Category Archives: Thoughts

The ramblings of a madman

I am lost. I am hurt. I’m confused.

Things are changing and they are changing a lot. The changes aren’t good. The changes aren’t bad. They are unnecessary. I feel like they are unnecessary. I say that because I don’t want them to happen. I don’t want the changes to come.

Challenges. New and bigger things aren’t always welcome or expected. New and bigger things aren’t always better.

Who am I? I need to remember my words. I need to remember my identity.

I am strong. I am smart. I am cunning. I am devious. I am vicious. I am vindictive.

No. That’s not right. Let me try again.

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The Journey of an Expat: 4 years later

4 years ago, I moved from a small town in the mountains of California and arrived in a small town in Texas. And a few days later, I wrote a very eloquent blog post about it. A bit heavy on the rhetorical devices, but good none the less.

In the last 4 years, I’ve met and lost some good friends only to get some more. I found new passions in life and new people to enjoy them with. I’ve really put some roots down and my Dad and step-mom even came to visit me. I became debt free, became a home owner, and now have a mortgage and debt again. I’ve learned a lot, grown as a human, and I’m now almost an adult.

It has been a good 4 years. I’m excited what the next four years will bring. This year, I have to say, is going to bring fruit wines.

God and grief

I heard the most outrageous thing. I heard someone say that a 3-month-old served his purpose on Earth and was taken back to Heaven.  The problem I have with that statement is that it makes God out to be kinda a dick. He lets the parents have their son, who fulfills his purpose in 3 months, then the kid is out of there. Sounds great for God and the son, but where does that leave the parents? Did they not love their son? Did they not have hopes and dreams for him when he grew up? Does God not care about the feelings of the parents, siblings, and other family members, just cause He knew better and it’s not His fault the parents loved their son? That is truly a dick move, no matter who’s doing it.

“But Andrew, God is always in control…” Continue reading

The Austin Rattler 100k 2013: Plans and such…

I’ve been noticing a spike on in my blog traffic, all because The Austin Rattler 100k race. Most of that traffic found my race report from last year. The race report is one of my blog’s most popular posts. That’s not saying much, but it’s still true.

If you’re looking for any good info on how much climbing, why times are so slow, or what not, I don’t really have any inside information for you. But what I do have is a particular set of skills… my plan for this race.

Well, actually, I do know these things:

  1. The race is going to have more jeep trail on it than it did last year.
  2. That’s just a rumor that I’ve heard.

I guess that’s all I know. Not super helpful. Anyway, back to my plan.

Last year, I DNF’d. This year I’ve been racing much faster and harder, and while I haven’t done much endurance riding, I do expect one of these two things to happen:

A. get pulled feeling better, or
B. not get pulled and finish.

I did some math and found out how long it would take to ride 62 miles at a few different speeds.

10 mph = 6:12
11 mph = 5:38
12 mph = 5:10

I know that the cut off is at 1:30 PM, five and half hours after the start. I did more math and to make the cut off, I need to go faster than an average of 8.5mph.

To help me get to these goals, I am going to be much more proactive about my eating and drinking than I was last year, since it’s a little too late to get a bunch of endurance miles in. I’m going to eat every half an hour, so if the race takes 6 hours, that’s 12 “meals”. I hope I like the food I bring. 

My Plan (in it’s entirety, but in no particular order):

  1. Eat early and eat often.
  2. Go at least an average of 10 mph.
  3. Don’t die.
  4. Have fun.
  5. Keep my feet going in tiny, concentric circles.