Bullet point update

So no posts of consequence for almost 2 weeks. Here's the skinny, in convenient bullet point format:

*Dev in New York Sept 14th through 17th

*Dev in Chicago Sept 20th through 23rd

*Moxie had (and continues to have diarrhea

*I get bitter when I have to drive in traffic

*"Riding Giants" is a great movie

*"10,000 BC" is a not great movie and is far less not great than my low expectations

*I'm torn between the relaxation of the last couple of weekends just kicking around town and the excitement of hiking/climbing/surfing/adventuring somewhere

*"Hellboy II" met my expectations perfectly.

*I had to work last Saturday (boo)

*I found out last Friday that I had to work last Saturday (hiss)

*I missed a great benchmark workout Saturday morning because I had to work Saturday (grrrr)

*Dev went dancing with the girls from Recreate Fitness on Saturday night

*Dev did not have fun Sunday morning

*I skipped swimming last night because I'm still a little sick from last week, but I'll be working out tonight. Hopefully I'll burn off the last vestiges of whatever this is that afflicts me.

Quote from a T-shirt

Adventure is not a race.

Damn skippy.

Favorite new blog

You Are Dumb

Just as a warning: if you are offended by foul language, excrementory images, parody of ANY beliefs or if you are a right winger then you should probably not read You Are Dumb. If none of that bothers you, then you will be laughing out loud.

A Life More Aquatic

Went swimming last night. I didn't do any flotation drills or balance practice. I just swam freestyle and tried to stay relaxed and control my breathing. My stroke is improving. My breathing is getting better. I still only swim a length at a time but I'm not as out of breath as previously. Next pool visit: Wednesday.

Crazy Math

I bought my bike just over three and a half years ago when I moved to Portland. I ride it to work almost everyday. I bought it to ride in the AIDS ride in 2005. I put some miles on training for the ride. I've put some miles on riding to work. I put some miles on going to the grocery store and running some errands by bike. And most recently I put some miles on by riding out to the coast for a night of camping.

So I did some rough figuring.
My daily commute is 16 miles, round trip.

(multiply by)
I work five days a week.

(multiply by)
40 work weeks a year (I'm subtracting 12 work weeks for my two week vacation and all the sundry times that I might drive or ride the bus to work)

(multiply by)
For three years.

(equals)
9600 miles just commuting to work.

Add the AIDS ride (550 miles) plus training rides for the AIDS ride (????) plus my bike camping trip (140 miles) and I've got over 10,000 miles on my bicycle.

Crazy.

Pictures from Bike Camping

Pictures are here.

I'll write up a trip report later. Short version: it was fun.

Another swimming update

Went to the pool last night. Practiced finding my balance floating on my back. Last time I went, I felt rigid and I kept my back arched too much. Last night I found a relaxed point of float. I found the spot where I could "lay on my lungs" and keep my face out of the water. I didn't find the balance every time. And I got a couple of really good snootfuls of water from other swimmer's wakes. I found the spot enough that I know what relaxed floatation feels like now. I can aim for it. I know when it's right and when I'm not quite there. So I can practice it correctly.

The next drill involves starting on your back and then rotating one side up so that your face is still out of the water, but one shoulder and arm is out of the water. You still aim to lie on your lungs and stay completely relaxed. This exercise is harder than the first. I only managed to get the position once. That one time gives me the "feel" for the position. Now I can aim for that feeling and try to make it effortless and relaxed.

Yay progress!

Gel vs Ball point

I've been using gel pens for day to day note taking. The Pilot G-2. And it's a nice pen. Easy to find replacements when it runs out of ink. I have trouble with the flow rate though. Maybe I don't write longhand enough (being on the computer most of the time and typing most of my written communication). Maybe it's because I'm a lefty. I always seem to write in such a way that the text will smudge or bleed onto the facing page.

So it seems I might be heading back to the ball point pen.