Nightglow Window

A Sweaty Half-day Friday

Probably inspired by my posting on the Tour, I climbed on my bike and rode to work today. No big whoop really. It's about ten miles one way and mostly flat and on uncrowded backroads and bike paths.

But it was nice to get into work early, cool down, and already feel that nice endomorphin buzz from the ride.

Expense report done -- at least most of it. Video still screwed up thanks to Tony, but I'll not gripe too hard. Nicole is getting ready for the U.S. Open of Surfing in a few weeks, which Transworld sponsors. Last year about 100,000 people showed up. We have a special village area and Nicole is working on software that will allow new subscribers to get a special printout. Typical boring work stuff really.



But since it's a half-day Friday I was back on my bike at 1:00 p.m., legs feeling a bit sluggish. I putzed home, making stops, grabbing lunch, and then tackling the hill up Tamarack with a mixture of curiosity and dread.

It's a stiff climb in parts, that's what I was dreading. But I was curious to get home and fire up Google earth and compare it to some of the (for sure easy) climbs on the tour.

It's as I thought: wouldn’t even be a category four.

Still kicked my ass though and I filled the tub with cold water and submerged myself down in the coolness until only my mouth and nose was above water. But still had that fast metabolism sweat for the rest of the day as I browsed Barnes & Noble, killing time. Too blown out to surf and I don't think I could have handled too much more of a workout.

Yep, I finally joined the gym, 24 Hour Fitness in Oceanside. I'll need to get over my shyness and let them show me how to manipulate the instruments of torture (or maybe I'll just go for long swims in their salt water pool -- no, I guess I'll do more than that). I hope they have rowing machines.

Bought Diary of Anne Frank, The Cay, and Where The Red Fern Grows for Sydney, who will be turning nine on Tuesday. I also picked up a book of poems from Rumi, which Julien Walker read at Barry and Liv's wedding:

When I am with you, we stay up all night.
When you're not here, I can't go to sleep.

Praise God for these two insomnias!
And the difference between them.



And one that wasn't from the wedding, but that I still like:

The Sunrise Ruby

In the early morning hour,
just before dawn, lover and beloved wake
and take a drink of water.

She asks, "Do you love me or yourself more?
Really, tell the absolute truth."

He says, "There's nothing left of me.
I'm like a ruby held up to the sunrise.
Is it still a stone, or a world
made of redness? It has no resistance
to sunlight."

Anyway, bravo to Julien for turning me on to a new poet. I read quite a few pages while sipping an iced mocha and then went home.

I didn't do dishes last night, so there was a pile, and the house was a general wreck. So after dinner I got busy: did the dishes; started the dish washer; cleaned the counters and the floors, kitchen table; picked up all the magazines from the living room (where do they all come from? Like tribbles they are), and generally straightened up.

When I was done, I was a sweaty mess again, and once again took the cool plunge. This time in the coldest shower I could stand. Now it's late and TV sucks and I'm up at the computer alone, tippety tappity, and there's finally a breeze coming in from the window, as the light from my desk lamp leaks out into the darkness.