. I figure, at this point, that writing anything is better than writing nothing at all. This is a self induced therapy aimed to cure the brain to keyboard mandatory black out that has occurred.
Did you click on to read something about cycling? I rode a bike today, Did you? I was about to melt into the couch of oblivion when "The Julie" called and said she was coming home and wanted to go mtb. Savior. We rode in some light rain and chilly weather until we were on the trails up at Turkey. I let Julie lead the ride and I shut off my mind and focused on her rear tire, so much so that at one point I was lost and had to look for landmarks to reorient myself. Much needed. I am so lacking in the motivation department, don't you dare call it burn-out. It is not. I love to ride and I need to ride like a junkie needs a fix. There is a black hole of time right after work that if I cannot make it out, I will not do anything but dive deep into a vegetative state. This has nothing to do with burn-out, I have the desire to ride, I just don't have the motivation to change clothes, fill bottles/camelbak, and go ride. TV is just too easy, and beer is just too tasty.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Silly Season
Seriously, it's starting to get crazy and it is only going to get worse or is it better? It is Transfer season, no not that kind of transfer where you have to drive to the start of a race. I am talking about teams merging, riders changing teams and the all around hysterics that follow. Rumors Rumors Rumors.
Cavendish says he has a team, but he is not talking. What are the odds on favorite that it is Sky? Not like that is a stab in the dark. $$$$$$$. HTC is hemorrhaging riders, come on Bob get a sponsor before it is just you and some old kits hanging in the bus. The brothers Velits jumped ship to QuickStep or the entity that it will become once the marriage with Omega is consummated. This holiest of unions of Belgian Superpowers has a very large question mark hanging over it like the sword of Damocles. Where is Gilbert going to go? Lotto, after it's divorce with Omega Pharma is hooking up with Ridley Bikes to form a new team or something like that. I could not get the translator to work, so I have no idea other than the hook-up? Is there a possible three way with Vacansoleil? Hard to tell at this point.
How can Bob Stapleton just watch his empire that was the glorious T-Mobile-HighRoad-Columbia-HTC crumble at his feet? This makes no sense to me whatsoever, Stapleton has to be one of the best in the business of cycling and it looks as though it is over for the superpower. What a dark day for US cycling and the Euro peloton. OK, I know it's not a done deal but it looks bad, real bad. I'm talking ICU call in the Priest, bad. Pull it together man, get a new sponsor and continue to dominate, with or without Cav.
That is one of the awesome aspects of this sport, riders are motivated by money, but they are also motivated by the desire to win. Of course winning does equal money, so it is kind of a win win. Or would that be a Win $?
Cavendish says he has a team, but he is not talking. What are the odds on favorite that it is Sky? Not like that is a stab in the dark. $$$$$$$. HTC is hemorrhaging riders, come on Bob get a sponsor before it is just you and some old kits hanging in the bus. The brothers Velits jumped ship to QuickStep or the entity that it will become once the marriage with Omega is consummated. This holiest of unions of Belgian Superpowers has a very large question mark hanging over it like the sword of Damocles. Where is Gilbert going to go? Lotto, after it's divorce with Omega Pharma is hooking up with Ridley Bikes to form a new team or something like that. I could not get the translator to work, so I have no idea other than the hook-up? Is there a possible three way with Vacansoleil? Hard to tell at this point.
How can Bob Stapleton just watch his empire that was the glorious T-Mobile-HighRoad-Columbia-HTC crumble at his feet? This makes no sense to me whatsoever, Stapleton has to be one of the best in the business of cycling and it looks as though it is over for the superpower. What a dark day for US cycling and the Euro peloton. OK, I know it's not a done deal but it looks bad, real bad. I'm talking ICU call in the Priest, bad. Pull it together man, get a new sponsor and continue to dominate, with or without Cav.
That is one of the awesome aspects of this sport, riders are motivated by money, but they are also motivated by the desire to win. Of course winning does equal money, so it is kind of a win win. Or would that be a Win $?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Fail
Well as the kids say, I pretty much failed at TdF race recaps, which I was supposed to be "good" at doing. It looks as though I have been having a problem putting pen to paper, or should I say fingertip to key? I, like most Americans want to blame my issue/problems on something other than myself, I mean really self-accountability is for dead people. I am alive and well in the Nintendo-Xbox-PS2 world that we have created, so my problem is, shall we say watching too much TV? Sounds good to me, tune in turn the brain off and tune out. Bam! no head injury required to become a self-induced vegetable, and wearing your helmet does not work. -Tried it, even used foil to no avail.
I really do enjoy writing, but lately and for quite sometime I have been unable to produce anything worth a darn. Plus, you actually have to write something to have something to critique. It's not like I haven't had any ideas, I've had plenty, but they just did not want to jump onto the page, or should I say screen? Back to blaming outside forces that I have no control over, like TV and work. Yes I would like to take this commercial break and blame my work for robbing me of my artistic creativity. Once again it could not be me who is actually blocked or that I am just not taking the time to sit down and put some letters into words into sentences into paragraphs. I can not be held accountable for my actions, I was not hugged enough as a child, it's GIJoes fault that I am violent and it is the Smurfs fault that I dig chicks with a blueish complexion. Damn you TV.
One thing that would never be a problem for me or for my life would be the amount of time I spend on a bike. It's not a problem, I can handle my bike riding, I don't need to do it, I just like to do it, I can stop at anytime. Yeah, no problem/issue there folks just move along nothing to see here. I will not admit that I have a problem, because I don't. It is everyone who doesn't understand bikes that has a problem, they are the sick ones, they are the ones who need help and support groups. I'm fine thanks for asking, what's your problem?
Boy, that was a lot of work. I think I need a man soda and some quality time with the couch and the remote control. I would go ride a bike if I was not already blown out from the last couple of days, oh but there is always tomorrow. Sitting watching the clock waiting for it to tell me it is time to go ride. Already planning my rides for the weekend. Scheduling my life around a child's toy. I don't have a problem, just some killer tan lines, shaved legs, and an affinity for Lycra.
I really do enjoy writing, but lately and for quite sometime I have been unable to produce anything worth a darn. Plus, you actually have to write something to have something to critique. It's not like I haven't had any ideas, I've had plenty, but they just did not want to jump onto the page, or should I say screen? Back to blaming outside forces that I have no control over, like TV and work. Yes I would like to take this commercial break and blame my work for robbing me of my artistic creativity. Once again it could not be me who is actually blocked or that I am just not taking the time to sit down and put some letters into words into sentences into paragraphs. I can not be held accountable for my actions, I was not hugged enough as a child, it's GIJoes fault that I am violent and it is the Smurfs fault that I dig chicks with a blueish complexion. Damn you TV.
One thing that would never be a problem for me or for my life would be the amount of time I spend on a bike. It's not a problem, I can handle my bike riding, I don't need to do it, I just like to do it, I can stop at anytime. Yeah, no problem/issue there folks just move along nothing to see here. I will not admit that I have a problem, because I don't. It is everyone who doesn't understand bikes that has a problem, they are the sick ones, they are the ones who need help and support groups. I'm fine thanks for asking, what's your problem?
Boy, that was a lot of work. I think I need a man soda and some quality time with the couch and the remote control. I would go ride a bike if I was not already blown out from the last couple of days, oh but there is always tomorrow. Sitting watching the clock waiting for it to tell me it is time to go ride. Already planning my rides for the weekend. Scheduling my life around a child's toy. I don't have a problem, just some killer tan lines, shaved legs, and an affinity for Lycra.
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