It has been quite a while since I took the time to update my thoughts here. Months, in fact! In May I ended my work at a company after 2.5 years. Actually I finished in June but took days off. I did a lot of cycling those two months. In fact I covered 275km in May and 450km in June. It was great! I even got a flat that I couldn’t repair and had to walk home 20km in the pouring rain. I ended up buying new bike shoes after that as the soles wet worn down too much for a comfortable walk and I had 10km of steel cleats pressing into the underside of my feet. So that was a good thing!
I did a little geocaching, but have been more interested in riding and just getting out. Out out. Riding up the Arakawa River is a nice way to get in some good exercise. Riding back is even “better” because you get 30km of headwind coming up River off of Tokyo Bay. Nice suntan. Still no calves. It’s the genetics. I haven’t been to the gym much at all but I would much rather be on my bike in the fresh air than smelling the rancid sweat of some of those guys pumping iron in the gym. Of course I smell like an Irish Spring! (Without the headache inducing sneezing chemicals that they put in the soap and the anti perspirant).
So today I am taking it easy. I got a nice short haircut for the summer and an upcoming trip to “hotter than Hell” for work. I like it. My head feels like a Persian rug now. It’s about as sexy as a Persian rug, too, though not nearly as colourful.
I talked to a friend of 10 years today. The last time we “voiced” was about 10 years ago. She has had quite the experiences over the past 10 years; seen a lot more than she might have liked to, and done a lot more as well. But you know what? She is one of my heroes in this life. After the New Orleans disaster, she, along with many other civilians, went into New Orleans to do whatever they could for the animals left behind. The stories she told me are still with me. The details. And that is only the stuff she said she could share. Which means she carries a lot more in that amazing mind and beautiful head of hers.
She is a superhero in my books. A real life superhero. She may not throw giant hammers, or spin webs, or have guns of steel, but she has heart. And soul. And infinite amounts of love. And for that, I respect her and love her unconditionally and infinitely. Whether we talk. Or whether 10 years pass. It doesn’t change.
She is my hero and this post is for her.
I love you, “N.O.”!
Thoughts from the Big Rice Bowl 