Getting Back in the Saddle

Sunday I did one of the RICKA pool sessions. It was the first time I'd been in a kayak for months. This winter was bad for kayaking. It seemed like every weekend was either bad weather or busy personally. Of course, I didn't get on the bike either....
The beginning of the session was humbling. I decided I start out doing a re-enter and roll. Oh, I also left the mighty stick at home so I was using my back-up Lendal. Ah, bravado. It is painful thing. It took me many tries, and lots of swallowed pool water and bruised thighs, to get in the kayak. I refused to give up and did finally do the re-enter and roll.
Once in the kayak I was nearly spent. I took plenty of time pumping the water out of the kayak and recovering. TM was there to remind me to take it slow and let my body reacclimate to the kayak.
Once I started paddling around and practicing some braces, I started feeling at home. Kayaking is like riding a bike. Slowly, but surely, my sea legs came back. My turns got sharper and my roll more confident. By the end of the two hour session, I almost felt like a kayaker again.
I expected to be tired and sore Sunday afternoon, but I felt surprisingly good. It was Monday that the soreness settled in. I woke up with a little soreness in my core, but it was pretty mild. As the day wore on, the soreness spread to my shoulders and thighs. By the end of the day I was walking like something out of a Romero film.
Today, Tuesday, was only marginally better. I'm still stiff and sore. My walk is more of a shamble than a shuffle today. That is an improvement.
The moral of the story: the skills recover fast, the body does not. At 40+, I need to stay active through out the year or resign myself to being a couch potato.

Resolutions

I recently read an article by one of those magazine shrinks that said that the important part about new years resolutions isn't keeping them; it's making them that matters. The process of making resolutions forces you to imagine how you would like your life to be different and imagine actions you can take to make the dream real. The more specific the resolutions the better.
Since it is that time of year, I'm going to take the article to heart and make three specific resolutions; one for work, one for family, and one for me.
For work I resolve to work as part of a team that accepts nothing short of excellent. Far to often we settle for doing the minimum because of resource constraints or we accept crappy user interfaces because the developers know best. This year I resolve that I will strive to do what is needed to provide the maximum benefit for the end user. I will not simply accept good enough. I will not sit idly by when a developer creates a bad UI or tries to slip a buggy feature into a release because it is good enough or there isn't enough time to fix it.
At home I resolve to do more around the house. I have a bad habit of putting off washing the dinner dishes until H just does them. I also tend to let laundry sit without being folded. In the warmer months I'm not great at keeping up with the yard work. This year I will be better about getting this stuff done.
For myself I resolve to take better care of myself. This includes flossing every night, doing something active at least three times a week, and eating better. I'll think twice before stopping at the McDonalds for a super size Big Mac meal. I'll actually order non-fat lattes. I'll eat more veggies. I'll actually start using the gym at work.
I want to be around for Kenzie for as long as possible. I also want to be a good role model for her. I want her to grow up seeing her dad living a healthy lifestyle, treating his partner with love and respect, and striving to be the best the he can be.
I know I'll fall short of these resolutions, but I will try to get closer to living my life according to them.

Best Paddle of 2010

It is the time of year where I reflect back on all of the kayaking from last season and randomly pick one paddle to call the best of the year.
2010 was a slow kayaking year for me because of major life events. The year started off with a bang and I got to spend three days paddling with Sea Kayaking luminaries at the Rough Water Symposium. It was a good time and I got some great exposure to rough water stick paddling.
There were also some nice relaxing summer paddles that rejuvenated the spirit.
The best "paddle" of this year for me was the birth of Kenzie. It was a grand adventure that tested our emotional metal. The following six months have been a wild ride as well. I know it will keep changing and getting better.

Everyday Paddler: Most of the time. It's not enough

Everyday Paddler: Most of the time. It's not enough: "I have concluded that I am at odds with most or, at the very least, much of what is put forth as sea paddling's best practices, and I'm ok w..."

Thanks A Lot

They recently did a study showing that being grateful is good for your health and mental well being. The study also showed that while some people are naturally more grateful, ungrateful bastards like me can learn to be more grateful with practice. To be really effective, one needs to be specific.
I have a generally good life and have a lot to for which to be grateful. I am generally healthy, despite my penchant for McDonalds, lattes, and chocolate. I have good friends who accept me despite my foibles. I have been fortunate to have opportunities for interesting travel, learning experiences, and enriching hobbies. I have been blessed by having a solid upbringing by a loving mother. I was doubly blessed to meet a wonderful partner who loves me even when I'm a PTA and supports me when I need it.
This year I have a lot of extra things for which I'm grateful. During what is hopefully the worst economic conditions I will ever see, I have not only managed to stay employed, but was lucky enough to find a better job. I was given the opportunity to experience some of the best kayak instruction o the planet this summer. I was also lucky enough to be able to afford some of the most innovative and game changing products that have come out in decades.
The thing I am most grateful for is K-bug. She is a treasure. She makes the frustration of several years of infertility vanish. I am grateful to all of the people who helped us in the journey. I am grateful to her birth parents for giving us this chance and loving her enough to place her in our care. We could not have asked for a better adoption experience.