Time

Press play, read blog:

So I've been trying to make a point to blog and read every day, and sometimes, I start, and never finish an article, sometimes it takes more research, and I work on something for months before releasing, just because I'm doing this in my free time, but free time isn't something I really have, every minute is spent doing something, and it's only a matter of priorities. What's more important, maintaining my body, or maintaining the connection between my spirit and body, I mean, I see the trap of dualism so easily, but when I regard things from a strictly Biblical perspective, I can't acknowledge that there is a split. There is flesh, there is spirit, and they feed each other, one side just happens to like little debbies more than ideas.

I try to make my flesh submit, but I've had this idea that self-control is a focused "No" when in reality, my spirit has known that self-control is more a focused "Do". Now, in Morse code, the difference between D and N is one dit, so I'm not surprised something got lost in translation. The Stream will not allow for a QSM, it's dislinear and valve-like in relevance and manifestation.

my watch is broken, how can I run intervals if my watch is broken?
Just saying

So I'm Sitting Here...

Ok,
I am sitting here looking at myself in the reflection of my laptop, wondering exactly how I can complain about being tired. I then realized that I want to complain because of how redicously out of shape I've become. I may not be out of shape compared to you, but I am compared to where I was two years ago, and I didn't think I was in all that great of shape then. I am definately down from my peak performance age of about 27 when I was working landscaping, just married, and i had recently (re)discovered the joys of real off road biking. Non-coincidently this was immediately preceding the birth of my firstborn.

Stress + time = out-of-shapeness. That's my secret formula for the day.
out-of-shapeness + time = inertia. Inertia is my enemy, my oldest foe, my greatest fear, my sure adversary. Inertia wants me dead quicker, and wants me happy while dieing (one day I will do a post entitled "I don't want to die happy" and it will make sense). It's easy to submit to inertia and die. As soon as a course change is needed, there is inertia, as soon as the course change is no longer needed there is inertia. There's inertia when I wake up, and when I lay down...

I've been undergoing several changes over the last few years, changes that seriously impact my identity and relationship with those around me. I got to thinking about these changes critically when I read this tweet from @ArronChambers, a man I know, love and respect:

"prepping my message for #CelebrateRecovery tonight @journeygreeley. i'm speaking on #confession...which is still good for the soul :)"

In my subtle war against inertia, I had been doing more reading in my Bible, and recently re-read one of my favorite books, First John. We all know what 1 John 1:8-10 says:

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My confession is this:
I've been lazy. I've let inertia beat me up. I've chosen good things and not God things. I've take the easy way, from mac-n-cheese instead of (better tasting) grilled chicken and salad, to self-centered church instead of Christianity. I believe that the only way a Christian can live and die is under the philosophy of "I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead."

Inertia's been my enemy a long time, and I've always been fighting it, and I'll even be fighting it when I can't fight it no longer. Until then I am fighting it using the following actions:

1. I will grow as much of my food as I can. That way I know what I'm getting. When I can't grow my own, I will buy as healthy as I can.
2. I will read my Bible every day. I believe that change happens best when you change according to the rules of the One who made you.
3. I will exercise every day. More on this to come later, but after posting this, I am taking my girls on a bike ride. It will be short, I will sweat, and it will probably hurt when I get done. Yet, I will do this.
4. I will eat a hot pepper. It's cathartic, and I LIKE IT!

My basic strategy is this: "When you are not beating inertia, inertia is beating you" and I accept that I can't win. What I can't accept is that I can't fight.

ps,
I love my wife!

Peppers!

So I found a package of Cayenne seeds left over from two years ago, the last time I seriously tried to start a garden. They were an heirloom variety, and pretty spicy from what the package claimed at least. At some point last fall I said "what the heck!" and planted them in a yogurt cup. I figured if anything, I will grow a small pepper plant in a small pot over the winter, and it will be fun. I put the pepper in the windowsill, and watered it. It bloomed, but it was cool enough all winter that the blooms fell off, and the pepper slowly grew. Finally, in February, the blooms set fruit! I had tiny cayennes on my bush, even though the bush was growing in a yogurt cup. I started taking pictures when the pepper started turning red, mostly to upset my yankee cousins who are still experiencing the thralls of winter, whatever winter is.... (side note, Florida has four seasons: They are Dry, Rainy, Summer, and Hurricane, in that order.)

So I now present to you a complete timeline of my amazing over winter cayenne pepper goodness. This morning I ate it.





Omlette ingredients include: 2 eggs, splash whole milk, two chopped cayenne peppers (one red, one green), salt, cheese, 1 clove sliced garlic, and sage.

Yet Another Transition

People,
I have been changed...
It was the most natural change I could have ever made, yet I hadn't. I needed catalyst, and I received that catalyst a week ago Monday while still on vacation. I experienced shock and awe, but in an awesomely magnificent bicyclally kinda form. I went REAL Mt Biking. well, real mt biking by Florida Standards at least, the guy at the bike shop said the place we went was "for the masses". usually that is shop speak for easy, and stuff. Kelly and I rented full suspension bikes, Specialized to be exact. She had the XC, I had a Stumpjumper. It rocked. We rode a couple of trails, and went to a waterfall. We both fell in the water, and Kelly skinned her knee. I skinned my knee too, but Kelly's looked a lot more impressive. We were having so much fun that we didn't take many pictures. Next time, I'm mounting a camera on my handlebars or something. The trails rode great, too great almost, like maybe people take a lot of time maintaining them and stuff ;-)

Anyway. My main point is that I've been ruined now. I rode an awesome trail, on an excellent bike, and I can never ride the local trails the same way again. I've been refusing to go to the local bike shop for fear that I'll come home with a bike. I've been thinking Cannondale Rush. Kelly really liked the XC, so I think I'll buy one for her. I've also been thinking about upgrading some parts on my hardtail to make it into a machine worthy of taking to work and back. Disc brakes and an upgrade in shifting would do a lot. ultimately, I would like new brakes, drivetrain, and fork, something with a lockout preferably. So that's my life. I am crazy in love with gettin' on a trail with a better bike. I had too many, "this is awexome" moments the short little time we rode.

Some things to note:
If you go to Brevard, NC, visit Sycamore Cycles to do your bicycle outfitting. They didn't pay me to say that, we just had an awesome experience there. The helpful staff turned us on to some trails that while not the hardest I've ridden, they were a lot of fun. Very smooth. The only bad thing about them is that they don't open shop until 10am, but because the weather is usually pleasant, it's not such a big deal to a Florida boy to start riding at 11 or 12. Go see Wes, and tell him that the guy who was sent by Nixon sends you now.

Buy a map of DuPont state forest. It's kinda like a fundraiser for park maintenance and they keep the trails there in great shape.

watch out for horses, and associated horse poopy.

see you out there.
GB HOYT

Ok, so i'z a wuss...

hehe,
don't have 8.04 release on the lappy here yet,
but hopefully will soon. namely needing time, and i don't have any because i'm in the middle of getting ready for a birthday party for a three year old all week. We are definately overdoin' things.
bleahk.

weeeeeee!!

we are stinking awake.
i hate being awake when i should be asleep, it's a primary motivation for getting a new job.
anywon hiring a c++ n00b?
ruby jr h4xx0r?
rails wannabee?
i only need like 55k a year.
PIECE OUT!!
GB