First ride to work.

I got on a bicycle on Saturday (six days ago) and rode 20.16 miles. It was a nice ride, yet my backside was feeling the pain. I tried to ride on Sunday and made four miles before I quit. My bottom needs some seat conditioning!

I looked forward to finding this week, but the weather was COLD.  With the wind chill, it was below 20 degrees.  Lord knows I gained enough padding to be warm, but that is untrue.  On Wednesday, it was around freezing, so I decided to ride.  I was able to keep a solid pace, even though I needed to use care for possible Ice.  It was 17 miles in just under an hour.  There were two locations where Ice was an issue and one mud hole!

The ride home was difficult.  There was a slight wind, and I was tired.  I struggled as this was only the fourth ride of the year.  I was able to keep close to 17 MPH for the ride home.  So, it was 34 miles for the day, and I was feeling good.  On Thursday, it was 24 degrees and felt like 10.  I am beginning to wonder if the winter will end!

I am anxious to ride more.  That is a good feeling!

Carry on, my friends...

SLOW progress and I hate my job

I thought in February, things would be better, health-wise.  I had full scans, and the Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolisms were gone.  I dropped blood thinners.  Within a few weeks, my right leg had debilitating pain. It was DVT and back on thinners. SUCKS. I also have a full heart scan again soon, as that is a concern. 

My iron has been stable. It helps to eat a Tofu/rice meal with four tablespoons of organic Blackstrap Molasses each day. I'm getting sick of it, but the combination is very high in iron!

I have been looking forward to getting out on my bicycle this year. The weather has been cold and terrible. I remember the last time I needed to wait well into April before I could ride. In February 2017, I rode over 50 miles; in March 2017, I rode 110 miles; and in April, well over 200 miles. This year, I will have to wait until the middle of April before I get much riding weather. Bummer!

Besides my health staying the same, the weather being uncooperative, and work being painful, Work is a massive part of my life. I once totally loved my job and thought of it as something positive. Now I feel completely trapped in a job! The result is that life could be more rosy. Working a disliked job significantly impacts my health, outlook, and attitude. I have to remain positive. Even though, at times, I feel like I am in a soul-sucking nightmare, I must try to get something out of it. What can I gain?

Well, one benefit is my ability to tolerate stupidity and greed is better!   My daily job duties make me groan and sigh uncontrollably. So many people drive me so insane that I am one snide remark away from flipping over the conference room table. Of all the things I hate about my current position, I try to remember that those pesky annoyances and cringe-worthy moments are helping me master the critical trait of tolerance. I know there's no such thing as a "perfect job." I am getting remarkably close to that elusive position, RETIREMENT. So, my refined patience and tolerance will come in handy—even when I finally break free from this terrible job. 

There's a lot to be said for a solid sense of commitment. Moreover, when I boil it down, who's more committed than someone who manages to show up to the office day in and day out, even though he knows he's in for eight to ten hours of pure misery? Very few. However, I am committed. I have a job to do and will do well, which is called pride and loyalty. However, the important thing is that I am still showing up and doing my best work without letting my negative emotions creep in and bring me down. Trust me, dedication is a quality that any employer should admire. However, this is a new generation, and most employers see everyone as expendable if the greed (shareholders) is not satisfied.

I firmly believe that you learn something new every day, even if that "something new" is something I hate. This detested job is a chance to piece together what I want (and, OK, don't want) in my next position. Misery is an influential teacher. My current situation is far from ideal—sometimes, it takes the pain to get to the retirement position I would enjoy. However, at the very least, I remember that I am learning a lot about what I should avoid. Moreover, that information will undoubtedly be helpful as I move toward retirement. 

I get it. Putting up with the job may kill me before I retire, but it is the best route to a stable retirement. The situation is downright intolerable at times. However, I take a deep breath and remind myself that I am getting something out of this position. Even death is something.

Carry on, my friends, carry on.