Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

Quick thoughts because I need sleep, post swim and post vegging tonight with the TiVo.

Thinking about hiring a coaching service for my season this year. We have a deal through the club that’s not bad, and some specialized feedback might be a very good thing. Have until the end of the month to decide, so i’m going to ruminate on it.

Got my nudie calendar for this year finally. Third year running for this particular one. Just something about the models he’s chosen… It’s smaller (width wise) than the previous years’ calendars, but it works really well in the space I have it in – the extra length lets it match the bulletin board more easily. Good choice.

And, of course, there’s the naked butt staring out at me when I come into the living room now (nice back!).

Ran completely out of coffee this morning and was too hungry to stop at the grocery store on the way home. Will have to try and get some tomorrow evening after the gym and dinner with MG.

Running should prove interesting tomorrow morning, but from the state of the sidewalks I’ve seen today it should be dry where I’m running. If not, I go slow. No killing myself this year, I’d like to actually run the silly 10 miler this time around.

I hate when recipes lie. “Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.” 40 minutes my ass, how about 2 hours? Liars. And I think this happens more often than people think with cookbooks (because, really, if it said “2 hours” would most people try the recipe? no).

Finally got snow. I was debating biking to work tomorrow, then MG reminded me that no one will know how to drive tomorrow and I really didn’t want to be on the road with those fools. Point taken, I’ll walk. Did go run this afternoon and with 15 minutes to go the snow started (tiny little stuff, but snow nonetheless). That was fun, been a while since I’d run in snow.

Of course, if it sticks around, it won’t be the last time this week, either. Provided it’s not too icy.

Picked up gobs and gobs of groceries yesterday, before I realized it was going to snow. Needed tons of staples, so off I went to pack my little bag lady cart and subsequently my limited cabinets with lotsa food. Forgot coffee, though. Will have to pick up more after the pool. Was otherwise feeling a little bit of my hermit-mood for the weekend. Did go see a play with Richard, his much belated birthday gift, this evening, and MG was over last night and today, but was feeling the urge to just stay in and nest. Trying to break out of that some, but it was a particularly social week, with two happy hours, so perhaps I was just burnt out.

I’m killing the Uberlist for this year. I’ve gotten up to 80 items and I just can’t go any further, and now half the things I’ve put down I’m not sure I want to do this year, so phooey on it. I think I’d rather set up a rolling list of goals, like paying off two of the sub-loans with my student loan providers, and then build up from there. I do have temporal goals that will suit themselves to a yearly list (i.e., race goals), but some of the other stuff I found myself wanting to concentrate on is likely more multi-year than not, especially the financial stuff.

Long day of cleaning. It was very much needed, I’d let the dining table become a junk depository and it needed emptying, and laundry needed doing, and vacuuming, and dusting, and all that stuff needed to happen. Was more motivated than usual because FJ!! popped by before MG and I ran him up to BWI to fly home to LA. All was in order for his visit, so face was saved and he didn’t see how junky it looked 24 hours previous.

Not to say it’s a show apartment, but it’s gotten much better as I’ve concentrated on fixing individual areas.

One thing I had decided to do this year on the list was a charity event. With AIDS Marathon pulling out of DC due to the incomprehensible actions of the Whitman-Walker Clinic, I think I’ve settled on a biking event that helps Food and Friends here in DC. I’m going to an informational session for them tomorrow evening, and if I like the info I see from them I’m likely to sign up. The ride’s in July, and that’s a good time to build up to the distances we’re looking at. I like the work the charity does here in DC, so I’m favorably inclined to them, but I still want the chance to ask some questions before I make the plunge.

After the odd email exchange about our newbie program, the volunteer meeting yesterday went well, though I found out I’m the sole co-leader from last year who’s continuing on into this year. Ack! So, whole new crew, but with a lot of infrastructure set up for this year. It’s going to be a fun season. Now we just have to find a goal race so we can get some of the other information into focus. As the one carry over I’m getting a lot of questions, and that’s fine. Just call me Mr. Triathlon.

Have done some little wanderings around the edges of MAL this year. MG and I went to the hotel last night and chatted with friends for a couple of hours. Then today we went to the market and I plunked down far too much money on stuff from Nasty Pig (but it’s going to look lovely once I get the jeans hemmed, and wear the bar vest out to the Eagle). Ran into tons of friends, saw some folks whom I though I recognized but wasn’t quite sure enough of to go say hello, and generally enjoyed myself. Did end up a little dehydrated at the end, I think, but am making up for it now that I’m home.

Need to do lots of cleaning tomorrow, laundry and general straightening. FJ!! is going to stop by, I think, while he waits for his flight after leaving the hotel, and the place definitely needs to be made more guest-worthy if that’s to happen.

When I left work today, I felt like someone had taken a large stick and beaten me, repeatedly.

To say that we were busy today would be an understatement. I don’t know that I’ve ever been this involved with the process, and trying to set up both the 07 budget (with the Hill, and internally), and also negotiate stuff for the 08 budget (with the OMB) is not a wrestling match I’d recommend to anyone. Heck. On. Earth.

Thankfully I had workout gear, so went for a nice weight workout (first one in ages, grr). Felt much better afterward, while taking a lot of time to zone out, zen out, and just generally release the cares of the day. Definitely a big help then. Then out to dinner with a friend and into the Metro to come home. Spotted a fellow cult member and caught him up on the latest cult gossip from Monday’s meeting.

Praying tomorrow isn’t anywhere near as bad as today was. I’ve got calls to make to some other offices to answer some questions we’ve been asked, but it shouldn’t be quite so bad. I hope.

It’s a good thing I normally bike commute, and thus had an extra pair of pants in my office to replace the ones that got soaked on my walk to work this morning. Whee.

Gorgeous day, after the rain ended. Slept for crap last night, though, so a rest day for me. Had a cult co-op meeting tonight which was going well until the issue of discriminatory pricing came up at the end (we charge less for seniors to use the fitness center, even though we’re all supposedly equal members of the corporation; it’s the only place where anyone pays anything different for “extra” services past the carrying charges). Nerve touched, on all sides. Fun, fun. Should be an interesting election season for the board in two months.

Get fitted for new orthotics tomorrow (yay new orthotics, yay killing off the deductible in one fell swoop). Mine are fine, except the little front part is about the sheer off. Will have to talk about whether it makes sense to have 2 pairs, given how much abuse I heap on them. We’ll see. In any case, the old ones will reside at work until they die so I don’t have to keep hauling them on the bike. Every ounce not carried is a good thing.

I have three big weaknesses, as far as I can see now, on my biking. The first is a tight iliotibial band, which leads to some knee issues. The second is a sore neck when I ride in my aerobars. The third is an occasional sore back after riding (which is a big pain when one moves from biking to running – nothing like having the first few miles cause pretty piercing pain in the back).

On the first, I know how to fix that, and I’m working on it. Lots of stretches, some strengthening, and continuing to keep up the good efforts there. The Stick is helping keep stretch it out.

Not sure yet how to address the other two. Instinct says that they should react well to strength training, but I’m not quite sure what to do there. Still searching for solutions on those two.

This comes to mind because with our freak 70-something degree temperatures today I went out on a nice 20-odd mile bike ride, in regular summer bike regalia. Was nice to do, but it still feels odd to have to put on sun screen, and to have all the windows wide open.

Up early this morning to run and get to work early for a meeting (I was in the office at 8:30, which is unheard of for me). Forgot, as usual, to body glide my thighs before the run; I always seem to remember that about 5-6 minutes into a run… Anyway, was irritating, but not fatal to the run. Did discover that my usual running path is very well lit, even before the sun comes up.

Inside scoop on the budget is that we should have our full-year CR the last week or January, or by February 1st. Which is good, since the executive budget proposal comes out on February 5th.

Swam after work. Also expressed a bit of irritation with some of the leadership of my tri club. I volunteered with our new triathlete program this past year, was in fact one of the co-leaders. Had attempted to get in touch with the other co-leaders in early December, was not quite blown off, and now suddenly a couple dates have been set for things for this year already, without any attempt to involve me. I let them know I was disappointed. I’m still going to help out, and hopefully I’ll still be a co-leader this year as I really do believe in the program, but was not pleased at how that was handled.

That said, if you’re in the DC area and you want to try your hand at triathlons, drop me a note.

Nice dinner just up the street tonight with MG. He’s currently off at the grocery store picking up snack stuffs. I’m trying to cool the apartment down – it’s in the low-to-mid-60s outside, but in the middle 70s in here. Too. Freakin’. Hot. This is supposed to be January, not April, ferheavenssake. At least it’ll be nice to get out on the bike tomorrow morning.

Not quite done with the Uberlist for this year, have about a third of the way to go yet, but have ideas to go do file. This weekend I should be able to post it, I hope.

Despite prediction of temps above freezing there was plenty of frost out this morning when I ran. Yay for fleece tights. Knowing that it’s the beginning of getting back to regular workouts I took it a little easy, shortened the run down from my usual, and enjoyed it. Was up early enough to get it in, still get a good breakfast, and bike into work without being late. We’ll see if I can replicate that (though with a bike ride) tomorrow.

Also swam this evening, again cutting it a little short, but still getting in a good workout.

Signed up for another race, in October, and looked into two others (one of them I had to print a non-fill-out-able file to write in and mail in a check. wtf?!?! 2007 here folks!). So I think that’s now 3 races I’m confirmed for, and one more to mail off tomorrow. Busy Moose, and that’s how I want this year.

Work went well. Cleared some stuff off the desk to make room for the current two big projects (I so, so need to file things, though, and clear out a bunch of books left by my predecessor). Passed a bunch of corny puns to my team leader while asking to go in late Tuesday to get fitted for new orthotics (“thank you from the bottom of my sole!”). Will be good to get new ones – my current ones are just about to have the front part shear off from the two years of abuse I’ve given them. I’m hopeful they’ll still be okay for work, in which case I’ll leave them there and have to remember one less thing when I pack to bike in.

Oh, and I fussed at a car tonight. Jerk had the audacity to blow his horn at me with 10 seconds left on the light. I turned around, put out a full hand (not just the middle finger, though it was tempting), palm out and told him to chill. And then turned around and sat in the lane as I’m legally allowed to do. Sorry, not putting up with your impatience, car driver. If I were a car, you’d have to wait, too, so suck it up.

A nice, quiet start to the new year. I did go biking with the club. We did about 20 miles (plus to and from the site), most of which was in the rain. Should’ve put on my toe covers, but I don’t know that it would have kept my socks from getting as soaked as they did. Regardless, it was a fun time, and I’m going to try to do more rides with the club from now on. It was just too helpful to be out with other folks on the bike.

Though I suppose it is, as I told one friend tonight, “the masochism tango in all its forms.”

What that would mean is earlier bed times, though, since the weekday rides are at (ugh) 6:30 am. Not a bad thing, overall, but the change will be rough to adjust to. I’ll have to confirm that we’re still biking, since it’s not really winter here yet in DC (no temperature lows are predicted to get below freezing in the next week, and we have highs predicted in the 60s).

(side note: I worry about the areas that are getting neither snow nor rain this winter – that precipitation, no matter the form, though snow is better in some areas, is necessary for the spring and summer or large parts of the country could be in drought, yet again, which is Not A Good Thing)

Lots of cleaning today and all weekend (and two big batches of soup made as well), and likely will continue. I’m still trying to cull down the posessions, even after the culling I did before the move. I emptied out an entire footlocker worth of stuff, so now I have to figure out what to do with the extra locker. I think I know how it all accumulated, but I’m glad to be rid of it.

Anyway, off to bed for this Moose, have to get up and run. That Cherry Blossoom race is only 3 months off now…