Going Public; To NYC

Last Tuesday, I ventured up to New York City with my girlfriend so that she could interview with an art gallery for an internship. After successfully acquiring the internship position at the C24 Gallery, it looks like a move will be had for the two of us by next week followed by one of our store managers in mid May.

That's fast.

Now, please provide me with benefit of any doubts you may have. This is a premeditated move for long-term aspirations of job opportunity, personal development, and absolutely anything else the world might have for me. I am a realistic optimist here, readers. Something great (or rather... some great things) will come of this, I just do not know what that (they) will be.

Still riding and sweating on this, a J. Crew shoe bag to protect my bike's carbon fiber.

But let me frame it a bit more for you. I will be moving up there and transferring to a new J. Crew store in NYC. Though I am not sure which of the locations I will be placed at, (I don't even know how many there are) wherever there is a location for my position will be where I go. I am happy and appreciative to have support from my current store director. Right when she knew of a move to NY, for me she put into motion all that she could do to help out and wish me the best for success and fulfillment. And though at this point I do not know much of the details, I do know that it's being worked out.

Altogether, those like so many other details have yet you be figured out, yet I fail to see much point in succumbing to any crippling anxiety. Those close to me know that I've felt some pungent effects of worrying, but that I refuse to allow anything but optimistic excitement permeate this process.

I liken this to moving away to college again. I'm nervous, I'm excited, I don't know what will happen, who I'll meet, the friends I'll make, where I'm gonna live.... Oh yeah, I still don't know where I will live, but again... nothing to worry about. It will be figured out and I'll make the best of it!

As far as cycling, this move will shake up my club membership. I don't anticipate finding a team right away... I may even race next season without a team at first to figure out what kind of racers different clubs have. I have been very lucky to have landed an amazing team here in Northern VA with Whole Wheel Velo Club and I  trust they will continue success each season ahead! I wish them and their members the best of luck on and off the bike! Thank you, WWVC for allowing me on your team and helping my development as a racer and individual. I wish I could have raced with you more, but I don't think this is the last time I will see you all.

This is a move to get more out of myself. This is a move to see me struggle, and come out on top. This is a move to get what I want; out of myself, out of life, out of everything I have yet to experience. I will not stop. I will push myself and do what I have to do to achieve success. I can hardly wait.

Beyond all of that, it's all up in the air. Anyone want to buy my road shoes? Anyone want to buy my car? (I will make follow-up "listing" posts for these and any other item that I need to sell for people's interest.)

First picture I took in New York a few years ago.

Thanks for reading.

In Technicolor

My bum is squishy and my legs are weakening. It's time to stop whining and ride. Like many things in my life, I have found that it is better to act than to simply talk, complain, whine, groan, and think. With an overdue need to ride and brilliant inspiration from a local amateur elite racer going to the big league, I have wanted to prove to my legs that I haven't forgotten them.

Tonight, I did just that. Sure it wasn't for a long ride, but I needed a good sweat, stretch of the legs, and heart pumper. My body is nowhere near the form it had this time last year, but I am not worried.

tanline still on the arm.

I plan on making a quality comeback on the bike. Some changes are about to mount in my life and my bike will be my ever-constant.

rides in technicolor (oh yes... small ring for this spin)

... Even if this is the best that I can do right now so my foot isn't in agony, I can still ride and train, suffer and succeed.

Thanks for reading.

Let It Be Said

"I am looking for a job."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I thought you have a job!" says you.

"Uuuhhh yeaaah I need another one," says I. "This one I've got just isn't cutting it."

And that's all that really needs to be said. The one I've got, as glad as I am to have it, just doesn't give me that satisfaction, growth potential, monetary compensation, and sustainable attributes I so desire. I can't move out of my parental's house, I can't save much, I can't train on my bike, I can't race on weekends, I can't blah blah this, and I can't blah blah that!

So, I gotta do something about it. What I have done is revamp my resume, talked to friends and colleagues about job hunting, applied places, written cover letters, emailed people, networked, and certainly done my share of whining. Yet, keeping in line with my loathing of feeling like I am wasting my time, I cannot spend time whining, complaining, wishing, and dreaming about my perceptions of the situation I have versus the situation I want.

"Well if you want something, why don't you just go get it!" says you.

Then I says, "Oh, well I mean I plan on it. It's not th-"...

"That easy?" you interject.

"Right."

"Do what it takes."

"What does it take?" I plead.

"How should I know?" you inform me.

Well, no one seems to. Other than a lot of work, diligence, a neglect for noticing a stopping point until you've reached your destination, time, patience, knowing someone, and probably luck, I won't get anywhere without trying.

"I'm looking in NYC for my next job," I declare.

"Ew, why there?" you ask with concentrated disdain.

There has a lot more opportunity for a job and a way for me to develop than around here. Sure there are jobs here, but nothing with what I can see myself doing. The mentality is different there and sure it's competitive, but I can't get anywhere around here with how things are. I have more of an idea about things than I will let on here, but just know that I have to get somewhere and I feel rather "lame duck" here.

I see myself writing. I see myself finding chances to get information out, to tell stories, make people feel something, and really grow as an individual with the right opportunity. I want to race again. I want to train again. I want to begin my life again.

Thanks for reading.