On Tuesday and Wednesday we're running tests on hardware that I have some history with. We struggle through both days with vibration laboratory issues and paperwork issues. And we finally finish one axis of testing late on Wednesday. Since the test has not gone well I'm at work until almost 8 on Tuesday night and near 6 on Wednesday night. At least on Wednesday night I'm able to get home and repeat Monday's weights workout with no shoulder pain. And, of course, ice on the shoulder afterwards even if there is no pain.
On Friday I get up and go walking for 40 minutes before getting cleaned up and going to work. Today we sail through the tests and I am leaving work by 1 pm because I have plenty of hours in and, in fact, am not paid for this Friday of effort. When I get home I run a few errands including getting a new book at the library that I just have the feeling "is going to change my life". When I return home I mow and trim the lawn and then relax. Person Ti_Ca has cooked some surry vegetables and I am finally able to eat them (because I have been away so much). The curry vegetables are incredible and I text Person Ti_Ca that he will have to cook this dish for Karl when his visits us next month. There is a First Fridays today but I am just plain beat so I relax around the house. I know that Saturday will be a tough day at work as the team is trying to make up schedule.
It is difficult to get out of bed on Sunday, but I manage to make it and get on the bicycle. I ride up to the Whittier Narrows dam with some difficulty and meet up with Derrick. We start riding south and eventually pass and pick up some hangers-onners. I've just been riding along and Derrick mentions that we have people riding along. Later a rider who has sucked wheel the (almost) the entire way down the Los Angeles river tries a sprint to get ahead. I rally my reserves after the fever and catch up to him and he allows (or doesn't allow) me to pass as we get to the mouth of the Los Angeles river. Derrick has fallen off just a bit but when we re-connect he tells me that I was going 26 mph into a headwind. I'm a bit shocked by this speed, but I just am amazed at how much speed is in this bicycle and that I am able to go along with it. After the ride I am a vegetable today. I see an email saying that there is no work today and we will start to test on Monday morning. I watch more of the Olympics and really do nothing today.
I sleep in by 45 minutes on Tuesday morning and ride in misty/foggy conditions to work. Today we speed through our tests to complete this test program and I don't even have to stay late. I ride on home and lubricate the chain of the Yamaha YZF-R1 and then get in a workout with the weights. I increase the weights a bit again but not as much as I probably should have just because I haven't lifted since last Wednesday. Today Person Ti_Ca gets the news that his transfer request from a community college to Cal State University in Long Beach has been accepted.
I wait for Friday morning to warm up a bit and then start out on the mountain bicycle. I ride on down to the old yacht club and turn around and come home. Today I don't see many cyclists and my legs feel strong. Near 11am I ride the motorcycle up to meet with Person P_C for lunch. Today is his last day at his job before he tries to find a more challenging and rewarding job. We have a nice conversation during lunch. I rush on home. I wait for Person Ti_Ca and we go to downtown Long Beachto eat mediterranean food. I just have some veggie cous cous and take half home. After dinner I pick up a package at the post office, get to Radio Shack for some electrical connectors, and then go to get other supplies including a pink rose. I give Person Ti_Ca the pink rose along with Godiva chocolates and body gel/lotion. As Person Ti_Ca goes off to work I wash the motorcycle and relax. As I'm doing this I keep feeling shafted more and more. I've never believed much in valentine's day but I've given a flower, chocolates, and body gel/lotion and recived nothing. Nothing! Oh except maybe some dirty dishes to clean from the previous night and the trash to take out. It would not have taken much more than a (cheap) box of chocolates, but I've received nothing. And reasonable or not, I'm not feeling good at all.
I ride north on the Los Angeles river trail and pick up four riders. We trade times at the front though they tend to sprint ahead whenever I get to the front. So I end up just riding in the pack until I get to the dam. Since I've picked up these riders I get to the dam very quickly and have to wait for Person P_C and Derrick. We go south all the way back to the aquarium and take a break and then start riding back to the dam. I don't take my direct ride home and keep going to Hollydale park to get in some extra miles. After a shower I leave the house because Person Ti_Ca is having his family and friends over and I don't want to deal with the noise. I go to a coffeehouse and walk in and run into an ex from many years ago, Person D_V. We haven't seen each other for 8 years maybe, so we have a quick conversation before his friend shows up and they go have lunch. I relax reading, watching Thai pop videos, and checking out Olympics results. I've almost given up on trying to watch my favorite events because I have to sit through uninteresting events to see a few minutes of my events. During my time at the coffeehouse I take a few weird sitting and standing positions because I'm fighting leg cramps in both inner thigh muscles. This is the worst that the cramping has been so I vow to look into it and do something to alleviate the problem.