Thanks to people like my wife Liz, Bill, Nancy and John as well as many others like Mike and Steve I have decided to go for it.
Here is the app...I hope I get picked in the lottery.
17.1.08
Oh no I did it. Click here for info.
OK so I lost my mind and signed up again. I have road rash on my elbows and knees, bruises from an "over the bar" experience and my legs are generally sore. But......
Thanks to people like my wife Liz, Bill, Nancy and John as well as many others like Mike and Steve I have decided to go for it.
Here is the app...I hope I get picked in the lottery.
Thanks to people like my wife Liz, Bill, Nancy and John as well as many others like Mike and Steve I have decided to go for it.
Here is the app...I hope I get picked in the lottery.
13.1.08
need to keep up the training
I have a lot on my hands lately, change in job, school starting again, kids getting sick, kids needing stitches and a bunch of other stuff. So what has suffered is my plans to start training very regularly. I have been training just not on a well laid out schedule.
Now I have a series of ideas for the year including Leadville but I am concerned that things will continue this hectic and strenuous. I trained in the gym Thursday and I was taking Friday off to go ride with my sister Saturday. She got sick and she needed time off, so I should have trained alone, but I had to go to the college and speak with an advisor. The rest of the day I had to spend with the wife and kids, and it was a nice day with them. Sunday was shot because I promised Liz the opportunity to go to the spa, I bought her a package, so the boys were with me and I promised them a fishing afternoon. That was cool too, they had to use their new rods etc..
I really have to fit in the training, I just don't understand how other people fit so much in their days because after all that f you train you also need the added sleep and time for food prep and gear prep etc.. It's a nutty hobby I think, I hope I can pull this off. I need a complete home gym so there is no travel time and I can train while I eat dinner, check homework, guide Andre while he hangs his curtains, fix the home computer, fill out insurance paperwork, pay bills and do my homework...is there such a home gym? Does some like OhnoFlex make one or NordicCrack??
Now I understand illegal enhancement drugs LOL. They are for people with a life who don't want to waste 7-10 good hours a day sleeping.
I need a pot of coffee. Clicky this...
Ciao
Now I have a series of ideas for the year including Leadville but I am concerned that things will continue this hectic and strenuous. I trained in the gym Thursday and I was taking Friday off to go ride with my sister Saturday. She got sick and she needed time off, so I should have trained alone, but I had to go to the college and speak with an advisor. The rest of the day I had to spend with the wife and kids, and it was a nice day with them. Sunday was shot because I promised Liz the opportunity to go to the spa, I bought her a package, so the boys were with me and I promised them a fishing afternoon. That was cool too, they had to use their new rods etc..
I really have to fit in the training, I just don't understand how other people fit so much in their days because after all that f you train you also need the added sleep and time for food prep and gear prep etc.. It's a nutty hobby I think, I hope I can pull this off. I need a complete home gym so there is no travel time and I can train while I eat dinner, check homework, guide Andre while he hangs his curtains, fix the home computer, fill out insurance paperwork, pay bills and do my homework...is there such a home gym? Does some like OhnoFlex make one or NordicCrack??
Now I understand illegal enhancement drugs LOL. They are for people with a life who don't want to waste 7-10 good hours a day sleeping.
I need a pot of coffee. Clicky this...
Ciao
10.1.08
New Gig
New year, more change in the air. First Anteon in 04, then the subsequent buy out by General Dynamics IT until...
I recently moved to Allied Technologies, the company that took over my contract. The government always looks towards lower bidders and lower bidders look to hire all the employees on that contract.
I did this to maintain a paycheck but also to stay with the program and site that I had built up since June 2004. I had built this site from being phone less, computer less, vehicle less, no office, no tools etc... to now having twice the sites (about 20 and up to 15 boats), 3 vehicles, office in Doral and 3 other techs. I saw several hurricanes and tropical storms destroy the sites and rebuilt from the ground up. I was able to work with DHS, USCG, Miami Police, Miami Dade Police, Customs, Fish and Wildlife. National Park rangers and many more. I worked at events like Organization of American States helping secure the inner Port.
So now the time came to change and an opportunity came my way to go back to General Dynamics only this time to a different division working a different contract. This time I will not be working to secure the South Florida Ports, instead I will be working to keep the National Distress System up and running, now aptly called Rescue 21. This is the system that is always listening for that scary "mayday" and has Coast Guard personnel listening 24/7/365.
So this comes with some change, I will leave the office to work from home, responding by myself to all calls in S FL from East Central Coast down to South FL not including Keys. I think this will be nice to learn a new system, a new set of problems, and new opportunities. I don't know how long this will last, there are always hopeful reassurances about longevity of a contract but in reality, 3 years, 3 companies taught me there is no rule, rhyme or reason. It can all end tomorrow.
So that's all for today, I start the 28th...CYA Hawkeye...
I loved this quote:
Ours is a sick profession. [A profession marked by] incompetence, lack of training, misconduct, and bad manners. Ineptness, bungling, malpractice, and bad ethics can be observed in court houses all over this country every day.
- Chief Justice Warren Burger
7.1.08
Incredible cyclist
And I thought I can ride a bike for a while!?! WOW
Read Jill's blog as she prepares for the Iditarod Bike Ride a 350 mile journey in Alaska.
Jill's Blog
Read Jill's blog as she prepares for the Iditarod Bike Ride a 350 mile journey in Alaska.
Jill's Blog
6.1.08
I was HIGH on my BDay
I had a fantastic day and I owe it all to my wife and kids..
I was told to be awake by 8AM so we could be out and somewhere by 9AM. Liz and I had been joking all week because she said she put something together that was appropriate for the adrenaline junkie that I am. Well, I know I would like to do a lot of things but never actually thought I'd get to do many of them. We joked about alligator wrestling, cave diving, spelunking and other goofy ideas. I really had lots of ideas but thought I'd end up paint balling or something more grounded.
We drove by and picked up Ximena and Matt (sis and hubby), and started driving towards the everglades on the Homestead side, by the time we reached the end of the road and the last farm we turned and were in front of Homestead Regional Airport . The first thing I noticed was that there was an Ultra Light club there and thought "wow that is cool, I hope this is what I will do...". Then as we turned into the airport we drove by one building as Liz looked for what she wanted to find when suddenly I see a sign that said Miami Skydiving. The only thing I could think to say was "hijos de puta", I won't translate this.
Yes I was going skydiving, which is such a thing I wanted to do but never thought I'd get to it. We got out and walked by a plane and proceeded to check in. There were options and I would tell you all of them but instead go check them out yourself at their website . I ended up with the longest Tandem free fall they offered of 1 minute and 2-3 of parachute fall and full DVD picture package.
So, my camera man, quite the joker was also called Sergio and we had a few laughs while I waited for the instructor/tandem jumper coming with me. As the plane was boarding out comes this big viking of a man, LOL, really nice guy though (in case you ever read this). Once on the plane we put our helmets on for takeoff and then he said I could remove it. As we flew Sergio asked me a few questions for the video, and there was a sense of anticipation but it was a fairly calm short flight. Then came the moment of truth.
The viking told me to kneel on the floor and arch my back as he clipped onto the back of my harness, we scooted up to the opening where he had explained I would duck my head out the door tilt it back and cross my arms. At this point I am at his mercy, my body is out the door no hands to hold me in and even my head can't lean on the door frame...then "GO!".
WHHHOOOOSSSSHHH, WHIIIRRRRRR,,,SSHHHHSHSHSHSHSHSHRRRRRGRGRGRGRGRG. These are the things you hear at terminal velocity of 120 mph. Then my lips were flapping, my eyes were tearing but I loved it.
Two taps and I can unfold my arms, then Sergio (Camera man in a Batman suit) is in front of my waving, prompting me to do things like Shaka sign, at this point I could not make my hands do what I was thinking, weird but obvious in pictures later, I was hooting hollering...WOW. Viking spins us around several times, pretty fast, I can see the clouds below, I want to feel and see as we go through them....oh shit, they've already passed look up there they go....The floor is coming super fast, like if you were in a falling glass elevator only louder. He grabs my left hand I see 6000...5500 ft, I know I have to pull the orange ball, he couldn't wait, he ejected the chute. Whip, flap and all goes silent, my legs swing out and back and then steady. I am now floating, it is an awesome view, the air is crisp, I look around and then he says, "look up, you see that...(tangled twisted right end of the chute) that is not good, I am going to release it and use the secondary chute." UHHHHH, OK?!?! We free fall again for a few seconds, then the chute comes out, it felt different, not as crisp an opening, but it looks normal. I never saw the falling chute but it created it's own havoc on the ground that Liz will have to explain on her own blog.
I have to say it left me in such a buzz the rest of the day, I could not figure out fast or slow driving, I could not answer many questions, I had had a double adrenaline rush that had depleted me more than Leadville. I was in a state of strange bliss for hours.
Liz that was a spectacular gift, it may even be considered a disease with no cure.
And here are the pictures...more about the BDay later.
I was told to be awake by 8AM so we could be out and somewhere by 9AM. Liz and I had been joking all week because she said she put something together that was appropriate for the adrenaline junkie that I am. Well, I know I would like to do a lot of things but never actually thought I'd get to do many of them. We joked about alligator wrestling, cave diving, spelunking and other goofy ideas. I really had lots of ideas but thought I'd end up paint balling or something more grounded.
We drove by and picked up Ximena and Matt (sis and hubby), and started driving towards the everglades on the Homestead side, by the time we reached the end of the road and the last farm we turned and were in front of Homestead Regional Airport . The first thing I noticed was that there was an Ultra Light club there and thought "wow that is cool, I hope this is what I will do...". Then as we turned into the airport we drove by one building as Liz looked for what she wanted to find when suddenly I see a sign that said Miami Skydiving. The only thing I could think to say was "hijos de puta", I won't translate this.
Yes I was going skydiving, which is such a thing I wanted to do but never thought I'd get to it. We got out and walked by a plane and proceeded to check in. There were options and I would tell you all of them but instead go check them out yourself at their website . I ended up with the longest Tandem free fall they offered of 1 minute and 2-3 of parachute fall and full DVD picture package.
So, my camera man, quite the joker was also called Sergio and we had a few laughs while I waited for the instructor/tandem jumper coming with me. As the plane was boarding out comes this big viking of a man, LOL, really nice guy though (in case you ever read this). Once on the plane we put our helmets on for takeoff and then he said I could remove it. As we flew Sergio asked me a few questions for the video, and there was a sense of anticipation but it was a fairly calm short flight. Then came the moment of truth.
The viking told me to kneel on the floor and arch my back as he clipped onto the back of my harness, we scooted up to the opening where he had explained I would duck my head out the door tilt it back and cross my arms. At this point I am at his mercy, my body is out the door no hands to hold me in and even my head can't lean on the door frame...then "GO!".
WHHHOOOOSSSSHHH, WHIIIRRRRRR,,,SSHHHHSHSHSHSHSHSHRRRRRGRGRGRGRGRG. These are the things you hear at terminal velocity of 120 mph. Then my lips were flapping, my eyes were tearing but I loved it.
Two taps and I can unfold my arms, then Sergio (Camera man in a Batman suit) is in front of my waving, prompting me to do things like Shaka sign, at this point I could not make my hands do what I was thinking, weird but obvious in pictures later, I was hooting hollering...WOW. Viking spins us around several times, pretty fast, I can see the clouds below, I want to feel and see as we go through them....oh shit, they've already passed look up there they go....The floor is coming super fast, like if you were in a falling glass elevator only louder. He grabs my left hand I see 6000...5500 ft, I know I have to pull the orange ball, he couldn't wait, he ejected the chute. Whip, flap and all goes silent, my legs swing out and back and then steady. I am now floating, it is an awesome view, the air is crisp, I look around and then he says, "look up, you see that...(tangled twisted right end of the chute) that is not good, I am going to release it and use the secondary chute." UHHHHH, OK?!?! We free fall again for a few seconds, then the chute comes out, it felt different, not as crisp an opening, but it looks normal. I never saw the falling chute but it created it's own havoc on the ground that Liz will have to explain on her own blog.
I have to say it left me in such a buzz the rest of the day, I could not figure out fast or slow driving, I could not answer many questions, I had had a double adrenaline rush that had depleted me more than Leadville. I was in a state of strange bliss for hours.
Liz that was a spectacular gift, it may even be considered a disease with no cure.
And here are the pictures...more about the BDay later.
4.1.08
3.1.08
It's a New Year
I guess, Happy New Years, Happy Holidays etc... to all that I have not yet spoken to. I hope everyone has a s good a year as mine is ambitious.
I have avoided the resolution scenario simply because I don't like the idea of it, I don't know why. However, I intend to start training again, maybe to do more than one race, maybe to try some tri-athlons, maybe some running this year. I have now even semi-confirmed my attendance in next years Polar Plunge in Lake Minnetonka, I need to run this by the wife because it is on New Years day.
I did make some early mistakes and ignored riding or training since Leadville until now and it has cost me a chance to do the local 12 hours of Oleta. Nonetheless there are 2 more FL races as well as the Trilogy of mini tri-athlons.
I want to do more outdoors this year, involve the kids more, support Lucas on BMX riding, get Noah riding off training wheels, get Andre more fit, less lazy and more focused. I hope Liz will participate in something physical, less couch surfing. But I am honest, the only ones that may do any of this is Noah and Lucas.
Work is in flux, this company can do better for it's customer and employess by far. Other compnaies continue to attempt to recruit me but some is silly for me, or not in my expertise, or simply doesn't pay well. I have had some interesting offers to relocate but none to date that are of any interest. That may change...Miami is getting lame for me and Liz.
Well, that is my New Year start, let's see what happens from here, I will try to keep this up to date.
Doesn't Elvis Costello look like Andre???
CYA
I have avoided the resolution scenario simply because I don't like the idea of it, I don't know why. However, I intend to start training again, maybe to do more than one race, maybe to try some tri-athlons, maybe some running this year. I have now even semi-confirmed my attendance in next years Polar Plunge in Lake Minnetonka, I need to run this by the wife because it is on New Years day.
I did make some early mistakes and ignored riding or training since Leadville until now and it has cost me a chance to do the local 12 hours of Oleta. Nonetheless there are 2 more FL races as well as the Trilogy of mini tri-athlons.
I want to do more outdoors this year, involve the kids more, support Lucas on BMX riding, get Noah riding off training wheels, get Andre more fit, less lazy and more focused. I hope Liz will participate in something physical, less couch surfing. But I am honest, the only ones that may do any of this is Noah and Lucas.
Work is in flux, this company can do better for it's customer and employess by far. Other compnaies continue to attempt to recruit me but some is silly for me, or not in my expertise, or simply doesn't pay well. I have had some interesting offers to relocate but none to date that are of any interest. That may change...Miami is getting lame for me and Liz.
Well, that is my New Year start, let's see what happens from here, I will try to keep this up to date.
Doesn't Elvis Costello look like Andre???
CYA
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