My Mp3

Is stuck in a time warp. See - I can't add or subtract tracks since it was purchased in 2001, and all of the fuctions except for VOLUME are working. So - I whipped it out the other night and realized, again, what a complete dipsh*t I am when it comes to music.

Did I choose any tracks on it from bands that people deem "good". Well - if you like(d) The Strokes, Good Charlotte, maybe a little Jay Z - well then you are good to go. The problem is that I also have The Bullet Boyz, Y&T, Lil' Kim, Default, and freakin' Aerosmith on there too. There's even a Mariah Carey/NAS rap song on there from the late 90's.

I distinctly remember riding, as a kid, in my Mom's 1980 or 1981 Chevy Citation. She spat out this music on a station in Minneapolis coded KS95. It would be the equivalent of today's AOR (Adult oriented radio). In other words, vanilla.....bland, crappy bands like The Captain and Tennille, The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and even John Travolta's solo career. DAMN - no wonder my musical taste is warped.

Now I go to Itunes, and Napster - look at the "new music" and basically say to myself - WHO ARE THESE BANDS, as I frantically search for my comfort music from bands like Van Halen, Journey, Aimee Mann, and my all-time home girl Erykah Badu. I'm already projecting a date of June 12, 2009 when Lyza is riding in my car and says "Dad - why do you listen to this Rolling Stones stuff - they suck". Then I'll go into detail about their 1998 Bridges of Babylon tour, how great they were in the 60's and 70's, and once I finish my diatribe I'll look over and she'll have her I-Pod tuned to the latest reincarnation of Justin Timberlake........Justin who?

Jean Shorts Jimmy

So going back to last Thursday, I played a racquetball match against a guy who I named "Jean shorts Jimmy". I still don't know his name. Apparently, he was league champ last winter. I describe him as 6' 3", probably about 205 to 210, and no sh*t - he was wearing mid-thigh length jean shorts and some Nascar t-shirt. I had just had a Corona, and I had no idea who he was, or if he was good or not. He was good.

The first game went so fast my head was spinning. He got off to a 9-0 lead, and the game ended 15-9. He would announce the score like Micheal Buffer - you know - the famous ringside announcer. "Twwwwwwwelllve - Eiiiiiiight" or "12 over 8", or "12ski to 8ski". Five to Five was "I can't drive 5 to 5". It was funny for 3 minutes, and then I wanted to take his head off. I waxed him in the second game - 15-9. We were off for a tiebreaker.

Well the whole damn league stopped and watched us play on the glass court. We have identical games, and it went the distance. He prevailed when I made an honest mistake and thought we were playing to 15 when in fact we play to 11 on the third game. I lost 11-9. He was whooped, I was tired, and I'm looking forward to playing Jean Shorts Jimmy again.

On a bad note, I was so f'n sore the rest of the weekend from that max effort, that I rode like a wuss. Good thing we only did 30 miles on Sunday or I would have croaked.

Happy Monday Jean Short Jimmy

Remember when...

I threw down that stupid diatribe a couple of days back about selling the house, and working for charity? Well f*ck that. As my rich-ass friend Aidan once said sarcastically as he left a casino when we called him a pus*y for not doubling down on a 10 with a 6 showing "I got mouths to feed".

I also like my house. I like it so much I'd get a second job to stay there if I ever had to. It's 100 YARDS to one of the best singletrack networks in the state - hell - the southwest. It's 1 mile from Lyza's school, and its 1.5 miles to the front door of Dana's job. I'm a rambling liberal idiot sometimes....

So on that note, I love my new (used) Bimmer. It f'n flies, has a rockin' stereo, and it has a glossy silver plated license plate ring around a fat-ass BLING BMW logo in place of the front license plate. Watch me comin' in your rearview - that's right - motherf*cker.

I'm as confused as they come.....I can't wait to beat the shit out of a few dudes on the racquetball court tonight. 1:40 'till gametime, and then a couple of Corona's to wash down the day. YEAH baby.

Last Days of Summer Vacation

I took yesterday off (working Saturday to make up for it) and just hung out with Lyza. We went to watch the Arizona Cardinals practice in the AM, went for a bike ride on some easy singletrack with the dogs, hit the pool in the afternoon, brought her friend Jackson over for some dinner - and bam....day over.

She said: "Dad - I don't want you to get older like Grandma. Can you stay 39, and I'll stay 6....well maybe 10". I thought that was great. I'll always be 39 as far as I'm concerned.

School starts next week - and eventhough its not like we don't have fun everyday, its different on summer break. I hope I can remember this stuff since I already forget where the hell my wallet is every other week.

Racquetball tonight - I'm gonna take it easy so I can ride like a man posessed this weekend. Next race is the local single speed event on 8/25. Lyza is in the kids race. Good times!

Time may change me, but I can't change time

Sold the Jetta TDI today - 4 years after I bought it new. Loved it - I'll get another one if the Good Ol U S of A starts selling clean diesel fuel.....
Registering the ultra-used BWM 525I tomorrow. 250K on it - but it drives like a dream
Took the extra cash and paid down the Subaru.

I'm sick of cars being such a big part of my financial life. What a waste of money and finite resources.

I have an idea, and I'm really starting to think more about it. Sell the house, buy a modest condo/house and put enough down on it to have an ultra cheap-o house payment. Work 32 hours a week for money + one day for charity.

What the hell has happened to me? Let me just say that working to put money in other people's pockets is becoming more and more shallow everyday. It's becoming clearer each day as to what I should do to get off this train, but I have a ways to go before I can figure this out.

Time is ticking by, but in the big picture - slowly. Regardless, when and will I even have the stones to go against everything I believed in up until a few years ago? The great thing is that D would support me 100%. I need to think about this for a while.

Lyza is back to feeling great after her tooth infection- healthy and happy. She's one of the brightest stars in my sky. I pulled out her first tooth at the bank today - yup, just reached in and yanked it out after she mocked me to try and pull it. She laughed out of initial shock, and if I could have captured the astonishment on her face - I could have sold it as a great picture. Work sucked today, but I forgot about it in that very instant.

I am my Dog

Labs play until it isn't fun anymore. Our dog Jamocha, just sits down under a tree when its too hot or too far. That's kinda how I race bikes.

Saturday's start was moved to the base of Purgatory Resort, meaning another 200' of climbing at the gun. Only 65 riders showed up this year - and based on the vibe, I think this event is dying. Word has spread that it's either too muddy or too cold. Well - I enjoyed the start this time. I was feeling good, I passed my fair share of riders on the climb and didn't get passed, and hit the 2-track road in the first 3rd of the group. The 2-track felt great, and I rode with a couple of guys who were cool enough to chat while we pounded out 8 miles on the road. Then - as usual - it all went to hell.

The next singletrack section is just 2 miles long. But its uphill to 11,000 feet, and the trail WAS a stream. Water was everywhere, and although the mud wasn't sticky, it wrecked disc brakes, sealed bearing cartridges were sealed no more, and in general - everyone's drivetrains were trashed. I got to the checkpoint at mile 16, and as I was finishing eating and lubing my chain, my bud Jeff from Sedona rolled in. This was his first start, and he was lookin' good. I rolled out as he rolled in, and didn't see him again until the finish area.

I'd describe the rest of the ride in detail, but, that would be a waste. It was rocky, wet, muddy, and I had a singlespeeder using me as a pacemaker for 12 miles straight. Fortunately, you get to descend the ski slope that you climb at the begnning, and that is always awesome. I passed a couple of dudes who were tumbling down the mud/roots, and finished in 4 hours 39 minutes - 1 minute off my best time at the event. I believe I was the 20th person across the line after the first lap out of 65. I beat Jeff by 25 minutes, which I get to give him sh*t about now for the rest of the year. Considering the mud, and the fact that I'm 4 years older that when I posted my best time - I felt pretty damn good. I had no interest in going back up that slope for another lap. Bottom line...the FUN was over.

People who thrive at these events, love to suffer. They love to finish what they started regardless of how long it might take. I have a lot of admiration for them.

I like to suffer while I race, but after a certain point - its not a race anymore and its just a matter of battling your own psyche. My psyche said "Enjoy the rest of the day". My psyche is weak, and I like that. I know I could have finished a second lap in under 5.5 hours, but I also know that I would have been bitter doing it. Instead, I hit the hot springs down the road, napped for 2 hours, and had a great stir-fry dinner.

Next event - the locals only race for pride and no prizes around Fort Valley on 8/22. 26 miles, all fast - maybe 2 hours of riding max. I can't wait!

Squirty had a nerve infection under a tooth - poor thing looked like a squirrel with about 10 acorns in her left cheek. We got her hooked up with antibiotics, some food she could eat, and some rest - and I rolled into work at 5pm as a result.

Haven't packed sh*t for Durango

Bike needs some tuning

I haven't eaten or had enough to drink today

Good thing I'm not getting paid to ride - rather - this race will cost me about $8 per mile once I figure in lodging, gas, food, entry fee etc for D and I. That's kind of a sick way to look at the fact I'll be hurtin' after this one. I could think of some better ways to spend $512, but then again, some ancient philosopher once mumbled "great suffering brings to light all the sh*t you should be doing better and taking more responsibility for". I made that up, but maybe I'll get something out of this besides a medal for finishing in under 12 hours, saddle sores, and a broken down bike.

Goal = 10 hours
I would do cartwheels if I finish in 9:30.
I'll take a victory lap around the parking lot ass-naked if I (butt) crack 9 hours.

Race report on Monday....