Analog Christmas

Something that's bothering me lately is the extent to which people, especially in the bike movement and on my cycling, have been arguing within themselves. And not in a nice way. In a mean way. You're either with us or against us. You're a primadonna if you want a follow-car. You're not a fun person if you don't like the Naked World Bike Ride. You're a progressive nazi if you don't want to try to find some sponsorships.

In programming, it's called an if-then statement. You're on or off. It is or it is not.It's very binary, or digital.

But I read this very interesting article about Aristotle, and his concept of things that are vs. things that can be.

A rock is a rock is a rock. And you can measure it, analyze it, dissect it with a series of yes/no, on/off, 1/0 questions.

But the other type of "thing" is about things that can be. A group of people, for example, may be a bunch of dysfunctional grab-asses. But they can be a well-organized, politically savvy group under different circumstances. Maybe it's leadership. Maybe it's a cultural change around them. Maybe it's just a way of communicating that cuts to the core issues. Issues, as in plural. Because the opposite of digital is analog, defined as having an infinite number of variables.

Sound like anyone you know?

I really believe that there's something rather analog about person, much less a group of people. So many histories. So much baggage. So many little prejudices, such as not trusting people who make more than $8.45 an hour. Or feeling like people who just started riding are doing it because it's cool, whereas you're doing it because it truly MEANS something.

And then there are the little problems of simply communicating. Some people express their opinions strongly and forcefully. Other people need to think and weigh in. Some people genuinely feel it's their way or the highway. Whereas others would feel awful if the group lost its strong voices, and to avoid rocking the boat, they say nothing

Anyway. If I had one wish for Christmas, it'd be for the patience to ask more questions of my friends and teammates, and listen to their infinite number of variables. I'd wish for a more analog Christmas.

Base II - Weights - 2006-11-30

Oh, we're getting heavy now.

Went to 24 Hour Fitness, which is a very different experience than the little basement gym at work. More stuff, more people, less room. It made it harder to do the workout that I've come to enjoy, which is doing the weights and core in a circuit. I like the circuit better because my muscles recover a little better between sets, and I use good form.

However, I don't know if a circuit is necessarily better than doing, say, all my core stuff, then all my squats, then all my other core stuff, then all my lunges. I certainly feel more sore today having done the latter. But that could be, as I alluded to before, because I'm piling on the weight.

Where "piling" = 115 lbs. on the squats with 8 reps. Twice. Yes, yes, yes. I'm weak. It'll get better. I promise.

Anyhoo. Only my squats were really done in a "set." Everything else was done in a sort of haphazard circuit.

• 10 minute bike warm-up
• 5 sets squats: 45-95-95-115-115
• 2 sets of lunges onto squishy thing: 0 lbs, 20 lbs
• 2 sets of regular lunges: 0 lbs, 20 lbs (reach down)
• 3 sets of 40 crunches
• 2 sets of 15 ball roll-outs
• 2 sets of 40 russian twists
• 2 sets of 20 back arches (1 on the ball)
• 1 set of reverse sit-ups

Lunch ride today. Easy. Further updates as events warrant.