What if you could start every day with a ride? How would it feel to see more dirt than concrete? Is it possible to wear a camelbak more than slacks? Pipe dreams, I know... But what is life without dreams? ...and sometimes those dreams come true where a couple times a week, lanes aren't determined by yellow and white lines, but by bench cuts and mossy singletrack. Sometimes, we wind down our day with a helmet hair and dirty skins. Even occasionally, just before the sun goes down, flying down the side of a mountain is the reward for struggling to the top, and those things help put everything else in perspective.
Why do people feel like they need to tell me about these things. Of course, I'm now thinking about it, so I appeal to Liz to knock some sense into my thought processes. She says, "Why not? It's what you love..."
Also, I've had two people say the phrase "Half Iron-man" and "you" in the same sentence in the last week. I thought holidays were about being lazy... Hopefully it's just the New Year's Resolutions talking and it dies off after the 1st.
...with no hands?
...backwards?
...sitting on the front wheel?
...spinning like a ballerina?
...at the same time?
The devil: the intangible temptation that causes a person to find easy comfort over painfully seeking a future vision.
With the devil: to have a vision, want it, start towards it, then give into temptation.
Running with the devil: to start a 7.5 mile loop and walk home in the cold after 1.5 miles feeling beaten, even after recognizing and vowing to beat that temptation.
Does persistence beat the devil? ...or change?
Last year, Liz and I went back to Nebraska for Christmas and had a good time. Traditional dinner, gifts, tree, family. What more do you need? We even had two extra days to spend with them. Two days of playing cards and watching movies. Lots of cards, and lots of movies.
This year, we decided to skip the travel, skip the gifts, but keep the family. Instead, we'll meet in Galveston to cruise around the western Carribean for a week in January. I'm excited, Liz is excited, the parents and sister and boyfriend are excited. ...and as the holiday approaches, I don't miss the crowded malls or airports, but I do feel a certain loss in not celebrating the holiday. The closer its gotten, I think the more appearant its become to myself and my wife.
For the last week, Liz's grandma's been planning a gathering of their family which we went to today. This is from a family that's not big fans of holidays, lots of people, or drama. Afterwards, we were talking about it on the way home and I told her how nice I thought it was. Seeing the cousin's baby, listening to her grandpa's same stories, etc. I said "What more do you need, it had a traditional dinner, gifts, a tree, and family." She said "Your family" and I had no response.
After the last few days, I'm beat. Legs are tired, arms are sore and weak. Sitting's comfortable and maybe some walking, but that's about it. Today's early morning bike at the gym was slow and hard. 40-42 "miles" in two hours I consider a good workout on the stationary bike, but it was rough just getting in 18 in one hour.
So, while I'm forcing myself to finish this hour, standing alot, sweating alot, feeling faint alot. I'm thinking about a couple things. A. The earlier I quit, the longer I'll have to wait for Liz. B. This is how progress is made. ...and C. Rest days are easy to come by.
It seems a pretty popular theme in magazines and conversation to talk about overtraining and getting enough off-days and scheduling them into you workouts. Really, who follows a workout plan anyways? My workouts are based on a couple criteria: weather, work, and invitations to dinner. Taking a day off shouldn't need to be planned since they just happen anyways. Scheduling them just adds more rest days and less intensity. Besides, the majority of people "training" aren't training as much as they could anyways.
So, my new plan: No scheduled rest days. ...unless something else comes up.
About a year ago, I joined the Y basically for the pool. It's pretty easy to accept that nudity is a required element in sports and fitness. I'm said and heard many times "Don't come over here," referring to the side of the car someone's hiding behind while changing after a ride.
The locker room is a whole other level that took me a while to get comfortable with. Naked strangers walking around, some wearing towels, some holding towels in front of them, some without a towel at all.
Just when that doesn't bother you any more, you start shielding your eyes less and walk around like in the grocery store. Not looking at anyone, but not avoiding looking either. Then you start to notice other things. Men drying their hair, some wearing towels, some not. Men cooling off over a fan, some wearing towels, some not. I still haven't gotten used to this, but have learned to accept it. Still, I can take the grocery store approach.
Every now and then, you run into someone at the store. Someone that you don't know, but who recognizes you and maybe wants to talk about produce or dairy. When this happens, you talk to them for a few minutes about how to pick good fruit, maybe recommend a wine, or trade ideas on snacks to take to a gathering. These people are wearing clothes.
I'm addicted. Every day, each of us experiences millions of tiny little events that if captured can tell a story rich and deep. Photography is the art of catching those moments sometimes off guard, sometimes posed, sometimes just a single instant in time that will never be repeated. The particles in the universe are aligned in a way that can never be duplicated. ...or perhaps, the photographer wants to share a feeling that can't be explained. Not something he believes in but something the finds beautiful and wants others to experience also. or ugly.
Cruise Pbase. Not only do I not get bored of seeing these images, but I keep coming back.
Samples:
Today, I had hella plans that included a not one, but two workouts. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "No Way, you did two workouts?" Well, no, just one. Sorry to disappoint, it sucks. I did get in the planned swim this morning. My plans from there were to go into work for a few hours, then do the Pocohontas Night Ride. I left the lights charging at the house and everything, ready to go. Not getting home until 6:30 kinda ruined it all though, no Poco riding for me. Sure, I could'a done my own ride or gone for a run, but I talked myself out of that because... um... it was a good reason. So I cooked dinner and read yesterday's paper which took 2 minutes because the news sucked. Then I read today's which had a bunch of really crazy stuff in it, then went to Legend's to drink beer and make biking plans.
What's the wierd news? Appearently, Jim Gilmore thinks he can be President. I guess since Mark Warner decided against it and George Allen macacaed himself to death, Jim figures some Virginian should run. Only one thing, anyone outside VA heard of this guy?
Feel like the DMV will give a licence to any wierdo that walks in? Actually, they will...
I can't find a link to the article, but a new study shows 9 of 10 in the US have premarital sex... wow, listening to the government, I thought I was in the minority...
I'd share more, but I'm getting a wee bit fatigued and I have two workouts scheduled for tomorrow.
What happens when you mix a British charity, Christmas spirit, and someone with too much time on their hands?
Fiiive Dooooogs wooooore Draaaaag
I have a Mac. I love my Mac. After all my real friends, it's my best friend. I'm never going to buy a PC again. Not convinced to switch yourself? You have no excuses now:
What month is it? I can't tell
Thursday: Areas of dense fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Southwest wind between 5 and 9 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
I don't think a person can visit Europe without coming back with a different perspective on our own society. The problem with submersing yourself in another culture is those darned cultural barriers. Language, customs, rituals, unwritten rules... Sure, it can be the challanging sort of fun, but there's only so many times you can point and say "Grazie" before it gets old.
After getting back from The Netherlands, I think this is the place to go. The culture isn't as deep as France, nor is the history as influential as Italy, but there are tons of fun things to do. The real bonus is that not only does almost everyone speak good English, but they don't mind speaking English either. It took me a couple days to realize I didn't have to 'play the game.' After that, it was easy to concentrate less on stuff like ordering food and more on things like drinking Palm. The city I stayed in the first week was pretty cool to work in since everything except the job was in walking distance from the hotel. The "Centrum" area where all the resturants, bars, shopping, etc. was, probably about 2-3 times the size of Carytown, but no streets for cars, just walking and bikes. Here's some pictures:
