Derailluer

Plans. Well, I have them, of course. Then again, it would be nice to execute them. Unfortunately not to be this spring.

The dérailleur shifts gears... it's not a de-RAIL-er. That would cause a train to jump the tracks. It just changes the gearing so you can go at a different speed.

That said, I'm shifting gears. I had planned on hitting a bunch of the Covered Bridge races, and all the RATL series. Both are fun races in their own way, and with 8 races in 5 weeks, I should come out in ripping race shape.

Well, I was splitting wood... split, split, split. And so begins a story with a not so happy ending.

Leave it so say I'm typing with one and a half hands while my broken pinkie finger is nestled in this splint. I'm two weeks out from the injury and can only ride because I did NOT ask the doc if it was OK.

Group rides are freaky, so I stay at the back... not the best place to be, but it keeps me moving. Eating and drinking on the bike are difficult, first because I have to use my left hand, which is OK, if I think about it... but then all control is left to the splinted hand.... I have been working really hard at keeping a light touch on the bars. Though on really bumpy roads, it's better to firm up the grip a bit to dampen the jarring of the bars.

Next Ortho/OT appointment is May 10. So Maybe I'll be back in time to do Chippewa Creek. I'm just looking forward to gearing up!

The Man in the Arena

One of the ONLY things I put on FB that I want to hold onto is this quote, that I found about 6 months ago. A Theodore Roosevelt speech that you can Read Here. Includes this famous quote:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

In the arts, especially, critics abound. But everywhere, in every field, we are told how we could have done better. Instead I want to be the "strong man", and to encourage other "strong men and women" that are getting dirty DOING.

Endeavor to do, and when you are not doing, refrain from criticizing those that are... unless you are ready to step in and assist them in the effort. Take a chance! The only sure way to failure is to not even try.

What a perfect day... to UN-FB

Here's my announcement. I haven't figured out a way to "productively" use Facebook. Maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy now, though I do have some younger folks that agree with me. Seems to me FB is really just another big time suck... I cannot afford another one, as the interwebs are full enough of things to distract me from what I should be doing while sitting in front of the tube. SO, in a public service kind of way, I found a link with instructions to delete my FB account. YAY!

How to permanently delete your facebook account.

I think THIS is how I should use this social networking thing. No more crazy security concerns. I could link them, but I've seen WAY to many reasons you should make EVERYthing on FB private. So instead... I made it even more private. In 14days, my account SHOULD be gone.

Blogger back up, since it's about racing season. I may even start a new one soon on my other (read the one that pays) life. If I can finish writing my dissertation someday soon.

I find it oddly satisfying to actually do this on April 1. Maybe I'm actively NOT being an April Fool. Un-Fool day.

Besides, I'm way to wordy for FB and other social networks.