Thumb Bit, I'll Miss You

Re-posted from 100+Project

Today I said my final good-bye to Thumb Bit.  It was a small private service attended by friends and family members.  Even though I have come to terms with the loss, I will always feel like a part of me is missing.

Instead of flowers I ask that a donation be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation St Louis Chapter.  To make things easier on you just click the donation link in the header.

Thank You!  If Thumb Bit were still with us it would give you a big “thumb’s up”.

Lazy On My Own Terms

Because I foolishly cut off the tip of my thumb with a mitre saw I'll be spending some time away from work.  In most cases time away from work is a blessing.  I didn't grow up wanting to become a slightly below average air conditioning mechanic, so when given time apart from the grind I rejoice.  This doesn't mean that my days off are always jam packed to the gills with one adventure after another each one more exciting than the last.  More often than I would like to admit they are spent napping on the couch whilst burning through a season of some random show on Netflix.  Even though I consider that time a total waste on another level it is satisfying just to take a day and do nothing.  I fully realize that I take far too many of these "Do Nothing" and should probably get out and do something, but as Mike Horn says, "Sometimes it's easier to lay down and die than to keep going".

Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but the analogy is sound.

Now that I am bound to inactivity until I do a little more healing all I want to do is...SOMETHING!  Being lazy on my own terms, while not necessarily good for me in the long run is a somewhat enjoyable pursuit.  A break from all the demands of the world.  All the while though it is a choice.  I know that at any moment I can jump up and go for a nice long ride or a run or any number of other possibilities.  By "any moment" I mean after I finish this episode.  I can't leave before I find out if Enterprise get those new plasma converters.

Now that I am forced to chill out and be sedentary the knowledge that at any given moment the best I can do is mosey on into the kitchen for a snack or a glass of water, is leaving me a little empty inside.  I want to go do something!

Being lazy on my own terms is way more satisfying than being lazy as a result of my circumstances.  I think I will mix things up today and plant my ass on the love seat rather than the couch.  That sounds like quite the adventure now doesn't it?

Adventure vs Adversity

Thursday I had an ambitious day of multisport planned.  I wanted to get some video of me on every non-motorized vehicle I own in order to make a really cool edit for promotional use.  I got a late start, but was still eager to get some footage.  Below is a video I made from the footage at Highland Skatepark which sadly ended up being the last footage of the day.

I had a really great time.  I may be fat and have almost no fast twitch muscle fibers but being on the board has a way of shutting everything out, and allowing me to flow.  I may not skate on anything close to a regular basis anymore but I'm still a skater.

On the way home from Highland I decided to try out some land paddling.  First though I needed to build a paddle, a decision I would soon regret.  Paddles cost between $100 and $200 so making one seemed like a great idea.  All I needed was a long dowel and two rubber ends, simple.

I guess I was in a hurry because of the late start and when I was cutting the dowel I managed to cut the tip off of my left thumb instead.  Stupid, stupid, stupid!

So off to the emergency room we went.  Because of the way I sliced it there was not much they could do, and they said to change the dressing twice a day or more.  Luckily I got to see the hand surgeon yesterday and he gave me some great news.  The best course of action that will allow me to retain the most function is to continue with dressing changes.  It will take a while to heal but as long as there are no complications I won't need surgery.  So in the grand scheme of things I am pretty lucky.

It's too early to tell how this will affect the hike in Sept.  Hopefully I will not have to use my vacation time while I am healing, and can save it for hiking instead.  If the hike gets cancelled then this year will be a wash as far as big events go.  I have some other ideas for fundraisers in development though so maybe I'll manage to raise a little money.  So far '13 as not been my lucky number.

Many people have asked to see pictures of this gruesome injury, but I won't be taking any until the healing process is well under way.  Believe me you are better off, some things once seen cannot be unseen. 

I Know I'm Overweight But Thanks For Pointing It Out

It's no secret that I have let my self slip into a sedentary lifestyle over the past twelve months and as a result I have packed on the pounds.  I feel like a family of Inuit people could survive the winter on my blubber alone.  Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration but I am currently the heaviest I have ever been. I'm not happy about it and since I have survived five weeks now without any Dr Pepper I decided to make some other changes to my diet to help shed some of these unwanted lb's.

So today I was feeling good about the course I've plotted.

Then I had a real WTF moment.

While waiting for the elevator one of the new guys at work who I have never spoken to struck up a conversation.  He was looking at my badge and said, "You look a lot different than the picture on your badge".  I wasn't sure what he was talking about but whatever.  "I guess so" I replied.  Then he said, "Looks like you gained a bunch of weight".  This was the WTF moment I'm referring to.  What would possess a person I've never spoken to before to say some shit like that?  I'm not even going to mention the fact that he looks like he could outweigh me by 70lbs.  That's like a big fat pot calling the heavier than you'd think kettle, black.

I didn't go cry in the corner, I didn't go eat a bunch of donuts, If there were any rage I certainly  wouldn't have balled it up and used it to fuel my determination to get back in shape.

The take away is that some people are just assholes.

I still feel good about the direction I'm headed and what's his name can't bring me down.  Maybe I should bring him a box of donuts as a reward for being such an astute observer.

xx2i Sunglasses

As a JV member of ROCK Racing adventure racing team I get to enjoy a few perks.  One of my favorites is the occasional pair of sunglasses from XX2i Optics.  Finding a pair of sunglasses that I feel good wearing is no easy task.  My wife can attest to that.  In fact she has vowed never to shop for sunglasses with me again.  I have one of those faces that makes a comfortable pair hard to find.  Years ago I found a cheap pair at Walmart that fit me really well so I went back and bought seven pairs.  When the last pair died an honorable death I went from pair to pair never really happy.

That a good looking pair of shades!

When Chuck and Robin (the varsity team) gave me the first pair of xx2i sunglasses a couple years ago it wasn't exactly a match made in heaven at first.  But now I can't imagine wearing anything else.  The glasses fit great and are very comfortable and easy to wear.  I am currently on my third pair, and while they are showing some signs of age my first pair is still in serviceable condition.  One of the cool things about this company is that they stand behind their products.  One of the ways they do that is with a 365day return policy.  That's right they give you a whole year to decide if you like them or not.  If you don't then just ship them back for a full refund.  How cool is that?  But wait there's more!  If you decide you want to keep them They have a lifetime warranty.  If you break or scratch them, send them back for a replacement all you pay is shipping.  I'm no expert on what other companies are offering but that sounds like a sweet deal to me.

The protective case is really nice.

These are the first pair of sunglasses I have ever owned with interchangeable lenses.  They come with dark, orange, and clear lenses.  I spend a lot of time in the woods and the orange lenses are my favorite because they are great in wide variety of lighting conditions.  The option of having clear lenses at night is a bonus.  While serving in the Army I turned around during a night exercise and walked directly into a the end of a low hanging branch that poked me in the eye and scratched my cornea.  I definitely get some use out of the clear lenses.
If you are in the market for a new pair of sunglasses give xx2i a try.  You won't be sorry.

Canceling My Dr Pepper Appointments

It has been four weeks since I last had a Dr Pepper, or any type of soda for that matter.  I guess you could say I was addicted.  While being addicted to Dr Pepper won't deplete your savings, land you in jail, or push your family away, constantly losing the battle of will with your addiction takes its toll.  About a year ago I decided to relax my diet a bit.  Not that it was ever good, but I decided that I would be okay with a few Dr Peppers in moderation.  The plan was stop after a week or so.  The "or so" part turned into a year, much of which was spent struggling with trying to stop, and feeling more and more powerless and out of control.  The harder I tried to stop the more I consumed.  The bottle I drank at lunch turned into a bottle at lunch and one with dinner.  Those two bottles were joined by another at break.  Before long the diner bottle was accompanied by an after dinner bottle.  I was consuming 1000calories everyday in Dr Pepper alone!  I always felt bad about it in a self-loathing sort of way.  The days I tried to break the cycle are too numerous to remember.  There were countless times when I would tell myself, "Today at break, no Dr Pepper" only to find myself in the store with one in my hand.  "What the hell is wrong with me?", was my thought on several occasions.  I would immediately begin bargaining with myself.
"Okay, since we're here and all, go ahead and drink it but tonight you have to go for a run."
-"Sounds fair."
"Agreed then, Dr Pepper now, and a run after work."
-"We got this!"

Big Woods After the Storm

After the major storm that swept through the area Friday night it was necessary to go out to the Big Woods to survey the damage.  After every big storm there are fallen trees and limbs that need to be remove from the trail.  Occasionally re-routing the trail is necessary as well as rebuilding bridges.  Fortunately this time no re-routes or bridge building will be required, unfortunately however the number of downed trees and limbs is great.  It will take a massive effort to get everything cleared.  Luckily there is a work day planned for June 9th.