I left everything I had in the basement.
"Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy."---Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
computrainer long ride, 2:15
Monday, December 30, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
"Left-Overs"
A metaphor for my life.
I've experienced the big day, and now I have stashed what's left in the fridge. There'll be no more where that came from, so it's time to count up the leftovers, and portion them out gradually. I have to make them last until the next, proverbial, grocery shopping, trip.
And that's where the analogy falls apart, because in life , unlike groceries, there will be no next, shopping trip. You only get to do it once (unless you buy the reincarnation thing), and so you better think wisely.
What does kinda work however is the way my feelings about life parallel my current feelings about the holiday season. In both cases they are mixed. I'm happy to have the intense part over, while at the same time nervous about what's to come. Perhaps it's because I've been overeating for years, both figuratively and literally. I can continue that habit and run out of food, or conversely be too stingy, and end up a miserly anorexic…. Fear of the first, may leave me suffering from the second>
And perhaps stretching my analogy to the limit, there is also the factor of my children. You see they keep hanging around the house after the party's over, and yes indeed, they are eating my leftovers!!
Speaking of stretching, today was another rest day as I'm trying to be patient with my achilles. I wonder when I will get fed up enough with these constant little injuries, to actually start stretching regularly. I'm pretty sure that would prevent most of them in the first place.
And lastly for today, today being December 29th, 2013, I give you this. It has been exactly 11 years since my life was turned upside down.
Happy birthday Colb!
"Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart."---Thomas Fuller
Love
Peter
Saturday, December 28, 2013
"The Band"
Of idiots that is!!
Nice to be all together despite the elephant in the room. This was our official Xmas family dinner.
Thanks to Roo and Miguette for making it good for the kids and for me.
computrainer week 7, day 2---1 hr, 20 mins
"To get along with me, don't increase my tension."---Ty Cobb
Love
Peter
Friday, December 27, 2013
"Ready For Routine"
We have one more big day tomorrow, and then gradually back to the routine. Today was still a busy day with 4 hockey games, and tomorrow we have 3 more, mixed in with our family Xmas dinner. Then 2 games on Sunday, and finally almost back to normal. I am so grateful to experience this with my grandchildren, and over the Xmas holidays it's pretty hectic. So part of me will also be grateful when it slows down a little.
And I'm ready to get back into high gear with my training, or at least mentally I am. My poor old right achilles is acting up quite badly all of a sudden, so we'll have to see how that plays out. It won't be an excuse to curtail any of my riding or swimming, nor will it be an excuse to get my diet in order, so onwards and upwards.
2014 is gonna be a year of change for Roo and I, as we make a serious attempt to live like retired people. The hardest part will be figuring out just exactly what that looks like. I guess we'll learn together.
run 7.5 kms
"The less routine the more life."---Amos Bronson Alcott
Love
Peter
And I'm ready to get back into high gear with my training, or at least mentally I am. My poor old right achilles is acting up quite badly all of a sudden, so we'll have to see how that plays out. It won't be an excuse to curtail any of my riding or swimming, nor will it be an excuse to get my diet in order, so onwards and upwards.
2014 is gonna be a year of change for Roo and I, as we make a serious attempt to live like retired people. The hardest part will be figuring out just exactly what that looks like. I guess we'll learn together.
run 7.5 kms
"The less routine the more life."---Amos Bronson Alcott
Love
Peter
Thursday, December 26, 2013
"Good Evening!"
And good night!
All is well!
Talk to you tomorrow.
"Every goodbye makes the next hello closer."---Anon
All is well!
Talk to you tomorrow.
"Every goodbye makes the next hello closer."---Anon
Love
Peter
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
"Merry Christmas from the Rooyakkers"
Hi everyone,
I'm filling in for my Dad tonight on the blog. I came home yesterday for Christmas, and it's been really nice to be home.
Today was lovely. I slept in and Dad cooked me and my brother Adrian breakfast when we woke up, as he usually does every year on Christmas day. Bacon and eggs and hash browns - yummy!
My parents got me a new pair of colourful running shoes for Christmas, which I love. I've needed a new pair - my current ones have lost their colourful shine! Haha. And I got socks, which is always the best thing ever to get. Nothing beats the feeling of wearing a new pair of socks! New socks are also something I never think to buy for myself, so it's nice to get them as a gift.
Later in the day, my Uncle Mark, my sister Miguette and the kids (Kylie and Colby) came over, and we all sat down to a nice Christmas dinner. We also had dessert and then spent a large chunk of the night just sitting around the table chatting about random topics, playfully making fun of each other, calling someone on speaker phone in order to settle a bet, and at the request of Kylie, we played a game of 'Apples to Apples' (Junior edition), which ended up being a lot of fun!
Today I am incredibly grateful for my family. We're not perfect (as no family is), but I think we're kind of "perfect" in our imperfection. I love that I can have open and honest conversations with both my mom and dad, and that we all can make fun of each other and not be so serious. I also continue to be enormously grateful for my parents' general support. I do, at times, take for granted that they are so supportive of me and accept me for who I am, when I could have just as easily (more likely, even) had parents who were not so supportive. Being recently exposed to some of the beliefs of my extended family really put this in perspective - I am so grateful that I can count on my dad and my mom to have my back.
We have our full Rooyakkers Christmas day on the 28th, when my older brothers Peter and Jon and my sister Alisha will come down, and we will have another big dinner. I am looking forward to it!
Whatever you celebrate, whatever this day means to you, I hope you all had a wonderful day, and could spend it with loved ones, biological or otherwise!
Love,
Michael
"Then the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!" - Dr. Seuss
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
"Screwed"
I was pretty naive. Thought it was a good deal that I got a stuffed turkey for the same price per kg as an unstuffed one. What an idiot!
10 kg's or $50 of turkey
Turned into 2.6 kgs of meat
1.5 kgs of soggy stuffing
And that of course left nearly 6 kilos of bone. gristle, fat and water!
And to top it all off you had to cook it from frozen, which took 10 hours and a whole bunch of electricity.
But wait! That's not the best part. Since we're having 2 celebrations this week, in my wisdom, I bought 2 of these overpriced, undersized, over greased, over stuffed, Butterball turkeys. Idiot!
Oh well. Like everything I do, I needed to learn the hard way. Next year I'll know better.
And it don't really matter spit anyway. Tomorrow my grandchildren will be here to help us eat it, and if they don't like it, I'll just give them cream puffs and pumpkin pie….maybe some ice cream too!
Between cooking I managed to get a few workouts in, and all went well. I am less stressed about the swimming than I've eve been, probably because I'm pretty convinced that just twice a week is gonna achieve as much as 4 times ever did.
run 7.3 kms, swim, weights
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."---Pablo Picasso
I really like that quote. Maybe cause it's the story of my life, and I'm proud of it. There are very few things I'm afraid to try, and yes indeed, I have screwed up many, many times. Life is good!
Love
Peter
Monday, December 23, 2013
"At Random"
The very, very,very….very, very best thing about having grandchildren is Christmas. One gets to do it all over again, with maybe a little more money than the first time! I know that's not supposed to make a difference, but it does! Sorry.
Can you tell that the days are getting longer? Could one of you scientists out there tell me how that works? We start getting more light, but it keeps getting colder for at least 6 weeks?? Colby, in his Rooyakkers know it all tone, started telling me some story about how long the suns light took to get to us, but he quickly petered out, knowing that one wasn't gonna work.
I woke up this morning at about 7:30. And I'm still not 100% sure, but at the time at least, I had no recollection of getting up all night. If indeed I slept through the night, that would be the first time in about 5 years. I clearly remember the previous time.
Went to the drive thru at Arbys this evening. Here's the conversation.
"Welcome to Arbys. Can I take your order"
"I'll have a Great Canadian, and a Philly & Swiss please, that's it"
"In a combo?"
"No thanks."
"So just the 2 sandwiches then".
"That's correct."
"Anything else?"
Apparently Elly and Odd John are coming to visit me, and fix my internet. I am so excited! Could you bring some soup please Elly?
I kept waiting for the punch line in The Great Gatsby….it never came. Maybe I missed something?? I've now moved on to George Orwells' 1984. Somehow the time seemed right to get reacquainted with Big Brother, in light of all the recent American spying allegations. It astounds me that they continue to insist that Snowden is a criminal??? It reminds me of the cold war era….in reverse….
It occurred to me that the expression "meet your maker" inherently implies some responsibility on his/her part??
And that's all I got.
Except this, just cause it alternately amazes me, and amuses me! It's also good to remember why I don't need to shave my neck.
Only 2 more sleeps!!
computrainer, 2 hours…boring…
….and this one is especially for my Colby…
"When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not."---Mark Twain
Love
Peter
Sunday, December 22, 2013
"Frickin Internet"
No serious attempt at a blog today. I'm a pretty peaceful guy. I spent the last couple of hours trying to troubleshoot the internet problem, but with an entirely new attitude. I'm doing it for the fun of it!! And while I'm not 100% sure yet, I suspect that something is interfering with the router. I'm trying however to make it such a mysterious thing that Odd John will end up coming down to fix it, just because frustration with my incompetence will eventually overwhelm him! Damn I'm smart.
Run hills, 9.5 kms total
"Everyone rises to their level of incompetence."---Laurence J. Peter
Run hills, 9.5 kms total
"Everyone rises to their level of incompetence."---Laurence J. Peter
Love
Peter
Saturday, December 21, 2013
"Time On My Hands"
When we moved into this house more than 10 years ago, all the cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms were of a very humble sort. They were intended to have an old fashioned, rustic look, but in actual fact what they were was cheap!! We soon upgraded the kitchen to something a little more substantial, but the bathrooms just didn't merit the expense. We've just lived with the annoyance of doors falling apart, and drawers sticking. One particular drawer always annoyed me like hell because it would jam occassionally for no apparent reason. I could tell you that for 10 years I was always too busy to fix it, but my wife tells me that's just an excuse for choosing to not make something a priority. Not that she ever bitched about the drawer mind you, which could only mean that either it wasn't a prioity for her either, or to give her the benefit of the doubt. she was just too busy bitching about everything else!!! I'll let you think about that one.
Regardless of the reason that it never got repaired, today, I decided I suddenly had the time. The whole undertaking required; for tools, one green Robertson screw driver; for materials, the corner of a pizza box as a shim; and for time, about 45 seconds!
It was a nice distraction from the bigger problem that I've been wrestling with for the last couple of days, that being our internet connection. I've talked to a technical guy at our ISP, bought and connected a new router, and played endless games of trial and error, all to no avail. In fact I've spent a lot of time on it, and made it my first priority. And yes, in case you're wondering, my wife has found plenty of time to bitch about it!!
When considered together; the two problems of my drawer and my internet, I admit to feeling a little unsettled. I like fixing drawers, and I know how to do it. I don't like fixing electronics, and I don't know the first thing about it! Why was I spending my time this way? And furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, why was I stressing over it?
Upon some reflection (I made that a priority), I'm sad to report that the answer is painful, and painfully obvious. The internet is more important! Pretty sad eh? But what really hit me hard was when I realized that it's not important to me for any good reason. I don't depend on it to do my work, or discuss religion with the Dali Lama. I don't even depend on it to watch movies, or to check the hockey scores. I don't use social media other than my blog, and I can easily post and review that through my phone. No! And again, No! The scary truth is that I depend on it, because I'm dependant on it!!!! I depend on the effin internet to kill time!!
Funny thing is, that once I realized this truth I felt a sense of relief. The first step in dealing with any addiction, no matter how minor (relatively speaking I think mine is), is acknowledgement. I'm actually excited about the potential. It's the right time in my life to re-evaluate how I spend my time, and I appreciate this little push.
So there you have it. Tomorrow's a new day, and when I get up in the morning I'm not even gonna open the browser. If any of you fine people choose to leave me a comment on my post I will receive it via e-mail on my phone. And while I admit that that's still the internet, it is not a vehicle which gives me any grief, or more importantly costs me any significant time. And after all....that's what the whole issue is...time! Besides, I can always read my e-mail while I'm driving :)
And I have at least one idea as to how I'm gonna make use of the extra time I'll now have on my hands. I've moved from Charles Dickens to F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I feel motivated by both these amazing gentlemen to try my own hand at something simple. I will keep you posted on that. The interesting thing is that the intimidation I felt in reading Dickens was considerably ameliorated by Fitzgeralds' The Great Gatsby. Also considered a work of art, I found the writing much less complex, but still entertaining and thought provoking. And after all, isn't that what it's supposed to do?
Oh, and if you're wondering why I distinguished my screw driver as being green, its actually a color coding that tells you it's size. That's the first reason, but of course you're all gonna tell me that you knew that. And while I won't argue your assertion, would you also be able to tell me that the Robertson screw is a Canadian invention? The offical head office of Robertson screw company is still in Milton Ontario. The second reason I describe my screw driver as a "green" Robertson, is to distinguish it from a "Phil" or a "Pat"…ha ha
And on the trivial topic of Ironman training, it generally continues well. My bike workout today was not overly difficult. Perhaps even a little too easy. I think that's a good thing because the workout intensity is predetermined by last weeks test, which if you recall was a bit disappointing. The fact that the workouts are not that tough may imply that I was simply a bit off, on the day of the test. Time will tell. Also I say that things 'generally' go well, because I am struggling a bit with my body composition. I'm simply eating too much! That I know is a psychological problem not a physical one, so while that doesn't make it any easier, it should make it surmountable.
computrainer, week 6, day 2--tempo ride, 1:15 total
"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had."---Eric Schmidt
Love
Peter
Regardless of the reason that it never got repaired, today, I decided I suddenly had the time. The whole undertaking required; for tools, one green Robertson screw driver; for materials, the corner of a pizza box as a shim; and for time, about 45 seconds!
It was a nice distraction from the bigger problem that I've been wrestling with for the last couple of days, that being our internet connection. I've talked to a technical guy at our ISP, bought and connected a new router, and played endless games of trial and error, all to no avail. In fact I've spent a lot of time on it, and made it my first priority. And yes, in case you're wondering, my wife has found plenty of time to bitch about it!!
When considered together; the two problems of my drawer and my internet, I admit to feeling a little unsettled. I like fixing drawers, and I know how to do it. I don't like fixing electronics, and I don't know the first thing about it! Why was I spending my time this way? And furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, why was I stressing over it?
Upon some reflection (I made that a priority), I'm sad to report that the answer is painful, and painfully obvious. The internet is more important! Pretty sad eh? But what really hit me hard was when I realized that it's not important to me for any good reason. I don't depend on it to do my work, or discuss religion with the Dali Lama. I don't even depend on it to watch movies, or to check the hockey scores. I don't use social media other than my blog, and I can easily post and review that through my phone. No! And again, No! The scary truth is that I depend on it, because I'm dependant on it!!!! I depend on the effin internet to kill time!!
Funny thing is, that once I realized this truth I felt a sense of relief. The first step in dealing with any addiction, no matter how minor (relatively speaking I think mine is), is acknowledgement. I'm actually excited about the potential. It's the right time in my life to re-evaluate how I spend my time, and I appreciate this little push.
So there you have it. Tomorrow's a new day, and when I get up in the morning I'm not even gonna open the browser. If any of you fine people choose to leave me a comment on my post I will receive it via e-mail on my phone. And while I admit that that's still the internet, it is not a vehicle which gives me any grief, or more importantly costs me any significant time. And after all....that's what the whole issue is...time! Besides, I can always read my e-mail while I'm driving :)
And I have at least one idea as to how I'm gonna make use of the extra time I'll now have on my hands. I've moved from Charles Dickens to F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I feel motivated by both these amazing gentlemen to try my own hand at something simple. I will keep you posted on that. The interesting thing is that the intimidation I felt in reading Dickens was considerably ameliorated by Fitzgeralds' The Great Gatsby. Also considered a work of art, I found the writing much less complex, but still entertaining and thought provoking. And after all, isn't that what it's supposed to do?
Oh, and if you're wondering why I distinguished my screw driver as being green, its actually a color coding that tells you it's size. That's the first reason, but of course you're all gonna tell me that you knew that. And while I won't argue your assertion, would you also be able to tell me that the Robertson screw is a Canadian invention? The offical head office of Robertson screw company is still in Milton Ontario. The second reason I describe my screw driver as a "green" Robertson, is to distinguish it from a "Phil" or a "Pat"…ha ha
And on the trivial topic of Ironman training, it generally continues well. My bike workout today was not overly difficult. Perhaps even a little too easy. I think that's a good thing because the workout intensity is predetermined by last weeks test, which if you recall was a bit disappointing. The fact that the workouts are not that tough may imply that I was simply a bit off, on the day of the test. Time will tell. Also I say that things 'generally' go well, because I am struggling a bit with my body composition. I'm simply eating too much! That I know is a psychological problem not a physical one, so while that doesn't make it any easier, it should make it surmountable.
computrainer, week 6, day 2--tempo ride, 1:15 total
"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had."---Eric Schmidt
Love
Peter
Friday, December 20, 2013
"Quack, Quack"
Quack, quack, quack! Quack quack!
Have you ever listened to a flock of ducks? Can you understand them? Do they make any sense to you when they quack? Or is it just a bunch of senseless noise?
Apparently there's this duck call guy named Phil Robertson who's getting slammed by all the negras and the queers, just for stating his opinion. While I kinda disagree with what the man had to say, I was actually delighted to hear him say it!! It gives me a sense of satisfaction to hear such ridiculous words come out of the mouth of a celebrity. What I love most about it is that his reference material is the bible!! When a nice man like Phil talks in such a ludicrous way, all it achieves is to make himself out a buffoon, and the bible out as the ridiculous collection of nonsense that it really is.
So thank you Phil for spouting your drivel. You are most likely unaware of how much you have done to further the causes of acceptance and tolerance in the world. You see, I don't know if you're aware, but God created us in his own image, and as such we are way too smart to do anything but call you out as just another "Quack"! I still love ya though Phil. :) Waddle on!
Oh, and I was wondering Phil. Are you related to Pat?? lmao
Can you tell I'm feeling a little better? While it's gonna take a bit to get back in the groove, I think I'm well on the way. I was pleasantly surprised that I can swim without any discomfort (though not near as well as a duck), and while I had to be very careful, I managed to get in most of my weight routine.
swim, 1000 metres, weights
"When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."---James Whitcomb Riley
Have you ever listened to a flock of ducks? Can you understand them? Do they make any sense to you when they quack? Or is it just a bunch of senseless noise?
Apparently there's this duck call guy named Phil Robertson who's getting slammed by all the negras and the queers, just for stating his opinion. While I kinda disagree with what the man had to say, I was actually delighted to hear him say it!! It gives me a sense of satisfaction to hear such ridiculous words come out of the mouth of a celebrity. What I love most about it is that his reference material is the bible!! When a nice man like Phil talks in such a ludicrous way, all it achieves is to make himself out a buffoon, and the bible out as the ridiculous collection of nonsense that it really is.
So thank you Phil for spouting your drivel. You are most likely unaware of how much you have done to further the causes of acceptance and tolerance in the world. You see, I don't know if you're aware, but God created us in his own image, and as such we are way too smart to do anything but call you out as just another "Quack"! I still love ya though Phil. :) Waddle on!
Oh, and I was wondering Phil. Are you related to Pat?? lmao
Can you tell I'm feeling a little better? While it's gonna take a bit to get back in the groove, I think I'm well on the way. I was pleasantly surprised that I can swim without any discomfort (though not near as well as a duck), and while I had to be very careful, I managed to get in most of my weight routine.
swim, 1000 metres, weights
"When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."---James Whitcomb Riley
Love
Peter
Thursday, December 19, 2013
"Crisis to Crisis"
I hate to admit it but that's how I tend to live my life. I get stressed over something, it never materializes the way I was worried it would--I feel better--until the next!
I think I can also safely say that the majority of the mini crises that my life seems filled with, are related to parenthood. Of course so are the majority of the joys!!
So I'll assume that this is the case for most parents, and leave it at that. Unless of course one of you mothers or fathers can assure me that you're the exception, and if so, roll on with the advice. I'm listening!
Aside from that, and probably my reasoning for making 2014 my last Ironman, many of my crises stem from my training. Of course the latest one was my rib injury, which had me thinking months of convalescence.
Maybe I can take credit for taking several days completely off, or maybe I let the worry overwhelm me, but either way, I believe I'm over this latest hump. While it's still tender, and while I still need to be smart, I ran 20 kms today without a brace, and with no serious discomfort. The schedule called for 23-24, but I am totally happy with my day. If things continue well, then I'll up the volume next week.
Tomorrow is a regularly scheduled easy day, and I'll use it to test out the water, and the weight room. If things go well there, then it's full speed ahead, with the exception probably of aero bar riding.
And back quickly to the alternating joys and trials of parenthood. I think a good analogy may be living in the country. Lots of frustrations out here, not the least of which is the freakin internet problems, but like parenting, I wouldn't give it up for the world!
run 20 kms, 1:44:08
"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out."---Anton Chekhov
Love
Peter
I think I can also safely say that the majority of the mini crises that my life seems filled with, are related to parenthood. Of course so are the majority of the joys!!
So I'll assume that this is the case for most parents, and leave it at that. Unless of course one of you mothers or fathers can assure me that you're the exception, and if so, roll on with the advice. I'm listening!
Aside from that, and probably my reasoning for making 2014 my last Ironman, many of my crises stem from my training. Of course the latest one was my rib injury, which had me thinking months of convalescence.
Maybe I can take credit for taking several days completely off, or maybe I let the worry overwhelm me, but either way, I believe I'm over this latest hump. While it's still tender, and while I still need to be smart, I ran 20 kms today without a brace, and with no serious discomfort. The schedule called for 23-24, but I am totally happy with my day. If things continue well, then I'll up the volume next week.
Tomorrow is a regularly scheduled easy day, and I'll use it to test out the water, and the weight room. If things go well there, then it's full speed ahead, with the exception probably of aero bar riding.
And back quickly to the alternating joys and trials of parenthood. I think a good analogy may be living in the country. Lots of frustrations out here, not the least of which is the freakin internet problems, but like parenting, I wouldn't give it up for the world!
run 20 kms, 1:44:08
"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out."---Anton Chekhov
Love
Peter
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
"Plugging Away"
Yah, so we went to see the Hobbit last evening, and while it was bit better than the first one, it was still a very weak sister to any of the LOTR movies. But no matter, it was 3D which I love, and I went with my best friend under 5 feet tall, my grandson Colby. Indeed Smaug was my favourite character, and although he was last seen on his way to incinerate an entire village of innocents, I was still cheering for him!! Personally I think most dwarves are a bit self centered! And before you accuse me of short people profiling, I can assure you that I've never met a Hobbit I didn't like!
But none of that shit's important right! The only thing that really matters is Ironman training!!! Right?? And I'm pleased to report that I followed the advice of all my counsellors and simply got my ass in gear. Yesterday, I wrapped up really well, and made it around the block without too much difficulty. I was a bit sore afterwards such that I decided to put off my gym visit til next time.
Today, I went without the wrap and successfully completed my scheduled bike workout. On my bike I found it more comfortable without, presumably because of the somewhat bent over condition, combined with the absence of jarring one gets in running.. I am forced at this point to do most of the riding up out of the aerobats because the extreme aero position puts too much pressure on my rib cage. Unfortunately, sitting up the whole time makes the workout easier, which feels like cheating.
All in all, I feel pretty good right now. I have been very careful not to push, pull, lift or twist for any mundane things like putting out the garbage, and that really seems to be helping. I think it's pretty ironic that my injury allows me to run and bike, but not to do normal everyday stuff. I've known for some time, and Elly confirmed yesterday that it's a family trait, that I have weak connective tissue. Probably about the time I turned 40 I could no longer wrestle with my kids; not because I didn't have the muscle or the energy, but because something always felt on the edge of giving away. I bet I could still kick all their asses if only my tendons/ligaments etc, weren't made of such fragile materials!!
And you know what? Every once in a while that's what a kid needs. He needs his stupid ass kicked into tomorrow…totally fucking delusional….and that's all I'm gonna say about that!!
Phew! That feels better.
So that's it for now folks. Tomorrow would normally be long run day, but I will simply go out running with no specific commitment. If it feels okay, I'll risk up to 20 kms, but I promise to cut it short if necessary. The good news is that I have my GPS watch back (it was out for warranty repair), and it's a great thing to have when you're playing it by ear.
computrainer, week 6, day 1
"As a housewife, I feel that if the kids are still alive when my husband gets home from work, then hey, I've done my job."---Roseanne Barr
Love
Peter
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
"Smaug Rules"
Tell you all about it tomorrow.
Easy run, 7 kms.
"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him."---JRR Tolkien
Love
Peter
Easy run, 7 kms.
"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him."---JRR Tolkien
Love
Peter
Monday, December 16, 2013
"Not Guilty!"
By reason of sanity!!
I was driving my grandchildren to school this morning when we came up behind a school bus. We were all surprised because we never encounter this bus, ever? Assuming it must be late this morning, I wondered out loud if it was going to our school. Right about this time the bus lights came on, and it slowed down for a stop. Of course we came to a safe stop well to the rear of the bus. Colby at this point confirmed that the bus was one of ours, as he seen one of his friends getting on at that stop.
So we waited patiently until the kids were all on, and the driver pulled the stop sign in, and had clearly turned the flashing lights off. He/she then paused for a moment as they often do to allow traffic to pass. I pulled out enough to check traffic, and identifying the other lane as clear, proceeded to pass the bus. I never even got to the back end of the bus when whoops.....someone, an adult,walked out from the front of the bus to cross the road!! Although it startled me, there was never any danger to anyone as I was barely moving and at least 30 feet from this woman. I was momentarily annoyed that she made such a careless move, but I forgave her immediately when she gave me a little wave in acknowledgment of her faux-pas.
Or so I thought.
She seemed to want to talk to me, so I pulled up and rolled down my window. She was fumbling with something and it took me a minute to realize she was taking pictures of my car. She went to great lengths to demonstrate that she was getting a picture of my license plate, and she accompanied this photo session with a stream of invective about her 3 children whos' lives I was endangering by my reckless behaviour. I tried to get a word in edgewise but it was futile. Because the kids were with me I kept my cool, and finally just drove away. By this time, the kids I was endangering were a kilometer up the road!
Just to confirm what I believed to be the rule I checked the MTO site, and indeed, the flashing lights, and the stop sign are the parameters by which you must decide to stop or go. It clearly states, "Do not move until the bus moves or the lights have stopped flashing". That is exactly what I did! And I did it slowly and with caution!!
It never occurred to me at the time but I now suspect this is her normal routine. She was way to ready to catch someone doing something wrong. I only wish that I had the presence of mind to haul out my phone and start taking pictures of her.
The frustration I felt all day gets me wondering what it must be like for people who are wrongly accused of serious crimes. It seems so often now that you read about someone who has spent years in jail for rape or murder, only to be exonerated by newer techniques, most notably DNA testing. How does one survive the horrible indignity of being put in a cage for something you were not guilty of??
And back to my accuser for a moment. I think what burns my ass more than anything is the blind arrogance that came with the accusation. Her moral superiority gave her the privilege of not having to listen to a word from me. I wonder if she would have taken the same haughty approach if she knew that one of her 3 children spent yesterday afternoon playing in my basement?! Yah! I'm sure that she had no idea that her son was at Colby's party yesterday, where we made sure to keep him safe for the duration thereof!!
As pissed off as I am about that mad mother, I think I'm even angrier with myself. As I made clear right from the start of this post, I unequivocally, categorically deny any wrongdoing, either legally or morally. That being said, why have I let it bug me all damn day?? Someone please explain!
But on to more important things. I did delay my workout a bit while I calmed down, but eventually got on my bike. I was quite nervous about my ribs, but quite confident that if I could get past that, I would have a good ride. It was test day, and after not having done much for the last 6 days I should have lots of legs. Neither of those things materialized. I found that with my ribs well wrapped, and as long as I stayed sitting up I could ride without too much discomfort. I also found that either I wasn't as fresh as I thought I should feel, or perhaps I was even rusty?
All in all I got through it without any real pain, other than in my legs and my lungs. And while slower than I hoped, I gained 10 watts from my initial test. I finished the 30 minutes test portion at 197 watts.
Thanks Roo, John, and Elly for your support. It's really nice to know that you've all done stupider things than me, and as a result are all well qualified to give me good guidance. Tomorrow I swill try everything else...run, swim, weights. I'll be content if I can run!! The rest will keep if necessary.
Computrainer test ride, 197 watts
“Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind”---William Shakespeare
I was driving my grandchildren to school this morning when we came up behind a school bus. We were all surprised because we never encounter this bus, ever? Assuming it must be late this morning, I wondered out loud if it was going to our school. Right about this time the bus lights came on, and it slowed down for a stop. Of course we came to a safe stop well to the rear of the bus. Colby at this point confirmed that the bus was one of ours, as he seen one of his friends getting on at that stop.
So we waited patiently until the kids were all on, and the driver pulled the stop sign in, and had clearly turned the flashing lights off. He/she then paused for a moment as they often do to allow traffic to pass. I pulled out enough to check traffic, and identifying the other lane as clear, proceeded to pass the bus. I never even got to the back end of the bus when whoops.....someone, an adult,walked out from the front of the bus to cross the road!! Although it startled me, there was never any danger to anyone as I was barely moving and at least 30 feet from this woman. I was momentarily annoyed that she made such a careless move, but I forgave her immediately when she gave me a little wave in acknowledgment of her faux-pas.
Or so I thought.
She seemed to want to talk to me, so I pulled up and rolled down my window. She was fumbling with something and it took me a minute to realize she was taking pictures of my car. She went to great lengths to demonstrate that she was getting a picture of my license plate, and she accompanied this photo session with a stream of invective about her 3 children whos' lives I was endangering by my reckless behaviour. I tried to get a word in edgewise but it was futile. Because the kids were with me I kept my cool, and finally just drove away. By this time, the kids I was endangering were a kilometer up the road!
Just to confirm what I believed to be the rule I checked the MTO site, and indeed, the flashing lights, and the stop sign are the parameters by which you must decide to stop or go. It clearly states, "Do not move until the bus moves or the lights have stopped flashing". That is exactly what I did! And I did it slowly and with caution!!
It never occurred to me at the time but I now suspect this is her normal routine. She was way to ready to catch someone doing something wrong. I only wish that I had the presence of mind to haul out my phone and start taking pictures of her.
The frustration I felt all day gets me wondering what it must be like for people who are wrongly accused of serious crimes. It seems so often now that you read about someone who has spent years in jail for rape or murder, only to be exonerated by newer techniques, most notably DNA testing. How does one survive the horrible indignity of being put in a cage for something you were not guilty of??
And back to my accuser for a moment. I think what burns my ass more than anything is the blind arrogance that came with the accusation. Her moral superiority gave her the privilege of not having to listen to a word from me. I wonder if she would have taken the same haughty approach if she knew that one of her 3 children spent yesterday afternoon playing in my basement?! Yah! I'm sure that she had no idea that her son was at Colby's party yesterday, where we made sure to keep him safe for the duration thereof!!
As pissed off as I am about that mad mother, I think I'm even angrier with myself. As I made clear right from the start of this post, I unequivocally, categorically deny any wrongdoing, either legally or morally. That being said, why have I let it bug me all damn day?? Someone please explain!
But on to more important things. I did delay my workout a bit while I calmed down, but eventually got on my bike. I was quite nervous about my ribs, but quite confident that if I could get past that, I would have a good ride. It was test day, and after not having done much for the last 6 days I should have lots of legs. Neither of those things materialized. I found that with my ribs well wrapped, and as long as I stayed sitting up I could ride without too much discomfort. I also found that either I wasn't as fresh as I thought I should feel, or perhaps I was even rusty?
All in all I got through it without any real pain, other than in my legs and my lungs. And while slower than I hoped, I gained 10 watts from my initial test. I finished the 30 minutes test portion at 197 watts.
Thanks Roo, John, and Elly for your support. It's really nice to know that you've all done stupider things than me, and as a result are all well qualified to give me good guidance. Tomorrow I swill try everything else...run, swim, weights. I'll be content if I can run!! The rest will keep if necessary.
Computrainer test ride, 197 watts
“Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind”---William Shakespeare
Love
Peter
Sunday, December 15, 2013
"It's Too Important"
And that's what I need to change.
Perhaps this downtime is good for me because it forces me to take stock. I know that once again I've let the training become a little too important. Not that I apologize for it because I know it comes with the territory. Anything that requires sustained focus and determination, has the potential to become all consuming.
But alas, I know that the universe will continue on it's merry path regardless of whether I'm fit, or fat. And on top of that, I have on many occasions preached the theory that predicting any future state based on a current incident or situation, is practically futile. As such I wish to learn how to take this in stride.
To elaborate a bit on my injury however, it is frustrating because initially it didn't seem to be much of a problem. After the snow fort incident I never missed a workout for a week. It wasn't until after the 2 days of shed work that I really started to struggle. After doing a little anatomy research today, I'm pretty sure it's a cartilage problem instead of bone. That may seem like a good thing but apparently cartilage is notoriously slow at healing. In my research I was shocked to learn that the front part of your rib cage is primarily cartilage.
But both odd John and old Roo seem to think that I should suck it up and get with the program so tomorrow I will give it the old college try. I bought a stretchy thing to wrap myself in and I promise to get on my bike right after I get the kids off to school. The good thing is that I should be well rested just in time for my bike test. Wish me luck!
And totally unrelated, is everyone as excited about Xmas as I am? Only 9 more sleeps!!
"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."---Henry David Thoreau
Love
Peter
Perhaps this downtime is good for me because it forces me to take stock. I know that once again I've let the training become a little too important. Not that I apologize for it because I know it comes with the territory. Anything that requires sustained focus and determination, has the potential to become all consuming.
But alas, I know that the universe will continue on it's merry path regardless of whether I'm fit, or fat. And on top of that, I have on many occasions preached the theory that predicting any future state based on a current incident or situation, is practically futile. As such I wish to learn how to take this in stride.
To elaborate a bit on my injury however, it is frustrating because initially it didn't seem to be much of a problem. After the snow fort incident I never missed a workout for a week. It wasn't until after the 2 days of shed work that I really started to struggle. After doing a little anatomy research today, I'm pretty sure it's a cartilage problem instead of bone. That may seem like a good thing but apparently cartilage is notoriously slow at healing. In my research I was shocked to learn that the front part of your rib cage is primarily cartilage.
But both odd John and old Roo seem to think that I should suck it up and get with the program so tomorrow I will give it the old college try. I bought a stretchy thing to wrap myself in and I promise to get on my bike right after I get the kids off to school. The good thing is that I should be well rested just in time for my bike test. Wish me luck!
And totally unrelated, is everyone as excited about Xmas as I am? Only 9 more sleeps!!
"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."---Henry David Thoreau
Love
Peter
Saturday, December 14, 2013
"Mr Wopsle's Great Aunt Died"
Or at least that's what I would have said.
Charles Dickens said....
"Mr. Whopsle's great aunt conquered a confirmed habit of living into which she had fallen."
Isn't that precious?
Or this one.
"Certain wintry branches of candles on the high chimney-piece faintly lighted the chamber; or it would be more expressive to say, faintly troubled it's darkness."
"Faintly troubled it's darkness" !!!
I'll tell you, it freaks me out. I could go on and on. Perhaps I'm easily impressed, but I would give much to be able to take such ordinary words, and arrange them in a fashion that seems to make them come alive. Incredible!
And by now you've figured out that I have nothing useful to say myself, and that's why I have to look elsewhere. I am also very rattled by this rib thing which seems to be deteriorating. I'm happy to report that we got a bunch of new snow again, and this evening I thought I may just clear it away from the back door. The very first attempt to lift the shovel sent massive pain through my left side. I only needed one more try to put the shovel away. Right now I'm kinda afraid that somethings actually broke!! On Monday I'll call the doctor.
"That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."---Charles Dickens
p.s. all the Dickens words are from Great Expectations, my current entertainment
Love
Peter
Charles Dickens said....
"Mr. Whopsle's great aunt conquered a confirmed habit of living into which she had fallen."
Isn't that precious?
Or this one.
"Certain wintry branches of candles on the high chimney-piece faintly lighted the chamber; or it would be more expressive to say, faintly troubled it's darkness."
"Faintly troubled it's darkness" !!!
I'll tell you, it freaks me out. I could go on and on. Perhaps I'm easily impressed, but I would give much to be able to take such ordinary words, and arrange them in a fashion that seems to make them come alive. Incredible!
And by now you've figured out that I have nothing useful to say myself, and that's why I have to look elsewhere. I am also very rattled by this rib thing which seems to be deteriorating. I'm happy to report that we got a bunch of new snow again, and this evening I thought I may just clear it away from the back door. The very first attempt to lift the shovel sent massive pain through my left side. I only needed one more try to put the shovel away. Right now I'm kinda afraid that somethings actually broke!! On Monday I'll call the doctor.
"That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."---Charles Dickens
p.s. all the Dickens words are from Great Expectations, my current entertainment
Love
Peter
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
"Live With It!"
That's what the man said! Not in quite as few words, but that's exactly what it amounts to. And I'm okay with that. It's good to know where one stands.
I'm referring to my eating/swallowing challenges. I went to see my old friend Dr Hansen today, the wise man who once diagnosed my cancer. He said that mechanically everything is working fine, it just doesn't work smoothly. Because of limited lubrication of course, but primarily because the muscles have simply lost their flexibility.
And like I said, I'm okay with that. Nice to know where one stands. The good news is that he does not think I am especially vulnerable to choking, which was an ongoing worry of Claudette's. She was afraid of being in the position of having to save my life one day, and not having the skill to do it. I suspect maybe she was more afraid of being in the position of having to decide whether to save my life or not!! Ya think?
Anyway, as far as I'm concerned that puts any and all cancer related decisions behind me. I am what I am, and what will be, will be. I feel sorry for people with heart or lung issues, or diabetes, or MS or arthritis, or fibromyalgia, or addiction, or HIV/Aids...get my point?
And today I'm practicing my one day at a time philosophy anyway, since I can't work out. My rib thing doesn't feel like something that will get better real fast, and I don't know how to change it. I could go see a doctor about that as well, but to what end? As frustrating as it is for me, I know that the only cure is rest!
And when I put the last 2 paragraphs together, I suddenly sit up straighter in my chair.
The sudden, startling, overwhelming sense of gratification that I feel when I realize that unlike a lot of other people out there, my most worrisome health condition can be fixed with rest!!! Wow!!!
"A healthy outside starts from the inside."---Robert Urich
Love
Peter
I'm referring to my eating/swallowing challenges. I went to see my old friend Dr Hansen today, the wise man who once diagnosed my cancer. He said that mechanically everything is working fine, it just doesn't work smoothly. Because of limited lubrication of course, but primarily because the muscles have simply lost their flexibility.
And like I said, I'm okay with that. Nice to know where one stands. The good news is that he does not think I am especially vulnerable to choking, which was an ongoing worry of Claudette's. She was afraid of being in the position of having to save my life one day, and not having the skill to do it. I suspect maybe she was more afraid of being in the position of having to decide whether to save my life or not!! Ya think?
Anyway, as far as I'm concerned that puts any and all cancer related decisions behind me. I am what I am, and what will be, will be. I feel sorry for people with heart or lung issues, or diabetes, or MS or arthritis, or fibromyalgia, or addiction, or HIV/Aids...get my point?
And today I'm practicing my one day at a time philosophy anyway, since I can't work out. My rib thing doesn't feel like something that will get better real fast, and I don't know how to change it. I could go see a doctor about that as well, but to what end? As frustrating as it is for me, I know that the only cure is rest!
And when I put the last 2 paragraphs together, I suddenly sit up straighter in my chair.
The sudden, startling, overwhelming sense of gratification that I feel when I realize that unlike a lot of other people out there, my most worrisome health condition can be fixed with rest!!! Wow!!!
"A healthy outside starts from the inside."---Robert Urich
Love
Peter
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
"It's All Bullshit!"
This getting old stuff that is.
Frustrating!
A week ago while playing in the snow with the kids, I felt, and heard, something pop in my rib cage. It hurt quite a lot initially, but the pain subsided, and I thought it was gonna be fine. It bothered me a bit to sleep but didn't seem to trouble my workouts and so I wasn't too stressed. However after 2 days of wrestling with my shed doors it hurts a lot, and I can't rest at all. Afterwards, I rode easy on my bike for 45 minutes but the whole session was an uncomfortable waste.
And I know it's the realities of age. Because I am quite fit I tend to do stuff that others may not try. Or perhaps it has nothing to do with being fit, and it's just my hard headed personality. I really, really struggle with the idea of standing back from work, or play, using the "age" card. It feels to me like an excuse, like laziness.
Today for instance. I was already quite sore from yesterday but I was determined to finish the job. Every instance I had to bend, push, pull, or twist, was quite unpleasant. Somehow the very idea of procrastinating until I felt better was unacceptable.
But I know! Yes I know! It's only gonna get worse!
How do I get my mind around that? To consciously acknowledge in advance, that if I perform a certain act, there may be consequences of ripping, tearing, pulling, cracking, or heaven forbid, breaking!! And furthermore, to then make a conscious decision not to perform that act!
All because I'm fuckin old, when I'm not really old, and when I feel very young!
Okay, Okay. I'm done. If I keep whining I'm gonna hear it from one of the idiots, so onwards and upwards. If necessary I'll take a couple of days off, and the only thing that will hurt is my waistline. I should probably focus on more cerebral activities for a while, except those were a challenge for me when I was young, let alone now.
I guess I could focus on reading and writing, which brings me to the smile of the day. I finished David Copperfield and so being duly inspired, and in keeping with the time of year, I decided to download, A Christmas Carol.
Guess what?
It was very short (less than 2 hours), and it was quite ordinary. Maybe it was just because I knew the story, but it read like something he threw together of an afternoon. Maybe he did eh?
Anyway, what I find amusing is that I'm pretty sure you can safely call A Christmas Carol a commercial success!! It has been adapted to film, opera, ballet and believe it or not, even to a mime production.
That's it folks. I gotta go take care of my grandson who seems to have the flu or some such thing. All of my petty little worries become exactly that, when placed in comparison.
computrainer 45 mins easy.
"God bless us, everyone"---Tiny Tim
Love
Peter
Frustrating!
A week ago while playing in the snow with the kids, I felt, and heard, something pop in my rib cage. It hurt quite a lot initially, but the pain subsided, and I thought it was gonna be fine. It bothered me a bit to sleep but didn't seem to trouble my workouts and so I wasn't too stressed. However after 2 days of wrestling with my shed doors it hurts a lot, and I can't rest at all. Afterwards, I rode easy on my bike for 45 minutes but the whole session was an uncomfortable waste.
And I know it's the realities of age. Because I am quite fit I tend to do stuff that others may not try. Or perhaps it has nothing to do with being fit, and it's just my hard headed personality. I really, really struggle with the idea of standing back from work, or play, using the "age" card. It feels to me like an excuse, like laziness.
Today for instance. I was already quite sore from yesterday but I was determined to finish the job. Every instance I had to bend, push, pull, or twist, was quite unpleasant. Somehow the very idea of procrastinating until I felt better was unacceptable.
But I know! Yes I know! It's only gonna get worse!
How do I get my mind around that? To consciously acknowledge in advance, that if I perform a certain act, there may be consequences of ripping, tearing, pulling, cracking, or heaven forbid, breaking!! And furthermore, to then make a conscious decision not to perform that act!
All because I'm fuckin old, when I'm not really old, and when I feel very young!
Okay, Okay. I'm done. If I keep whining I'm gonna hear it from one of the idiots, so onwards and upwards. If necessary I'll take a couple of days off, and the only thing that will hurt is my waistline. I should probably focus on more cerebral activities for a while, except those were a challenge for me when I was young, let alone now.
I guess I could focus on reading and writing, which brings me to the smile of the day. I finished David Copperfield and so being duly inspired, and in keeping with the time of year, I decided to download, A Christmas Carol.
Guess what?
It was very short (less than 2 hours), and it was quite ordinary. Maybe it was just because I knew the story, but it read like something he threw together of an afternoon. Maybe he did eh?
Anyway, what I find amusing is that I'm pretty sure you can safely call A Christmas Carol a commercial success!! It has been adapted to film, opera, ballet and believe it or not, even to a mime production.
That's it folks. I gotta go take care of my grandson who seems to have the flu or some such thing. All of my petty little worries become exactly that, when placed in comparison.
computrainer 45 mins easy.
"God bless us, everyone"---Tiny Tim
Love
Peter
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
"But Can He Use A Circular Saw?"
Every once in a while I get this idea that with a little motivation, and a lot of hard work, I could actually write something worth reading. Fortunately something usually comes along to bring me down to earth. And if you think this is just a false sense of modesty, let me elaborate. I actually believe that I have enough talent to put something together that may achieve commercial success. But 'worth reading', and 'commercial success' are not necessarily one and the same. As a matter of fact I believe they frequently are not! As an example, I give you "Chicken Soup For The Cat Lovers Soul"!!!
So what you may ask came along this time to put me in my literary place?
David Copperfield!
As I enjoy my way through this Dickens masterpiece I frequently go back and read whole paragraphs over again, just to enjoy the words. I got it the first time, but I want to check again to see how he "got me to get it", so clearly and cleverly. I could spend the rest of my life just sculpting one such paragraph, and then I'm sure It still wouldn't flow as effortlessly.
And before you think I'm some kind of literary snob who only reads sophisticated shit, let me tell you how I ended up with Copperfield on my reader. It was free!! I just checked and I have 175 electronic books that I've downloaded over the last 3 years at an average cost of 10 bucks. And believe me it includes lots of stuff that met the 'commercial success' criteria but not much else. Crazy when you think about it eh? A book that's considered a masterpiece (Copperfield) is free, and one of about the same number of words, while a huge commercial success, and an "okay" book, (Hunger Games Trilogy), costs 35 bucks!! And yes I have it on my reader along with the other 175....
But although I don't have Dickens writing gift I bet he didn't know how to work a circular saw, or a reciprocating saw, or any kind of power saw for that matter. I hope not,because it would leave me feeling very inferior.
As promised, I worked on my shed doors today. Even though it was cold as hell, and my old body ached all over, I plugged away at it.
Theoretically they are adjustable from the top, but no such luck. There was practically no adjustment left, and it was also very inaccessible. I ended up having to peel the tin off the bottom portion of the door, completely remove the bottom sections of the frame to rip them down on the table saw, and then put it all back together again.
You can perhaps see that I have the one finished, and the far one still to do. The real reason I wanted to show you this pic however, was so you could see the black shit on the ground in front of the door. And I mean shit! As in bat shit, that came showering down on my head while I was working. Lovely! I was grateful that no bats followed.
And no workout today. Other than a little anxiety, I feel pretty good about that.
It also occurs to me that in Charles' time they didn't have any power tools, so I feel pretty good about that as well.
"There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts."---Charles Dickens
Love
Peter
So what you may ask came along this time to put me in my literary place?
David Copperfield!
As I enjoy my way through this Dickens masterpiece I frequently go back and read whole paragraphs over again, just to enjoy the words. I got it the first time, but I want to check again to see how he "got me to get it", so clearly and cleverly. I could spend the rest of my life just sculpting one such paragraph, and then I'm sure It still wouldn't flow as effortlessly.
And before you think I'm some kind of literary snob who only reads sophisticated shit, let me tell you how I ended up with Copperfield on my reader. It was free!! I just checked and I have 175 electronic books that I've downloaded over the last 3 years at an average cost of 10 bucks. And believe me it includes lots of stuff that met the 'commercial success' criteria but not much else. Crazy when you think about it eh? A book that's considered a masterpiece (Copperfield) is free, and one of about the same number of words, while a huge commercial success, and an "okay" book, (Hunger Games Trilogy), costs 35 bucks!! And yes I have it on my reader along with the other 175....
But although I don't have Dickens writing gift I bet he didn't know how to work a circular saw, or a reciprocating saw, or any kind of power saw for that matter. I hope not,because it would leave me feeling very inferior.
As promised, I worked on my shed doors today. Even though it was cold as hell, and my old body ached all over, I plugged away at it.
Theoretically they are adjustable from the top, but no such luck. There was practically no adjustment left, and it was also very inaccessible. I ended up having to peel the tin off the bottom portion of the door, completely remove the bottom sections of the frame to rip them down on the table saw, and then put it all back together again.
You can perhaps see that I have the one finished, and the far one still to do. The real reason I wanted to show you this pic however, was so you could see the black shit on the ground in front of the door. And I mean shit! As in bat shit, that came showering down on my head while I was working. Lovely! I was grateful that no bats followed.
And no workout today. Other than a little anxiety, I feel pretty good about that.
It also occurs to me that in Charles' time they didn't have any power tools, so I feel pretty good about that as well.
"There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts."---Charles Dickens
Love
Peter
Monday, December 9, 2013
"Easy Week"
Yes indeed! The next week is scheduled as easy. The funny thing is that despite the whining you hear about fatigue, I don't have a sense that I deserve a break. I think part of that feeling however just comes with winter having driven me inside, and thereby reduced my overall activity level.
That makes the next week an opportunity to do both. Take it easy....and do a little more! Certainly I don't mind working outside, or in the shed, it's just more complicated than in the summer time, and I suppose that frustrates me a little bit. On and off with mitts and coats, half frozen tools and equipment, and of course snow!! Not that we have a lot of that right now, but still enough to be a nuisance.
Tomorrow I will try to begin a job that truly should be done in the summer time, but somehow never got done. I need to shorten 2 large sliding doors on the shed so that they open and close properly. I have given Farmer Bill the option of using part of the building this winter, and as such need to get this done soon. Wish me luck!
I had an interview today for a small bit of volunteer work I'm interested in doing. I'll tell you more about it as it materializes. Other than that, and a tedious basement session on my bike, it was rather an unproductive day
Computrainer ride 2:45
...and this one made me laugh as it ties yesterdays post to today's...
"All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy."---Scott Alexander
That makes the next week an opportunity to do both. Take it easy....and do a little more! Certainly I don't mind working outside, or in the shed, it's just more complicated than in the summer time, and I suppose that frustrates me a little bit. On and off with mitts and coats, half frozen tools and equipment, and of course snow!! Not that we have a lot of that right now, but still enough to be a nuisance.
Tomorrow I will try to begin a job that truly should be done in the summer time, but somehow never got done. I need to shorten 2 large sliding doors on the shed so that they open and close properly. I have given Farmer Bill the option of using part of the building this winter, and as such need to get this done soon. Wish me luck!
I had an interview today for a small bit of volunteer work I'm interested in doing. I'll tell you more about it as it materializes. Other than that, and a tedious basement session on my bike, it was rather an unproductive day
Computrainer ride 2:45
...and this one made me laugh as it ties yesterdays post to today's...
"All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy."---Scott Alexander
Love
Peter
Sunday, December 8, 2013
"I Knew It Going In"
When you commit to doing something for an entire year it's only reasonable to expect that there will be periods of, shall I say, mediocrity? That applies to both my training and my blogging, and I think it's more than just coincidence that these periods seem to come concurrently.
And while I call it mediocrity, I do so only in order to be hold myself accountable. What I truly believe happens, is that both my body and my mind are telling me that it's time to coast a bit. You've crested a hill, and not just is it okay to take a breather, it's actually critical that you do so. So tuck yourself into the aero position, and conserve a bit of energy for the next hill.
Certainly my previous response to this "mediocrity" (especially last year) has been the opposite. Pushing harder when I was tired surely backfired on me, and I need to learn from that. When you truly need a break, and you don't let it happen, you're heading for trouble.
My wife often tells me that she respects my tenacity, and while I am gratified by that, I have come to realize that I often don't know when I've crossed the line from tenacity to stupidity. Upon reflection, if my times of uninspired blogging are coincidental with the same in training, perhaps my mind would be a better messenger than my body when it comes to giving a "back off" message. After all, the problem with listening to my body is that it is always tired, and is always telling me to rest. So much so, that I have learned to ignore it at all times.
I need to think that out a little more, but either way, at this point I know there is very little to be gained by pushing too hard, as it's still very early, and so I'm gonna take it day by day. My focus at this point remains my bike workouts, and while I will try to stay religious with them, the rest will fall as it may. Today I coasted a bit already. I was supposed to do hills, but settled for a jog around the block.
Besides I had a priority. I spent the greater part of the day learning about life from a dear old friend. Thanks Frank for your inspiration!
Run 7.3 kms
"When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity."---Napoleon Bonaparte.
Love
Peter
And while I call it mediocrity, I do so only in order to be hold myself accountable. What I truly believe happens, is that both my body and my mind are telling me that it's time to coast a bit. You've crested a hill, and not just is it okay to take a breather, it's actually critical that you do so. So tuck yourself into the aero position, and conserve a bit of energy for the next hill.
Certainly my previous response to this "mediocrity" (especially last year) has been the opposite. Pushing harder when I was tired surely backfired on me, and I need to learn from that. When you truly need a break, and you don't let it happen, you're heading for trouble.
My wife often tells me that she respects my tenacity, and while I am gratified by that, I have come to realize that I often don't know when I've crossed the line from tenacity to stupidity. Upon reflection, if my times of uninspired blogging are coincidental with the same in training, perhaps my mind would be a better messenger than my body when it comes to giving a "back off" message. After all, the problem with listening to my body is that it is always tired, and is always telling me to rest. So much so, that I have learned to ignore it at all times.
I need to think that out a little more, but either way, at this point I know there is very little to be gained by pushing too hard, as it's still very early, and so I'm gonna take it day by day. My focus at this point remains my bike workouts, and while I will try to stay religious with them, the rest will fall as it may. Today I coasted a bit already. I was supposed to do hills, but settled for a jog around the block.
Besides I had a priority. I spent the greater part of the day learning about life from a dear old friend. Thanks Frank for your inspiration!
Run 7.3 kms
"When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity."---Napoleon Bonaparte.
Love
Peter
Saturday, December 7, 2013
"Family Day"
Today I seen 8 of my 11 siblings. Of the 3 that were not at the gathering today, I have seen all of them within the last 2 months! That's pretty amazing really, and I can't remember the last time this happened. The occasion was the annual holiday meal preparation for the needy, that became a kind of tradition after both of our parents were gone. A big thanks to those of them that actually do the work. In the words of that old Bea Arthur character (Maude), "God'll get you for that".
Since I'm inherently lazy I just give money. I may have to rethink that, as life without a paycheque kicks in!
Life is good.
computrainer, week 4, day 2
"There is no cure for laziness but a large family helps."---Herbert Prochnov
Since I'm inherently lazy I just give money. I may have to rethink that, as life without a paycheque kicks in!
Life is good.
computrainer, week 4, day 2
"There is no cure for laziness but a large family helps."---Herbert Prochnov
Friday, December 6, 2013
"A Rare Day"
The first day I've taken completely off in almost a month. I'm pretty sure it was the right decision, even if I only did it (or didn't do it), out of convenience. You see I had an appointment with the Mayor that conflicted with the best time to go to the pool, and the Mayor won! Not because he's the mayor mind you, but rather because he's also the wonderful gentleman who farms our few acres.
Like I said, it was the right time to have a day off, and yet I find it so hard. I get quite anxious, and as ridiculous as it may seem, I also worry about not burning calories!! I weigh about 10 pounds more than I should, and 15 more than my ideal weight. And it's ever so slowly going in the wrong direction! Of course the answer lies not in burning more calories, but rather in consuming less. I have to get back into the game!!
One positive bit. This morning at 3:38 am, I woke up for perhaps the 7th time! This particular time I got up and swished and swallowed some of the magic numbing stuff, and after perhaps 15 minutes, fell back asleep....and slept for almost 3 hours straight!!
....and I hope I don't live as long as this guy as it will mess up my retirement planning....
"It always seems impossible until its done."---Nelson Mandela
Love
Peter
Like I said, it was the right time to have a day off, and yet I find it so hard. I get quite anxious, and as ridiculous as it may seem, I also worry about not burning calories!! I weigh about 10 pounds more than I should, and 15 more than my ideal weight. And it's ever so slowly going in the wrong direction! Of course the answer lies not in burning more calories, but rather in consuming less. I have to get back into the game!!
One positive bit. This morning at 3:38 am, I woke up for perhaps the 7th time! This particular time I got up and swished and swallowed some of the magic numbing stuff, and after perhaps 15 minutes, fell back asleep....and slept for almost 3 hours straight!!
....and I hope I don't live as long as this guy as it will mess up my retirement planning....
"It always seems impossible until its done."---Nelson Mandela
Love
Peter
Thursday, December 5, 2013
"Short Pants"
Not much left of our snow fort unfortunately. I suppose the good thing is, we can start all over again when we get more white stuff. Of course the nice thing with the abrupt weather change was running in shorts. Strangest thing though. It was 10 degrees out there, and I regretted not wearing gloves. Hmmmm? Maybe it only seemed cold because of how slow I ran.
Oh well.
Who cares?
Nobody!
Not even me!
Easy day tomorrow.
20 km run, 1:47
"I don't know, I don't care, and it doesn't make any difference!"---Albert Einstein
Love
Peter
Oh well.
Who cares?
Nobody!
Not even me!
Easy day tomorrow.
20 km run, 1:47
"I don't know, I don't care, and it doesn't make any difference!"---Albert Einstein
Love
Peter
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
"That Was Funny!"
We got Roo a nice little GPS watch. About the price of 2 weeks worth of cigarettes (I think, it's been a while). The greatest thing about running with one of these, other than the useful data you end up with, is that it eliminates the need to plan your run. Long runs especially, would typically require mapping decisions that get you back home with the right distance, but just as importantly that need to take wind, weather and road conditions into consideration.
When you got one of these....you just go outside and run! You can make on the fly decisions about how far from home you want to venture, which roads to take, plus if and when you want to battle the wind. Nice!!
Anyway the funny part happened while I was getting it set up for her. Because she likes to keep track of each kilometre as she runs, I was trying to get the alert tones set up. The manual really sucks, and I was having a bit of trouble figuring it out. Of course unless I went out and actually ran with it for a kilometre, I wasn't gonna know for sure if it worked. However it had another feature called key tones, and I figured if this worked, the kilometre tones would probably work as well. Alas, no matter what I tried and how many buttons I pushed, I couldn't get it to function. When I do something like this I am always cognizant of my high frequency hearing loss, so I made sure to hold it up to my ear, but still nothing! Frustrating! Finally I called Roo in from the other room and told her I was gonna have to take it back because the tones wouldn't work. After about a half second of confusion, she burst out laughing!
And I knew right away!!
I didn't have to wait for her to stop laughing to ask me what the hell she'd been hearing for the last 15 minutes!
In case anyone doesn't know, hearing loss is one of the small side effects of Cisblatin, my chemo drug of choice. I just didn't realize how bad it's actually gotten. After she confirmed that it was working, and could hear it from the other room, I tried again. I held it tight to my ear....and I heard absolutely nothing!
And yes, it was funny. I know I whine and bitch a bit about the long term side effects, but in truth I don't really resent it. The positive things that came out of that experience outweigh the negative by about a thousand to one! I ain't kidding! Besides, I hope to offset the continuing deterioration of my hearing ability, by improvement in my listening skills
Speaking of whining my workout was a bitch today. I really don't know how I got through these workouts a year ago, other than one day at a time I suppose. I will try to use the same approach this time around, so as not to talk myself out of it.
Computrainer intervals, week 4, day 1.
"There's none so deaf as they that will not hear"---Anon
Love
Peter
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
"Real men!"
Eat whatever the hell they like!
And sometime they even cook it themselves.
Or is that bake it? Is there a difference?
Anyway here's what we 'made".
One dozen delicious, banana, chocolate chip muffins!
In the oven!
To go!
I don't know if I'll ever learn the lesson for good, but I'm working on it. What lesson you ask? The lesson that with any child, you get out exactly what you put in!! While I think it's undeniable that in each and every one of us there is a genetic factor at the play, I am convinced it is a minuscule one compared to the nurture part of the equation. I love you Colby!!
I'm feeling a bit better today but still quite tired, despite it being an easy day. I hate to admit it but I'm just a little sore, here and there, from our winter snow escapades. You can do all you want for your heart, lungs and muscles, but beyond trying to maintain a good diet, there is little you can do to slow down the deterioration of all the bits in between. Things like tendons, ligaments, meniscus etc.
I'm also having major problems sleeping as of late, due to the chronic dry mouth bullshit. I wake up at least every hour, and every time I have a decision to make. You see, the first swallow of anything immediately after waking, provides a major jolt of pain. Not that it's a big deal in itself, but the blast of adrenalin I get with that swallow tends to bring me fully awake. It's kinda like jumping in the swimming pool 8 times per night! The alternative is to roll back over without a drink. Sometimes I manage to fall back to sleep, but it never lasts long. Neither decision brings much satisfaction.
So I went to the doctor yesterday and ordered this disgusting Xylocaine shit that I used back in the recovery days. While it indeed has a very unpleasant taste and texture, it does have quite a good numbing effect. Maybe that will help get me through the nights. I also got a referral to the local ENT (that's an ear nose throat guy, not a Tolkien character) to see what they may be able to do to help my swallowing. I'm looking forward to that, if not for any other reason than that he is the same guy that originally diagnosed me 6 years ago, and who I have not seen since. I'll be able to thank him!!
That's it. I'm taking Elly's advice now(there's a first time for everything :), and going for a walk. She says that's good for me.
easy run 7kms, swim 1000 metres, weights
"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man."---Rabindranath Tagore
Love
Peter
Or is that bake it? Is there a difference?
Anyway here's what we 'made".
One dozen delicious, banana, chocolate chip muffins!
In the oven!
To go!
I don't know if I'll ever learn the lesson for good, but I'm working on it. What lesson you ask? The lesson that with any child, you get out exactly what you put in!! While I think it's undeniable that in each and every one of us there is a genetic factor at the play, I am convinced it is a minuscule one compared to the nurture part of the equation. I love you Colby!!
I'm feeling a bit better today but still quite tired, despite it being an easy day. I hate to admit it but I'm just a little sore, here and there, from our winter snow escapades. You can do all you want for your heart, lungs and muscles, but beyond trying to maintain a good diet, there is little you can do to slow down the deterioration of all the bits in between. Things like tendons, ligaments, meniscus etc.
I'm also having major problems sleeping as of late, due to the chronic dry mouth bullshit. I wake up at least every hour, and every time I have a decision to make. You see, the first swallow of anything immediately after waking, provides a major jolt of pain. Not that it's a big deal in itself, but the blast of adrenalin I get with that swallow tends to bring me fully awake. It's kinda like jumping in the swimming pool 8 times per night! The alternative is to roll back over without a drink. Sometimes I manage to fall back to sleep, but it never lasts long. Neither decision brings much satisfaction.
So I went to the doctor yesterday and ordered this disgusting Xylocaine shit that I used back in the recovery days. While it indeed has a very unpleasant taste and texture, it does have quite a good numbing effect. Maybe that will help get me through the nights. I also got a referral to the local ENT (that's an ear nose throat guy, not a Tolkien character) to see what they may be able to do to help my swallowing. I'm looking forward to that, if not for any other reason than that he is the same guy that originally diagnosed me 6 years ago, and who I have not seen since. I'll be able to thank him!!
That's it. I'm taking Elly's advice now(there's a first time for everything :), and going for a walk. She says that's good for me.
easy run 7kms, swim 1000 metres, weights
"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man."---Rabindranath Tagore
Love
Peter
Monday, December 2, 2013
"A Wee Bit Tired"
When I built the current program I was pretty comfortable that it was manageable. I am however finding myself a bit more tired than I expected. I believe it's just because I am completing good strong workouts, and if that's the case then all is as it should be.
Regardless, it occasionally gets the better of me, and today was one such day. I woke up with the ugly dark feeling, and never managed to shake it. For me constructive activity is a critical part of my emotional and spiritual self management, and that just didn't happen today. I had a doctors appointment this morning to get my planters warts frozen again, and as a result didn't get onto my bike until about 11 am. It was long ride day which makes for a tedious time in the basement. After lunch I just closed my eyes for a minute, and ended up in a fitful sleep which didn't seem to leave me feeling any more rested. And the day was pretty well gone. I did mange to get uptown to pick up a new ipod cable for Colby, and then on a hunch stopped in at the Goodwill on the way home. There I found a little seasonal playmate for my princess!
Six bucks!! And she loves him. His name is Cudolph? I think it's a hybrid of cute and rudolph.
Tomorrow I will do something about this melancholy!!
Computrainer long ride, 2.5 hours
...and this one suggests that it's a decision anyway...
"Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad"---Victor Hugo
Love
Peter
Sunday, December 1, 2013
"What The Bible Says"
Every once in a while a wee bit of wisdom falls into your lap that is so special, so very wondrous, so magically delicious, that not having a way of sharing it with you would very nearly have me burst at the seams! Actually in this particular case the glorious truth arrived not via the lap route, but rather in my mailbox, compliments of my friends and yours, the Jehovah's Witnesses.
First let me tell you that I very much respect these people. Not that their particular brand of cultism rings any more sane to me than the rest of them, but rather for their courage and work ethic. You gotta give credit where credit is due, and when it comes to standing behind their beliefs, the JW's go the extra mile....literally! If they were willing to put miles on their car just to visit my mailbox, then the least I could do is have a look at their paper before I recycle it. Or perhaps it was just because I was returning from my hill run, and the oxygen levels to my brain had not quite been restored??
But I digress. Back to the wisdom they chose to share with me on this gorgeous December Sunday. It came in the form of a very succinct little pamphlet espousing their belief in resurrection---to quote them exactly the pamphlet header was "Can the dead really live again?"
Once they raise the question, they then go on to provide supporting documentation in the form of...you guessed it...bible quotations. Three of them to be exact.
But! They certainly don't expect you to just take this all on faith, and as a matter of fact when you turn the page, they turn their assertion into an unbiased, neutral, bordering on academic, discussion by asking this question---in bold letters no less--- "CAN WE REALLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?"
WOW!
I was impressed that these people of strong faith would actually put their arguments to the test, and if their intent was simply to get me to finish reading the rest of their pamphlet, then they were successful.
You might have guessed however that their question as to the bible's believability was immediately answered with a resounding yes, and furthermore they provided the proof in the form of, and again I quote, "at least 3 reasons"
And this is when it gets precious. If I didn't already believe in god then this manna from heaven would have certainly converted me on the spot. Paul himself wouldn't have been able to claim a more dramatic or unexpected conversion!! It made me grin when I read it half way up the laneway, and now some hours later my grin has turned into a chuckle. Can you guess what they used as proof that the bible can be believed? Wait for it! And then laugh with me!
Quotes from the bible!!!!
I just laughed out loud again. Yes my dear friends, you can all rest comfortable knowing that you can believe the bible, because the bible says so!!
I'm sure that the people that actually write the pamphlet are not typical of the the Witnesses in general, because I refuse to believe that there are that many people out there that either a) have an IQ in the single digits, or b) believe that my IQ is even lower. Then again, I guess that a) does not necessarily preclude b) and indeed they could be both stupid, and think that I am as well!! Perhaps they're even right eh??
Hill run, 9kms
"You can bend it and twist it... You can misuse and abuse it... But even God cannot change the truth."--- Michael Levy
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."--- John 8:32
Love
Peter
First let me tell you that I very much respect these people. Not that their particular brand of cultism rings any more sane to me than the rest of them, but rather for their courage and work ethic. You gotta give credit where credit is due, and when it comes to standing behind their beliefs, the JW's go the extra mile....literally! If they were willing to put miles on their car just to visit my mailbox, then the least I could do is have a look at their paper before I recycle it. Or perhaps it was just because I was returning from my hill run, and the oxygen levels to my brain had not quite been restored??
But I digress. Back to the wisdom they chose to share with me on this gorgeous December Sunday. It came in the form of a very succinct little pamphlet espousing their belief in resurrection---to quote them exactly the pamphlet header was "Can the dead really live again?"
Once they raise the question, they then go on to provide supporting documentation in the form of...you guessed it...bible quotations. Three of them to be exact.
But! They certainly don't expect you to just take this all on faith, and as a matter of fact when you turn the page, they turn their assertion into an unbiased, neutral, bordering on academic, discussion by asking this question---in bold letters no less--- "CAN WE REALLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?"
WOW!
I was impressed that these people of strong faith would actually put their arguments to the test, and if their intent was simply to get me to finish reading the rest of their pamphlet, then they were successful.
You might have guessed however that their question as to the bible's believability was immediately answered with a resounding yes, and furthermore they provided the proof in the form of, and again I quote, "at least 3 reasons"
And this is when it gets precious. If I didn't already believe in god then this manna from heaven would have certainly converted me on the spot. Paul himself wouldn't have been able to claim a more dramatic or unexpected conversion!! It made me grin when I read it half way up the laneway, and now some hours later my grin has turned into a chuckle. Can you guess what they used as proof that the bible can be believed? Wait for it! And then laugh with me!
Quotes from the bible!!!!
I just laughed out loud again. Yes my dear friends, you can all rest comfortable knowing that you can believe the bible, because the bible says so!!
I'm sure that the people that actually write the pamphlet are not typical of the the Witnesses in general, because I refuse to believe that there are that many people out there that either a) have an IQ in the single digits, or b) believe that my IQ is even lower. Then again, I guess that a) does not necessarily preclude b) and indeed they could be both stupid, and think that I am as well!! Perhaps they're even right eh??
Hill run, 9kms
"You can bend it and twist it... You can misuse and abuse it... But even God cannot change the truth."--- Michael Levy
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."--- John 8:32
Love
Peter
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