Blogging, Blogging...

So, it's been a few days and I haven't blogged. But I'm up pretty early this morning, and the dog is not yet clambering to go out, so maybe it's time for a few words.

Legs Like Wet Noodles...

Thursday night I took this killer spinning class. We had a sub and she announced at the start that the class was actually going to be an "Interval Spin". Now, if you don't know quite what that means, let me tell you (and you really have to trust me on this) it is really, really tough! I used to take Interval Spin classes about six years ago when I was in great shape and, even then, the class would kick my ass. I could go out and run 13/15/or 20 miles or whatever, but that spinning class would kill me. So I usually took two of those a week (along with 2 other regular spinning classes). Anyway, an interval class focuses on very specific and timed periods of intensity, followed by very short and measured recoveries. Usually with escalating intensity, followed by decreasing periods of recovery. And the recovery is an "active" recovery, not complete rest, mind you. So, for instance, you might start out in 3rd position (which is a standing climb out of the seat) with the resistance at a 7 out of 10, and then you might double-time in the saddle for 30 seconds, then up in standing (second position, out of the saddle) at double-time pace for 30 seconds, and the full-out sprint in third position (standing climb, out of the saddle). And then at the end of that, you're gasping at around 85+% of heartrate max, you are "given" 30 seconds of "recovery" before you have to repeat the cycle. Only this recovery occurs while you are still in your standing climb position, at the same resistance -- you're just not sprinting or double-timing. Anyway, repeat this series of invervals a few times and throw in some extra resistance as you go along, some longer sprints and maybe a shorter recovery allotment at some point and different and creative intervals of a similar vein and, well, it becomes a gasping, sweat-flinging fest. Also add to that the fact that I am in terrible shape and you can maybe start to get the picture. I did it though, I did not sit out even one of the intervals, and I felt great afterwards.

Reward (and the Price to be Paid)

We all felt so great after spinning, in fact, that we decided that we would forgo our usual beer or two at a local bar and head on up to Ellen & Ken's roofdeck to drink some beer there. Ken had just that day made a beer run (the latest special was Alexsander Petrouvski Russian beer) and so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful night while drinking Russian beer, while Ken served us various selections of BBQ that he was cooking right there on their Webber. Ah, it was heaven. Well, heaven until I looked at my watch at some point and realized that it was 11:30 PM. Yikes! So, it was a mad dash to Penn Station and I was lucky enough to be just in time for the next train (it could have been a bit of a wait, if I had hit it wrong) and so I was home by around midnight. Of course, I can never go straight to bed in these circumstances, so I had to putter around at home for an hour or so. Needless-to-say, I was exhausted and not at 100% capacity on Friday at work. Still, I managed to get a surprising amount of work done. I think plunging myself into my work and keeping myself busy all day helped to stave off total exhaustion. Once I finished what I was working on, I basically crashed. So, yesterday was about catching up with sleep, milling about the apartment and doing some simple tasks, like laundry. It was a good day for that sort of thing anyway, it was really far too hot to get out and do much.

Changes on the Horizon... ?

So, I've had a lot on my mind lately. Dissatisfaction with the way things have been going at work recently, unease with my future in my current situation and my growth potential, complacency with my job and responsibilities, unhappiness with where I'm living and the lack of life quality it offers. I mention all of these things here from time-to-time. Anyway, I don't want to say too much here because you never know who is listening but... it is possible that I will have the opportunity to apply for an incredible job, working for this fabulous company, located in a place where I would just love to live (and where I actually have more family than I do in the NYC area). The position would be a big step up from what I am currently doing, but using a lot of the skills, knowledge and experience that I've earned in my current job. It would be a lot more money. Enough that my money worries would basically be no more. My debt could be paid off relatively quickly, I could save some real money, I could take decent vacations and probably buy a house (if I wanted to go that route), I could actually hope to retire someday (in the vague, distant future). The thing is, the job would be a HUGE step up for me. A truckload more of responsibility, far more diversity in the scope of things I would have to know and have my hands on. The expectations of me would be presumably very high. I have varying degrees of experience in most of the areas that it has been laid out to me that the position would cover, I just don't know if my experience and knowledge is enough, and that is a scary thing. Although, I have to remind myself, when you get to a certain level in the job market, your knowledge and experience is, of course, very important, however a company is also just as interested in who you are and what your potential is, and how that all fits in with the company and the specific group that would be taking you on. People can be trained afterall, but you can't really change personality and attitude can usually only be changed marginally (or at least change can be elusive). Another problem for me is the fact that I have worked for my current company for sixteen years. Just typing that amazes me, I can hardly believe it. Anyway, having worked for a company for so long (especially a quirky, privately-held, software company) you become comfortable with the corporate structure, the culture and internal politics, who the players are, the expectations and where you fit into it all. Thinking about stepping out into a whole new environment after so long is frightening. Yet also very exciting. I guess, my biggest question to myself is, "could I do this job?", "Could I thrive in this situation?" I don't know, but very little is ever gained by playing it safe and never taking chances. I certainly wouldn't even be in the position to even consider this job had I not taken the chance, oh, about 10 or 12 years ago and moved to a technical department on the faith that I was going to be able to become technical. I could have crashed and burned there, that's for sure. Anyway, it's not as if anyone has offered the job to me yet, I am just, possibly, going to be given the opportunity to apply. There will be a long road of (presumably intense) interviewing before The Job even became a possibility. I mean, I haven't even updated my resume yet. But anyway, this is all on my mind. Heavily on my mind. Scared and excited and worried and hopeful and lots of other emotions swirling around. Anyway, LOTS to think about.