Making Things Work...when they otherwise won't.
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| What the view will be in only a few more weeks.... |
Time commitments being what they are, it is often difficult to get the miles in as one may otherwise desire. This past week was certainly the situation, with it culminating today - being out and about taking care of personal business. It seemed everywhere I went, there were road cyclists out doing what I desperately need to be doing myself. As the day dragged on, time slipped away - making it nearly impossible to get out on any kind of a ride. I did say nearly. As quickly as I could get everything put away from the day, I threw it all together and did a serious session of "pass/fail" hill intervals. Funny, when I perceive my back is against the wall, I tend to put out considerably more effort - and tonight was exactly that. The net result being impressive was one thing, but more so I pushed limits that I had been short of doing these same intervals. Taking quality above quantity can be productive.
Your Brand
Recently I have been reflecting back on how I have managed to land exactly where I am in this world. Along with that, I have stopped to notice what really sets some people apart. Back in the college days, we were taught that our "education" would be what defines us above others in our field. I learned very quickly that GPA contributed to getting in the door of your first job - maybe grad school. Truth is, you can waive the colors of your alma mater, but that really doesn't define you in the end. It is kind of funny how I notice more people wearing the swag of a particular school that they never have attended - call it "fandom". Truth is, you make your own brand over time - whatever it may be. You cannot run from the truth, it always catches up. Whether through relationships or reputation, given enough time your brand is made. so what is your brand anyway? Does it even matter at this point? The particular place I have landed is rather non-traditional - admittedly. When I look back at the various "forks" I have taken, I'd say luck has been on my side more often than not. But than again, I'm reminded of what Gene Simons has said in countless interviews (not that I'm a big fan, but you can't argue with success). People have said they were lucky. He would reply that he agreed. He would also go onto say he found the harder he worked, the luckier he became. In spite of my own bad decisions, I have somehow managed.
Going back 51 years
In 1975 I was doing my first paper route. They bent the rules for me as the company was desperate. They gave me that route when I was only 11 years old. Sure, I had to walk almost two miles to my first house, but hey - I was making it on my own (or so I thought). Truth is, Sunday mornings were hell in those winter months. Cold and dark. My dad helped me during those winter months, which made all the difference in the world. I played a ton of baseball that summer and was my last two years playing hockey. I learned to save money and put off buying stupid things for those that mattered more. After a few months I bought my own NEW baseball mitt. I saved up for my first shotgun - a used Mossberg 500A. About every other month I would buy a new vinyl album. One of those was "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" - Elton John. It was a couple years old by then, but was available as "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was simply hard to find. It (Don't Shoot me) was a good album, but it was a bit too sophisticated for my undeveloped gray matter. 51 years ago to this very day, "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" was released. My album hording buddy bought it - if only for the album art. Talk about sophisticated for my mind - what was he even talking about with some of those lyrics. Its debut at #1 was the result of the momentum and inertia of "Yellow Brick Road". I threw that on this evening while doing hills. I can still remember the first time I heard some of those songs. I takes me back to those very long walks delivering papers on that first route. That year set the stage for things to come....
Ride HARD!
