Pleased

I am pleased by three things today:

1. When I got up this morning, I weighed 139.6 pounds. That's the first time I've weighed under 140 lbs since, oh, about a decade ago. Happy, happy, happy.
   
2. I went on a 40-mile ride today and barely noticed a hill that had been really challenging early in my training. In fact, it was so easy that, at the top, I looked at my ride partner and said, "Let's do it again!" (We did.)
3. Mike made a great suggestion for how to prevent getting stuck again on the book, which I am going to try to implement: just write down all the stories that I know are going into the book, and worry about the organization later. (I have a tendency to start writing, become uncertain exactly where the chapter is going, and then stop writing after about a sentence.)

I've also been thinking about priorities, and revamping my somewhat ambitious training plans. Outside of work, I think my priorities are:

1. Mike
2. the book
3. training
4. losing weight
   

That's the order in which I'd sacrifice them--obviously, I'd prefer to do some of each, but you--or I, anyway--need some kind of structure to help prioritize.

What this translates to in practice is that I will probably sacrifice one of my long rides on weekends to make room for the book/other social engagements, and I may have a somewhat erratic schedule at the gym. I don't have to get serious about training until October-November (some might say December), so I have room to be a dilettante for awhile. This is the vital window of time during which I can achieve something on the book.

Which means it's time to stop procrastinating, and go back to work on it.