Awesomeness...

Man this is awesome! It might require a trip to England some time! Watch the video and read the story. Imagine now if there were some sort of cross race that was as brutal as that, but with bikes. I am not talking about Paris-Roubaix, something like 15 miles that is extreme and killer but on bikes. That is my dream. More grueling than dangerous...

I rode my bike last night. 25 miles, starting with a massive headwind and ending in sleet. I am up to 79 miles outdoors for the year. Bring on the race season. Actually at this point my mind isn't into the race season yet. I haven't gotten that bug. I hope I catch it soon.

Baseball cards...

This is cool! I might have to get me one!

Stupid and/or ignorant people

Why are people stupid? Why are they ignorant? Why do some belittle others when there is no benefit of doing so? It all seems kind of middle school to me.

In the last two days people (co-workers, friends, etc) have just for some reason not been very cool. First, I was one of many people CC'd on an e-mail chain at work where one finally just ripped the other, even though the only result was that everyone on the e-mail could see what a prick the criticizer is. Second, another person I know is so self-centered I could write a book. The relationships this person has benefit only them and benefit they do. As soon as the relationship switches to mutual or less it's over. I mean, I am pretty self centered, everyone is, but there is a basic moral fiber missing in some people and it pisses me off. No need to have friends like that. Finally some people just don't get it. They do things that they think are a good idea, when in actuality the maneuver is nothing more than stupid and self-centered. People need to know their audience before addressing them.

But Mark, why not put them in their place? A. It's not my style. B. In my 3 hopefully very vague instances it wasn't my place to speak up. It's not like Riz or Jerry or someone did something stupid that warrants my attention, when that happens I speak my mind. Nope, I have to sit down and accept that these people are this way. I can't really even distance myself from said people. I hope it isn't me that's the problem.

Alright, rant off, time for me to be self-centered and talk about me and how great I am. The example I'll use today is that one week removed from hernia surgery I returned to the court for our MSCR basketball game. We are 1-5 this season and I missed the one win. Well last night we won, 54-52! I came out blazing, having my best basketball game ever. Unofficially I was 5-5 from the field, 1-1 from 3 range, and 1-2 at the free throw line for 12 points in a winning cause. That's the first time since like 3rd grade that I played a real official basketball game and was a factor in a positive outcome! Today I am a little sore but no more than I would be after a 10 day lay off from a sport.

Wow, what a weekend! Snow, snow and more snow! Our house is in the background. Jess shoveled so much this weekend...what a trooper. Of course when the plow came by and she was napping I snuck out and Jerry and I finished it off. I couldn't heave snow but I sure could pick it up and dump it so it wasn't too bad. Here is a photo of us walking the dogs. After we walked the dogs, I took Chili for another walk in the park where the deepest snow was and we did some snow walking. It was well past my knee in deepness and Chili had to constantly bound like a deer to progress through the snow. It was fun. I think I got like 1-1/2 hours or more of walking, including 20 minutes in deep snow. I love my wool socks. I even made a 4 foot high snow ball. I guess my hernia is feeling pretty good! :)

In a weird dietary twist, on Friday I was totally vegetarian. I had Mac & Cheese for lunch and again for supper. Played poker at Dean's and got 7th out of 22 after pissing my millions away as the early chip leader. Also played some Mario Kart and got to see the prototype of the new project. It was a great day. My dietary needs shifted the rest of the weekend with pizza for lunch and supper for two straight days. Huh. Saturday night JT Whitneys was closed so we had pizza at Jerrys. We even played some more Hold Em. Today was all about the snow as chronicled above. Then we watched the Badgers lose and Kenseth win. Then it was all done. More snow tonight, enough to cancel work? All signs point to...No!