It is almost here. The Nav E-Sink or Swim is one week from today. Unfortunately, my swimming training has kind of fallen off. Might be a good thing though. I may very well have been in danger of over training. Was doing several 1 hour plus swims a week. I have definitely cut back on the time in the pool. Still getting the same number of days in but I am now only doing 15 to 30 minute workouts after strength training sessions (lots of lower body work).
The big decision is whether I should do the race in a wetsuit or not. The biggest concern I have is that I will spend $200 on something I am not using enough or kick myself for not spending $400 because I am using it more than I thought.
The Sandy Hookers Tri Club has Monday and Friday evening training swims at Victory Park in Rumson, NJ. I checked it out a couple of Friday's ago. It looks like a lot of fun but my current work schedule does not really allow me to make it on a regular basis.
I have decided that I am going to do the 1.2 mile as my first open water swim. The 2.4 mile swim was probably a little too ambitious. I know I am risking some disappointment in not having attempted the 2.4 swim but I know that it is the right decision.
My bikes are definitely being neglected in 2011. Only 4 rides in 2011. Yesterday would have been a good day to get the 5th ride in but I had lots of errands to run. I am thinking of doing a long swim today and maybe doing some hill climb sprints on some local hills. The biggest problem I am having with riding these days is the amount of time it requires. By myself the rides are usually about 3 - 4 hours long. With the group I am finding that I am on the bike over 5 hours. With my work schedule this is a lot of time to devote especially since I am usually wiped out for the rest of the day after I get back. I need to find a closer job or one that pays as well but requires less hours. Good luck!
There is a planned group ride up Bear Mountain in New York on June 5. I am planning on doing that ride. Lots of climbing. Will definitely be a struggle but I do find pleasure in suffering. I will be going to Miami for vacation a couple of days later so I will have some time for recovery.
Watching Stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia. I may not be riding myself but I can watch others ride.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Just an Update
I bought a new camera since my old one broke but I have yet to have the opportunity to take any pictures. I like blogs that have some pictures. In fact that is the main reason I read them.
Just for the record the new camera is another Cannon. I was going to buy a digital Nikon that looks like an SLR but isn't. It seemed to bulky and I was about to give up when my co-worker who went to Best Buy with me found the Cannon PowerShot SX210. I would like to be able to report on it but I cannot at this point. I took a couple of test photos and I ran some video but not really much else. Was supposed to be used for a College Vist but the weather was lousy and there were not any good photo opportunities. I am sure something will come up.
So far 2011 has yielded two rides so far. Both were on the Langster and both were with the Dorbrook group. In the past I have been able to ride the single speed in the group until April or May but they all seem to be in pretty good shape (Must be the PX90 because there was not a lot of riding going on this winter). Both rides were about 70 miles but I am just guessing because the battery on the computer died. For the first ride I did a lot of suffering both on the way out and on the way back. It just hurt. The second ride was much better. I felt good on the way out with the wind in my face but when we made the turn and the wind was at the back I ran out of gear and just got dropped.
The suggestion was made that I switch to the Tarmac since the winter rides appear to be over. That is probably going to be my strategy going forward. I checked the weather and it looks like I might be able to get two good rides in this weekend. The big problem is that a 5 hour bike ride really takes a lot out of the day. Free time has been in short supply lately.
The swimming is really going well. The form is really starting to take shape. Still only breathing to the right but I am in no real hurry to change at this point. I feel fast and I have been trying to either keep pace with or lap the swimmers in the other lanes. Gave up count and now swimming for time. Workouts are 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes in lenght. No longer using the two float or the paddles because it is all about endurance now. Even bad days in the pool are good workouts now.
The strength workouts have been less consistent. Had a good legs workout on Sunday. Squats have been more for balance lately and the weight has not been all that exciting. I have been leg pressing 1000 lbs but the squats have been kind of weak. Decided to really start driving the squats and I was excited by the new weight levels. I am visualizing squating 400 lbs. I think it is well within my reach now. The other excercises have not been as much fun lately. Other than the leg workouts everything else has been misery. I guess that is the advantage of cross training. You can get excited about something new when the excitement for the old wanes.
As we head into the spring and summer hopefully I will have some pictures as well as some interesting stories to tell.
Just for the record the new camera is another Cannon. I was going to buy a digital Nikon that looks like an SLR but isn't. It seemed to bulky and I was about to give up when my co-worker who went to Best Buy with me found the Cannon PowerShot SX210. I would like to be able to report on it but I cannot at this point. I took a couple of test photos and I ran some video but not really much else. Was supposed to be used for a College Vist but the weather was lousy and there were not any good photo opportunities. I am sure something will come up.
So far 2011 has yielded two rides so far. Both were on the Langster and both were with the Dorbrook group. In the past I have been able to ride the single speed in the group until April or May but they all seem to be in pretty good shape (Must be the PX90 because there was not a lot of riding going on this winter). Both rides were about 70 miles but I am just guessing because the battery on the computer died. For the first ride I did a lot of suffering both on the way out and on the way back. It just hurt. The second ride was much better. I felt good on the way out with the wind in my face but when we made the turn and the wind was at the back I ran out of gear and just got dropped.
The suggestion was made that I switch to the Tarmac since the winter rides appear to be over. That is probably going to be my strategy going forward. I checked the weather and it looks like I might be able to get two good rides in this weekend. The big problem is that a 5 hour bike ride really takes a lot out of the day. Free time has been in short supply lately.
The swimming is really going well. The form is really starting to take shape. Still only breathing to the right but I am in no real hurry to change at this point. I feel fast and I have been trying to either keep pace with or lap the swimmers in the other lanes. Gave up count and now swimming for time. Workouts are 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes in lenght. No longer using the two float or the paddles because it is all about endurance now. Even bad days in the pool are good workouts now.
The strength workouts have been less consistent. Had a good legs workout on Sunday. Squats have been more for balance lately and the weight has not been all that exciting. I have been leg pressing 1000 lbs but the squats have been kind of weak. Decided to really start driving the squats and I was excited by the new weight levels. I am visualizing squating 400 lbs. I think it is well within my reach now. The other excercises have not been as much fun lately. Other than the leg workouts everything else has been misery. I guess that is the advantage of cross training. You can get excited about something new when the excitement for the old wanes.
As we head into the spring and summer hopefully I will have some pictures as well as some interesting stories to tell.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Something New - Open Water Swimming
I have not put up a new blog entry in sometime. I actually think that joining Facebook along with a new job resulted in my low Blog Output over the past couple of years. It has been an interesting couple of years some of which would have made for some interesting reads but most likely would have fallen under the category of Too Much Information.
Those of you that have read my postings know that my current obsession has been road cycling. I started out riding a Specialized Langster Single Speed and then added a Specialized Tarmac Comp. I have been averaging around 5000 miles a year riding by myself and with some local A/A+ groups. It has been a lot of fun and I have met a great group of people. In this group are several Triathletes who obviously do a lot of swimming. Specifically open water swimming. The more I heard about it the more I thought I might like a little change up in my routine. So I ordered 8 pairs of swim tights, 5 pairs of swim googles, 5 swim caps from The Finals , found how to get in to pool of my gym (even though I have been going there for 6 years) and officially added swimming to my weekly workout.
When I was young and in middle school I was a member of Boy Scouts. For me the highlight of the year was the Summer Scout Camp and the annual mile swim. Basically the goal was swim a mile nonstop in the lake after 3 days of working up to it. On Monday was 1/4 mile attempt (one lap), Tuesday was the 1/2 mile attempt and Wednesday was the 1 mile attempt. It was always fun and definitely a challenge. I even had a favorite navy/red speed that I always wore. Most of it was done using the side stoke but I would break into freestyle just to pick up the pace. I was always proud that I one of the faster swimmers. From my stand point I would rather be one of the swimmers than one of the rows that would follow along with the swimmers for safety.
My high school did not have a pool or a swim team so Boy Scouts, some lifesaving classes at some of the country clubs that did have pools and taking lifesaving as my gym elective in college was the extent of the swimming that I have done since middle school. I read about the Dolphin Swim Club in San Francisco and have toyed with the idea of competing in a Triathalon but I was never really thrilled with the idea of getting wet as part of a work out. Not really sure what has changed but the weather on the East Coast of the US was not going to allow for much winter riding so I need to do something keep up my cardio fitness. My last ride was a 66 miler on my birthday in December on my Langster.
So armed with some new swim gear and an invite to swim with some local folks over the summer in Manasquan I decide to jump in and give it a try. My goal was to work my way up to a mile but I had trouble making it a single length of the pool (25 yds). Maybe I could get 2 lenghts but it was not pretty. I would start out freestyle and then have to go into breast. I pushed myself to try to spend at least an hour in the pool the first day. I think I made it about 45 minutes. Time really dragged. Since I had a goal and I had made a small investment in gear I was going to give the thing a fair shot. The next day I was able to get an hour in the pool but I was definitely going to need a plan.
Of course the best place to look for a plan is the Internet and typing "swim workouts" into Google I found the this well written and informative site by Ruth Kazez. The 50 workouts listed are tough and definitely not for a beginner like me but I did find the 0 to a mile workout. This was perfect even though at first it was really tough. The plan is based on swimming at least 3 days a week. Each workout is broken up in to drills with the first set increasing each week. The first week was 4 x 100, 4 x 50 and 4 x 25. Since I found this at the end of my first week of swimming this was a tough workout. The 4 x 100s especially. The goal of the workout is to make sure you are uncomfortable for every set so the there is only a couple of breath rest between each 100, each 50 and each 25. The lack of rest is very important and helps out during the next week.
I suffered through the first week but since I could get the prescribed workout done in about 20 minutes I made sure I did other things to make sure I was in the pool for an hour. This usually meant doing additional sets. By the end of the 3rd week I was able to swim a 400 without too much trouble so I decided to go for an 800. I got to the 800 mark and felt really good so I decided to keep going. I hit the 1000 mark and decided to push through for a mile. After I got done with the mile I was tired and very excited. It was the first time I have swam that far since my Boy Scout Days. Unfortunately there was no one in the pool area to share my excitement. In reality I am not sure anyone but maybe my mom would even care.
I have to say my joy was short lived. The next trip to the gym/pool was not as productive. I had not allowed enough recovery time and I was definitely not eating right. I ended up bonking on every working for the next week.
So now I have been swimming on regular basis for almost 3 months. I can try to do a mile every time I hit the pool and I have done more than 2 miles once. Generally I try to do drills after my long swim. I a tow float and resistance paddles that seem to really help with my form. I try to use the kickboard as well but I find kickboard drills to be really boring.
I have two main goals now:
Those of you that have read my postings know that my current obsession has been road cycling. I started out riding a Specialized Langster Single Speed and then added a Specialized Tarmac Comp. I have been averaging around 5000 miles a year riding by myself and with some local A/A+ groups. It has been a lot of fun and I have met a great group of people. In this group are several Triathletes who obviously do a lot of swimming. Specifically open water swimming. The more I heard about it the more I thought I might like a little change up in my routine. So I ordered 8 pairs of swim tights, 5 pairs of swim googles, 5 swim caps from The Finals , found how to get in to pool of my gym (even though I have been going there for 6 years) and officially added swimming to my weekly workout.
When I was young and in middle school I was a member of Boy Scouts. For me the highlight of the year was the Summer Scout Camp and the annual mile swim. Basically the goal was swim a mile nonstop in the lake after 3 days of working up to it. On Monday was 1/4 mile attempt (one lap), Tuesday was the 1/2 mile attempt and Wednesday was the 1 mile attempt. It was always fun and definitely a challenge. I even had a favorite navy/red speed that I always wore. Most of it was done using the side stoke but I would break into freestyle just to pick up the pace. I was always proud that I one of the faster swimmers. From my stand point I would rather be one of the swimmers than one of the rows that would follow along with the swimmers for safety.
My high school did not have a pool or a swim team so Boy Scouts, some lifesaving classes at some of the country clubs that did have pools and taking lifesaving as my gym elective in college was the extent of the swimming that I have done since middle school. I read about the Dolphin Swim Club in San Francisco and have toyed with the idea of competing in a Triathalon but I was never really thrilled with the idea of getting wet as part of a work out. Not really sure what has changed but the weather on the East Coast of the US was not going to allow for much winter riding so I need to do something keep up my cardio fitness. My last ride was a 66 miler on my birthday in December on my Langster.
So armed with some new swim gear and an invite to swim with some local folks over the summer in Manasquan I decide to jump in and give it a try. My goal was to work my way up to a mile but I had trouble making it a single length of the pool (25 yds). Maybe I could get 2 lenghts but it was not pretty. I would start out freestyle and then have to go into breast. I pushed myself to try to spend at least an hour in the pool the first day. I think I made it about 45 minutes. Time really dragged. Since I had a goal and I had made a small investment in gear I was going to give the thing a fair shot. The next day I was able to get an hour in the pool but I was definitely going to need a plan.
Of course the best place to look for a plan is the Internet and typing "swim workouts" into Google I found the this well written and informative site by Ruth Kazez. The 50 workouts listed are tough and definitely not for a beginner like me but I did find the 0 to a mile workout. This was perfect even though at first it was really tough. The plan is based on swimming at least 3 days a week. Each workout is broken up in to drills with the first set increasing each week. The first week was 4 x 100, 4 x 50 and 4 x 25. Since I found this at the end of my first week of swimming this was a tough workout. The 4 x 100s especially. The goal of the workout is to make sure you are uncomfortable for every set so the there is only a couple of breath rest between each 100, each 50 and each 25. The lack of rest is very important and helps out during the next week.
I suffered through the first week but since I could get the prescribed workout done in about 20 minutes I made sure I did other things to make sure I was in the pool for an hour. This usually meant doing additional sets. By the end of the 3rd week I was able to swim a 400 without too much trouble so I decided to go for an 800. I got to the 800 mark and felt really good so I decided to keep going. I hit the 1000 mark and decided to push through for a mile. After I got done with the mile I was tired and very excited. It was the first time I have swam that far since my Boy Scout Days. Unfortunately there was no one in the pool area to share my excitement. In reality I am not sure anyone but maybe my mom would even care.
I have to say my joy was short lived. The next trip to the gym/pool was not as productive. I had not allowed enough recovery time and I was definitely not eating right. I ended up bonking on every working for the next week.
So now I have been swimming on regular basis for almost 3 months. I can try to do a mile every time I hit the pool and I have done more than 2 miles once. Generally I try to do drills after my long swim. I a tow float and resistance paddles that seem to really help with my form. I try to use the kickboard as well but I find kickboard drills to be really boring.
I have two main goals now:
- To swim 1 mile with the Manasquan group once the warmer weather gets here.
- To swim the Nav-E-Sink or Swim on May 30 (Hopefully the 2.4 mile swim)
- To swim from Alcatraz to San Franciso on September 4.
Since my bike has not been touched since December 24 I do feel like I am cheating on it but the nice weather will be here and it is nice to have something that I can do mid week or on rainy weekends.
I will post here with any progress or news.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
2009 Giro d'Italia
I have been watching the 2009 Giro d'Italia on Universal Sports (NBC). They run a live feed over the internet in the mornings and then a two hour replay with two American commentators at Noon and 9 AM daily. I have been following the Giro for the past several year but there is been very little US TV coverage. Versus Network would usually cover the Sunday stages and recap the week on their Sunday Epic Cycle Show but this is first year that I have been able to watch ever stage. I think that I have Lance Armstrong to thank for this.
The Italian country side is even more spectactular than the French country side that is showcased in the Tour de France. The Italian continental teams really put a lot of effort into the Giro so there are several teams that are riding up front but will not be at the Tour de France. LPR Brakes is one of these teams. Danilo De Luca has had the Pink Jersey (the Giro uses Pink as the GC leader's jersey rather than Yellow like the Tour de France) for much of the race although he lost it to Denis Menchov of Rabobank who appears to be in a very good position to win.
Mr. Menchov was able to pull grap the Pink jersey by winning the long and hilly time trial of Stage 12. Unlike most time trials the riders rode on regular road bikes. Almost every rider had a different configuration. Some rode using normal bars, some added aero bars (like many triathaletes) and some went with Time Trial bikes. Some riders used time trial helmets but most went with the normal road helmets. While I am not usually a fan of the TT stages this was one that I was really interested in watching. It definitely did not disappoint.
The riders did stage a protest on stage 9 which was a circuit around Milan. The riders had decided that they had enough and made the race an unofficial rest day. Most club riders averaged a faster pace than the Peleton for most of this stage. Eventually the pace picked up and the last lap was very exciting with Mark Cavendish taking the stage win.
The Giro organizers have really gone for spectacular. Very few flat courses and lots of crazy climbs. Each week of the Giro as gotten harder. This final week looks to be the hardest. There will be several hard climbs and the last day is a time trial that may very well determine who the GC winner will be. At this point my money is on Denis Menchov. Although stage 17 (profiled above) could very well that. The contenders are going to have to attack.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A new post about TV Shows (Chuck, Scrubs and Life)
My last post to this blog was on January 11. The lack of output was not for lack of material. I have written several entries while out riding but the words just never seem to make it to the blog page. I blame Facebook. At least I am not Twitting.
My first blog entry in many months is not going to be about anything deal like state of the US economy, my current state of unemployment or even the start of the Giro d'Italia. It is going to be about US TV. Specifically about the shows that I have been watching Chuck, Scrubs and Life. All three have either been cancelled or are close to being cancelled.
In addition to the 3 shows list above I also watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Thanks to the internet I do not need to stay up until Midnight but I can watch the replays in the morning while I am drinking my morning coffee. I have also started watching Southland on Thursday night. Southlands is the ER replacement. So far I am enjoying the show however I remember liking ER at first but then I lost interest. The great thing about the internet is that I can watch all of my shows on my laptop.
NBC cancelled Life this past week. Life was my least favorite show but had the most interesting premise. Officer Charlie Crews is falsely convict of murdering a family and spends 12 years in prison. He is eventually released, settles with the city for millions and get his job back at the level he would have been at had he not gone to prison. He is now a weathly detective solving cases while plotting his revenge. The problem is that the fish out of water thing only goes so far. Eventually things stop becoming new to Detective Crews and he eventually needs to figure out who framed him. It may be that 2 years is the total shelf life for this show.
Chuck is a great Monday show. It has some adult themes for a 8 PM show but it is kind of cool premise as well. Chuck is very smart 20 something who was kicked out of Stanford just before graduation. He is now under achieving at a Buy More (Best Buy?) store. Chuck is also leading a double life since he also has a top secret government computer downloaded into his brain and is being protected by a CIA and NSA agent. This is a complete fantasy show but the characters are well defined. The end of last season tied up some loose ends but left a opening for another season. I think the shelf life of this show is probably 3 - 4 years. Eventually the characters will have to settle into a certain normalcy that will ruin the plots.
My favorite show is Scrubs. It took me while to get into the show. In fact I watch almost ever episode as a rerun on Comedy Central. As a work place comedy this show completely eclipses The Office. While most of the characters on The Office are a kind of idiot savant (especially Michael) the characters on Scrubs are dorks but they are care about what they do and work to become better. The Office makes me cringe at some of the stuff that happens but Scrubs has characters that I can relate to. The characters on Scrubs have also grown. Going from first year interns to residents to attendings. It is possible to think that working in a hospital could actually be like this.
Scrubs started out on NBC but spent last year on ABC. Some new characters (Interns) have been introduced and the next season if renewed will probably focus on these characters. JD has accepted another job at different hospital but he is close enough to come back to the show on occasion. The season finale could also be the series finale and was written that way. In some ways it is about time all of the original characters started to move on with there lives. Hopefully the show will be picked up but even if it doesn't I am sure that Comedy Central will continue broadcasting reruns 4 times a day.
So there it is. My first post in a while is about TV shows. I am going to try and get some more. I have plenty to write about.
My first blog entry in many months is not going to be about anything deal like state of the US economy, my current state of unemployment or even the start of the Giro d'Italia. It is going to be about US TV. Specifically about the shows that I have been watching Chuck, Scrubs and Life. All three have either been cancelled or are close to being cancelled.
In addition to the 3 shows list above I also watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Thanks to the internet I do not need to stay up until Midnight but I can watch the replays in the morning while I am drinking my morning coffee. I have also started watching Southland on Thursday night. Southlands is the ER replacement. So far I am enjoying the show however I remember liking ER at first but then I lost interest. The great thing about the internet is that I can watch all of my shows on my laptop.
NBC cancelled Life this past week. Life was my least favorite show but had the most interesting premise. Officer Charlie Crews is falsely convict of murdering a family and spends 12 years in prison. He is eventually released, settles with the city for millions and get his job back at the level he would have been at had he not gone to prison. He is now a weathly detective solving cases while plotting his revenge. The problem is that the fish out of water thing only goes so far. Eventually things stop becoming new to Detective Crews and he eventually needs to figure out who framed him. It may be that 2 years is the total shelf life for this show.
Chuck is a great Monday show. It has some adult themes for a 8 PM show but it is kind of cool premise as well. Chuck is very smart 20 something who was kicked out of Stanford just before graduation. He is now under achieving at a Buy More (Best Buy?) store. Chuck is also leading a double life since he also has a top secret government computer downloaded into his brain and is being protected by a CIA and NSA agent. This is a complete fantasy show but the characters are well defined. The end of last season tied up some loose ends but left a opening for another season. I think the shelf life of this show is probably 3 - 4 years. Eventually the characters will have to settle into a certain normalcy that will ruin the plots.
My favorite show is Scrubs. It took me while to get into the show. In fact I watch almost ever episode as a rerun on Comedy Central. As a work place comedy this show completely eclipses The Office. While most of the characters on The Office are a kind of idiot savant (especially Michael) the characters on Scrubs are dorks but they are care about what they do and work to become better. The Office makes me cringe at some of the stuff that happens but Scrubs has characters that I can relate to. The characters on Scrubs have also grown. Going from first year interns to residents to attendings. It is possible to think that working in a hospital could actually be like this.
Scrubs started out on NBC but spent last year on ABC. Some new characters (Interns) have been introduced and the next season if renewed will probably focus on these characters. JD has accepted another job at different hospital but he is close enough to come back to the show on occasion. The season finale could also be the series finale and was written that way. In some ways it is about time all of the original characters started to move on with there lives. Hopefully the show will be picked up but even if it doesn't I am sure that Comedy Central will continue broadcasting reruns 4 times a day.
So there it is. My first post in a while is about TV shows. I am going to try and get some more. I have plenty to write about.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Another Post about General Things
Again I do not have much to post. I got both of my bikes tuned up at the Peddler. Since the weather has not been good for riding I figured I would get both bikes pointed up so that when the weather did turn in the positive direction I would be ready to go. I really should learn to do my own work but I am afraid that I will have to deal with my inferior wrench skills while stuck on the side of the road.
My Facebook account as well as the weekly bike ride email that I send out has taken away some of the cycles I would otherwise use to create blog posts. I have had several ideas for posts but I just have not had the time to do them right. Maybe over the next couple of weeks.
Since I cannot ride I have been spending lots of time in the gym. I have just lifting and not doing any cardio. I can see the results in that I am building my fast twitch muscle fibers and not really building up the slow twitch muscle fibers. I figure that I spent most of the summer riding and very little time lifting that it might be good to do the opposite now. While I might be carrying a little extra weight it should be all muscle so I am hoping that I will appreciate the extra strength when the nicer bike riding weather shows up.
It might be a good year to get some cross country skiing in. The picture above was taken in 2003 in Sundance, Utah.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year 2009 (If the sun is shining you should be out riding)
Like last year I started out the new year with a bike ride. This year's ride was a little bit more challenging. The WeatherBug application on my laptop forcasted a low of 20 degrees and a high of 32 degrees for the day. When I got out of bed this morning it was on 14 degrees out. There was a pickup ride scheduled for 10 AM at Dorbrook Park. It was my goal to make the ride.
I decided that I would ride to the start which meant that I had to be on the road by 9:15 AM at the latest. It is about 10 miles from my house to Dorbrook but I figured that I wanted to be able to start and stop my ride at my house. The last thing I wanted to do was have to break my bike down in a parking lot and then drive home. I also figured that if no one showed up at least I had already put in 10 miles and I could then just ride on my own.
I figured that it was going to be cold and the tempuratures where not going to rise by much. I ended up raiding my ski bag. Long thermal underwear went on under the bib shorts. A pair of thermal tights went over the bibs. The upper body had to layers of thermal shirts, a base layer and a black cotten t-shirt with a design on it for style. I then put on my new Gore Tool jacket. A thermal helmet liner was used to insultate the attic. I put chemical toe warmers underneath my booties and chemical hand warmers. After all this I realised that I had failed to protect the my face below my glasses. At first I was going to turn back but I figured it was just like starting out the morning skiing and I would soon get used to it.
I figured I was going to need to take the most direct route to the start if I was going to get there in time. So I went through Middletown and then out to RT 537 to get to Dorbrook. I was starting to warm up and I was really glad that I had made the decision to get out. However, the wind was blowing east to west and when I was facing the wind I quickly realised that there might be some challenging moments.
Due to the cold I expected the turnout to be light. I was disappointed to see the back parking lot empty. I expected that a couple of the more adventurous would show. I checked the time and it was just 10 AM. I made a couple of laps around the parking lot. I noticed another rider waving to me in the other parking lot. I did not see his bike at first but when I got over to the parking lot I saw his Serrotta leaning against the tree. He had rode to the start and had discovered a slow leak. He had already called his wife to come and pick him up. It was much to cold to be changing a tire and I could not fault his decision.
I chatted with rider for a few minutes giving some others the opportunity to show up. After about 15 minutes I decided to leave my new friend and had out on a solo ride. I was not sure where I was going to go. When I came out of the park I could make a left and head toward the shore of a right and stay closer to home. I elected to stay closer to home and made a right.
I had convinced myself that it was enough just to show up. I had planned a more direct ride home. When I got to a light I decided to make the turn that would lengthen my ride. I ended up riding 32 miles with some good climbs.
It had snowed on December 31 so the roads were covered with road salt. I had decided to ride my Single Speed since it had less moving parts. When I was done riding the bike was covered with a light coating of white powder.
The ride was not as bad as I expected. The extra layer of insultation made pedalling a little harder. Like a polar bear swim the New Years day ride should have some challenges. I was glad to get out and I rewarded myself with a late breakfast at The Turning Point Restaurant.
I hope everyone has a good new year!!
I decided that I would ride to the start which meant that I had to be on the road by 9:15 AM at the latest. It is about 10 miles from my house to Dorbrook but I figured that I wanted to be able to start and stop my ride at my house. The last thing I wanted to do was have to break my bike down in a parking lot and then drive home. I also figured that if no one showed up at least I had already put in 10 miles and I could then just ride on my own.
I figured that it was going to be cold and the tempuratures where not going to rise by much. I ended up raiding my ski bag. Long thermal underwear went on under the bib shorts. A pair of thermal tights went over the bibs. The upper body had to layers of thermal shirts, a base layer and a black cotten t-shirt with a design on it for style. I then put on my new Gore Tool jacket. A thermal helmet liner was used to insultate the attic. I put chemical toe warmers underneath my booties and chemical hand warmers. After all this I realised that I had failed to protect the my face below my glasses. At first I was going to turn back but I figured it was just like starting out the morning skiing and I would soon get used to it.
I figured I was going to need to take the most direct route to the start if I was going to get there in time. So I went through Middletown and then out to RT 537 to get to Dorbrook. I was starting to warm up and I was really glad that I had made the decision to get out. However, the wind was blowing east to west and when I was facing the wind I quickly realised that there might be some challenging moments.
Due to the cold I expected the turnout to be light. I was disappointed to see the back parking lot empty. I expected that a couple of the more adventurous would show. I checked the time and it was just 10 AM. I made a couple of laps around the parking lot. I noticed another rider waving to me in the other parking lot. I did not see his bike at first but when I got over to the parking lot I saw his Serrotta leaning against the tree. He had rode to the start and had discovered a slow leak. He had already called his wife to come and pick him up. It was much to cold to be changing a tire and I could not fault his decision.
I chatted with rider for a few minutes giving some others the opportunity to show up. After about 15 minutes I decided to leave my new friend and had out on a solo ride. I was not sure where I was going to go. When I came out of the park I could make a left and head toward the shore of a right and stay closer to home. I elected to stay closer to home and made a right.
I had convinced myself that it was enough just to show up. I had planned a more direct ride home. When I got to a light I decided to make the turn that would lengthen my ride. I ended up riding 32 miles with some good climbs.
It had snowed on December 31 so the roads were covered with road salt. I had decided to ride my Single Speed since it had less moving parts. When I was done riding the bike was covered with a light coating of white powder.
The ride was not as bad as I expected. The extra layer of insultation made pedalling a little harder. Like a polar bear swim the New Years day ride should have some challenges. I was glad to get out and I rewarded myself with a late breakfast at The Turning Point Restaurant.
I hope everyone has a good new year!!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Bike Commuters get part of the bailout
Bike commuters are eligible for a $20 a month tax credit. Check out this video on http://www.cnn.com/ .
Here is an article from the San Francisco Chronicle one of my favorite newspapers. I love San Francisco.
Here is an article from the San Francisco Chronicle one of my favorite newspapers. I love San Francisco.
A New Post about general things
I have not been updating my blog as regularly as I was. Most of my usual rides have been written about in previous blogs. I have rode a couple of group rides but I have been going out and riding 52 mile solo rides on my single speed. The road bike has kind of been ignored lately. It has a slow leak in the rear tire. It will hold pressure for about 2 days but it usually has minimal pressure in the tube after about a week. Since it is not being rode that much I am thinking of dropping it off to be tuned up (maybe today).
I have taken over the weekly ride email for the local Independent Group that I have been riding with. It is pretty easy to get out right now since there are not very many rides (weekends only) and the rides are lightly attended. Only the die hards are getting out to ride. I thought I was a diehard but I have found a couple of others that are more dedicated than I am.
Last year I rode all winter without booties but that limited the temperature that I could ride in. Luckily last winter was mild and I was able to ride at least on day on any given weekend. It looks like this year is going to be a little rougher. I have made a couple of investments in some Gore Bike gear. High top booties, the Tool Jacket and a set of Specialized leg warmers to use on days when it is not cold enough to wear my thermal tights. I have also purchased a bunch of chemical hand and toe warmers. I am thinking of getting a hood/mask but I do use one of those for skiing so I am thinking I really do not need them for bike riding on the New Jersey Shore. I have gone out a couple of times in the high 20s. It is hard for me to get out when it is that cold. Leaving the warm house is tough but I think I enjoy the cold weather rides more than the summer rides. I just need the push out the door.
I would like to get some cross country skiing in this year but the skiing is not really that good here in New Jersey. I might try to get up and visit my parents in Syracuse. Most years the weather is usually very good for both Alpine and Nordic skiing. Lots of good places to go skiing. Highland Forest in Fabius, NY is one of my favorite places to go cross country skiing. I am thinking that cross country skiing is a little safer as well as better excercise.
This weekend was a complete cycling bust. Snow, Ice and rain. Mother Nature's way of telling me that I need to prepare for the holidays. The long range forcast last weekend was so wrong. Giants and the Jets are both playing important games today. The Giants are playing for home field advantage in the playoffs and the Jets are trying to keep their post season hopes alive. So I will be couch bound after 4 PM today.
I have taken over the weekly ride email for the local Independent Group that I have been riding with. It is pretty easy to get out right now since there are not very many rides (weekends only) and the rides are lightly attended. Only the die hards are getting out to ride. I thought I was a diehard but I have found a couple of others that are more dedicated than I am.
Last year I rode all winter without booties but that limited the temperature that I could ride in. Luckily last winter was mild and I was able to ride at least on day on any given weekend. It looks like this year is going to be a little rougher. I have made a couple of investments in some Gore Bike gear. High top booties, the Tool Jacket and a set of Specialized leg warmers to use on days when it is not cold enough to wear my thermal tights. I have also purchased a bunch of chemical hand and toe warmers. I am thinking of getting a hood/mask but I do use one of those for skiing so I am thinking I really do not need them for bike riding on the New Jersey Shore. I have gone out a couple of times in the high 20s. It is hard for me to get out when it is that cold. Leaving the warm house is tough but I think I enjoy the cold weather rides more than the summer rides. I just need the push out the door.
I would like to get some cross country skiing in this year but the skiing is not really that good here in New Jersey. I might try to get up and visit my parents in Syracuse. Most years the weather is usually very good for both Alpine and Nordic skiing. Lots of good places to go skiing. Highland Forest in Fabius, NY is one of my favorite places to go cross country skiing. I am thinking that cross country skiing is a little safer as well as better excercise.
This weekend was a complete cycling bust. Snow, Ice and rain. Mother Nature's way of telling me that I need to prepare for the holidays. The long range forcast last weekend was so wrong. Giants and the Jets are both playing important games today. The Giants are playing for home field advantage in the playoffs and the Jets are trying to keep their post season hopes alive. So I will be couch bound after 4 PM today.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Stephen Colbert on Bailing out the US Auto Industry
In the interest of equal time here is Stephen Colbert's take on the Bailout of the US Auto Industry. If it is not on Comedy Central then it is not new!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Jon Stewart on the Auto Bailout
While Jon Stewart always tries to funny (I have read where Mr. Stewart has said that he gets nervous if he goes more than a minute or two without being funny) but he almost always makes the correct point. Here is a video from Wednesday night that pretty much sums up the Auto Maker's testimony before the house.
He even does a good job of describing derivatives. Enjoy.
He even does a good job of describing derivatives. Enjoy.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Bailout of the US Auto Industry
This was an interesting week. Not quite as interesting as domino effect in the Financial Industry that we experienced in September and October but it was a related event. The US auto industry took their corporate jets (I am thinking that it was at least 2 jets for each manufacturer but they could have tried to cram everyone on to one jet a piece) and flew to Washington to ask congress for a had out. By recent standards it is a relatively small handout. Only $25 Billion. At this point anything less that a billion is just not worth the effort.
I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about this. Given normal circumstances I would say let an industry stand or fall on its own. However, these are not normal circumstances. The US Government has shown that they are willing to bailout industries and now the door is open. Why is AIG any more deserving of being bailed out then GM. GM has probably done more to create middle class wealth than AIG ever did.
However, with the global market place being what it is I am not sure that the current demand justifies the number of brands currently available. Maybe it is time for further consolidation in the market place. Maybe the US auto industry could turn into the big two with GM calling it quits and selling off the brands that are still viable. Would anyone really miss the Hummers?
Maybe GM becomes Chevrolet and sells off everything else. The corvette for car enthusiasts, the Silverado for those who need or want a light truck and a line of mid size and compact cars that provide superior gas mileage. Everything else shutdown or sold. Most of the global competition maintain a couple of brands but only have one brand in each market segment. This makes the most sense. It will be painful though. I suspect that Detroit's current R&D is focused mostly on creating SUV's and has not been able to react to the current change.
The rapid drop in gasoline prices has me concerned as well. This seems to indicate that the demand for SUVs and trucks will continue. The current credit crunch might help to keep the demand down for now. As nice as it is to be able to get change back from a twenty when I fill up my car I was thinking that higher gas prices was good for the country in the long run. The demand for mass transit would increase and trend toward urban light rail would be justified by increase ridership rather than the usual of empty trains passing crowded highways.
I was against the bailout of the Financial Industry even though that was where I made my living. Now that the precedent has been set I say lets bail everyone out. Open up the check book. If you through enough against the wall eventually something will stick.
I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about this. Given normal circumstances I would say let an industry stand or fall on its own. However, these are not normal circumstances. The US Government has shown that they are willing to bailout industries and now the door is open. Why is AIG any more deserving of being bailed out then GM. GM has probably done more to create middle class wealth than AIG ever did.
However, with the global market place being what it is I am not sure that the current demand justifies the number of brands currently available. Maybe it is time for further consolidation in the market place. Maybe the US auto industry could turn into the big two with GM calling it quits and selling off the brands that are still viable. Would anyone really miss the Hummers?
Maybe GM becomes Chevrolet and sells off everything else. The corvette for car enthusiasts, the Silverado for those who need or want a light truck and a line of mid size and compact cars that provide superior gas mileage. Everything else shutdown or sold. Most of the global competition maintain a couple of brands but only have one brand in each market segment. This makes the most sense. It will be painful though. I suspect that Detroit's current R&D is focused mostly on creating SUV's and has not been able to react to the current change.
The rapid drop in gasoline prices has me concerned as well. This seems to indicate that the demand for SUVs and trucks will continue. The current credit crunch might help to keep the demand down for now. As nice as it is to be able to get change back from a twenty when I fill up my car I was thinking that higher gas prices was good for the country in the long run. The demand for mass transit would increase and trend toward urban light rail would be justified by increase ridership rather than the usual of empty trains passing crowded highways.
I was against the bailout of the Financial Industry even though that was where I made my living. Now that the precedent has been set I say lets bail everyone out. Open up the check book. If you through enough against the wall eventually something will stick.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Paul Simon on the Colbert Report
Paul Simon was on the Colbert Report this week. I watched the replay at 8:30 PM last night. He played American Tune which is one of my favorite songs of all time but I do prefer the Willie Nelson version.
I was reminded of the time that both George Harrison and Paul Simon played on Saturday Night Live. I cannot believe that it was in 1976 (I was a freshman in High School). Paul Simon was the guest host and George Harrison was the musical guest but they played together. I always thought it was great. Thanks to YouTube I can confirm my memory.
Here Comes the Sun
Homeward Bound
Paul Simon performing American Tune
I was reminded of the time that both George Harrison and Paul Simon played on Saturday Night Live. I cannot believe that it was in 1976 (I was a freshman in High School). Paul Simon was the guest host and George Harrison was the musical guest but they played together. I always thought it was great. Thanks to YouTube I can confirm my memory.
Here Comes the Sun
Homeward Bound
Paul Simon performing American Tune
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Finally a new President of the United States
I have not been keeping up with the blog these days. The commute into New York everyday is using up about 3 hours of my time per day. The Blackberry is OK for sending and receiving emails as well as playing around with Facebook. It is not handy for updating this blog. Enough of the excuses and on with a new post.
We finally got a new President. Not sure why anyone would want the job these days. Like most of the country I am pretty excited on how things turned out. While I have never voted Republican in my life it does not mean that I could not vote Republican. My politics runs toward to the middle which means I am a Social Liberal and a Fiscal Conservative.
As far as I can tell over the the last 16 years or more the Republican party's words have not matched their actions. They say they want smaller government but then attempt to legislate personal choice. They inherited a balance budget with a surplus in 2000 but then cut taxes and started an expensive war that did provided very little value to the American public. We have also squandered the goodwill that the rest of the world gave us after September 11, 2001.
While I like John McCain it would have been hard for me to vote for him since it became obvious that a vote for John McCain was a vote for the continuation of the policies of the Bush Administration. Mr. McCain seems like a man who I would be proud to shake his hand. However, the John McCain the candidate almost made me lose respect for John McCain the man. I think he lost a great opportunity to show that he was an agent of change as much as anybody but instead he dropped back into the old Republican playbook. Mr. McCain probably would not have won the election but the country probably would have been better served had a different campaign been run.
I originally thought the selection of Sarah Palin was a great political move. While she did tend to scare the hell out of me I could definitely see her value. She knew what her role was and she went out did it. I can certainly respect the speaking skills that she has and her willingness to be the Pit bull for the McCain Campaign. While I am very glad that she is not a heartbeat away from the Presidency I cannot but help admire her for what she has been able to accomplish.
Now that the campaign is over I have noticed that Gov. Palin is now being trashed. Michael Vick treated his Pit bulls better than this. These people sent Palin out to do the dirty work and then do not even give her a pat on the head and a bone take back to the yard. The whole concept is so offensive. It is yet another indicator that I made the right choice in voting booth. I wish Sarah Palin good luck in her career just not as President or Vice President.
Not only does Barack Obama have his dream job but he has the majority in Congress and the Senate. This should make change easier but it does not guarantee accomplishments. The first term of the Clinton Administration is probably a good example. President Clinton had not become the rock star that he is today and was a little star struck. I think that Barack Obama would do well to learn this lesson. I do think that Mr. Obama has already become the rock star and may not have the same learning curve.
It goes without say that the most important cabinet position selection will be Secretary of Treasury. I have heard Jon Corzine mentioned as a possibility. I hope not. In fact I am willing to continue to deal with him being the Governor of New Jersey for the good of the country. I would like to see Robert Rubin but I do not think he wants the job.
New President or not we have a couple more tough years ahead of us. President Obama is going to have some tough decisions and I am sure the good folks at Fox News will be available to wrongly micro manage every decision. It seems like they are only willing to support a President if it is the one of their choosing.
I am excited about the future. The new President is a good first step. It will be interesting to see how the strategy unfolds. I have no idea what I would do so I am sure that Obama team is probably not sleeping a whole lot.
I have some bike related postings to do maybe next time.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The Commute
I have not commuted into New York on a regular basis in a couple of years. I have been trying to get to my desk by 7 AM each morning which means I have to take the 5:45 AM Middletown, NJ train. The commute is pretty easy. I drive a short distance to the train station, park my car, and catch the train. An hour later I am walking to the office. It is an easy walk. Cross 7th Ave walk down 34th and then turn north on Broadway. Right next to Macy's. The only thing that could be better would be to work in one of the buildings that are above Penn Station.
The picture above is the closed power station in South Amboy just before the train pulls into the South Amboy station. A couple of years ago there was a high speed ferry that went to NY. It closed down because of the construction but never opened again. I am not sure if it moved to another marina.
This is the building as the train exits the Hudson Tunnel and enters NY Penn Station. It is across the street from Madison Square Garden.
The view out of the window by my desk. One of the first things I noticed on my first trips to NY was the wooden water towers that dot the skyline. They have disappeared over the years and now are often hidden.
I do like working in NY. It is such a different world from where I live in NJ.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
A Saturday Short Ride
After two weeks of no riding due to the weekend rains, the shorten days and my new commute to work I finally got a ride in. It was not much of ride. Only about 35 miles but it was rough. It is amazing how much fall off there can be in just two weeks. I tried to mix it up with some good climbs in the beginning with some long rolling parts in the middle and one last climb up Telegraph Hill on the way home.
I was planning on going further but boredom kind of set it. I have really had to push myself to get out and ride these days. The gym has not been much better. I cannot get myself to make the climb up to the cardio area of the gym. It feels like the death march so I have been only been doing my lifting workout instead. It is amazing how fast it goes when I am not putting in 60 plus minutes on the ellipical machine. If I just do a lifting workout I can usually be in and out of the gym in around 45 minutes. I am hoping that the shortened workouts will make it easier for me to get to the gym after my commute home from NY.
So far the commute has not been bad. About 90 minutes door to door. Most of it is sitting on a train listening to music or reading the paper. Now that I have a Blackberry I can answer and send email as well. I used to look down on Blackberry users and I refused to get one for a long time. Now I can see the advantages and I am probably annoying others the way others used to annoy me.
The office is located on Broadway and is the building immediately north of Macy's. This is where the TV camera's are setup for the Macy's Day parade on Thanksgiving day. The front conference rooms will be a prime viewing location.
So far the job has been interesting. I was originally afraid that I was going to be bored. However, the pace is starting to pick up after a slow start. It is obvious that I am being out manned. I was concerned because I was getting hit from all directions and I might be in danger of falling behind. I decided to let my client know that that things were spinning. I was informed that it was expected that the parent company would have more resources and I would be tilting at windmills. As long as this is the expectation then I am fine working in a storm. I often think that I do my best work when all hell is breaking loose.
I am looking to get a ride in this morning. I expected to be on the road now but the clouds are heavy and the weather report is predicting showers in the morning. Right now I am waiting it out. Drinking coffee, surfing the Internet and writing this blog. I wanted to ride with a group today but it looks like it will be another solo ride. Maybe I will head down to Long Branch. I need to get some new rides. My next car is going to be a small station wagon so I can drive to some new riding spots.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Finally a new post to this blog!!
Lately I have not been that active posting to this blog. It certainly has not been because I have not had much to write about. In fact just the opposite. I have actually lots to comment on and I have often written new posts in my head while out riding or commuting on the train but they never seem to make to blogger.com. My thoughts have still been expressed but mostly in emails and phone calls to friends.
Here is the list of topics that I could have written about late summer and early fall:
Here is the list of topics that I could have written about late summer and early fall:
- Lost a job
- Found a job
- The presidential election
- The meltdown of the US Financial Services Industry which contributed to my loosing a job
- The bailout of the US Mortgage Banking Industry
- Bottlenose dolphins in the Navesink River
- I could have wrote about various bike rides but almost everything has been covered by previous posts so the urge to describe the ride is just not there
2008 has been a rough year in the financial services industry. I was lucky enough to have a project for most of the year but I knew that things were getting bad. The project ended in the early part of the summer and I made it know that I would I work on just about anything. I even agreed to work in Hong Kong on a data center relocation. Since the Hong Kong project was scheduled to start August 1 I most of the time leading up to the start date working on small projects and business development. In July I started to get the feeling that the Hong Kong project was not as close to being signed as I thought. August 1 came and went. I started to get sent on interviews for roles at clients such as The Reserve and Lehman Brothers. Not a good sign. In mid August I found myself out looking for a new job.
Being let go from BusinessEdge was both a tragedy and a relief. It was a tragedy that caused a panic because I did not have anything lined up and I did not have much time to work with. It was a relief because I did not really have much of a future at BusinessEdge. I had lost confidence that they would be able to provide me with the kind of projects and career building that I required. It was obvious the the EMC merger was not working out as was expected. The week after I left the head of the Financial Services Industry Practice left as well. This was not the company that I wanted to travel to Hong Kong for six months or even longer.
I was actually laid off on a Monday but I knew it was coming on the previous Friday. The whole process only confirmed what I had long suspected. That I was as important to BusinessEdge as the laptops, chairs and desks. I had spent the week working on business development work and it looked like were getting close to landing a small project migrating an AS400 application. I was asked to take a couple of days off while a couple of projects were signed (one of which at Lehman Brothers). I was then asked go to Lehman and I had a meeting at RBS on Thursday so I agreed to take Friday off (consultants taking a vacation is a way to make the profits or lack off look better because the time gets booked differently). I had a bunch of errands to run on Friday and since it was a vacation day I was not sitting around monitoring my email and cell phone. I noticed that I had missed a call on my cell so when I listened to the message I knew that I was about to become an ex BusinessEdge employee. A meeting was schedule for 4 PM and then rescheduled for Monday at 11 AM.
Lossing a job brings all kinds of emotions. I wanted to be pissed off but who should I be pissed off at? The anger only brings frustration because there is really anything to be angry at. I could only blame myself. However, the BusinessEdge representative did provide me with something that I could use to vent. When I dialed into the meeting on Monday at 11 AM I was kept on hold for almost 15 minutes. I listened to music wondering if it was going to happen now. Had a project been found for me? Did I get a stay of execution? After about 10 minutes I get a call from one of the admins informing me that Alexis would be on the line in about 5 minutes. So at about 11:15 Alexis and the HR representative got on the line. The excuse for being late was that she was parking her car which really did not fly.
This call could have been handled so much better. The first part of the call was spent explaining the tough market place for consulting in the Financial Services Industry. Since this was from a company that was trying to sell to Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch right up to the end there was not really much they could say to me. I really wanted to get to the bottom line as soon as possible. They told me what the package was which was a little better than I expected but not even close to being what it should have been. I spent the next couple of minutes negotiating and making the call as uncomfortable as possible while remaining professional. I realized that I was not getting anywhere so I decided to end the conversation and move on to executing my strategy that I had put together over the weekend. They still have not paid me my outstanding expenses.
I understand why companies feel the need to cut resources (otherwise known as people) during economic downturns but in many ways it is the wrong strategy. What actually happens is that it causes a downward spiral. It is not just one company cutting but whole industries. The feeling is that profits can be boosted by less people but in an economy that has been driven by consumer spending the opposite actually happens. Cuts are followed by further cuts. Some companies survive and make to to the next up cycle but many more make the long march to bankruptcy and mergers. I actually think the best strategy is make better hiring decisions on during the good times and hold on to your staff during the down times. Profits will suffer but the death spiral might be avoided because more people are working.
By the end of the first week I had my first face to face interview. At this point I would have taken anything but knew the job was probably not right for me. It was another consulting company that was dedicated to working in the Financial Services Industry. While I was told that they had plenty of work (this seems to be a theme) I suspected that they were starting to see the downturn in the market place as well. In any case I was happy to get an interview under my belt and I made some new contacts.
I spent most of the job search reaching out to contacts. I found this to be the most useful. The recruiters that troll the job boards do not seem to be as useful these days. I started to pick out the ones that I would use. It was not uncommon for me to be hit up for the same position by 6 or 7 recruiters. There was one job that I got recruited for at least twice a week and yet I never got an interview with the client. The fact that I was drawing so many recruiters meant that I was a good fit on paper so I could not understand why I was not getting an interview.
As time went by I started to develop a strategy. Since I did not have much of a severance to fall back on and unemployment was not going to cut it I decided I would try and find an contract as an independent consultant in the short term and look for something more permanent in the long term. I had created an LLC a couple of years ago and I was thinking that this might be a good time to use it. Being let go from BusinessEdge had created an opportunity because I did not have to make the decision to quit a steady paycheck to take on the risk of running my own consulting company. The decision had been made for me. I was now able to be in control of my own destiny.
I had a phone interview with an IBM reseller who was looking for a technical salesman to sell into the financial service area concentrating on Hedge Funds. The product looked interesting and it would have been a great opportunity for me. The interview went well and I was told that I would get an offer the next week when we met face to face. I left next Tuesday open for this. However, on the Monday I was contacted by one of my contacts that had moved to the health care (Life Sciences) industry and he had a role he was looking to fill. He wanted to meet ASAP. So I schedule a meeting for 4 PM on Tuesday with my contact and a 1 PM lunch meeting with the recruiter with the IBM reseller. At the lunch meeting I found out that an offer would not be coming from the IBM reseller due to budget reasons. At least I got a free lunch out if it.
I thought the 4 PM meeting was going to be an interview. However, the offer was made I accepted and we setup a start date. It turns out the project is perfect for me. The company is outside of the Financial Services Industry and the office is close to New York's Penn Station which makes for an easy commute. While I am not completely out of the woods yet things are looking up. For the most part this is a happy ending.
I definitely have an opinion on the Presidential Election. I have not decided who I am going to vote for. I have agreements and disagreements with both candidates. I do feel that each would be an improvement over the current administration. I am not sure why either candidate would want the job but I am glad that at least some one does because it is not going to be easy and there is a good chance that the next president could be a one term president because it is going to require do some very unpopular things to fix the country.
The meltdown of the US economy. I have heard the statement "we never saw this coming" used a lot. I think there are lots of people who saw this coming. I do think that no one has an idea how it will end. The crisis will pass but will it be a complete fix or just some that tides us over until next crisis.
I am finding myself agreeing with the Republican Right Wing on the bailout proposal. I think it is very telling that the Republicans are breaking ranks with the White House. I am not sure of the reasoning for this. However, I think that the bailout will end up not helping anything beyond cleaning up the balance sheets of some badly managed banks. I actually think the money would be better spent buying up the underlying real estate rather than the mortgage obligations themselves. This would most likely help everyone and might turn a profit as well. It would put the US government in the Real Estate business but it is much better than being in the derivative securities business. At least they would understand the assets.
I saw the dolphins in the Navesink River for the first time on last Sunday's 52 mile ride. There is a group that has been hanging out by the Oceanic Bridge. I stopped on the bridge as I was heading over to Atlantic Highlands. It is cool to see them swimming in the river. There were 3 of them in lock with each other. I drove by yesterday and I could see them from my car. Today I parked at the Post Office in Rumson and walked across the bridge. Of course since I had my camera with me they were not around. This week one of the younger ones was found dead on the shore of the Navesink. There are a lot of people pushing for intervention to move them out to the Atlantic before the cold weather arrives. I am not sure this needed. However, the construction that is happening on the Highlands bridge could be trapping them in the river. However, they are swimming close to all the fishing boats so there is no reason that they could not swim under the bridge and out to see in the evening or early morning. My vote would be to leave them alone. They are wild animals that can make there own decisions. Not any different that the wild deer we have running all over.
No bike rides this weekend. The weather was crappy both days. Today was the Twin Lights ride that starts in Highlands. Part of the ride comes through Holmdel. Inspite of the weather there are quite a few riders. They are making me feel like a wimp.
I think this post gets me caught up. I wish I had some pictures to add but it has not worked out.
One last thing. As I was waiting to pick up my dog from the groomers in Red Bank I saw a flier for a fund raiser for the prevention of Breast Cancer called Bowling 4 Boobs. The pink paper and cute title caught my eyes. It sounds like a fun event for a good cause. If you have the opportunity check it out.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Ended the Summer the same way I started it. Riding the Langster
My Specialized Tarmac Comp has not come back from the repair shop since I busted a spoke on a ride last weekend. It seems that the spokes on the stock Shimano wheels are hard to get. Unfortunately, I do not have a spare set of wheels. What I do have is a spare bike but it is a 2007 Specialized Langster single speed road bike.
Once the Tarmac came into my life the Langster was sentenced to spend most to the summer in the garage. The first day I took the Lanster out this past week was on Tuesday. I went out around 4:30 PM and I rode about 25 miles. I swung by Holmdel Park to hook with the Tuesday Evening regulars. I was not sure if I was going to ride. I was not in the mood to be dropped. However, I decided to go for it. I did get dropped once because I was not paying attention and I got myself on the back of pack when we went over the RT 18 Bridge. Everyone picked up speed on the downhill after the bridge and by the time I realised what had happened they were too far away and I was spinning out. They let me catch up at the next hill and I made sure to stay with them for the rest of the ride.
I had forgot how much I like riding the Langster. So far I have rode every day but Wednesday and Saturday. Wednesday was a rest day and Saturday we had tropical storm Hanna blow through.
Today I got a 52 mile ride to Long Branch in. I wanted to see the ocean. Turned out it was great day for surfers. The waves were the largest I have ever seen. They were almost freakish.
I will have the Tarmac back by the middle of the week. The Langster will probably be back in its spot in the back of the garage. Then again maybe not.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Spoke Blow Out
Since it is a holiday weekend I am feeling the pressure to be family oriented so I decided to forgo the group ride for a quick 40 miler in the area. Started out by riding some of the hills in the area and then heading out on the Tuesday Evening ride route. I added a couple of miles to the end of the route.
As I as making my way back along Middletown Road I broke a spoke on my rear wheel. I thought that I had picked up some junk from the road. This is one of the things I am not prepared to handle on the road. I was not that far from home but it would have been a long walk in road shoes. I made the call home to get a ride back. I still got 38 miles in for the day. It could have been worse and I could have been much further away. I have been carrying enough money to call a cab if I ever do need a ride back. I have to add the phone numbers for some of the local cab companies to my cell phone.
While I was waiting for my ride I made some calls around to the usual bike shops. Since I am unemployed I do not have enough money to buy a new set of wheels. I am a little concerned since I am afraid that some of the other spokes are ready to go as well.
I ended up taking my bike to Bike Haven. It looks like the Tarmac is going to be out of commission all week and I am going to be riding the Langster which has not seen the light of day since late spring.
The hilliest roads in the area are a little rough and I hit a pot hole hard last week so that may have been the root case. Cliff at Bike Haven as me how much I weighed. When I told him 180 lbs he said that I am about 10 lbs too heavy for bike riding. I have actually dropped some weight over the summer. I have been living on Muscle Milk and I am now consistently below 180. I am going to see if I can get below 170 but I am not sure if I can.
All the hurricane activity in the southern part of the US is creating some of the best weather we have had all summer. I should get the Langster out for a couple of good rides. I am even thinking of riding with the Tuesday night group on the single speed.
As I as making my way back along Middletown Road I broke a spoke on my rear wheel. I thought that I had picked up some junk from the road. This is one of the things I am not prepared to handle on the road. I was not that far from home but it would have been a long walk in road shoes. I made the call home to get a ride back. I still got 38 miles in for the day. It could have been worse and I could have been much further away. I have been carrying enough money to call a cab if I ever do need a ride back. I have to add the phone numbers for some of the local cab companies to my cell phone.
While I was waiting for my ride I made some calls around to the usual bike shops. Since I am unemployed I do not have enough money to buy a new set of wheels. I am a little concerned since I am afraid that some of the other spokes are ready to go as well.
I ended up taking my bike to Bike Haven. It looks like the Tarmac is going to be out of commission all week and I am going to be riding the Langster which has not seen the light of day since late spring.
The hilliest roads in the area are a little rough and I hit a pot hole hard last week so that may have been the root case. Cliff at Bike Haven as me how much I weighed. When I told him 180 lbs he said that I am about 10 lbs too heavy for bike riding. I have actually dropped some weight over the summer. I have been living on Muscle Milk and I am now consistently below 180. I am going to see if I can get below 170 but I am not sure if I can.
All the hurricane activity in the southern part of the US is creating some of the best weather we have had all summer. I should get the Langster out for a couple of good rides. I am even thinking of riding with the Tuesday night group on the single speed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)