Please do this for me! Please!

Well, not really for me, but for Track Cycling.  Please stop what the UCI and the IOC are doing to the sport I know and love.  While I don’t really fancy the individual pursuit, it is perhaps the most PURE endurance challenge in all of cycling.  I ask you – even if you don’t understand – PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepindividualpursuit/index.html

If you are fearful of signing this because you don’t understand – Contact me!  I will gladly explain it all to you.

This means a lot to me, and a lot to many people I know.

It only takes a second.  After you sign the petition – you will be asked to donate money – YOU DO NOT HAVE TO! That is something else – not required for the petition!

PLEASE!

Future Darwin Award winner?

I was driving to work today, on a long straight road (Windy Hill).  There were no cars near me when I saw this … I had to take a picture.  I fought with the morale dilema and decided I could do it safely as there was only one MUCH larger vehicle near by.

Darwin Award Candidate

I guess there were too many people in the truck cab? so he thought “I’ll just ride back here”…. doesn’t seem so safe to me!  We were doing about 50 at the point I took this picture!

Unsolicited Product Endorsement: Bounce Dryer Bar

You know, I complain about a lot of stuff – and I’m not always pointing out things I like.  Well, I have something I like… the Bounce Dryer Bar.

If you do laundry – and you use dryer sheets, you know how those stupid things show up in the strangest place.  On the floor, the bed, in your pant leg, in your bag…. they are annoying.  They work great, but they are cumbersome.

The folks at Bounce have come up with the “Dryer Bar”  (http://www.bounceeverywhere.com).  This thing sticks in your dryer and works as well as any sheet you have ever used.  I know some people don’t like to use dryer sheets on their towels – it pops out quite easily.

Bounce gave me nothing, this is just me – now the fed won’t be probing me – but try it out, I think you will like it.

Dear Google – this is going to be a problem!

Not good - for a web browser!

Several Updates…

The job search is going well.  I have an interview today.  As with any interview, you never really know if it’s the right job, if it’s a good fit, if you will rock the interview, if you will stutter and blunder … Just go in positive and do what you can.  I have to say thank you to all that have grabbed my resume and started networking for me.  The more people that see it, the better chances that I will find a job that will help to improve my life!  I’m quite excited about the future.

Mom commented that I have been slacking on my MaxFit updates – it is going really well.  It’s hard, but after a week, the stiffness and general soreness has faded.  You are sore and stiff, but some light stretching helps a lot.  I did mess a day, but in a short while I will go do my first workout of the day, making up for that.  Tonight I will be back on track.  I do hope they make this plan available to the public.  The short nature makes it a VERY do-able plan.

Finally, I have to share an experience I had last night.  I went to the “Street Reach” program with our church.  I helped to hand out a bunch of coats and stuff and hung out for a while afterwards.  I even had the opportunity to fix a man’s bicycle!  Well – at the “end of the evening prayer”, I was holding a man’s hand.  The guy leading the prayer said “Let us pray that people in need find the jobs they need to improve their lives”.  I felt thankful for that, but the next thing really changed my attitude.  The guy squeezed my hand and said “that’s what I need the most, I need a job”.  Suddenly my situation was not 1/10th as bad as I thought it was.  I have a home, a family, a job, a car, food, clothes… I am thankful for all that I have, today.  I hope that I can maintain the “attitude of gratitude” I used to hear about and talk about in AA and stuff.  Helping people in need if far more gratifying than helping bike racers… I can promise you that!

Currently Seeking New Employment

As I am sure you are aware, my employment has been terminated with my current employer, effective 1/31/2010.  I’m now in search of a new job.  I’m posting my resume here in an effort to help get it in the hands of people that can help.  If you need an updated copy, need changes or anything, please do not hesitate to contact me.  You can reach me via email – scott@scottpatton.com.

My Resume

More words I didn’t want to hear…

While these are NOTHING compared to yesterday – they are not something I wanted to hear either…

Specific elements of the review included: the physical location of functions and positions; the alignment of skills with needs; individual job performance; and level of skill set.  Unfortunately, as a result of this effort, your position is impacted in the realignment and restructuring and your employment with __________ will be terminated.

Now… the good news is, I’m on the “transition team” which means that I have a job until 1/31.  If I stay that long, I actually get a full month of pay more… so there is value in this beyond having another 8 weeks to find a job.

This was a site wide situation.  They are, for reasons I can’t figure out, eliminating one of the best tech support teams in the world.  We have met or exceeded our goals, customer satisfaction is awesome – makes me just want to say WTF?

I’ve been in this seat before.  Sooner or later I will cry for a while.  I’ll pound on a pillow or a bed, I might even scream WTF a few times, but just like yesterday – the harsh reality is that I am the adult and it’s time to take care of business.  It doesn’t feel good.  It sucks, but I’ve got resources.  I’ve got people inside and outside the company already working inside and outside the company to keep me working.

It’s not an easy thing, but God won’t give me anything I can’t handle.

So… if you know somebody looking for one of the best Tech Support Engineers they could ever find – the resume will be posted on my site and on other sites shortly.  You know where to find me.

Experience has led me to believe that this is not the end … it’s a new and brighter beginning!

Words you never want to hear

Sarah:  Did you get the message?

Scott:  What message?

Sarah:  Max is being transported to the ER.  He is un-responsive!

Your life changes instantly.  Work doesn’t matter, time stands still but goes so fast.  You don’t know what to do, who to tell, where to go… but suddenly the harsh reality of life kicks in – you are an adult and you have to do what is right NOW and there are no second chances…  (He’s okay – if you dont feel like reading any more).

Luckily I had 17 floors in an elevator to sort out my next step.  Gather facts – find out what the situation is… and when I did, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.  Max was now responsive – but he was in an Ambulance – he was crying (I’d love to have heard him cry).  I didn’t know if my little man was all alone but “Miss Nicole” was with him and for that I am eternally grateful.

Sarah and I both got the hospital in seperate vehicles.  She waited in the ER room, I waited outside and was there for Max when the doors opened.  He was upset – sad and scared.  I think he was glad to see me.  He was scared… I know he was.   I wanted to help/hold him but he was in  car seat.  Being unable to help sucks.

Now – here’s the summary.  Max had a common seizure and is okay. It happens and in 85% of the cases, it never happens again.  If it does … we will deal with it.  When you bring a 4 year old into the ER after a seizure it’s like gold card treatment.  No waiting.  The did all kinds of test and he was released about 3-4 hours after we got there.  All the test had good results.

We have a little “homework” to do … some more tests, different doctors, etc… but he’s back to Max.  If you know Max, you know he is an active little fella with a generally good/fun personality.  He’s back to “Max on a Mission”.

I should be working – and I will be in a minute – but really wanted to clear my mind of todays activities.  From the minute I received the phone call – I think I made good choice including not flying to the hospital, I don’t even think I went above the speedlimit… well, I probalby did, but I was calm and smooth – not racing.

Thanks God, everybody is okay.  Thanks to Nicole for riding with him, Jerri – thanks for getting Derek, Karen – thank you for helping us with the cars!

Day 3 and 4 – a combined situation

Well – that’s not a good way to put it, we didn’t do them together – that wouldn’t be in keeping with the 12 minute revolution.  We did day 3 on … day 3 and day 4 on day 4… but enough on that!

Here is what I can tell you today.  This program (which I do hope they go commercial/online/prime time with) is definitely do-able.  They have 3 people on the screen doing the workouts at all time.  One beginner, intermediate and advanced.  The thing is – if you are dying – slow down, go easier.  If you are feeling good, weight up – push harder – do it!  There is a big focus on form, doing it right, doing the best you can.  There are some exercises that Sarah is kicking my large glutes.  Others… I’ve got an advantage, but at the end of 12 minutes (and maybe the bonus round) she looks like I feel inside.  I think I probably look a lot worse than she feels inside – but that’s because I am not a pretty man!

I think – in time – the soreness will fade.  I mean, after 6 trips up the incline – I could do it and walk right the next day… I hope it doesn’t take 6 days for this one!

It is awesome that you can get in, get your workout in and get out.  It’s also crazy to do stuff you would have never strung together.  We haven’t done the same exercise twice yet!

So far I am a fan.  Seems like Sarah is too… and my co-worker (@pbyas) and my neighbor (@jerri) are fans as well.

Ask me at 5:30 am… I wont be as big a fan, but a fan none the less!

MaxFit – Day 2

In a word – ouch.

Yesterday was legs.  I did ride the day before, but I don’t think that dramatically increased the soreness I am experiencing.  I intentionally held back a great deal, yet am still quite sore.  I may be able to spin 170mm radius circles really fast and pop off some watts with those levers, but jump squats?  OUCH!  Wall squats? OUCH!  All that stuff was quite painful…. in a good friendly loving way.

I haven’t checked todays video, but I am told it’s upper body.  That’s good, my arms are still sore from Monday – layer it up!