Saturday, December 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Simple Joys
You have to savor the simple joys in life. If we wait around for the big ones, we'll miss out on a lot of great living to be done, and besides, they're called "once in a lifetime moments" for a reason.
Today's example happened as I was out for an early road ride. It was a crisp late-autumn morning, with moisture still heavy in the air and the ground damp and puddled from last night's rain. Most people were content to grab a warm coffee and get about their day, but I'd opted to get up early for a ride. It was one of those rides that started as a struggle - air cold, fingertips numb, legs feeling dead, and general fatigue dictating a moderate pace, especially during the first few miles which were a slight climb.
5 or 6 miles into the ride, as my body was finally waking and warming, I hit a mild downhill - the kind that's not steep enough to coast, but enough to make you feel like a hero as you spin the pedals effortlessly and are rewarded with easy speed. That woke my mind and elevated my mood enough for me to start grooving on how cool it was to be able to be out there doing what I was doing. I was an urban adventurer, a trash truck toreador, a healthy person with a touch of the daredevil.
As I crossed the 405 freeway and skirted the edge of the wilderness area I saw a long line of commuters staring at the red brake lights ahead of them. I felt a mix of pity for them and jubilation for myself as I easily outpaced the cars' minimal forward progress. With renewed vigor my pace picked up again, enough that I made it back to my neighborhood ahead of schedule, allowing me to log a couple bonus miles and still have time for a leisurely shower and breakfast.
How many others were doing something on this cold, damp morning that gave them as much satisfaction? I hope there were a lot, but in reality I know there were relatively few. While I wish them all the pleasure I felt, I'll admit to that particular satisfaction that comes with knowing that I made the effort to seize the moment and was rewarded well.
It's been a good day.
Today's example happened as I was out for an early road ride. It was a crisp late-autumn morning, with moisture still heavy in the air and the ground damp and puddled from last night's rain. Most people were content to grab a warm coffee and get about their day, but I'd opted to get up early for a ride. It was one of those rides that started as a struggle - air cold, fingertips numb, legs feeling dead, and general fatigue dictating a moderate pace, especially during the first few miles which were a slight climb.
5 or 6 miles into the ride, as my body was finally waking and warming, I hit a mild downhill - the kind that's not steep enough to coast, but enough to make you feel like a hero as you spin the pedals effortlessly and are rewarded with easy speed. That woke my mind and elevated my mood enough for me to start grooving on how cool it was to be able to be out there doing what I was doing. I was an urban adventurer, a trash truck toreador, a healthy person with a touch of the daredevil.
As I crossed the 405 freeway and skirted the edge of the wilderness area I saw a long line of commuters staring at the red brake lights ahead of them. I felt a mix of pity for them and jubilation for myself as I easily outpaced the cars' minimal forward progress. With renewed vigor my pace picked up again, enough that I made it back to my neighborhood ahead of schedule, allowing me to log a couple bonus miles and still have time for a leisurely shower and breakfast.
How many others were doing something on this cold, damp morning that gave them as much satisfaction? I hope there were a lot, but in reality I know there were relatively few. While I wish them all the pleasure I felt, I'll admit to that particular satisfaction that comes with knowing that I made the effort to seize the moment and was rewarded well.
It's been a good day.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Big Questions...
Will I?
Can I?
What can I do with my need to give when I also need so much?
How should I proceed when I am tired of the method but remain optimistic about the outcome?
How much difference do the differences make?
Will this be one of the great "what if" episodes of my life, or just another bend in the road?
Can I?
What can I do with my need to give when I also need so much?
How should I proceed when I am tired of the method but remain optimistic about the outcome?
How much difference do the differences make?
Will this be one of the great "what if" episodes of my life, or just another bend in the road?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
How is she doing it?
How can it be that she is breaking my heart without doing a thing?
Or is it precisely because she's not doing a thing?
Or is it precisely because she's not doing a thing?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Soy Un Perdedor
Talk about wasted opportunities....
In the past few days, I failed to tell someone a truth that needed to be told.
I failed to seek help from someone in a position to make a big difference.
And I failed to ask someone an important question that could change tomorrow and a lot more.
I have been very weak these past few days.
In the past few days, I failed to tell someone a truth that needed to be told.
I failed to seek help from someone in a position to make a big difference.
And I failed to ask someone an important question that could change tomorrow and a lot more.
I have been very weak these past few days.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Weight Loss Challenge
Yesterday I joined a bunch of other nutjobs to do a 50+ mile mountain bike ride for Project Rwanda. It was an awesome event, and a fun but grueling course. After doing the Counting Coup a few weeks ago, which is 45 miles and 8k feet of climbing, I was pretty casual about Rwanda's mere 50 miles and just under a little over 5K feet of climbing. Nope! The route featured many, many short but challenging climbs, plus miles of chattery, rocky trail, all of which really took a toll on my body and mind. Thank goodness for the great support and enthusiasm at this event; I fed off that energy all day.
This morning I saw that friends have posted pics from the event in a few places, and my first reaction was "Holy sh*t I look fat!" It was truly depressing. A few years ago, a photo with some friends had provoked the same reaction, and I did lose weight and took on a healthier lifestyle. But I'm definitely not in my 20's anymore, and simply being very active apparently doesn't make up for eating like a 14-year-old who's parents are out of town. I ride my bike between 1500-2000 miles per year, with most of that being off-road and with lots of climbing. I burn a lot of calories. Yet after losing about 18 lbs in my first couple of years of riding, I've now leveled off at 200lbs and can't seem to drop the next 15 or so that would put me at my preferred weight. I'm starting to build a road bike and hope to add a couple morning rides per week on that, and I'd really like to surf and/or hit the gym a little more, but with work and grad school looming, I don't know how much all of that will happen. Which leaves me one thing: Diet.
I don't cook, which is definitely a problem. Despite that, I've made some progress lately, trying bits and pieces of some new things (whodathunk I'd like California rolls or a spinach salad?) But still, the cravings for Diet Pepsi and baked goods are very strong, and chocolate has always been my ultimate weakness.
Can I do it? Can I alter a life of poor eating habits?
Of course I can.
Will I do it?
That remains to be seen.
This morning I saw that friends have posted pics from the event in a few places, and my first reaction was "Holy sh*t I look fat!" It was truly depressing. A few years ago, a photo with some friends had provoked the same reaction, and I did lose weight and took on a healthier lifestyle. But I'm definitely not in my 20's anymore, and simply being very active apparently doesn't make up for eating like a 14-year-old who's parents are out of town. I ride my bike between 1500-2000 miles per year, with most of that being off-road and with lots of climbing. I burn a lot of calories. Yet after losing about 18 lbs in my first couple of years of riding, I've now leveled off at 200lbs and can't seem to drop the next 15 or so that would put me at my preferred weight. I'm starting to build a road bike and hope to add a couple morning rides per week on that, and I'd really like to surf and/or hit the gym a little more, but with work and grad school looming, I don't know how much all of that will happen. Which leaves me one thing: Diet.
I don't cook, which is definitely a problem. Despite that, I've made some progress lately, trying bits and pieces of some new things (whodathunk I'd like California rolls or a spinach salad?) But still, the cravings for Diet Pepsi and baked goods are very strong, and chocolate has always been my ultimate weakness.
Can I do it? Can I alter a life of poor eating habits?
Of course I can.
Will I do it?
That remains to be seen.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)