A Clear Advantage

"You do well for a young person." I paid a compliment this morning at the gym to a young lady for her tenaciousness. Us old farts have an advantage: we live simpler lives... with no kids, spouse, mother-in-law, school, mortgage, drama or worries. This gives us more time, flexibility and focus. Thus we are happier, enjoy ourselves and train more... a clear advantage over youth.

The key is to keep it simple. I have good friends and a mostly good family. In the past, I've tried to help people but have repeatedly ended up crossing the line and being instead a co-dependent or enabler. Since I have this problem, I decided to give up relationships. The Serenity Prayer is key. I've learned not to hold them but to fold them... and to get out of the game. I've been lucky to be able to carry through my plan: Without sticky dependents... and their drama... life is easier. I listened: My father guides me with a soft hand and an easy touch.

- © 2012 by Willy

Colloquialisms and Repetitions

The vernacular or colloquialism for the ubiquitous upper-booty tattoo is tramp stamp, which I learned from one of the sharp young people I mentor (I sometimes wonder if I learn more from them than they learn from me). This tat fact might have been actionable information for me thirty years ago but not now. We also discussed that brainwashing (frequent repetition) is not limited to Madison Avenue, to which she informed me that she already does that... tell all the boys, often, how cute she is. She also states that there is no kill switch on awesome, to which I could not help but LOL.

For twenty-one years I've worked out with younger Dallas, my brother from another mother, who continues to educate me as we press weight while I retell my experience... to laughs from both of us. Here, the reps are essential in order to stay huge.

I also repeat cardio to stay fit. While performing an early-season hike with my old buddy Ray last weekend, I praised him for his endurance (we did 12 miles and 2400 climb-feet in 6 hours). He replied that it was just putting one foot in front of the other, to which I remarked that this was true for life in general, and we both laughed while we bushwacked a shortcut.



Tomorrow is long and slow hike day, again. Today I did my usual early killer step class at the gym, some leftover weightlifting, got massaged and then again met a small group for an easy afternoon bike ride. I'm back to endos... mountain biking... besides my street rides and mountain hikes, whether in rain, wind and cold... or not. This year I'm training to bag a couple of 14ers in Colorado (hike to summit mountains above 14,000 feet). I'm bagging the peaks solo. My daughter says she's proud that I'm a badass. I'm tweaking my cold gear too... adding wicked crampons and killer ice axes, with which I'll boggle my neighbors' minds while aerating my front yard.

No matter the jargon, repetition and training are essential in life. It's all about having fun being bad... over and over again.



- © 2012 by Willy

Mamas, Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Coders

Life is not fair. Not for geniuses and not for the rest of us. The trick is to keep at it... whatever "it" is... ignoring the jeers and hearing the cheers.

Some of us have our own language, whether it's music, math or space. To a very bright 8-year-old, questions abound: Where does dirt come from? How do we balance on two little feet when we're much, much taller than these feet? How much does a bicycle tire act like a top? Why does water accept that extra oxygen atom to become hydrogen peroxide? Why does rocket fuel burn instead of explode? And how do we start that burn? How does an orbiting satellite resist the subzero cold of space on one side and the relentless sun on the other? How much does the earth rotation centripetal acceleration counter gravity effects? The wonder and questions are endless, at any age.

Every good engineer I know has some degree of Asperger's autism, obsessive-compulsion and attention-deficit hyperactivity... myself included. It's a recipe... it's what we're made of... and we're different.

As kids, we are easy targets for bullies to intimidate because we don't understand the social graces. What we do understand is that we can always be better at what we are. We stand alone. We thirst for knowledge. We must focus. Thus, with smug detachment, we continuously and repeatedly learn and apply what we know to obtain experience. With knowledge and experience comes not only the many significant contributions to space and science, but also success over bullies.

When mature, engineers contribute. I've contributed to produce many a machine. I've been published in over 140 technical reports, conference and journal papers, newspaper and magazine articles... even a poem about a machine. And I am now mentoring many young engineers on how to quench their own thirst.

The true engineer flowers late. We surpass and outlast the smug bullies and suave louses. I've had the satisfaction of ordering a burger from one of my school bullies... no fries with that... who had trouble giving me back change for a hundred dollar bill, at which I smiled. At one of the reunions, the bald fat captain of my High School football team tried to sell me insurance, as the fat former head cheerleader flirted, at which I had to laugh.

It's possible we might even outlive them.


- © 2012 by Willy

Singin' In The Rain

When hiking solo in the rain, I splash with reckless abandon.

Time passes faster, I smile more, and I enjoy this variation on the hiking theme. I have fun, just like when I was a kid.

My daughter reminded me of how much fun this is ("Dad! You have boots!"), mostly because we can hike faster through the mud rather than around it. My boots completely submerge at times. It IS loads of fun. "What a glorious feeling" said Gene Kelly in the movie soundtrack and its movie ad. He was having fun too, in his city street setting.


I did a familiar 7-mile, 700-climb-feet hike in the rain today, and I've done it often. This trail stays underwater at the flats.

I crossed a young runner, a younger dog walker and three even younger mountain bikers on-trail, and they were soaked. I had an umbrella.

I've taken care of friends, dogs, children, wives and more. Now I'm taking care of myself.

On the trail, I pray, meditate, think and sing. I always have a tune in-mind, to pace myself. Today's was Singin' In The Rain.

Also today, I got a bloody knee... next to the park bathroom. The devil keeps me humble.


- © 2012 by Willy