Default setting

I don't usually pass around links to speeches or videos, but I think this would be similar to what I would say to h.s. and college graduates if I was a better writer & speaker and it's a way of thinking that I've worked on since before my injuries.

http://www.theworldsbestever.com/2013/05/08/this-is-water/
David Foster Wallace 2005 commencement address

If you don't need the visuals, here's the full speech
http://web.archive.org/web/20080213082423/http://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html

 I'd love to read or hear your comments on this (Even if you think he's an idiot)
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I was not familiar with the speech or the speaker, but I think at that moment he "got it".
The strange thing is that he reportedly suffered from depression for most of his life and hanged himself at 46 yrs old - only 3 yrs after giving this speech.

I'm grateful that my default setting is much different than his, but I constantly work to stay aware.

Test Swim

"It's not what you know,

It's who you know"

Couldn't be more true for me on Friday.
In this case (and many others), my "who" was Joel.
Joel knows a LOT of people and also happens to be close friends with the legendary Bob Roper.
And when you're friends with Bob, you get to do some very cool things - including "test swims".

For those of you that don't participate in ocean swims - "test swims" involve throwing out a small group of swimmers into the water the day before an event to confirm the jump time and course.

On Friday, our "test swim" was an Alcatraz to the South End Rowing Club (SERC) showers...
And it was amazing.

Thank you so much Joel and Bob.
And thanks to all those that shared the water with me (Nancy, Randy, Gabor, Jim, Lezlee, Denise, the Arizona swimmers, Kathy and Susan from the SERC and the crew of the Hyperfish).
  

 

 

 

We did know that this big guy was passing through.

  Thanks go to Jeff  for driving me to/from HMB, for keeping us straight, safe, and for the pictures.

Oh yes I did

Today I tried a new recipe: "3 Finger brownies"

You'd think cracking the eggs would be difficult...and it is.

But not as hard as stirring the mixture and transferring it to the pan.

And then I nearly dropped the 350F pan.

 

 

They are not the best brownies I've ever had, but I'm proud of them.

And I thought I was getting the hang of this

Then I got sick.
Insert picture of a runny nosed 3 fingered person trying to get cold medicine out of blister packs here.
My self opening scissors and letter opener have been getting a workout.

Trailblazer

Yesterday I drove up to SF and met ("One Arm") Willie Stewart for the first time.
I reached out to him because I want to ride again.
I can ride my cruiser around town, but I want to do all day rides again.
And I want to keep dreaming about my 3rd cross country trip on 2 wheels.

For those who don't do adventure races, ultramarathons, triathlons, or the Leadville100...
Willie does not "participate" in sports, he competes and blows by anyone that does not love to win as much as he does (He placed 184th out of 1714 in  last years Escape from Alcatraz... and did it as a 51 yr old!)
 
Willie has proven, and continues to prove, that it's possible to do the amazing with a single hand.

In the 1 hr I was there - He managed to go for a run, do some interviews, shake hands with several fans, demo some pushups, tell me his patented rugby blocking move, and demonstrate the features of his bike arm...

He has a sticker on the back that reads

“If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.” ― Stephen Hunt

A great way to spend the morning.

I have no interest in trying to compete with him, but I'm sure we will  be sharing a swim or ride together and that is something I am looking forward to.

For the bike geeks out there -
Here's more on the arm http://www.prostheticarm.com/page3.html
and a video of the inventor, Will Craig, on a crazy mountain bike ride  http://vimeo.com/36536826)

Looking forward to posting pics of mine later this year(?).

And yes, Willie won his division today.

Riding in the back

Last week Chris drove over the hill to take me on my first road bike experience in 1 1/2 years.

 Normally the stoker seat is reserved for cute girls, but Chris had to deal with a 6' 2" guy (that was wearing socks with his keen riding sandals).

The ride was short (under an hour), but it's always nice to get out on a bike and Nancy & Jeff were good company until they decided they needed to do a bit more work than Chris and I were ready for.

Photo credit goes to Jeff  (Who was riding no handed against traffic on Hwy 1!)

The future of UE prosthetics(?)

I know I would not want to be the first to try this (and probably not even the 100th), but I am interested.
http://www.gizmag.com/mind-prosthesis/26382/