Chaos.....

So that's what my life has been lately. Having 7 and 9 year old boys at home constantly makes this house look like a tornado has hit it. Black Friday and the holidays are coming up at work which makes for a constant state of bedlam there. Then throw the freak snow storm in the mix....

I don't handle chaos well anymore. My brain just doesn't look at the big picture and say "OK Todd, here's what we need to do." I don't function that way anymore (never really did to begin with). I'm contantly loosing things, forgetting things or just not using my time efficiently (I'm one of those guys who's going to be late to his own funeral). I am taking steps to fix it though, not sure if it's working, but I'm trying.

So a couple of weeks ago I found that my wallet, cell phone, camera I take riding, and probably my IPod, were stolen out of my car. I grew up in a small town where you don't lock the car and leave everything in it. Old habits are hard to break. Now I live in a descent sized town and I need to be more aware. That just added to it all and I beat myself up pretty hard over the incident and promised that I will be more conscious of what's going on.

So here I am, last week, a school day, wife commuted with her friend to work, scrambling trying to get breakfast ready, kids dressed, and lunches made .. My yelling was in rare form that day. Walked the neighborhood kids to school (daily ritual) .. just another typical chaotic day... with work @noon....

Crap, I didn't do laundry so I have no clean clothes to wear (we have a dress code).. express wash time (which by the way, takes way longer than the 28 minutes it says on the machine).
Let me run a quick errand to the bank to activate my new debit card... Connie is parked right behind me and I can't get out... where the hell are the second set of keys? I just had them the other day... How can I loose them AGAIN? CRAP.... the laundry isn't going fast enough... where are the keys? what about my debit card? I need to get to work!!!!!!!!
Just another typical chaotic day.

Then I found the answer as I walked thru the garage. hanging on the wall was my Delta cross bike.... I haven't had a chance to commute to work at all this year (I'm usually late, remember?) but this was the perfect time. It was almost 11... I had one hour to get to work.

I dug around and stuffed my back pack with sneakers, deodorant and some work clothes that MIGHT not have been the cleanest in the world. Got my riding gear on and hammered... I can't be late...

Suddenly the chaos in my life disappeared... I found the rhytmm I needed and for that brief 30 minute commute, I put it all behind me. The bike and I were one and everything in my world was good again. Got some funny looks walking into the building with my riding garb on but I knew I was ready for the day. I needed a drug and the Delta was my prescription.....

Walked in, realized I was an hour late (I was supposed to be there at 11, not noon), there were a couple of pallets of freight to be put away and oh, my wife had both sets of keys in her pocketbook....
Just another typical chaotic day.

Total Tear Down....

Yep... that's what's going to happen now from this point on out. Total redesign of my "sporting" life. Things just didn't work out this past season quite like I had hoped. It was still a fun and great year, but not what I had hoped and promised.

Not really sure what happened toward the end of the season, my body just kind of fell apart. I think I can trace the reason back to last fall when I finished my chemo. I went all out balls to the wall and tried to pick up where I left off. Not the smartest decision on my part. I think I just plain over did it and ignored the little stuff that I needed to do for proper recover.

Then I did stupid stuff like screw my ankle up a Warrior Dash (oh, and we're signed up for next year) and then messed my knee up playing Ultimate Frisbee in the dark with glow sticks (oh, I'll be there this week, BTW).

So here's the deal... totally starting over with what I need to do. Starting from scratch and doing all the little things I didn't do. Unfortunately it won't be all that glamorous, so certain people are probably going to be a bit frustrated with me and my lack of "content" on the subject. Not sure where this will take me, but I think it can be a fun ride.


I've already started the steps to the "new me" and I can already see and feel the changes. Things are getting done (although the storm may have pushed me back a bit) and I can't take anything for granted anymore.

The other thing planned is a new blog/website. This one has kind of worn out it's usefulness to me so I have something new planned. Not sure if you folks noticed, but I'm not the most computer literate person in the world



May have to call in some help for the new one...
Ok time to rake leaves and wash the Goblin and Delta... more on that soon....
Take care all.....