30th Birthday

This birthday has afforded me the opportunity to once more reflect on how lucky I am.

my parents joked that I looked like Buddy Hackett

My parents went down to Bogota Colombia to get me when I was almost 3 months old, and I am here writing this in this house I grew up in. Sure, there are times where I am bitter about not being where I expected myself to be by now or I will sting myself with mild annoyance for not putting myself in a position for success earlier on. Yet, a day like this does well to anchor me back to where I've been so fortunate. Everything I have is not a coincidence - the opportunities, the lessons learned, the relationships I have... Surrounded by those that have loved me unconditionally from the moment they first met me and have done everything in their power to give me the best opportunity in life is a very special thing that I know is rare.

a very rich cake for me!

Not much has changed since I first got here and I somehow feel that I will remember this birthday in particular because of everyone that made it special all over again.

you should be jealous

I'm looking forward to the changes ahead.

My car is nearing the end of its long tenure of being paid for. I bought scrubs for this semester's round of my clinical experience - and hopefully more opportunities down the road.

The semester dodged another snow show disruption this weekend.

sweet sunrise commutes are always nice

The physical therapy world's Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) is coming up this week, and I am unsure how I feel about it. Convention type things don't energize me, but it'll be an experience!

bought this casio-wannabe watch for myself

Anyway, looking back for me is an uplifting thing to do. For that, I am so grateful. I need to go ride my bike.

Thanks for reading.

Back To The Books

Thanks to the dump of snow this January, I had an extra 24 hours or so of my winter break to mess around with.

what snow?

I can't say I did much with it that's too exciting, but it maybe was the extra bit that I needed to flip my mind back into school mode. If I'm being honest though, I am sure it wouldn't matter to me whether I had a week more or less to my winter break. If class is on, I'll be right back to it as best I can be without hesitation. I'll say it... part of me is wishing there wasn't a snow day to start things off. I don't want to waste instruction time, but modern technology's ability to have our professor record a lecture to the tune of their powerpoint is appreciated. I am looking forward to another semester and another load of information that will add to the foundation of my future.

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

the fingers hurt after this session of note-taking

But before this semester hits me and takes me out of the reality everyone else gets to exist in, I will linger a touch longer on some of what I enjoyed during this break. I rode my bike almost every day, and I spent time with the people that mean the most to me - all good stuff. Shout-out once more to the guys at Bicycle Pro Shop - Springfield for being a top group of guys for this area of NoVA's cyclists. Young Fix'em-Up (Woody) and the boys were generous enough to toss me this hat I drooled over and these sweet, sweet socks to ride in. Thanks, guys. I hope to be able to ride with you all again soon.

Check out their Instagram: @bicycleproshop

[EST. 1958] cool cool cool

The "winter" break wouldn't be in NoVA without the sun coming out and temperatures topping near 65 Fahrenheit at one point or another. I made sure to extend rides like this one - tapping into that "this is why I ride" feeling.

quick pic for proof

I think that's all I have to write about for now. Maybe I'll share some of my school experiences on here - if I get time to write.

the construction pit outside our class room

And before I go... check out this documentary about a 1st year pro team racing the USA Crits. The one dude is PASSIONATE - dropping f-bombs, connecting dots, drawing lines, and lettin' us all know how different he and all of us bike racers (or some anyway) are from the rest of the world. I'm not all like this guy... but I'll be damned if there isn't a good spoonful of his passion and this-is-what-I-wake-up-for-every-day gravy in me as well. Give yourself 34 minutes and the place to yourself to watch this explicit bike racing movie. This is the answer to the question "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" for me - after a lot of hard work.



Thanks for reading.

Got Me a Call-Up

You guys... It's not every day that I get a call-up. It's something I've been working for all month long without even knowing it.

you know... the hours and hours on the trainer

But if you're like me... you don't make a big deal out of these things. Sure I'm honored, humbled, and no less heartened to know that I haven't been forgotten. I've been tuning my mind, body, and spirit for an opportunity like this. Here's the thing, folks... this type of call-up to the line is an astronomical opportunity ... I'm not gonna lie. But as I said - I take it all in stride.

Did I shave for it? I mean, wouldn't you? This "call-up" is no big deal or anything... like I said. Also, if I'm being honest, it was more of a text situation. But okay, yeah - I shaved for this.

The longest my hair had been in maybe 7+ years?

So what's this all about, you're asking?

A sweet, sweet group ride, baby!

Shout-out to Young Horse Power, Woody, and the boys at Bicycle Pro Shop in Springfield for the "Clifton Crusades Ride" this morning.

gonna have to pick up one of these soon

The winter weather was perfect with me banking HARD on the forecasted sunny skies. Like the nice, modern gentleman that I am, I checked the weather forecast last night when I got the "nod" for today's ride, and you KNOW when I saw the call for morning sunshine that something special was about to go down. Maybe it was because I was 1.5 beers deep that I decided shaving my legs was necessary and correct. Maybe it was a cosmic alignment. You can decide which. All I know is that Clifton did not disappoint. In fact, it was a treat to share some of those roads I've had the pleasure of punching miles into with some riders that are new to them. It hurt at times, but our 5-rider crew was up for the mixed terrain and technical twists of the morning's classic Clifton ride. There were definitely points where I tuned into how much I enjoy riding bikes.

Indeed this morning's ride is the start of what is hoped to be a weekly, Sunday morning jaunt out of the Bicycle Pro Shop Springfield location. That is truly what makes this ride so special. It can be hard to establish a weekly ride in this area. I have my fingers crossed that this one makes it even when I cannot once school picks up again for me.

beachy

Beyond all that, the co-captain and I took a New Year's day stride along the C&O Canal. It was much needed before spending the rest of that day taking the last of the leaves off my parental's property.

stay loose, America

That's all I've got for now.

Thanks for reading.