It's a productive last week of September at work. Though there is a lot of uncertainty regarding our budget and people shuffling around, I just put my head down and make progress. I'm held up with some software that hasn't been ported to our newer computing machines, but I make the best progress that I can. Each night after work I get in a session of exercise either with the weights, long brisk walks, or finally an abdominal workout on Thursday.
On Wednesday after work and a good workout with the weights, I pick Person Ti_Ca up and we go watch the movie "Moneyball". I read the book a few years ago and told Person Ti_Ca that we have to go see it (when we saw the previews a few months ago). The movie is fun, realistic, and entertaining and I enjoy it and Person Ti_Ca enjoys it also.
Friday starts horribly! I wake up with a nightmare of being trapped in a clothes dryer and not being able to get out. Where did this come from? It is the old recurring theme about being trapped somewhere and not being able to get out. And the clothes dryer comes because, as I was flipping through television channels, there was a reality show where somebody got trapped in a clothes dryer and couldn't get out. (Why did she get in the clothes dryer face first is not explained.) Nonetheless I wake up hyperventilating and have a few minutes of difficulty breathing. I just keep saying to take deep breaths until the thought passes and then let the body relax. But it doesn't happen. Thus I get out of bed at 4:40 am.
I try to make Friday productive by going out to the garage and waxing the Yamaha YZF-R1 at 4:40 am. Though this effort was planned after Thursday's wash of the motorbike, it was certainly not planned at 4:40 am. I also use the plastic cleaner on the windscreen and soon the YZF-R1 is looking brand new (except for the wheels which will get waxed later). Afterwards I get in an eventfull Friday morning extended bicycle ride. As I'm heading south on the Los Angeles river I see a rider with a flat and after yelling out "Are you okay?" I can see that he isn't. So I stop and pull out my tire irons and change his flat tire for him. We pump up the tire and he should be good to get home a few miles away. As I'm riding off I say "Keep riding, my friend". (Everybody has become "my friend" lately. As I get down near the aquarium and pass the bird and fish sanctuary (or estuary) a small bird jumps out of the bushes and rides on my arm and then my shirt for a few seconds before it takes leave and flies away. Weird! But te remainder of the ride is good and I finish the ride with strong legs.
I continue Friday with some errands which include a new pair of pants, gasoline for the World Rally Car, gasoline for the lawn equipment, lunch brought home, and grocery shopping. In the afternoon I am restless (despite the early wakup) and spot clean the bedroom carpet and vacuum the carpet. Later, as the day is warmer, I get out and edge the lawn (with the new edger blade) and mow the lawn. The edger works the best that it ever did and now I'm wondering if they gave me the wrong blade size when I originally bought the edger (because I've always struggled with its performacne). I just stagger around the house the rest of the day and turn down an invitiation to a neighborhood party with Person T_U because I'm tired.
I sleep well on Friday night and into Saturday morning. I wander around the house with a few errands before going cycling. Today I'm feeling good and I go out beyond the extended aquarium ride and enjoy the day. After a shower I get down on my hands and knees and wax the rims of the Yamaha YZF-R1 and then relax. I'm dropping off so I get down for an almost two hour nap on Saturday afternoon. When I wake up I clean up the roses and get cleaned up for a fundraiser to rebuild a cyclone-damaged school in northern Myanmar. My Burmese acquaintance who leads these efforts is present and we have a brief chat (since she has so many other people to talk with and things to attend to). I leave early to pick Person Ti_Ca up from work and we go home and relax.
On Sunday morning I watch the MotoGP race from Japan where unpredictability rules. I'm not happy with the result but it was fun to watch anyway. I get out for the extended aquarium ride afterwards and finish well even if it is the third ride in three days. When I'm coming home the neighbor across the street invites me to a long Saturday ride that he has been doing and we'll see if that works. I watch the Detroit Lions pull a rabbit out of the hat and win their game and I watch the Indy car race as Person Ti_Ca does homework and gives me the silent treatment because he's mad at me. Later we go walk around Del Amo mall and eat Japanese food. Finally I drop Person Ti_Ca off at his house and head for home to end the weekend.
Monday is a struggle at work but there is some signs of a productive breakthrough towards the end of the day. When I get home I get in the same session with the weights as last Wednesday but it is also a struggle. I just don't have it tonight.
Tuesday is a productive day at work as I solve some problems and move forward. In the middle of the day I walk over to another building and get a flu shot. This year there is no line and it takes less than 10 minutes to walk to the other building, fill out paperwork, get the shot, and walk back to my office. When I get home my left arm is sore and I put some ice on it for a few minutes and the soreness is gone. I go out walking for 40 minutes and stop in at the grocery store before returning home and watching the Moto2 race from Japan.
On Wednesday it is supposed to rain in the afternoon but it is already raining in the morning as I ride the motorbike to work. I'm really mad now because I just washed and waxed the bike. I work until I get bored and then I take a few hours of vacation and leave work. On the way home it is also raining and the bike is entirely soaked. When I get home I lift weights and then wipe down the motorbike. It doesn't look quite right so I quickly apply a coat of wax to it and it looks almost as good as last weekend. In the evening Person Ti_Ca calls and needs some help but I don't feel like going anywhere and excuse myself. Fifteen minutes later I'm feeling guilty so I offer to help (via phone and text message) but I don't get any reply. Eventually I get the affirmative response and we go run a quick errand.
Thursday morning is very cold on the motorbike - the rain having wiped away all of the clouds that keep the night heat in. I have another productive day and then head down to Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) after work. A geology professor at CSULB is giving a fellows lecture on earthquakes. The lecture starts late but he presents some good scientific research as well as some good field work and field observations. At the end of the talk I want to ask some questions about the directionality of the slip rates that he has estimated along faults, but other people's questions get taken. As the host breaks in and concludes the lecture and questions, she says, "We have a drawing for a prize. We took your names from the reservaion list and put them in this hat and we'll draw for a commemorative prize for the new science building. The guest lecturer will draw the winner's name". When she says this I have an overwhelming feeling that I, among the 100 odd people present, am going to win. When the guest lecturer calls out "Ray Manning" I just smile and wonder where the premonition came from and accept my gift - a small commemorative box of chocolates. Good thing it is small because I have no place to carry it on the motorbike ride home.
Friday is another productive day and then I head home to get in a heavier session with the weights and mow the lawn. I am enjoying the chilly weather though it should only last another day or so. I pick up Person Ti_Ca and we head to a club in West Hollywood. Person T_U is sick with the flu and other friends do not join us. But I run into a few acquaintances and Person Ti_Ca makes a new friend or two. We end up at home with the light going out at 2:45 am.
On Saturday I watch recored qualifying for the Japanese F1 race and then I get out for the extended aquarium ride. Despite only a few hours of sleep my legs feel strong. After lunch Person Ti_Ca and I do some homework and then practice his driving. During the drive we call Person T_U and visit him. We have a long visit and talk about careers and school and relationships and stuff. Eventually Person Ti_Ca and I head for home, cook dinner, and watch "The Figher" before sleep.
Sunday starts with the Japanese Grand Prix where my favorite starts from pole but ends up third. Nonetheless he clinches the world championship with four races to go because of his dominance of the season. I get out for a ride north on the Los Angeles river trail to the Bell Foundry in order to avoid the Long Beach marathon runners and road closures. Today I feel a bit tired but just ride along and enjoy it. Person Ti_Ca and I do some more homework and then I drop Person Ti_Ca off at home before doing some grocery shopping, watching football, taking care of some errands around the house, and relaxing.
On Monday I try to be productive despite the difficulty that I'm having with Person Ti_Ca right now. When I have downtime at work my mind wanders off to Person Ti_Ca. When I get home I lubricate the chain of the Yamaha YZF-R1, lift weights (as I've increased the poundages and it feels good), do some errands around the house, and watch the Detroit Lions football game. This is the first time that the Lions have been on Monday night football since who knows when. And it keeps my mind off Person Ti_Ca.