Cycling for Fun and Fitness

I love cycling. I ride primarily for fun and fitness. It's the best workout plan for me, but I recommend it for everyone.

It's no secret that most people who join a neighborhood gym are gung-ho at first, but, not long afterward, working out becomes too much like work and people slowly slip into their previous routine of slothful behavior, not enough sleep, and devouring junk food. The weight they wanted to lose or the fitness level they wanted to reach becomes more distant with each day that passes.

I recommend cycling because having fun is not at all like working out.

If you love to engage in some outdoor pursuit that can keep you fit you will stay in shape the rest of your life, provided that you do it frequently. Cycling, swimming, and hiking are three examples. There are lots more.

It seems that for several years I have bought a new bike each spring and sold it very late in the year, after the riding season is over. Well, I plan to change that this year. I just bought a new bike a couple of weeks ago and I intend to swap the cheaper components that came on it with high-quality, race-worthy parts instead of what the manufacturer put on this frame.

Here it is...

This is a Fuji Sportif 2.5 (the cheapest of that model series).

I bought the Fuji 2.5 for the frame because it is the same exact frame quality as their top-of-the-line model, but, it has cheaper, heavier components. I just loved the color and none of the models produced this year had the component package I wanted anyway.

I plan to change the derailleurs, shifters, brakes, crankset, rear cassette, chain, and bottom bracket with a custom-picked set of parts of racing caliber. All I needed was the frame. Now, I will start swapping the factory-supplied parts with those I'd really love to have and build the bike I really wanted.

When I am done, this twenty-three pound bike will weigh about twenty pounds and will provide years of dependable service.

For the average rider, this bike is good enough. But I am a long-distance rider and plan to ride thousands of miles on this bike. I'll be using this bicycle as the center of my over-all fitness regimen. I want it to last the rest of my life.

By the end of this summer I hope to have made all of the parts swaps I am planning and I'll be riding this bike on the trainer over the coming winter.

I highly recommend riding a bicycle if you want to have fun and enjoy good health and fitness. Pedal on...

It's Been A Busy Month

It's been a busy month. Now that it is almost over I'll try to post more frequently.

April 15th, most years, is the income tax filing deadline. When I was single I always managed to file my tax returns early. With my wife, every year, it seems, we come down to the wire. This year was no different.

After the taxes are finally done it is time to start gearing up for the cycling season. This year, I bought a new bike from Performance Bike in Columbus, Ohio. Unlike last year, the bike is not a high-end ride, it is a basic model-- the Fuji Sportif 2.5 (2018). I picked this one specifically for the frame. 

Descriptions of the bike have a conflicting list of features. According to the information Fuji gives to retailers the product information says this: "and the new Full-Carbon Monocoque fork makes this bike even lighter than before" --although the spec list says the fork is an "alloy integrated" one.

It looks like a carbon fork. It feels like a carbon fork and Performance Bike is not the only dealer with the phrase in italics above in their product information.  Is it aluminum or is it carbon? Does it matter? Well, not really.

I bought this bike specifically to "build" one with the components that I really want on a Sportif frame. Since Fuji did not offer this bike with the Shimano 105 or Ultegra group, but, I want better quality derailleurs and shifters, cranks, and brakes, I decided to go this route. Why? Because the Sportif frame is a masterpiece. It has everything I wanted in a sport geometry with a more comfortable upright posture, and it is very high quality.

When I am finished this bike will have race-worthy components, a superb ride, and long-lasting durability. It will be the bike I've always wanted and no manufacturer would make. The only solution for me was to take matters into my own hands.

In the end, I will tell Fuji my story and see where it goes. If Fuji provides a custom-made option that mimics what I've done, then, that would be really cool. Likely, they won't. But either way, I'll be riding this bike with a big grin on my face and logging mile upon mile pedaling my way through the rolling hills of Ohio farmland.

Cheers.

Be Careful Out There

Be careful out there. The Internet is the wild, wild west of modern day.

I am a very careful computer user. I have been using computers since before the IBM PC ever came to market (that was 1981, in case you don't know). I can spot a computer issue or tentative threat a mile away. I worked in the industry for many years and I have also been a technical writer and editor.

Over the years, I have had two incidents where my own computer somehow got infected with a virus or some sort of malware. The first time, I could credit a good friend who brought over floppy disks with the marijuana stoned virus on them. It was a boot sector virus and I killed it as soon as it was discovered.

The second time was a recent event. I was searching the 'net for an Android image file that would enable me to root-kit a Lenovo A7600 tablet and install a previous version of that operating system on the device to rid it of a wi-fi issue that is inherent in "KitKat" incarnation of the OS. 

To make a long story short, I succeeded in root-kitting the tablet and installing "Jelly Bean" (I hate those silly CANDY NAMES). But somewhere along the line, I clicked a link that was supposed to take me to a site to download the image of the tablet's older operating system. It was click-bait mimicking a real tech site.

I had a trojan on my computer. I spotted an unknown folder on my computer and investigated. Well, how about that.

Enter Microsoft Security Essentials.

The trojan was first quarantined, then deleted, problem solved. Lucky for me I am very careful and use a secure browser for trusted sites and business. I also have multiple devices and use different systems for different work.

For me, a computer is a tool, not a toy. It is a means to an end. That is why I am always so careful.

If you can learn anything from my account, it is this:

If a long-time computer professional can get infected, so can you. There are lots of vulnerabilities in today's computers. With all of this technology and all of these connected devices, the world-wide-web has become the bastion of rebels and hackers. It is the wild-wild-west of our time.

Be careful. Avoid porn sites, music trading sites, file-swapping sites, and any site with game cheats and browser enhancements like search-bar tools. They are malware. Don't use instant messenger tools, they are a portal to your hard drive. Don't open attachments unless you know what they are and they come from a trusted source. If you have anti-virus software on your computer, right-click on the attachment and scan the file before opening it.

I hate the performance hit that you take from anti-virus software, but, Microsoft has done a great job with Security Essentials and Windows Defender. Over all, those two programs should keep your computer safe and any performance hit is marginal.

Be careful out there.

Epiphone Masterbilt DR-400 Guitar

I have played guitar for around fifty years. I've had just about every brand of guitar you could imagine. I've owned Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Ibanez, Breedlove, Martin, Epiphone Masterbilt, Epiphone, Gretsch, Parkwood, Hofner, and Yamaha guitars. I won't bother listing all of the ukulele brands I've had-- there are just too many.

Anything you do to relieve stress or anything that gives you joy and makes you smile, and is not harmful in any way, or to anyone, is a good thing.

For me, music has been one of the best ways to relax and forget about my problems. I love playing guitar and singing. I love writing songs about life and good times. I love singing harmonies and jamming with other musicians. In fact, most of my friends are musicians. Some of them are famous and some are just as talented and totally unknown.

Music is the highest form of expression.

My Epiphone Masterbilt DR-400 acoustic/electric guitar is not just an example of beautiful workmanship. It sounds fantastic! It feels great in my hands. It will just get better with age.

Everyone needs some form of relaxation. Everyone needs a way to unwind and forget about their problems. It's why we have so many great blues artists from past to present.

When life gets you down, pick yourself up with music.

Here is a picture of my Masterbilt DR-400 MCE VBS guitar.

Technology's Dark Side

Life was a lot less complicated before technology took over our lives.

Don't get me wrong, I really do love technology, but, some of the things that are supposed to simplify our lives can make things a lot harder and a lot more stressful.

I have a checking account that I use to pay all of my normal monthly bills. For a long time I resisted using any sort of debit card. I just wrote checks and had cancelled checks sent to me along with every account statement. That gave me assurance that all was well and every check payment was cleared for the proper amount. Mistakes happen and I found a few tiny errors in payment over the years where a bank teller entered the wrong numbers by "fat fingering" something. A penny here or there was not worthy of pursuit and I let it slide, but I updated my records to reflect the actual amount paid due to their error. I was meticulous about it.

Then along came electronic fund transfers and payments. After a while, banks stopped sending cancelled checks. Now, they don't even send monthly statements, I have to go online and print them myself. See, I like balancing my checkbook the old fashioned way.

My wife is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant. She runs into timing issues on occasion. She's waiting for payment when a bill comes due. On those oddball occasions, I've stepped up to the plate and let her use my debit card from the checking account to make a payment on time. That's where the trouble with this great technology begins.

For MONTHS afterward Netflix kept deducting payment from my checking account rather than my wife's account because they now have my debit card number on file.

On February 21st, Time Warner Cable deducted $52 and change from my account to cover my wife's internet service bill because she used my debit card in January for a one-time payment since she was awaiting a payment from a client that was dragging their feet (clerical issue on billing payments).

Today, if my wife does not deposit money into MY account first thing this morning (to make up for the Time Warner deduction that I did not discovery until about thirty minutes ago) a check I wrote yesterday afternoon will bounce. 

I don't keep a lot of extra money in this account. I use it, as I said, just to pay the basic monthly expenses.

The thing that really annoys me here is the fact that all of those online payments take place without notification. I don't receive alerts on my phone. The less information that filters in and out of my devices, the more secure my bank accounts will remain. If I lost a phone that had access to bank accounts, think of the possible repercussions. No, I don't want that.

The dark side of online banking and bill payments is the fact that information is often retained and accounts are sometimes used over and over without your knowledge or approval. If you are not checking on bank account activity constantly, you could start bouncing checks and racking up some really nasty late fees and overdrawn penalties.

I don't like it. Life was a lot easier and far more secure before electronic bill payments and checks actually being sent from bank to bank for issued payments. Sure, things took longer, but, that was the reason things were more safe and secure.

In the blink of an eye, you can go from "life is good" to "OMG! What happened?"

Can I have things the way they used to be?

No?

That's too bad. Things were so simple in the good old days.

Carry on.

Plans Are Important If...

Plans are important IF you want to get something done.

Right now I am planning to use an old analog multi-track studio recorder to record a bunch of songs I wrote long ago. I loaned the unit to my younger brother and when he returned it to me he forgot to give me the power supply, a microphone and cable, and a brick of tapes that I will need to do my project. My brother never used the equipment, by the way.

See, I plan, but, my brother pretty much lives in the moment. That's why he still has all of the other stuff and I have the recording unit itself. Sigh...

Most people are like my brother. They live in the moment. They don't plan and they don't think very far ahead-- if  at all.

When I sit down to record a song I have everything I need at my fingertips. I even have a cup of hot tea or coffee to sooth my throat when I start to record vocal tracks. If you walked into the studio space in my home you would see an acoustic guitar, a bass, a keyboard, drums, and a few other instruments lying around. I am ready to use each one in its part in the creation of the song. It all takes planning.

Life is like recording a song. You either plan your path and travel from where you are at the start to your destination or you simply meander along without any definite plans and just react to whatever events unfold. I prefer the former, not the latter.

A song needs a foundation. The drums and bass guitar (or string bass) tie everything together. The rest of the composition is built on that platform.

The rhythm guitar sets the melody. Lead guitar licks are just window dressing-- they add flash, but, they are not really necessary if the rest of the song is compelling. The vocals tell a story and help make the song dynamic. Harmonies help build drama and excitement. They are icing on the cake.

Your life is a song. All of the elements are there. With proper planning and execution, you'll have a hit. But, fail to plan and you plan to fail.

I Am Happy

Yesterday, my wife told me that she was looking through my archive of blog posts and she was really impressed with my titles.

Mary Rose is in the marketing and copywriting business. It is her job to help people get noticed. She knows the importance of a good title in that regard.

In the old brick and mortar business world it used to be said that the secret to success was "location, location, location." While that may have been true, to some degree, the secret to long-term prosperity for any business was repeat customers.

My old blog was hosted on Netfirms. It was a Canadian company back then. I had tons of readers and subscribers. Sadly, that all came to an end when the site was hacked, thanks to a lack of security on Netfirms' part. There was a backdoor placed on every single file in WordPress. They offered to scrub the site and remove the backdoor for a fee. That sounded somewhat spurious to me, so, I removed the WordPress blog and started using Blogger and never looked back.

I don't have as many readers as I once did, but, I am still blogging and plan to continue writing books and doing what I can to help people find happiness and plan their future success.

If you are new to my blog, thanks for reading. There are links to my books on Amazon at the bottom of the page.

You'll find the archive goes back a couple of years and there are lots of articles about positive thinking and motivation, setting goals and turning your dreams into realities.

Enjoy.

As A Man Thinketh

"The Aphorism, 'As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he' not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts." ~James Allen

It has been said many times that we are what we think. Why? How and what we think shapes our attitudes about life. Our thoughts alter our behavior.

When you have negative thoughts, continually, the result is cynicism. When you are intimidated by fear of failure, you tend to avoid new opportunities. When you are asked for your opinion, you become vague.

If you are confident then every new challenge becomes an opportunity to learn and grow. Every mistake is a learning experience and you know that you won't make the same mistake twice.

Success lies on the other side of failure. ~Thomas J. Watson Jr.

Remember this proverb: Wisdom is what you get from experience. Experience is what you get from a lack of wisdom. 

Don't fear making mistakes-- learn from them and move on.

You are in control of your thoughts. You have the power within you to accomplish almost anything you desire. You must first believe in yourself.

If you are not sure what you want in life my book, Get Happy, Write Away can help. If you need strength and discipline in order to create a plan of action when you discover what you want, Ninja Mind Tricks can help.

Today is the start of your future. Go for it!

Why People Live Boring Lives

Shoot for the Stars

In a conversation at work the other day, two women who overheard what I said to another person were laughing in disbelief and exchanging glances between themselves.

It was easy to see that they thought I was full of malarkey (that's a nice way to say bullshit).

I found out years ago that most people live their lives devoid of dreams, desires, and goals. They amble along simply reacting to events as they unfold. I know that a lot of people classify "future time orientation" as a thing that "white" people have and "black" people don't. It has been my experience that it is not the province of white people at all. It is that thing which separates achievers from non-achievers regardless of skin-color, religion, gender, or any other variable one can quantify.

The "ladies" who were laughing behind my back could not fathom that someone at that company could ever have done what I was relating to another person there simply because neither of those ladies had ever aspired to do anything of note, nor will they ever accomplish anything of any intrinsic value because they have no goals, no dreams, no desires for anything past their fingertips.

There are many people I have known who worked for years to achieve proficiency in music, art, science, math, photography, or countless other pursuits, and they all had one thing in common. They all had dreams and ambition. Yes, they all had FUTURE TIME ORIENTATION. And guess what, they were white Europeans, African, Chinese, and Japanese. They were from India, the Middle East, Russia, and Latin America.

Planning for the future is often defined as having "future-time orientation" and I agree, that's part of it; but, the most important part is often left out. It is the DREAM, the DESIRE, the HOPE of accomplishment. It is turning your dreams into realities by hard work, determination, perseverance, and belief in yourself.

If you have no aspirations, I feel sorry for you. If you have no desire to achieve anything, again, I feel sorry for you. Without clearly defined goals any accomplishments occur by chance. 

By all means, DREAM. Look to the future and the world of possibility that is yours for the taking. You have an endless variety of pursuits available to you. All you have to do is figure out what appeals to you and, perhaps, what raw talents you possess that you can explore.

Dream, but, dream with a purpose.

I'll see you in the Winners Circle.

The Power of Music

Music, it is said, soothes the soul. Music soothes the savage beast. Music is the highest, most passion-filled form of expression.

Much of who and what I am today can be attributed to music. I'd say that it is a combination of listening to artists like John Denver, writing songs, performing on stage, jamming with friends and family. In short, I have been surrounded by musicians and entertainers throughout most of my life.

When I was very young I would sing with my two brothers. My father's family often sang together in harmony. My mother's brother would visit from time to time and he would sing old songs with my father, again, in harmony. 

I loved singing in harmony and somehow, without any formal lessons, I learned how to pull harmonies out of thin air. I could just hear them in my head and sing them. With my two brothers, I could always find harmonies to sing. Now, my younger brother is good with that, too. 

I prefer lyrical music. I love songs that tell stories. I love songs about life, feelings, love, happiness, and, of course, sad times. Music heals us when we need it. It stimulates us when we need encouragement. If you have something to say, and you can say it with music, there is nothing better (poetry is good, too, but music is so much more powerful).

John Denver was, in my opinion, the best songwriter of the 20th century. When he died lots of people had feelings of emptiness. His music meant so much to so many people that I am still amazed by it.

I've been sick since just after the Christmas holiday. I am still fighting off a cold that stubbornly remains in one form or another. Right now, it is the stuffy head and drainage that plagues me. But, I am finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. This is the worst cold I've had since the 1980s and I am ready to move on... so, get with it immune system.

Last night I picked up my guitar for the first time since December 23rd when I played guitar at my wife's family gathering in Cincinnati, Ohio. I played it just for a few minutes, but, it was nice. With the cold, I was just not feeling up to playing. Still, last night, I was not ready to sing.

One thing is certain, though, as I lightly played and my wife stood nearby talking to me, my heart was soaring as I looked at her knowing the love she has for me.

I wrote a song for Mary Rose and sang it at our wedding. I can't think of a better way to say "I love you" than with song.

Here is that song:

We're Having A Heat Wave

We're having a heat wave. It's finally in the thirties in Mid Ohio. We've had over a week of single-digit temperatures and wind chills as low as -20 degrees. Seeing 32 degrees on the thermometer this morning is a welcomed sight.

Every year in Columbus there is at least one week of sixty degree weather in either January or February. I am more than ready for it.

During this frigid weather I found it hard to do my morning workout. In the midst of it all I came down with the worst cold I have had since the 1980s. You read that right. Sinus headaches and stuffy nose issues aside, I still had an healthy appetite and I was still able to concentrate on business aside from the day gig.

I took time away from the day job in order to recover from the cold, but being the creative type, I did not sit idle. My wife and I set about planning a new business venture based on what I did years ago when I freelanced as both a graphic artist and a copywriter. I won't share any details at the moment, but, if things go like they did in the 1980s and 90s, it will be very lucrative.

It is important to always keep a positive attitude and keep your mind busy, even when you are sick and staying home from your day job.

The Future Belongs to Creatives

It is true that the future belongs to creative people. In the so-called "gig economy" the people who succeed will be the ones who can offer their professional services in addition to having the security of a day job. When a business becomes lucrative enough to go full-time, the lucky freelancer can start to really concentrate of growing their business.

There are multitudes of ways that people can start a small side income while continuing to work a day job until they can go full-time. You can start by assessing what it is you are capable of doing and figuring out how you can either create a need for it or monetize it in some form or another.

Now is the time to be creative.

Plan your future today.

Cold Medicines Are Unhealthy

If you have a cold and you want to restore your health, most cold medicines are really bad for you.

I was in Kroger (a local grocery store) looking through the assortment of cold medicines they had on the shelf and I noticed that every one of them contained acetaminophen.

Years ago I took an extra-strength medicine that is one of the most popular brands on the planet whenever I had a cold or frequent sinus pain. It was discovered during a stay in the hospital that I had "minor lesions" on my liver as a result of using that medication for all of those years.

My doctor told me to use Coricidin because it does not contain acetaminophen and is also safe for patients on blood pressure medicine. 

ALL MAJOR BRANDS contain this liver-damaging ingredient. ALL HOUSE BRANDS and generics that get branded for different store chains also have it. This is the same for cold, flu, and sinus medicines in pill and liquid form. The higher the dose, the more damaging it is. You are slowly destroying your liver if you are constantly taking sinus meds like I was for all of those years. I stopped taking them in 2010 when the lesions were discovered and haven't taken them since.

I went to Walgreen and found Coricidin there. By the way, the formula I am taking is the one with red gel capsules. It is not the liquid or the smaller pills, they have acetaminophen, too.

You have to be informed. Big-Pharma as it is often called these days, really only cares about making money. Your health is not important to them. This is the same mindset that was responsible for replacing really cane or beet sugar with high-fructose corn syrup in just about everything on the planet. That chemical sugar makes me sick and when I found out why I started looking for alternatives. They are hard to find and cost more, but, they do exist.

DON'T TAKE ACETAMINOPHEN. Keep your liver in good health. You'll be glad you did.

Gotta Love Vacation Days

I am home from work today. I took some vacation time in order to recover from a cold rather than work and spread the illness around the workplace.

In the old days, it was easier for people to stay home when they were sick. Basic expenses were not as high as they are today and the dollar had more buying power. Sadly, I doubt that we will ever see the types of incomes that factory workers used to enjoy in the glory days, post WWII.

I remember when I paid 25 cents for a loaf of bread and I filled my gas tank on $3.00 (I had a 1968 Dodge Dart back then). My first brand new car was a 1978 Plymouth Arrow. Boy, did I love that car. It cost me $4995 out the door. Let's see you buy a nice sports coupe for that price these days!

No, those days are gone.

We have a lot of techno-gadgets. We have more computing power in the average cell phone than the first Apple MAC computer. But, we can't seem to make living more affordable, in spite of all this technological advancement.

Are we really better off today?

If we are, then why are so many people clinically depressed?

Why have so many businesses that were successful for decades filed for bankruptcy protection?

I'll tell you what went wrong. We have technology. We have modern math and science. We have decades of experience. But COMMON SENSE just ain't common anymore.

Let's bring back a little home-spun wisdom and see if we can straighten out this mess before the end of another year.

Happy New Year

It's a new year. 2018 greets us with Arctic temperatures and a dangerous wind chill.

Burrrrr

At present, I am curled up in bed with a Lenovo tablet on my blanket covered lap. The air temperature in this big townhouse is about sixty degrees. We have an old furnace and a mediocre heatpump, so, right now, it is cold to the point of uncomfortable.

Unlike our previous home, we have ten foot ceilings and huge living space. It will cost us a bundle to heat this place if the cold persists more than a day or two. Predictions are that we will have these cold temperatures all week.

We were looking forward to putting 2017 to bed, but, at this moment 2018 hasn't done anything to put a smile on my face-- this coming from a very positive thinker.

Nevertheless, here is my wish for 2018 for anyone reading this:

May the new year bring you peace, love, and prosperity.

I hope the cold disappears very quickly and in its wake lies warmer than average temperatures for the duraction of winter. I a ready for summer.

I could use a little bit of global warming, if you know what I mean.

Blessings to All.