James Pearl Thinks Blogging is Dead

[Norm]

Coffee

@Carson - I am still drinking coffee. I was going to say that I am surprised you would ask that question but I now see this is your way of saying, "So have you gone off the deep end yet and stopped drinking coffee too?" So to reiterate, yeah, I still drink coffee. I buy beans all around the country, bring them through the TSA, get strip searched because of the beans, bring them home, grind them, and enjoy them, Oxford comma and all. I don't think I will stop drinking coffee unless the doctor tells me I will die if I don't stop. And at that stage, it depends how old I am. 84 years old? You can pry this double MF'ing espresso from my cold dead hands.

If I had to choose to give one up: coffee or ice cream? Man, that's low. That's really low. I can't answer that question.

Moose

I got an email from the Kingdom Trails Association saying there were a bunch of new trails at the East Haven location. These are the secret trails we hit in July then brought the kids to last week. But there was one trail in particular that was on the list that I didn't recognize: Moose Deuce. I was pretty sure we hadn't hit that, or seen a trail sign for it. I checked out Trailforks and couldn't find anything.

Today I found it:
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/moose-deuce/

I'm probably not talking to many people here but I'll tag @JimN on this one. This is a new trail that runs parallel to Moose Alley. Want to do a day trip? I am still in the post-summer, post-Vermont, longing stage. I want to go back to Vermont for a month.

Zwift

At 3:00 I was feeling like shit and my tank of desire was draining fast. So I jumped on the trainer before that desire went to zero.

Then against all logic, I joined a race that was starting in less than 3 minutes. No warmup. No energy. No sense at all. WBR 2 lap on the Greater London Loop. If you don't want to read on, I will say that this just reinforced my decision to not race yesterday.

I did get another new PR on Fox Hill, formerly 8:21 and 8:01 today. This race loop pretty much goes like this: Do a few mile lead-in to Fox Hill. Obliterate self. Try to recover as you crest and go downhill. Try to hang on for a few miles. Then repeat 1 more time. The race pretty much blew into Haves and Have Nots. Unfortunately, for better or worse, I was in the middle of both of these groups, with a few other people. We watched the main group pull away, and pulled away from the lag group. Definition of No Man's Land. I ended up midpack overall, 5th in my group. I was sitting in 3rd going into the second Fox Hill climb but gravity ended that. I got passed twice, then crested the hill and rode out the rest of the race.

I intended to cool down then ride the next hour in temp but I was absolutely, totally shot. This past week has totally crushed me. Today showed that. I cooled down and called it a day.

 

[Carson]

Thankfully there's still some normalcy with Norm. I'll return to DEFCON 5 here.

 

[JimN]

I'm probably not talking to many people here but I'll tag @JimN on this one. This is a new trail that runs parallel to Moose Alley. Want to do a day trip?

Lol, I won't even drive 45 minutes to ride at Waway. It would be awesome to get back up there before the winter though. The new awesome trails are never going to be as awesome as they are right now.

 

[Santapez]

Lol, I won't even drive 45 minutes to ride at Waway. It would be awesome to get back up there before the winter though. The new awesome trails are never going to be as awesome as they are right now.

Norm's talk about it has me rethinking my Sept. I looked at my calendar for Sept and once again realized I have no free weekends for KT. Then realized MTB > Cross and I can do a KT weekend (weather permitting) instead of cross.

 

[jmanic]

Reading also engages my mind and I often find that when I am trying to write, like I am now, the more I read the more ideas flood into my brain.

Not sure if I read this as written, but I read it as the benefits of exposure to your medium.
I totally believe in this.
When I was active in photography, I always took in as much as I could-
galleries, photo books, any source of other people's take on things.
I always found this helpful both in terms of motivation and inspiration.

Reading is an exchange of ideas between the author and myself.

I just quoted this because I liked the thought.

 

[Norm]

@jmanic

In a sense, it is exactly that I suppose. Exposure to my medium. I think this can be a double-edge sword because sometimes you can be reading something you specifically don't want to leak into your writing. Janet Evanovich is a great example of this, and an obvious one. Kurt Vonnegut is another great example of this, and a very non-obvious one. I used to read Vonnegut a lot, and people have commented to me before that things I write are sometimes Vonnegut-esque, which at the time, I loved to hear. But as I step back, there is only 1 Kurt Vonnegut. I am not him. I cannot write like him. So I should not try to write like him.

I am finding Cryptonomicon engaging & well-written. I do not find myself writing like Neal Stephenson. I find myself writing thoroughly - maybe more patiently, like Stephenson. This is something I'm finding is a good thing. Thorough, patient writing. The things, the words, are mine. The cohesion, the comprehensiveness, is possibly something I'm using to keep me on a rail. I am also enjoying the book. What I am writing now, it won't be done before I finish this book so I will need to find a new book to read while I write more. I am considering Ha Jin, as the book stares at me every time I walk through the Reading Room, which is the room next to the door with all the books in it.

I don't think Ha Jin is the answer. I'll figure it out. Open to suggestions.

Sometimes the author is putting part of their self out there. I think most writers are putting their self onto the pages. I do not know why some people write, so I can't speak for anyone but myself. To that end, like I said the other day, I do it because I enjoy it. To drag @pooriggy back into this, it allows me to think, to really collect my thoughts, to align my brain. I was on a roll today. Just kept going back to it in between the meetings, the endless meetings. When I put the pages out for people to read, it's up to them to use it however they want.

That's my exchange from me, to you, the reader. Rather you specifically, @jmanic, since this post is for you specifically. This message board, this specific medium, is a way for you (this time it's the royal you) to take the idea, process it, and provide a feedback loop. Every comment on this thread adds to that feedback loop. Even if I don't respond to it, it's part of the loop. I have found that when I do posts where I address specific comments get few likes and few comments. So instead of quoting and addressing comments, I use the feedback and try to insert them into the text.

And sometimes, I have no idea where the words will go. Like this. They just go, I reread them and shrug my shoulders, then I hit Post Reply. Do with them what you like.

 

[jmanic]

And sometimes, I have no idea where the words will go. Like this. They just go, I reread them and shrug my shoulders, then I hit Post Reply. Do with them what you like.

This read like Vonnegut.

 

[Patrick]

In some sort of weird synchronicity between me living in a simulation and vonnegut, my son chose slaughterhouse five as his independent
reading material.

Because of this, i conclude we are in a simulation - as this parallels looking at something on amazon, and having it appear in a banner ad below
this post.....

 

[Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST]

I'm off from work the week before Jorba fest.9/23-9/30 Not entirely against a day trip to KT.

 

[Carson]

I'm off from work the week before Jorba fest.9/23-9/30 Not entirely against a day trip to KT.

I can't swing this but let FFJay know. He's been itching.

 

[Norm]

I've avoided writing about bikes the past few days because to be brutally honest, I have felt like dogshit since last Wednesday when I had my run in with an oral surgeon wielding a metal tool of destruction that he repeatedly jammed into my face in an effort to kill me. The first days were bad, which was expected. But I am finding the past few days both better and worse in a way. Last night, which is night #7 since I had it done, was no better than the night before. In fact it was worse. This morning I felt like absolute jack shit.

I have been sporadically riding the bike as best I can but I feel awful when I push at all. Yesterday I was hoping to do a solid 2 hour tempo ride. After 1:11 I wanted to shoot myself in the face. Today I dialed it back to super low effort and rode for 2 hours with no issue. But any effort is just a ton of pain. I don't know what the hell this process does to you, but it sucks. This week sucks.

So, I don't want to talk about it. But since this is a currently preposterously inaccurate pseudo-training blog, here is my experienced-based advice to you: do not add this to your training routine. I feel like I have set myself back weeks. And I'm not out of the woods yet because today I felt like creamed crap. I'm supposed to have raced and gone to at least 1 cross practice to this point. Right now, I have done little more than complain. Suckage level: 11 of 10.

I'm not looking for sympathy or empathy. I'm just telling it like it is. Feel free to tell me I made my own bed in this matter, because I fully well know. I made my own bed. I hate my past self. Dear past me: fuck you. Brush your goddamn teeth more. Love, the now me.

I had it in my notes to discuss how to work training into your vacation. We went to Canada & Vermont less than 2 weeks ago, which at this point feels like 2 months. But here is what I would say you need to do in order to make biking happen on your vacation up north with the family:

1. Spend the time to get your SO addicted to the bike
2. Spend the time to get your kids addicted to awesome trais
3. On day 1, bring family biking with a skills park, jumps, and easy trails
4. On day 2, hike to the top of Tremblant, and when you get back to the car say, "Hey can I ride home via the trail network then the road?" Key point to this: DO NOT rush the day with the family. If you have time, you have time. If not, you just took your bike on a ride. Your bike appreciates it. The fresh air does it good.
5. On day 3, wake up early, ride for 2 hours, get back to the house before anyone has done anything.
6. On day 4, take the opportunity while it rains to do FTP sets on a back road near the cottage. Note: in less than 2 weeks, destroy your face to render this work somewhat moot.
7. On day 5, take the whole family to Kingdom Trails. Take them to the most amazing new trails in the most amazing trail system on the east coast.
8. On day 6, take the whole family to Kingdom Trails, and based on points 1, 2, 3, and 7 above, be pleasantly surprised when both kids last 2 hours and cannot get enough of it.

That's my 8 step program. Oh wait, one more:
9. Brush and floss after every meal

I'm not really this angry so much as I am frustrated right now. I have been feeling mostly ok since mid-afternoon today. I went to get Julia from the pickup line at school and realized that I don't think I have left the house since Sunday. That's pretty pathetic. Maybe the fresh air helped.

Tomorrow I go to the oral surgeon for him to tell me that I made my own bed, and it'll get better soon enough.

Then on Friday we are dropping the kids off at school then driving to see @2Julianas and @MurderBort at their house then all driving up to Vermont to ride Pine Hill on Friday then Ascutney on Saturday then Thunder Mountain on Sunday. Shit I said I was going to do some research on Ascutney which I have not done. They both read the blog and I imagine they are thinking, "Shit, what did we get ourselves into?" I'll try to make sure I take the required Advil to survive the weekend. Just when I say I need espresso, know that I really mean it.

Ok venting rant over. Peace be with you, future me.

@Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST - after reading the above, you go ahead and let me know if you're really up for a day trip anywhere with me. If so, let's talk. Or yell at each other. Whatever works best. But for real, I am open to stupid ideas right now.

 

[Patrick]

i don't really "like" what your wrote - but it is real.

something is wrong - your mouth heals faster than any other part of your body - well, my body, cause that is my opinion. i've had wisdom teeth
that were not visible extracted, and after about 4 days, and pulling the packing, they were fine. also had some xxxx thing removed from the roof of my mouth -
huge hole - 1 week, no pain.

this is not on you. something is up. insist on an xray. and a copy of the xray, so we can see it, and go hmm. ah. oh.
--
yes - make riding, or any family event a great experience!
as mentioned before, a destination/reward is a great start.
starting from 0:

D&R from lambertville, south to ice cream, return.
frenchtown, out-n-back then pizza (or did that burn down?)
high bridge - CT to califon, ice cream (or start in LV)

a beautiful vista.

it is nice that the family is at a point where the quality of the trail is a draw!

 

[JDurk]

Ascutney is the complete opposite of KT. Raw, technical trails with lots of climbing. Attended VMBAfest with @KenS end of July. He was an awesome tour guide with his knowledge of the trails there. But out of shape me got an ass whooping. Definitely do some research.

 

[Robin]

I may see you at Thunder Sunday. Perhaps we can ride the chair together and chat. It's a 12- minute ride.

 

[The Kalmyk]

Yeah @Norm ! @fidodie is right on this one. There is no down side to have it checked again. It may seem like I have a story for everything but I truly have an experience close to home with wisdom teeth extraction. My sister has a titanium jaw, bone grafting from her shin on the other side of her jaw and 100k worth of implants all because of an infection from wisdom teeth extraction. She was a D1 soccer player and now running isn’t even an option anymore.

Ok- that would be worst case scenario but sometimes it’s a good starting point.

 

[2Julianas]

I imagine they are thinking, "Shit, what did we get ourselves into?" I'll try to make sure I take the required Advil to survive the weekend. Just when I say I need espresso, know that I really mean it.

There’s nothing Advil and caffeine can’t fix! Don’t worry we are not going to abandon your swollen face in Ascutney. We’ve hiked and biked there before and lived to tell about it. I will do some trail research today while I hide from my colleagues. We can go as mellow as you like all weekend. I just want to get away from rain and humidity.

 

[JDurk]

Ascutney rides
https://www.strava.com/activities/1733150132
https://www.strava.com/activities/1734229851

 

[Norm]

4:40 - I wake up early, after 6.5 hours sleep which is exactly what I get every day now. I slept well, until I didn't. I went downstairs and wrote for 2 hours. I now love this time of day. It's just me, my espresso, and my words. I used to work with this time of day but I am enjoying not working and doing this instead.

7:00 - I wake up the family, first D, then Julia. D wakes up the boys and I go downstairs to make lunches for the kids. We then sort of corral them out the door and off to school.

7:45 - D drives everyone to school and I finish up what I was writing this morning. I am in no rush to work, as I have overloaded the beginning of the week and I need to space out my hours over these last 2 days.

8:30 - I think about work, but when I look at the landscape of my day I see that my ride will get scrapped if I don't take the time when I have it. @seanrunnette tells me I need to take it now. I get on the bike and just ride for 2 hours, watching the 9th and start of the 10th (and last) episode of the Vietnam documentary. I let the ride come to me again today, just like yesterday. I was 25 watts higher on the average, which is a somewhat objective measure that I am, in fact, actually getting better from this episode.

10:50 - Finish up and shower real quick. Pressing to do a few things before the 11:30 with the sadistic dental assault office.

11:10 - Get to the hardware store in town, buy air filters for the house. I can see the oral surgeon's building from the parking lot.

11:15 - Get to the oral surgeon's office. Wait maybe 15 minutes, go in, be seen by 3 different people who all assure me I am fine, and well within the normal bounds of recovery. I should make it clear yesterday that when I said I'm not getting better that isn't exactly true. Let's just say the vector of my expectations is not the vector of actual recovery. Here is what the summary is:

A. You made your own bed.
B. On that note, this was a pretty bad infection you had. It was quite remarkable how you are either really pain tolerant, or really stupid.
C. As such, this was a pretty major surgery (his actual words, "major").
D. Dude, not to mince words but you're old. Shit takes longer to heal.
E. Yeah, they all say that a few years later (when I told them some friends say they healed in 4 days).
F. Oh, don't just wait to take Advil. Be proactive.
G. And maybe mix some Tylenol in there.

11:55 - Get home, eat lunch, and finally get to work. I will fill the cracks in my day with trying to move code to test. I have no meetings today which allows me to do all this nonsense.

2:30 - Leave to get Julia. 5 minutes before I walk out the door, the power goes out. As I drive to her school a police car flies by then a fire truck. I get there early and read my book in the car. Then she gets in, we drive to Simon's school, and wait for 15 minutes in the pickup line. We both read in the car waiting for him, and make idle conversation about the day.

3:15 - Simon is waiting, all smiles. He is thrilled to be coming home with us and not going to After Care. He likes it, but he likes us better. He's happy, good mood again.

3:30 - We are home, and the power is still out. On the way back we took the alternate route and there was a detour where a tree had come down, taking out the power. I get a story moved to test, Julia watches videos, and Simon reads. We do this at the kitchen table together. Given we have little time now, this is not a terrible way to burn 45 minutes.

4:20 - Bring Simon to soccer, where I find that they have moved the field to literally 1 mile from the house. I drive to the new field, and leave him with the team. Today is his first practice so there is a little figuring out who goes where. But we get it sorted and I am on my way to Acme.

5:20 - Home from Acme, I start dinner. Somewhere in here D shows up with Zac & Simon.

5:55 - I run to the dungeon to finish putting on this Magic Mary on the back of the RIP. This was damn hard to get on but I made it. It starts hissing air immediately but I swish it around a few times and it stops. I put the wheel back on, spin the cranks to coat everything, and it seems to be ok. I put it in the back with the other 2 bikes and if it's still holding tomorrow, I am bringing the big bike with us this weekend.

6:05 - I am back to help with the final dinner logistics. We then eat.

6:55 - I pack up all the bike clothes for the trip, and clean out my camelback. I text with @Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST and the reality of a KT day trip means that may not happen. But we discuss going to White Clay one day instead.

7:20 - I finish packing and sit down to write the first version of this.

7:45 - Work on the last of my blocked stories for Delaware.

9:00 - Read with Julia in her room. I’m fast approaching page 600 in Cryptonomicon. That’s technically not even 2/3 done.

10:00 - That’s all, folks.

Tomorrow I will ride my bike in Vermont.

 

[StayHydrated]

Tomorrow I will ride my bike in Vermont

Peace is most certainly with Future You.

 

[Patrick]

i like the 10:00 drop. sometimes i catch it before bed, sometimes upon waking.

I'd be in bed by now (about 10:45) but kid homework superseded. i'm on math (trig) and science (chem 1) - so
no problem. but i am jonesing to tell him not to trust the narrator of Slaughterhouse Five. But he needs to find that out himself.
Not like it is Twelve Monkeys....

i love that new functionality are "stories" - clients feel better about chatting up what they do, and what would make it better,
rather than thinking about creating computer functionality - when taking requirements, my goto line was that I'll take care of those details....
cause they would start talking about elements in tables! and worrying about how many rows will slow it down.....

hmm, i guess i was 17 for my wisdom teeth, and 35 for the roof of my mouth.
i just don't remember losing sleep - and no, it wasn't perc or oxy induced! i sold those.
hope it feels better - soon.