Conservatism vs. Consumerism

I have a ceiling fan hanging in the middle of my family room. It has a light kit underneath, nothing special about that. The photo is a representation of it, not the actual unit.

Over the course of a last week two of the three lights stopped working. In a matter of good conscious I decided to replace all three with CFL energy efficient bulbs. Again.

The first time I did this a year ago, yes before Al Gore's movie, the color emitted from them was a ghastly yellow green. Our family attempted to get used to the lighting but after a few days it was apparent we would rather sit in the dark than turn on the lights. Maybe thats how we are supposed to save money?

So they went away.

Sunday I replaced all the lights in the ceiling fan with CFL's. The lights this time are a perfect white light. I simply matched up the converted wattage of the CFL's to the normal bulbs but ended up with a much brighter room and a serious contrast to the lightening in the rest of the downstairs. Not to be deterred we decided next week we will buy more environmentally friendly bulbs at $3.88 a piece at a lower wattage to tone down the family room and move the brighter lights to the outside lights.

New problem.

Since Sunday I couldn't figure out why my tv remote was taking so many 'clicks' to react to a command. When I replaced the lights I also upgraded some wires on my entertainment systems' components. I figured I moved the cable box out of alignment with our seating. So I moved my arm up and down and stretched it left and right and sat in different spots always aiming the remote at the cable box. I changed the battery's. In all cases after several clicks the command would be accepted to change the volume or channel or whatever.

The next day, after a long day of work, sitting in front of my gigantic flat screen DLP HD tv, in my ultra bright family room, I started to get frustrated flipping between programs. And when I get frustrated I get inspired. So I asked my wife who was walking by to flick off the lights.

Immediately the tv began accepting my commands. Could it be?

Yes! After a few minutes of flicking the lights on and off and quite a few "Oh My Goshes", it was confirmed that three 100 watt CFL bulbs 8 feet up can disrupt the commands sent from a tv remote to a cable box, a distance of about ten feet apart.

There's some moral decision here. First, I could stop watching television in a well lit room out of frustration of pushing a button five times for one command. Two, I could go out to the garage and tap the stockpile evil incandescent bulbs and zone out stress free in beautiful soft white light.

Yeah. I know. The garage.

This week was the 515th anniversary of Columbus reaching the New World. I have a feeling that well before we even get to the 200th anniversary of Thomas Edison inventing the light bulb he will be subjected to the same outrage. Thomas Edison the destructor of the environment for creating the light bulb! Well I say how dare people tell me I have to use energy efficient light bulbs when that means I waste energy switching channels. Where is the savings in that?

So a warning to all of you other do-gooders out there. Energy saving light bulbs may lower your energy bill by pennies a month but absolutely will increase your frustration level changing channels.

new photos

Mo and Mistress on the farm of our family friends outside Seattle. Mo spent the night and got to play with the chickens and eat blackberry's off the vine.

Mo at swim practice. Notice the speedo? He doesn't like board shorts.

He doesn't like his hair spiky but for some reason on picture day at school he wanted it spiky.

A quesiton...

Why in an indoor (paster wall) pool with a white paint job, does the water still look blue?

My maintenance man asked me that question Friday, "You're a triathlete, let me ask you..."

I responded, "I'm a triathlete not a pointed headed, smart guy scientist. But I will ask some friends that are big book readers."

So I poise the question to all of you. Is it the way the lighting reflects off water molecules, like why the sky is blue. I suppose that even in aerial photography of oceans water is blue even though you can't see the bottom.

Inquiring minds want to know...

Say Again. Again.

Things have been really good at Casa de Comm's. Training and work for the most part have been exciting. Our family has been spending some quality time together and bonding really well.

Unfortunatley I have been having some problems with this old head of mine. The last year or so my short term memory has gotten worse. My word recall has gotten to the point that people who don't know of my condition ask me if I am okay. Even people who do know of the ongoing obstacles have confessed that my conversation patterns and word usage has degraded. A halting speech pattern I thought I overcame a decade ago has returned. But if nothing else, I have some really funny anecdote's.

It certainly takes me longer to write cogent blog posts and important business letters than it did a year ago. (Upon personal approval of this post it took 2.5 hours to draft and proof before upload).

Today we had a company meeting. In two separate conversations, I called two people I talk to everyday by different names after we had already been talking. They sort of noticed that. Another was an employee whom I have known for five years, I forgot her name. Complete blank. She asked me to change a number in her stats (which I update at the end of each month) and I just couldn't remember her name. Luckily we were in my office and I have prepared for such mental lapses by having every employees name written on my office walls and once I found her club, I was able to recall her on the board and she never noticed.

Mistress and I are having communication problems. Not in that we yell and argue, hardly, but more along the lines of her not being able to express what she is doing in ways I will understand and me processing what she is telling me. Part of this is the normal loss of clarity between a couple that has been married for ten years and quite normal I think. I mean c'mon, do you really hear everything that your spouse says to you? Exactly. Not long ago, my mom noticed a change and mentioned it to Mistress who validated her concerns. They have been working together to find some solutions for me.

She has also noticed me more depressed this year. I certainly have my down moments, which I attribute to Ironman training, long work hours and such. I have been around people who are depressed and I most certainly have never seen myself in that light. I have always tried to maintain a sunny disposition. Some of it I think I can dismiss as presumptive on her part, but I think it's easier for her to see this in me, than I in myself. No one wants to be called depressed and I certainly don't think I act that way.

But I myself began looking towards some answers over the last few months. I was especially interested in recent studies on retired NFL players who have suffered repetitive concussions and traumatic brain injuries and now in their late 40's and 50's are entering into greater numbers not only into depression but Alzheimer's and Dementia which statically people do not enter until their 70's.

Mistress, with my support and blessing, was able to schedule an appointment for us this week with a doctor who specialized in neurological issues from head injuries. In the last two decades the profession of head injury has flourished. Back when I got mine, serious head injuries were really not taken, well seriously. That has changed. We are hoping that I can sort of get a 'Tune Up' on my cognitive abilities and learn some new techniques for retrieving words and names from my head.

Well that got rescheduled due to Mistress being pretty sick from a sinus infection she picked up in Seattle last week. I thought of going alone but I really need her testimony about my changes and have my degeneration come from someone who has witnessed them. I mean are you going to take the word of someone with a head injury on how they have changed? Didn't think so.

What I am confronted with, and perhaps for the first time, is that while I am a miracle recovery of traumatic brain injury and it makes for a funny and interesting lifestory; I have not recognized or admitted that some daily challenges exist that I have only faked my way through, dismissed concern about or created routines to overcome.

This is by no means a post about depressing or evil things. I am excited about life. Loving my training. Looking forward to some big happenings at work by the end of the year. I am actually looking forward to getting some help coping with my cognitive functions. If for nothing else than to be able to say what I say without worrying if what I said made any sense.

That make sense?

Crowds

I have a hard time being around crowds. When it comes to tight spaces or confined environments, I am just fine, put me in a crowd of people and I tend to become very frustrated. It think part of it is that with the mental routines I am constantly cycling through from my head injury, I know I can't control other people and when I get around them it affects my ability to control myself so I forget things like who I am with, where I am going, what I am supposed to be doing (which is why I us lists), what I was going to say. Thats why I tend to be defensive in crowds and towards the back of groups I am with, so I can see everyone. I used to think it was because I was some sort of protector looking out for those around me, but that is a fairly tale. Its because I need visuals to remind myself about whats going on.

People often wonder why I don't have more parties at my house. I have, by comparable means, a rather large house with lots of stuff for people to do and lots of toys for kids to play with, but to me its my Fortress of Solitude. Its the one place I know I can go that shuts out all the noise and allows me to not have to think about all that I say or do. I can sit and read and drink my fizzy water and when I need some additional sensory de2 Mistress has no problem with me going upstairs while Mo watches a movie and I get the buzzing out of my head.

I suppose its common. People have different levels of crowd tolerance they can handle. We have all had our moments where we are completely frustrated by the slow movers in front of us and the jostling that occurs at fairs and concerts and large gatherings. Its a part of life that I try to avoid.

Interbike 2007 report from the floor

My very good friend and advocate Kevin, is the owner of Tribe Multisport. His company is the largest triathlon store in the Phoenix metro area and as plainly obvious at any local triathlon, has a tremendous footprint in this incredible sport most of us enjoy. Not only does his crew uphold quality customer service that honestly puts most LBS to shame, Kevin genuinely is a man who cares about his customers and their level of experience in his store.

As many of you know, I would not think a trip to the valley is complete without introducing you to Kevin. And as especially Nytro and Benny have found, his generosity lasts past my presence or that singular event. Kevin and his crew truly make me proud to introduce them to new people. How many of you simply must introduce your out of town guests to your LBS crew? Exactly.

He is a fountain of information in the sport and innovative in his approach to business. Recently he took his entire staff to Interbike in Las Vegas and he wrote a message to many of his close friends relating his experience. I knew immediately it was gold and asked if I could post his message, which of course he gave full consent to do.

Please enjoy.

Howdy everybody,

With all of the Interbikes I have attended, it is getting increasingly difficult to get excited about it. When I was a kid, you go to the show and are blown away at the sheer magnitude of it all, being awed at each turn of every isle seeing one new thing after another. Then, you get older and it becomes quite routine; you know, the same bike lines with close to the same product with new splashes of paint and some slightly varied component specification. …and even worse, when you become a shop owner, you literally sign your life away. I go to the show with the responsibility of “forecasting” the year to come with pre-season orders. This includes all of the bike lines, some of the accessory lines, and all of your clothing lines.

This year was a little different. At first glance, the show seemed to be just another dog and pony show of last years stuff with new shiny paint. BUT WAIT!!! There was new stuff every where I was winding up. J!!!!! New wheels, new frames, new computers and heart rate monitors, and completely redesigned clothing lines. Below are some of the highlights that caught my eye.

BIKES:

For me, Argon 18 had the show stealer. Their new triathlon frame set is not only wicked cool looking, but functionally correct. It is the Element 114 and it is very obvious that they did their homework when it came to the finishing touches. They use M-series carbon throughout, proper internal cable routing, functional and beautiful integrated aero bars and fork with 6 cm of adjustability (!!!!!). Wind tunnel testing was off the hook for this guy too! They also have a version called the Element 112 with conventional cockpit for those needing a more affordable option.

Cervelo is staying the course with their resilient and proven P3C and P2C offerings. New paint and a new $2,500 option on the P2C. They have a new road frame that is quite a find… The RS: a race bike for the older athlete or distance road racer.

Felt is always good for good looking bikes. Their ability to “buy” market share is diminishing a bit, but they still offer some neat stuff. They have a Tri bike that is $9,500!!! Holy cow! It looks really cool, but 10K? Not for me, but thanks.

As for complete lines, I am most excited about Jamis, oddly enough. They are not really known for their “wow” factor, but they brought it in truck loads this year. They have a road line up that is to die for. The buzz about the show was, “did you see the wind tunnel results for the new Jamis?” You may want to sit down for this one: A wind tunnel test was conducted with almost all of the heavy hitters and specialty bikes and the Jamis Zenith T bikes TOPPED the list. There will be a line for these. J Good thing I sell ‘em.

Kuota is always strong and their booth is always packed. I am their number one dealer in Arizona, number 4 in the western half, and number 12 in the world and I even had to wait for them to create a free moment to walk me through line. Their road bikes are always amazing, and their tri bikes are among the best of the best. This year, they are trumping that!!! The new Kueen K is a sub 900 gram triathlon frame that Norm Stadler rides and now we age groupers can too… and it is sweet! They also introduced the K-Factor SL; it is 400 grams lighter that the K-Factor and more substantial looking. I have already received some of these for the floor, so it wasn’t as exciting. LADIES!!! The K-Factor will now be available in an XS frame in a women specific geometry! Yee Haw!!! It never hurts to have some options.

The lightest bike at the show was at our local frame builders booth, Ruegamer. Brent had a sub 8 lb road racing bike!!! It is ridable and way cool! As I attended meeting after meeting, Brent’s name kept coming up. The big boys noticed him and are keeping an eye on him.

There was a slew of way cool bikes with ginormous price tags from the usual suspects: Time, BMC, Look, Pinarello and others. Beautiful? Yes. Ridiculously priced? Uuh huh.

WHEELS:

Lew, Lightweight, Mavic, Reynolds, Zipp and others were showing off their ultralight wheels. Lew and Lightweight are the lightest of the bunch (currently), but they are really expensive ($3,500-$6000). Mavic has the new Carbone Ultra (and so does Tribe) and they are almost as light with NO weight limit. J Zipp has retooled and changed their line up a little… they are joining Blackwell with a 100mm rim and are now offering a more aerodynamic disc. Reynolds is offering a bunch of new wheels and in my opinion, the most complete racing wheel line up among the bunch of ‘em. They now have a disc wheel and an 85mm rim’d wheel/set. Really sweet. There are more race-able wheels in the sub $800 category to include some in the $450ish range!

CLOTHING:

Usually, it is the same old stuff with different colors… NOT THIS YEAR! Holy cow! This spring will be gangbusters when it comes to the many choices that the triathlon market will have.

Zoot is still going to be the industry leader with their proven lines and innovation in technology. Come late February, Zoot will release their new running shoe line. There is so much design and intelligence that went into this shoe, that it most likely will receive some awards. It is so functional for triathletes that Newton will be shaking in their shoes. Diana is currently testing them… feel free to hit her up for the results in the near future.

TYR is re-born. They blew my mind!!! They completely redesigned their entire line up; scrapping their tired old stuff in favor of technically proficient and smart looking pieces with excellent color stories. I can’t wait for this to hit the shelves in the Spring. They are also offering some new goggles that seal like there is no tomorrow. Large busted ladies, Tyr will be offering a new sport top that not only will give you coverage, but also will hold everything in place. We had one of our gals give it the bounce test and it passes with flying colors!!!

Pearl Izumi has some great new running shoe offerings that will hit the shelves come late Feb, early March.

Jaggad and 2XU are looking extremely sharp for 2008. Again, I’ll have their offerings on the shelves come late winter and early spring.

WETSUITS:

It was funny how many manufacturers were saying, “we are the only company using the new Yamamoto 40 neoprene.” It got to the point where it was practically a joke, laughable if you will. Either Yamamoto is lying to their wetsuit companies or each company is completely oblivious to their competitors… who knows.

Zoot still offers the very sweet Xenith. They will now be offering a lower priced version of the same technology in a suit that will hit $450.

Blue Seventy, Neo-Sport, QR, Profile, Aquaman, and others are offering some updated versions of their offerings from last year.

2XU has some new features on their suits as well… you know Tribe will have them in stock the second they are available.

Nineteen continues to impress us all. Not only is their customer service to die for, but their product just keeps getting better and better. They us a blend of Yamamoto in the flexibility zones and Jako in the durability zones. Jake tried one on and both Diana and Jake will be sporting the new Nineteen Frequency as their wetsuit of choice for 2008. (Note: They were not comp’d the product, they purchased it!)

COMPUTERS/HEART RATE MONITORS/POWER METERS:

SRM is still the king of the jungle with their $3,000 plus power meters… BUT WAIT!!! They have some serious competition. Tons of technology hit the market this year. Let’s see if I can get it all to you here…

Power meters and cross compatibility was the “it” thing this year. Garmin has the new 705 forerunner and edge coming out! Super cool and way functional… the 705 allows interface with the majority of the Power Meters out there.

Polar was showing off their new wireless version power meter. They have worked out the bugs from versions past. Their demo version seemed to work, but is is still very clunky looking. Polar is now offering the 810 GS which is GPS enabled. Other than that, staying the course.

QuarQ is joining the foray of Power Meters with a lower cost alternative to SRM. Not quite as refined, but I love to see the competition.

I-Bike is still one of my personal favorites. They work with a few short comings at a very low price tag. Whoa! They fixed the short comings and now offer a complete wireless system and can also be used on a trainer!!! Yee Haw!!!

VDO will soon hit the market with one of the slickest heart rate monitor/bike computer around… did I mention that it will also do theoretical Power for less than $400?!!!!! I can’t wait.

Sigma continues to be the bang for the buck option that absolutely no one can beat. The bike computers rock. The heart rate monitors make Polar worry. …and their customer service is A++.

As always, the show is overwhelming and yielded a clear portal as to what 2008 will offer up. Now it is time to get my nose back to the grind stone. Please feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions about product that is on the horizon.

Honor

I swear there is an Ironman connection here.

It's hard to teach a four year old about honor. First it starts with action and then philosophy. When Mo and I play with a swords, (foam, plastic or wood) I have taught him ritual honor. We always bow to each other before charging (like jousting knights). When we hand each other swords we hold the sword horizontal balanced in both hands and we bow our heads (think samurai ritual). Mo gets all that.

The philosophy of honor right now is the 'Please' and 'Thank yous'. Addressing adults as Mr. Jeff or Miss Wendy. Saying Yes and No instead of Yea and Nah. At night we talk about how good deeds and politeness honors your parents.

When I finished my first Ironman, I got the tattoo. My business partner/mentor/boss has had this thing about tattoos. Doesn't like them. Doesn't want to see them on employees at work. I knew that I would get the tattoo and I would honor my bosses personal tastes by wearing a 3x4 inch band aid over it when I wore work shorts in the office. I wear shorts practically every day so I have been buying $10 worth of bandages each month to cover it up.

I had hoped by honoring my partner, the figurehead of our company, and discussing my personal choice to employees to get the tattoo and cover it, it would show honor to him and set an example for the company. Well there may be honor amongst us but my example did not spur a run on covering an increasing number or tattoos among employees.

Most people who knew what it was, thought I was silly. "We're in the fitness business. You have an Ironman tattoo, not some skull or barb wire on your arms or legs. He should have no problem with that."

My response has always been the same. I wouldn't ask, if he found out and allows me to show it, I will. But there is no honor in asking for forgiveness when I did not ask for permission. 'Forgiveness' for lack of a better word, needs to be received not asked for, in this situation.

Today I picked him up at the airport, he commutes from Seattle two or three times a month for a few days at a time, and as I carried his bags into the office he asks what I did to my calf. I explained I got an Ironman tattoo last year and covered it up at work since I know he did not like tattoos.

We were just walking in the parking lot, and he says to me, "Commodore, that's just silly. I don't care if you show you Ironman tattoo."

I can see how this could be such a trivial issue to read about, but the implication to me is huge. I showed honor to my partner for many months when no one else did. And even though it appears he had no interest one way or the other on the subject, I upheld myself and my honor for a long time to a standard that I know he has expressed in the past and I am proud of that.

To be released from that standard, to know my honor saw me through perhaps a silly situation, to proudly show my M-Dot among a company or fitness oriented people, is so awesome for me. It's like I got inked all over again. And it gives me an object lesson to talk to Mo about when we discuss honor tonight.