I’m not sure the title of this post is accurate. It has definitely been a strange year, especially the last couple months, but nothing that is really that far out of sync with what I’ve done my whole life. I am pretty surprised to still even be alive. I don’t mean from fracturing my skull, but just from the way I live. If you would have asked me 20 years ago if I was going to live another 20 years, I would have said probably not.
I’d say the same thing now. I hope I am wrong, like I was 20 years ago, but in worldly terms, it doesn’t really matter.
Not much good, at least so far, has come from whacking my head a couple months ago. One thing is I know how many true friends I have. That isn’t even counting the people I don’t know, but would like to. I know a bunch of people that really care for me, which is super important. I think I might have missed this without the injury. I know it now and appreciate it more.
A couple years ago I wrote a list of New Year’s resolutions. I guess it is just of list of things that I thought I should do to be more like who I’d like to be. The things on the list still need attention. At least from me. So I guess I’ll just repost it and hope that this next year I’ll be more mindful and attentive to accomplishing them. Here it is –
I’m not much into making resolutions. I try to live life without resolutions and try to solve issues and make decisions on a daily basis, thus no need for making promises to myself on the first day of the year. But, I’m going to try to come up with a list of things anyway, not necessarily promises, but things I’d like to address or do this year that I think will make my life more significant and happy.
1) Try not to be shallow or have preconceived notions about others.
2) Spend less time on a computer or looking at any screen for that matter.
3) Practice mindfulness: state of active, open attention on the present. I think this applies to above.
4) Race new races and travel to new places to race my bike, even though my results will suffer because of it.
5) Try to read more, books, not online.
6) Make a bucket list. (I doubt I’ll do this one, since I like I said above, I live my life in such a way that I cross things off the “imaginary” bucket list before I know I want to put them there.)
7) Ride my bike or walk more to do errands.
8) Address health issues even if it “interferes” with bike racing.
9) Listen to more live music.
10) Sleep more.
Have a safe New Year’s Eve and a Happy New Year!
Brian and I rode to Red Rocks yesterday.
I’m not in very good shape yet. It was pretty windy coming back and I was beat.
Trudi and Parker skiing up in Cable.
Tucker and Hawkeye excited about walking in the woods.
Dennis on his new fatbike.
100 bucks says 8 aint happening .. And u should have 11, not 10, and 11 should say , wear my helmet all the time!
Happy New year…May you get back to “normal” as soon as possible…Chances are that you’ll never need a helmet again…..But you never know when something bad will happen again. I’ve only landed on my head and smashed a helmet once in 33 years, but without it, it could have been as bad as your crash.
Happy 2017 Steve!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and life on this blog.
Caught Fleetwood Mac n Jackson Browne at Red Rocks 1977. Eat your hearts out kidzzz haha. Oh shit did I miss 2016?!
i am starting a blog but no one reads it. probably because of my TBI.
Number 11 should say block all of crums posts.
cracks me up when people say shit like, i won’t be alive in x number of years. unless you take a gun to your own head, you can’t predict your own mortality, regardless of how you live. anyways, happy new year and continue healing up!
Happy new year everyone…you too, Steve. Here’s a resolution to follow: volunteer in your community, or where ever you might be. Helping out with a group or on your own. People of all ages from kids to the elderly who are less able and could use the help are out there. Stop and open your eyes and ears and you will find them. Helping your fellow human beings is very healing and energizing for your own health while using your abilities for the good of others who may be in need.
Thank you for your blog, Steve. Its brought me plenty of enjoyment over the years.
In no particular order for my 2017
-eat healthier, less alcohol
-ride more
-fly hang gliders more
-appreciate how well off I am in the overall scheme of things
Wishing you the best!
Happy New Year Tilly! Be well, lets ride….slow of course.
Hang in there Steve. Whether your really understand or not, your life has changed. I am really happy to see you out riding your bike and looking at your life. You have had a great life and I hope it keeps right on going. I didn’t know you during my racing career as I am a few years older and tended to dislike the being away from home and friends, but I do enjoy keeping up with you. Cancer took my riding and racing away for the rest of my life, I am really glad your head injury does not seem to be doing the same to you.
Scrum, did you make a new year resolution list? If you didn’t, you should. If you did/will, the following 5 resolutions should be on your list.
1) Stop giving people unsolicited advice on what they should do/have done. Especially when I will not be affected by the choices they make/made.
2) I will try to “Live and let live.”.
3) I will self-evaluate why I routinely read blogs. Every time I begin to read a post from a blog I routinely read, I will ask myself the following question:
WHAT’S THE REASON(S) WHY I ROUTINELY READ THIS BLOG?
I will then make a conscious effort to select the best reason(s) from the following options. Based upon the option(s) I select, I will use my conscience to determine if continuing reading this blog is a productive and positive use of my time.
• I have nothing better to do. If I wasn’t reading this blog, I’d be watching another cat video on YouTube.
• Reading this blog affects me in a very positive way. I absolutely love the philosophical posts. Everytime the author posts a story about how he/she shows compassion for people that are less fortunate than him/herself I try to emulate the authors actions.
• I hate my life and I have to read this blog so I can fantasize what it’s like to live the life I wish I was living/lived.
• I’m a bicycle riding and/or racing fanatic. I’m absolutely obsessed with anything and everything that’s bicycle related, I can’t get enough.
• I am vastly superior to this blogs author. I’m doing him/her a huge favor by routinely making comments telling him/her what they should(‘ve) do(ne).
• Making comments on this blog momentarily relieves the debilitating effects of my clinically diagnosed Tiny Penis Syndrome. The only other time I get relief from my TPS is when my big-rig truckin’ buddies let me sit in their big-rig 18 wheeler Peterbuilts and let me honk the air horn.
4) I will improve my time trial race times by 15%. I will do this by going to a wind tunnel and perfecting my position. I will also not turn my head when cornering while wearing my extreme tear-drop time trial helmet.
5) I will start to sock away money so in a few years I’ll be able to buy my very own Big-Rig 18 Wheeler Peterbuilt. Owning a Big-Rig 18 Wheeler Peterbuilt will cure my clinically diagnosed TPS.