almost back to good.

Well then. Two weeks off and I'm almost back to working properly. Back to work. Can't lift anything too heavy...Back on the bike. Can't ride anything too hard. But, I'm getting there. Maybe I won't be as bad off as I thought from this.

I really want to start running (again?). Currently, a semi broken midsection and crazy fear of hurting my knees again is stopping me. That, and my inability to wake up in the morning. What's the best place to get fitted for shoes? I'm sure I need some crazy shoes to fix something my body does wrong. Just don't know which ones. Needing some help with that.

Also, who wants to teach me how to swim. Currently, I don't swim. At all. About as well as a rock. To the best of my knowledge I don't even float. I'd like to change that. It won't be easy. I'm pretty afraid of water...Any suggestions? Who wants to throw me in a lake?

Yeah. So, in short, I'm back on my bike and feeling pretty good. My early season is a bit rearranged. Not sure exactly how much, but it's different. Wanting to get into tri's. Probably will find some duathalons to do until I learn to swim sufficiently.

That's about all that's new with me. Took a week off and went to WI. It was fun. Nice to see friends and family. Nice to take a bit of a break. Nice to be back now, though. My life isn't so bad, on the whole.

Thanks for caring everyone, see you back out on the road before too long!

I need your help!

As you've probably read or otherwise heard, I'm laid up. The week off of work, minimum, not bikes for 2 weeks. I've already read the last 2 years of CycleSport magazine and all the books I care to that currently reside in my house. I need (or at least am going to be needing) something to do! My amazing wife tries to keep up on renting movies, which is amazing, but it's hard to focus through an hour and a half story while you have to get up to hit the bathroom, or fall asleep, or otherwise zone out. I think that the TV series on dvd is the way to go. only a 1/2 hour at a time, you can get all sorts of them at the video store we frequent (Nicolet Video) and they're easy!

We're current on The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Whatever that HBO show on Polygamy is... Seen damn near all of Sex and the City. I don't know...

What do I watch next? Honestly, thinking Project Runway, but I already saw one of the seasons...is it worth watching more? Thinking so. I know she's already seen a season or two of America's Next Top Model. I'd watch it. Rather watch the Runway, though.

Don't care about lost or Prison Break. Most ABC, NBC, CBS, shows are not worth renting. Aside from maybe House, or Private Practice. Or the one with John Stamos. (Or IS that Private Practice?) I don't know...

Any suggestions? This is where you come into the equation, and as the solution, even! I can only watch so many Tour and spring classic dvds in a row...and the wife can't handle those (not that I can blame her. I love the sport, and I don't think I've ever finished ONE without falling asleep...)

What do I watch? I know that more people read this than comment. (ok, I don't KNOW, but I think...)

HELP!

my appendix.

it's gone missing. Actually, it's probably in a hazardous waste bin somewhere in St. Paul. Mine got removed last night.

Wednesday night I came down with what I thought was a pretty good stomach bug. Crazy crampy pains just below diaphragm, up ALL night vomiting and being crazy hurt. threw up again thursday AM, took some ibuprofen, called into work. Pain still there, starting to migrate down and right. Still didn't think much of it, just food poisoning. I thought that was odd, as I didnt eat anything that really qualified for that. oh well. dealt with it. rode out to the super rookies house to pick up margaret and my LGR kits. that was exciting. Then rode over to a job interview at a bike shop. still hurting quite a bit, was unable to ride fast, but I got where I was going. I have no idea it'd end up like this.

Woke up yesterday (friday) took some ibuprofen. ate breakfast, all at about 5 o clock. still hurt, so I layed on the couch and watched ninja turtles II, secret of the ooze until I had to go to work. Rode to work...made it. Pretty ineffective at work. Hurt a lot to stand up straight. sat a bunch. Got a call from Margaret saying that I should call around and look for a clinic, because her Boss (Rosa. Thank you!) thinks that it's my appendix. So, she came and got me, I left work, we went to a clinic a bit away, and they pretty much told me to go to the Emergency Room. So we did. And now we spend a TON of money, but at least there was something legitimately wrong with me. Almost worth it. It was fun. painful, but fun. Hospitals are fun. Nurses are fun to talk to. Apparently i'm talkative and funny when I am coming off anesthesia. who'd have thought. Oh, 7 years totally sober and then I need to take all sorts of wacky drugs to get a piece of me removed! WHAT IS THAT?!

oh well. Got to the ER at about 4:40, operated on at 9, wheeled to room at about 11 where my wife and her parents were waiting for me. Nice people. It was nice to be with people who care.

It's scary. Surgery. I never thought it was happen to me. Ever. who does, I suppose? i'm only 23. Too young for this. Too young for a lot of the things I have done, I guess. (like be married?) I don't know. I really like my life. It's just frustrating at time.

My mom and a few siblings and probably my moms boyfriend are showing up today, so I'm told. It'll be nice to see them. Called and told my Dad. he sounded more shook up about than I expected him to be. He's usually pretty solid. But I guess I pretty much called him out of the blue and said I was having surgery I'd freak out a bit too.

THe one thing that I think about a lot is what if Rosa hadn't said anything about Appendix? what if it had happened last weekened when Margaret was gone? She's have come back to a very in pain jason with a ruptured appendix. those things can kill you! I NEVER would have gone the doctor on this. I'd have just waited till it went away, in a way, THANK (your) God that I'm married. If this happened in Philadephia I probably would have died. Probably not in Milwaukee, because my dad is there, he'd have known enough to take me in.

I dunno. Now I have a week off of work, but I can't really do anything! I hope that I can get back on the bike and working hard again in a minimal amount of time. I still have pretty high goals this year. we'll see how it goes. don't let me push it. I don't want my bowels coming through my stomach!

Crazy few days it's been...

It's March!

And March is going quite well!

I'm an official. Took the class and test on the First, passed. Got a patch. Look for me in khaki's and a blue shirt at some collegiate races/time trials/track nights! I hope to be out a bunch. Come say Hi!

Miles ridden in March so far. It's the 8th. I'm at 150. Could be higher. But, to be fair, it's been REALLY cold this week.
75 miles or so out to Afton and back last Sunday with Tim and Jake. Not an easy mileage. Jake is really fast. Tim? Well, Tim is good at pacelines. It's still early. Nothing too exciting. Saw a Grandstay (?) rider. Unsure of whom. Jake stopped to pee and Tim kept going to see if he knew where we were. He did, but we had to bridge back up to him. I tried to work with Jake to get up there as fast as possible, so I just jumped and pegged it. He grabbed the wheel, as planned. BUT, when I moved over for him to go around and lead the way, I just couldn't stay on him. I was spent. That was rough. I hurt myself. Very good.
On the way back (epic conditions. you know the type. 33 and raining a bit? yeah. freaking Belgium shit.) We were riding back through St. Paul, I was riding around, thinking I was CRAZY tired in my smallest gear, barely able to turn it over up the smaller hills in the area. Turns out I was in the big ring. That'd do it. I felt better when I realized that. Shifted down and decided I felt good enough to go up Ramsey while my comrades went up the street a few blocks over that snakes up the hill...not as hard. Well, I made it up Ramsey. Was very hard. 39-25 and standing. Barely made it. Did NOT feel good.

Today (saturday) went out to Afton again with Big Matt, Joe Johnson and Little Guy. It was cold. 15 degrees is not a stretch. Went out through St. Paul to get a few more hills in. Joe threw in a few good attacks that made me work up hills. I appreciated that. I did not appreciate that my bottles were frozen. I usually like to take drinks at the tops of hills...no dice. We got to... (some point in the ride...a few turns after Mcknight...) and Little Guy tried to attack me on the city line sprint...didn't work. We stopped at the end and waited for Big Matt and Joe while eating frozen clif bars. (did I mention it was cold?) We decided that would be a good point to turn around. Matt is getting a cold we reckon, and Joe was angry. LG was cold. I was too. So we turned around and went back the way we came. Joe split off on upper afton rd, I think. I don't really know the area. It was really a blast. Good times. Way back, time to decide if we want to go up Ramsey or Grand. I felt good all day, so I chose Ramsey again, while the Matts went up Grand. I made it again....This time with only moderate difficulty. Still had two gears to go, and I wasn't suffering like a dog! That was an amazing feeling! got to the top, still felt good, so I turned around and went up Grand. Tried to keep the pace high and try to get back in contact with the others, but they were pretty far ahead...Got to the top of that one and LG was right there. Time to go home, so I did. Was hoping to be home early enough to go out again with Fil after he got his bike straightened out, but no dice. It works out. Another 60 tomorrow, I hope. Let's hope I keep feeling better. I have managed to work myself/teammates have managed to work me into something resembling form pretty quickly this year. I am excited. This year is gonna be a blast.

What else?

Not sure. Fun times with Balderdash, homemade pretzels and 16 people at the Little guy and gals house last night. Out past my bedtime, and had a super belly ache. stupid Tofutti Cuties and chips...I think.

Oh, and I love my wife. For sure. Being married definitely has its rough moments. Totally worth it. I'd do it again. Having such an amazing and inspiring teammate is all sorts of rad. To all (8 or so) of the engaged couples I know right now, I wish you all the best of luck, but I don't think you need it. Marriage is tough. But it's also very cool. Margaret, I love you.

(awww....getting mushy. like a banana in a back pocket...)

PEACE! I gotta buy a megabus ticket to MKE for next weekend! looking forward to that (a little. Not a super lot.)