Yes, it has been sometime since I've sat down to compose a blog, oh no doubt I've had the full intentions of doing so, even had it outlined in my head, yet the biotech industry has yet designed a USB/Firewire interface to access my neural net. So, I am left to plunk out this message key by key which is a slow process when one's right hand has been disabled...

What has imparted such fate upon Bill– a fate that entails a torn UCL for my right thumb?

MOTORCYCLE TRAINING!

Back in early March, I found myself in a classroom of a Harley Davidson dealership in an instructor-led class upon topics of motorcycle safety and training. Other than the cheesy videos, it was a good experience for the instructors made the class fun and they broke the stereotypes in which I held for Harley instructors- you know, the big, hairy, greasy types with lots of leather. I was scheduled for class 8-6 on Saturday and Sunday for the most part, those two days were going to be spent on the training course next to the dealership.

On one of the initial exercises, I was in second gear when I thought I was in first and I had difficulty not stalling out while everyone watched on. From there, things just continued to plummet. I seemed to keep releasing out the clutch and just like a car I would explode forward, which is a bit dramatic when one is in car, but even greater on a bike. On one occasion the bike got away from me and consequently I jumped off the bike as it fell over. I then tried to pick it up, and it fell over the other way. Funny how the constancy of gravity plays out. I wound up knocking off both turn signals and scratching up the paint a bit. For whatever reason, when a bike falls over it must hurl the fluids all wacky. The bike required work before it could be started again.

They gave me a replacement bike and as I ran through some of the exercises, I was telling myself I could not do it. I was shaken and no doubt unrelated stressors were influencing me. But I tried to fight through it. I had an additional issue of being stuck in second gear for about five minutes. The frustration grew. I managed to get back on track and as I was completing the exercises, I circled around to join the rest of the group, released the clutch too quickly and consequently.... yep.

It happened quickly and somehow during the whole event I told myself that I better flip myself over. I did and felt my helmet hit the ground. As I lay on the asphalt looking up, the words "I quit" came from my lips. I was a liability and I knew that there's no way I could get my mind together to continue. I briefly conferred with the instructors and got up. As I walked to the side and took off my gloves, I felt like pretty much the loneliest person in the world. At the time, I didn't think I got hurt and I filled out the accident forms saying that I wasn't. Yet, when I signed my name, I felt a twinge in my right thumb.

Five weeks have passed along with a surgery. I am now accessorized with a blue cast on my arm which has allowed me to discover all sorts of responsibilities for my left hand to carry out.

Another day, another dime; another day, another pound.

Updates:

Finance

Not a lot has changed in this theater since I last wrote, although I will be designing a realistic budget for the upcoming move and for the time thereafter at my new place. I want this place to look cool, but unfortunately, typically "cool" costs money, even the inexpensive, used, cool whatnots will accumulate and cost money. I will be brainstorming free alternatives but unfortunately the real world is not the Net.

After two transfers to my Discover Card totaling about $850, my Citibank card officially has a $0 balance. Shifting funds from one account to another doesn't exactly mean the absolution of debt, yet it is good to a balance of $0 on its website. At the end of this month, I may or may not be out of debt completely. It really depends on May 15th when I am told how much money my insurance provider did not cover for an out-of-network UCL operation.

In some ways, I would like to take on a small, part time job, and though I am quite proficient of squeezing time out of my schedule, I don't believe I can wring out an additional 20 hours in consideration of my full time job, workout schedule, and upcoming summer classes. I'll have class 5:30-7:30 M-Th and I will still require almost a couple of hours for a workout session.

Physical

I weighed in at 228 last night in the cardio room which is a contrast to the 245 amount that I weighed in at the doctor's office when I had my thumb checked. Cutting 17 lbs in 11 days is not a bad feat. My personal best was dropping 16 lbs in one week last fall, but it soon tapered off. I did not have a workout program to accompany that initiative.

This morning, I weighed myself on our home scale and compensating for the 10 lbs that the scale is off, I was at 225. Of course, these are all fun facts and figures, but they do not make a primary impact. I am looking for performance. I can saw off a leg and lose all kinds of weight, but that will only hurt my performance.

I desire to build my stamina and strength (particularly my weak knee) for a trip to the Grand Canyon 3 1/2 months from now. My sister and Ed, my brother-in-law, are planning to embark on a hike from the South Rim, to the North Rim, and back again to the South Rim. They tell me it's a fifty mile hike.

I have been "freestyling" with my workouts. I will be implementing a regular, structured, strength routine soon, but for now I am conditioning my mind along with cutting weight and picking up some stamina. The key is the mind.

Independence

As stated in a previous blog, I have been given the green light for the move to Union. This prospect excites me though losing an estimated 45% of my net income due to all associated expenses with moving out does not particularly make me gleeful. But I would not embark upon this if the pros did not outweigh the cons.

On another front in this theater of activity, as stated in a blog the other day, Lisa's complete departure from my life has occurred by my own heartfelt offer to her. Though I miss her deeply, more than those lost, carefree days of yesteryear, this event should release me from the shackles of old wounds. Yet, it's a hard transition to make when one is used to having the mindset of being open to another and then having to lock it away.

Typically when I write in this venue, I find myself paranoid with the manner I choose to describe the result of the electrical pulses within my cognizance for fear of awkward language usage along with grammar issues. It is as though I am under pressure to orchestrate a grandioso paper. I've just spent the last few minutes perusing through other blogs and I was amazed how simple they can be and do not even seem to hold tight to the rules of punctuation and capitalization. But, that is not the way of Bill, for he will be under a gush of anxiety, similar to o.d.-ing on caffeine if he does not resolve these issues to result in a presentable blog.

But enough with that.

I received a call from the apartment manager of Georgian Woods yesterday and my credit check passed. I was improved. Oh, don't get me wrong, I've got great credit– just yesterday I received 3 letters from Citibank, two which were pre-approval for credit cards: the Platinum (which I already have) and the Diamond which I didn't know even existed! The last letter contained those checks that I absolutely hate seeing in the mail. I figure Citibank is really wanting me back since I've paid off over $5k since Feb and transferred the remaining $800 to my Discover Card since Citibank ticked me off.

My truck is paid off and with May's operating expenses I should have $1000 of normal expenses on my Discover Card. I do have medical expenses on the horizon and I am hurting for replacement tires for my truck.

I don't know what I'm going to do once I get married. I'm expensive enough as it is.