Falling

Dumb things that I learned this weekend about mountain biking & other mechanical things.

1. There's a rear and a front break that work separately?
2. Oh, mountain bikers wear gloves so they don't have to pick rocks out of their hands when they fall. I get it now.
3. The reason that people 'jump' things on their bikes is so that their tires don't get stuck in large dirt divots and stop abruptly as their bodies keep moving.

Just wanted to say that I had my first spill on a mountain bike this past weekend. I have only ridden on a trail 2 other times, both of which occurred pre-ACL tear so it was over a year ago. Falling was both scary and exciting. Okay so it did hurt and the head to toe rock scrapes prove it, but I also found it sort of exhilarating because to me it signified 'real mountain biking'. I got right back on my bike and kept going (farther from my car). I later got into a philosophical debate with my beloved fiance about doing things which can cause injury and I realized that I just don't think in terms of risk/reward. Tom's belief was that you should do everything you can to avoid the fall (he's a safety conscious person which I am thankful for) whereas I disagree. My beliefs are this...

If your afraid to fall, then you shouldn't ride. If you never fall, then you may not be pushing yourself enough. You won't progress without testing your own limits.

I have played rugby for 7 years and believe me, I am not afraid of bruises, bumps, and contact. I recently injured myself pretty severely playing: torn ACL, medial & lateral meniscus. Yet still I would rather go through the pain and torture of surgery than live life afraid to try.

Life, $, and the Pursuit of Happiness

This is something I struggle with frequently. I work in a very 'high tech' company at the top of its game. Its competitive, corporate, political, and incredibility results oriented. We call ourselves a 'meritocracy' which means that your success at work is based upon the work you do and not who you know. While the entire concept of this is very questionable (is this ever completely true?), there is no doubt that they pay you well in return for sucking your soul out in your 6x6 cubicle. The question is, is IT worth it?

Money makes the world go round. Stop kidding yourself, its important. I deposit a lot of credits in the bank of happiness doing activities that are paid for by my soul sucking job. But sometimes I wonder if is isn't the cause of what is creating the large void to be filled in the first place. And maybe part of the missing passion of my job comes from the feeling that I don't really deserve the money in the first place.

I go back and forth over my thoughts on this but here is the bottom line. Money can't buy you happiness, and maybe some day I will quit my job and get paid badly to do something that really inspires me, but in the meantime, I will just take my pay check and use it to counter balance my life by reaching out and grabbing at opportunities that cross my path.

Welcome to 'Chasing Life'

Welcome to my first ever blog ... cheers! This blog is inspired by my 6x6 cubicle. I find the nondescript coloring and rhythmic ticking of my neighbors keyboard as inspirational as Dirk Novinski's round 1 NBA playoff performance. The truth remains that the stifling quiet of my day has inspired me to unleash my feeling on the unsuspecting general public. So be ready to hear my ramblings about life and my perspective on its existence.

"Life is passing you by, are you willing to chase it?" - Me