Starting the biking season [6/10]

today was especially cold and windy

So, the biking season has begun!  Yay...
First flat tire, first tire replacement (tube), scheduled first tune up, already had my first drenching (my clothes and shoes from that day are STILL wet).

I'm at 6/10 so far... what with a flat tire, a supply day and just some normal stuff... 60%... and then Monday I have to bring in the bike and not pick it up until Tuesday (so that'll be 6.5/11, then 7/12 -- I really wanted them to be able to take it in on the same day).  And next week is After Business, so there's another day gone.

But at least I'm doing it.

And, I'm not doing the 'stop and go hack' biking.  I've come to a decision.

I'm giving up on Ingress.

Maybe not permanently, but I have to admit, I was getting a little... obsessive.  Watching the intel map all day, and really all the diverting and new routes were burning through my gas.  On the bike it just meant it was killing my biking time, plus it really was taking me longer.

Sucks as there's been some new portals coming on line... maybe I'll be back.  I think if there were more players, else I feel like it's just me out there and then my competitive nature makes me believe that it's my responsibility.

It's not... so no more portals for me.  It's not going quite as well as I'd hoped, so I went and deleted the apps off of my phone.  Still, I find myself just peeking at the intel map now and again to see what's happening.  I'm going to try to go through the entire of today not looking.  We'll see how that goes.

I feel like a quitter, but really it's that I'm jealous of those that can play way more often than I could.  I even found myself interested in volunteering for the City's Public Art Committee, just so I could find a way to heighten the interest in the game.

My Biking Record for 2012

Now that I'm thinking about it... my Endomondo app should have some better stats than what I just hacked together

Hmm, where's that data...

Here's 2 graphs I put in from going through old blog posts with the records I kept
I imported the graph points into a Google Doc...




My goal was maintain 70%.
Trying to find the chart data from last year... grr...

I miss biking to work :( ... but I ingress

I do, really... it's funny, how it would make me tired, and everything, yet, now that I'm driving in the comfort of my own vehicle, I miss it.

Especially as the last few days have been exceptionally warm (like +1°C... not really warm, but warmer).

That, and the whole, I didn't get to call when the last day would be.  I still have to do a chart up for the summer's biking.

Lots of kids + party + McDonald's = loud [101/145]

So, yeah, I'm writing this article while at a McDonald's. Dean was invited to a birthday party and kits the one with the playground equipment... So it's quite loud.  Hardly the place I'd expect to get caught up in my personal blog.

But here I am.  And in some way, it's fine.  I'm testing out the new blogger app.  It's good practice for the new project in the new year.

So, what have I been up to? But much.  Business as usual really.  Work should quiet down soon, I'll get a little reprieve during December.

Speaking of work, it looks like I'm done biking to work now. I now have a spot... it's in the parkade, but at least it's a spot, plus it just snowed.  A lot.

With the snow I got to practice the whole snowblowing of the the back lane.  Brutal.  And it went from 0 to 20cm over night. No in between.

And like that... I blink and the weekend's over (I'm now writing as of Monday).

Sucky thing about the snow is that it looks like that means that's it as for the biking.  Lots of snow on the ground.  Oh, well.

What else happened?  Well I was feeling pretty under the weather on Sunday.  Mandy's house sitting as of last night (her parents are going to Minni).  Dean's getting used to our new Christmas tradition with the "Elf on the Shelf".  I'll put a post up about that soon.

Oh... and tell me what you think... what colour is this?

What's the best time to go into the Emergency? [96/136]

5am... really.
Maybe it's just 'cuz it was a weekday.  I can't imagine it'd be as quiet on a weekend.

Golfing a 4 out of 5 [58/86]

58 days out of a possible 86... still over 2/3, not bad.  The only days I haven't biked are days that it's rained or I could not get out of driving to meetings and whatnot.

Even days like today, where it stormed heavily last night but was just dry enough for me to bike to work (I'm sorry hon, should have driven the car to your work to leave it for you... but it's quite the pain getting the bike in the back there).

My legs are sore.  I don't think I was this tired from biking last year and I averaged just under 80%.  I even put more air in the tires.  My stupid car pump doesn't do a good job reading out the pressure (you can just barely see the LED display), so I have to pump, take it off (lose some air), use my pen pressure metre (lose some air), and re-pump...  It's supposed to be at 40-65, ... yesterday it was at ~25.  Should be about 50 right now.  Wanted to go higher, but it felt dangerous.

Maybe I'm tired because I was pretty much out all day in the sun for the golf tournament yesterday.  I feel a little sun-burnt.

I better have lost some weight.. but I doubt it.  My eating habits haven't changed... so at best I'm neutralizing the aging/expanding effect.  Ah well... it's saving me money right?

Perfect Week... of biking [54/81]

Yay, a perfect week of biking.  That hasn't happened in a while. 5 for 5!
My legs know.  It's been getting colder so my nose runs the full day after, and my legs get 'cramps' easier.  Plus, the tire pressure drops a little bit, so it means having to peddle harder... It's been fun.  Also, I've done some different routes here and there as I wind my way through the city to get home, or go get the car, etc...

Let's get you up to speed [38/61]

So... I just had a week's vacation!  Yay.  In that time period I've had some fun times.

Not a complete fail of a week [37/60]

The past few weeks have just been a flurry of activity and a real test to my stamina.  I think I'm weathering okay as I'm nearing the end of it all.


A few hours left of my work week, and then I'm on to vacation time.


The 'almost fail' referred to in the title comes from a few details:

• I haven't been biking much this week... with time frames, meetings, and generally my health I've only biked today [friday].
• We officially are going into over time for the CD recording... it's been a gruelling time with that.  Not only physically, but for the instruments and the fluctuations it has been emotionally pulling.  At the end of yesterday we were 2 tracks short to be completed.  So we will use our mixing time to do some more recording.  And just now they're even talking about doing some more tracks. /shakeshead

• teeball is over... and despite how little was really 'accomplished' in teaching the kids about playing the game, I think they (and I) really enjoyed the time.  it was awesome handing out the medals to the kiddies yesterday.

So, yeah, not a complete fail... but it's tiring enough that I feel beat up.  I'm going to enjoy this week of vacation time I have coming up.  Picking up a new tent on the weekend for our camping trip in mid-July... Minocqua will now be a breeze compared to 10 days of continual piping ... so long as it's not blisteringly hot like last year.

Waiting for my One [33/49]

My One X, that is... They said a few weeks ago it'd be that Friday... then a couple of days ago, the next day.  It's supposed to be end of day today... It's 2:18 and it's the only reason I'm still at work.


It's a gorgeous day.  I didn't bike, unfortunately, but yesterday I biked 2x (had a lunch meeting to get to), so I'm counting it, but still won't call this week a perfect streak tho'.  le sigh


Still... plans for a good weekend: staff get-together tonight, teeball make-up games, band practice, somebody's birthday, father's day...


crud... need to get dad something... and it can't be a crappy gift neither.


Did I tell you yet about Tokyo House?  Oh so good.

All you can eat sushi... can't argue with that.


The grads are out of the way, now just the parades to do... and the recording next week.  Should be a fun time.

Heavy winds [30/46]

So, I've been able to do 2 days in a row now.  Yesterday was a crazy amount of wind going home.  It wasn't bad wind going 'in' to work, as it was still early and a little with me.

On the way home it was gusts of 33km/h.  Crazy... it took me a little longer to bike then.

trust me... it was windy

Normally I can do home -> work in about 15-20 minutes.  But from my parents' to home was 20 minutes itself.  I wish I had some better stats for that, but Endomodo didn't find a gps until I was near the house.  So it says I only want a 1/2 mile.  Hrmm..

Really should remember to use that app more when I bike.  I like stats and graphs.  Maybe when I get some NFC tags that will help to remind me.

Well, I biked this morning, and it was a little blustery, very cool and starting to spit for rain.  Hrmm...  we got an email yesterday about teeball.  If it rains today and is raining by 5pm then we're cancelled.  If it's just off and on, then we'll play.

Also, we'll make up a couple of the missed games by having a 'make up' day on Saturday [*ahem*, my birthday] with a game, some hot dogs, then another game.  Should be awesome.

Another week in the books [24/39]

Yup another week done in the books.
Wednesday I got a chance to bike again... and I debated putting up bigger numbers because I ended up having to bike across town for a meeting... like Waverly... a 30 minute bike ride!  But ... I didn't count it.

Still no teeball this week as the parks are still closed / flooded.  Was getting really excited for it.

I also figured out that as much as I love math, I really dislike economics.  Oi, that was painful to watch/listen to.

Then I got to set up Caelan on his pipes this week.  Excited as this means that's 6 in the past year... at least.  Let's hope these stick.  Some of these guys have real potential.

So, reviewed another phone, and then I was supposed to get the One X (really excited to demo that one), but I had to miss the 2nd half of Friday at work for Dean's open house at Agnew.  It was so cute.

Sucks I missed out on the phone (then again no delivery guy to pick up the old phone, nor drop off the new one at least by 3pm when the office kinda shut down).

Tomorrow is the Shelter House Relay... and the mayhem begins as we have a fair number of gigs coming up (tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, next Thursday, the next Saturday is a fair bit too).

July should be a fair bit busy as well.  Hopefully doubling up one of the parades.  But at least I'm taking some holidays during July.

Hail? really? [23/36]

I was excited to get out and bike to work today, it's been over a week since I last had the opportunity... it was a little wet this morning, but hardly any puddles and I got there okay.  No having to change wet underwear.  That's a plus right?


However... it just opened up and the heavens poured forth heavy rain... and hail.


Nothing like a wtf moment right?


Hopefully that burst of crazy rain didn't worsen the basement issues.  We'll find out when I get home I guess.

May Long Weekend "Stay-cation" [22/30]

Had a great after business and then a hectic scrambling for our newsletter... Which made me forget that I had a lunch meeting when I biked, so I had a good lunch biking excursion.

Ended the week subbing at Hammarskjold... not sure if I should count that against my score or not... ah, well, left it in.

So all that much in a week meant I really was looking forward to the stay-cation this weekend, we were staying at the Victoria Inn (fitting no?) with Karen and Justin (and their kids).

A good time was had... Dean even got to share his new love of Peter Pan with Alexis (after having to get the front desk guy take forever to install the replacement as the one we had wouldn't work).

photo is us hanging out by the poolside eating some Eat Local pizza (with brownies) ... Hope times

Anticipation of a storm [20/27]

My standard rule has been... if it rains when I go to bike, I'll drive.  Otherwise, bike.
unless I've got a meeting I HAVE to be at and can't bike to it


That's stuck because I hate getting to work wet... but don't mind coming home wet.

Well, today it was supposed to rain... not just rain, but thunderstorm.  So I looked at outside and it was fine this morning, and the storm was to hit around noon or 2...  so I biked.

I did the right thing, I followed my rule... the only thing was in the back of my head I knew it was going to rain and be terrible ... so I dreaded the homeward journey.

But it never came.

I think that's what made it worse... the anticipation of said storm, but just not coming... I knew it was coming, and almost regretted my choice, feared how bad it was going to be ... but in the end nothing came.

Hrmm...

Ah, well... 20/27 = 74.1%... not bad

Tomorrow is the After Business, and then maybe a band meeting after... so I have to drive.  But it gives me a chance to get some stuff done then... if it rains tomorrow, then that ruins the After Business (they want to do some outside stuff)

Gorgeous weather [19/26]

Yay, some great weather today.
14 when I left the house, and 28 when I went home.
Really starting to feel like summer... Almost

For those of you keeping track of my score you'll notice I gained 2 days in one.  This is because I had to go to a meeting on my bike today, so it was like biking 2 days' with in one.

I liked being able to do that... I won't always be able to... But it worked out, and it showed me that it is possible.  And I wasn't any extra tired out from it neither... That's encouraging!

Rounded out the week [17/25]

Yup, ended up 3/5 for the week and got my first raining on.


Plus, got some freebies to play with.

So that's good right?

snuck one in yesterday [16/24]

Yup, this was supposed to be a 'wash' for biking this week with all the rain and one of my events.

But yesterday I snuck one in, as after the event in the morning I was driving home and realized how awesome it was outside, so I drove home instead, grabbed the bike and enjoyed some wicked weather!

Today was a little cooler to bike in in the morning, but when it was supposed to rain, I'm not complaining.

16/24 is 67%... getting there.  The problem being that, yeah, I'm starting earlier than I did last year, but the ratio won't magically increase unless I actually bike those days too.

I drive today [13/19]

It rained pretty good yesterday after I biked home.

That meant I had to drive this morning a it was still wet and light rain this morning.

Boo-urns

That being said, if you play the home game and are following the stats, I still counted today.  I went and got my hair did over at Peter's, and on the way back to the office decided to drop the car of and bike on in to work! !

Yay me.

"May"pril Fools day [12/18]

I don't know how to start these things... It was an old joke I had with my brother that he was a joke... or something.


And only in the past few years I've wondered about a "May"pril Fools day... a good way to really fool those who were expecting something on April 1st...


Just my thought.  I don't know how to get these things started; that's what the internet is for!


And hey, look it up in Wikipedia:

In Denmark, May 1 is known as "Maj-kat", meaning "May-cat", and is also a joking day. May 1 is also celebrated in Sweden as an alternative joking day. When someone has been fooled in Sweden, to disclose that it was a joke, the fooler says the rhyme "April April din dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill" (April, April, you stupid herring, I can fool you to wherever I want") for April 1 jokes, or "Maj maj måne, jag kan lura dig till Skåne" (May May moon, I can fool you into Scania) for May 1 jokes. Both Danes and Swedes also celebrate April Fools' Day ("aprilsnar" in Danish). Pranks on May 1, are much less frequent. Most Swedish news media outlets will publish exactly one false story on April 1, for newspapers this will typically be a first-page article but not the top headline.

Oh, and a couple of happy BIRTH days go out.  Nolan & Tiff welcomed Ashton on Friday night (April 27) and Tom (the fellow I write the blog with) and his wife April had their baby Alex on Saturday (?).


Have fun sleeping guys!
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12/18 now... that's 67% getting closer to my goal.  Not sure how much I'll be able to bike the rest of this week... hopefully all [that'd put me over the 70% if I do]


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Dad's asked me to help him with a blessing for his diagnoses/treatment.  I'm not sure I want to 'agree' to it quite yet.  1) We don't know all that we need to know yet, and I want to wait until we have some questions answered first.  2) If/when I do... it makes it real you know.  Not sure I want that to happen quite yet.