I’ve a bit of a crush. It’s shared, and we’re having fun, but taking things slowly, enjoying things for what they are. Spent a good chunk of this past weekend in his company (and the company of others). Haven’t set off too many diabetic comas with all the sweetness, but we’re working on that (nothing like a chorus of “get a room!” when we do nothing more than hold hands). He’s neat, and handsome, and comfortable to be with. And I’m enjoying myself thoroughly.
Crushing
And Then There Were Three
The brick went well this morning. Met a couple new club members (but not new triathletes) afterwards as well, and encouraged them to come out to the next club happy hour. Based on this morning, I think I can aim for a sub-30 5k at the end, with an overall finish at under an hour and a half. We’ll see how that goes.
Heart rate was a little high, as I slept for shit. I vaguely remember hearing the phone ringing late last night, but didn’t fully awaken for it. Turns out my third niece decided to pop out a little earlier than expected last night, so just before midnight I was an uncle all over again. Always a fun thing to wake up to. Full head of black hair, very quiet (unlike the last one, who I’m told was quite active and hyper the first day), 5 lbs and change, healthy. Her mother is doing fine as well, as is my brother and assorted other family members, though with the midnight arrival they’re all a little tired this morning.
Another Friday Night
Small gay world. Just discovered multiple connections between friends old and new this evening while out at dinner with a friend. Mentioned his new roommate and it went all over from there. As I’ve said before, DC is a big city, but a small town.
Behaving tonight, despite multiple invites to go out. Did pop out to the aforementioned dinner because the friend wanted to look at bikes over on the Hill, but then biked back home to relax here and lay out stuff for the morning.
Work dumped us out about 2 hours early, after the usual rush of “OMG, this has to get done NOW, NOW, NOW!!!!!!!” stuff that always happens on the Friday before a holiday. Shocked folks by wearing jeans today (for maybe the 1/2 dozenth time in the 3+ years I’ve been there?). But got through the majority of the issues and I hope got folks settled and ready for their weekend. Even if I didn’t, da bosslady said to git, so I left.
Almost ready for the race next weekend. Have to email my parents with some last minute stuff to prep my niece, arrange for the rental car, and then I’m good to go. Should be fun.
Measuring, Incense
I thought I was going to have to rip my speed sensor apart and replace the battery (and totally void the warranty by doing it myself, but hey). Thankfully I discovered it was just out of alignment and needed to be adjusted back into position. Yay for geeky, obsessive measurements.
In other news, while the building did come in and plug the holes in the wall today (finally!), I’m still getting the incense smell here. Yuck. I really hope they can do something about these jokers, this is beyond stupid.
Aero, Dating, Smoke
Really good ride this morning. My newbies weren’t there on time (did see and pass one on my third and last loop), so I decided today was a day to practice riding in the aero position, down on the aero bars. Speedier that way, and I needed the practice time in that position. The ride went well, did 3 long loops and spent the vast majority of my time in the position with no pain in the back or neck. When you’re first learning to ride in that position those are two of the most common complaints – your neck hurts, or your lower back hurts (or both). Been doing back strengthening exercises to keep that in check, and with the neck, well, it’s a matter of spending more time in the position and learning not to keep your neck craned back to look directly forward. Not the easiest thing when one wears glasses, but it’s trainable. Now I need to do more tricep exercises, as those were the weak spot this morning and got a little sore at parts in the ride.
Decided I need to do a brick workout (BRICK = Bike, Run, ICK!) this Saturday since I’ve not done any since, oh, my last triathlon? Short one, since my race the following weekend is a short one. Just need to review that feeling of “are my legs going to be lead or gold today.”
Had a few dates lately. Taking things slowly (not hard, given my schedule), and trying not to rush into anything.
The building finally seems to be moving on the incense/pot smoke issue from the unit below mine. Per an email I got forwarded to me today they don’t have keys on file for them and have to have them there before they can go in (go fig – if you’re doing illegal things you don’t want someone just barging in). They’re scheduled now to go in and check it out next week. Maintenance has also asked if management can take some sort of action against them for indoor air pollution. In any case, I just want the stench not to make it into my unit (or, better yet, not to get made in the first place).
Bike Toys, Planning
Having had two flats (one for each bike) last week I opted out of a swim this evening in favor of biking over to the bike shop to pick up more tubes. I had replacements for the ones which popped, but needed more to have spares around. Decided, since I’d never used one and will be racing more this year, to try out one of the CO2 cartridges to blow up the tri bike tire. Very cool toy, let me tell you. Instead of a minute or more to blow up the tire, this was done in seconds, to a perfect pressure. Good to know it works (and how it works) before needing it in a race. Also good to know the variable pressure thingey I got for it worked, too (basically there are two types of connectors for cartridges – the “pop it and all the air comes out immediately” type and a type which allows you to control the air flow – I have the latter, and it was worth the small amount of extra cash).
So, bikes all set and ready to go for the morning, for the club ride and the commute. Saved the old tube and cartridge since my bike shop can now recycle them. Better than ending up in a landfill, and easy enough to do.
I sat down and picked out the basic training plan I’m going to follow for the 1/2 iron in september. Plotted all the workouts into iCal, which means they’re on the treo now. It looks manageable, spelled out like that, and not quite as overwhelming as the plan I’d been using when I was trying to do a 1/2 last June (before the calf injury). It also helps that I’ve been doing a lot more biking, and feel more confident in that aspect of the sport now, as well as my running. I’ll tweak the plan as need be, and have already adjusted around my known schedule (the sprint race weekend after next, the charity ride and newbie races in july, etc.), but it’s looking manageable. And I might even get to have a social life in there on occasion, too.
Overdone
The past couple weeks have just been entirely too much. Two flat tires last week, one on each bike. My neighbor across the hall, a sweet older gentleman, died of complications from his diabetes on Thursday. Started swimming again in anticipation of the sprint race I have in two weeks in Richmond, and for the 1/2 Ironman triathlon I’m doing in September. Went out a time or two for a birthday party, and taking a friend who needed to get out of his house, and just for the heck of it. Was up just before 4 this morning to run out to Columbia to be race support for my tri club for those folks racing the Columbia Triathlon today. Most definitely been burning the candle at both ends, in the middle, and everywhere else I could find a spot to light, or just melt off a bit.
I hope that the schedule will be calming down somewhat in the next few weeks, moreso since I’ve done much needed laundry and food shopping. Cooking anything more complex than zapping something in the microwave or popping it into the rice cooker or crock pot is going to be difficult as the season progresses, but I’ll make due. Simple meals are my friends in any case.
Despite how nuts this all sounds I’ve mostly been having a pretty good time. Work’s busy, but not overwhelmingly so. We’re in the process of hiring two new attorneys, one of whom is supposed to start learning some of my area of law so we have a backup for me. I’m prepping some training for the other attorneys in my office so they can better spot issues in my practice area and refer them appropriately. I finally reclaimed my living room from the dreaded futon, so it’s a bit more together (and roomba friendly). I have two dressers on the way for the bedroom, and a plan to pass off the last piece of my niece’s bedroom set to my parents when I see them in Richmond in two weeks. So stuff is relatively together, but definitely needs some smoothing at the edges.
Happy Star Wars Day
May the 4th be with you.
Design
Went to the Corcoran this evening to hear Karim Rashid give a talk on design as part of the events surrounding the Modernism exhibit they’re currently holding. It was a good talk, I enjoyed it thoroughly (as did Richard, whom I had invited along). He talked a lot about democratization of design, both in terms of making things more available and that more and more folks are now able to design and produce things in this digital age.
He was especially not impressed by items which are expensive simply because of the name/label attached to them. To paraphrase: “A $300 t-shirt had better be damned incredible and do a lot for you, like heat or cool you to the perfect temperature instantly, or keep your nipples from popping out or the like.”
Perfect example on his the latter point, at dinner afterward Richard showed me two books he had put together through Apple and iPhoto publishing that are just magnificent. To think anyone would be publishing their own photo books (not merely collecting individual photos in an album) would have been incredible not that long ago, yet here were two quality productions done from home.
All in all a good way to spend a Thursday night.