Opinions

You will find an occasional opinion from me as I post.  If you disagree with me on anything, that's OK.  I'm probably wrong anyway.

I almost never assume I'm 100% right on anything.  The world is far too complicated for something to be completely understood.  Most issues are too multi-layered for us humans to see all the different nuances and facets.  There are a couple of things I am as sure of as I can be, but that should be a different post.

Some will probably find this lack of "rightness" a little scary.  I'm a physical therapist in charge of the care of a wide variety of patient's with a wide variety of problems.  Shouldn't I be "right" at least some of the time?  My decisions probably fall into the "right" category more often than into the "wrong" category.  By "right" I mean that the results of the decision seem to be positive and by "wrong" that the results were neutral or negative.  Especially with what I do, there can easily be multiple different paths to the "right" decision.  This is where some medical professionals make a mistake.  They feel like they are "right" about a particular treatment or diagnosis and others are, therefore, "wrong".  It is not about you, it is about those you are trying to help.  If the outcome is positive, it probably doesn't matter much how you got there.  Just being pragmatic.

Here is the way I go about things.  I never assume I'm 100% right and I also never assume I'm 100% wrong.  It may not seem like it, but I avoid a lot of frustration that way.  If what I am doing is not working, then I try to find an alternative path.  It is the difference between moving forward and dwelling on the past.

 Also, when I feel I have acheived "right", I will often be proven wrong in the very near future.  Keeps you humble.  We all need that.

So, as a review:  1) I have opinions and so do you.  2) If you don't like mine, I'm ok with that.  3) If I don't like your opinion, you should be ok with that as well.  It's nothing personal.  It's just an opinion.

7/19/11 Bike ride

Got out of work today and hopped on my Jamis Satellite and did some hill repeats.  The weather is in the low 90's and humid enough such that it feels like you are breathing water.  I was sweating just pumping up my tires.

Distance: 14.3 miles
Pace: 14.8 MPH (there were a lot of hills, remember)
Repeats: 6

I wish I could tell the elevation gain, but I'm not sure.  I've downloaded an altimeter app for my phone, but I've heard they are unreliable/inaccurate.  Last week I did 8 repeats but I decided not to push it too hard.  And I wanted to get home for dinner.  Mmmmm...dinner.

Lame

If at any given point during the reading of this blog, you decide that my thoughts are inane, stereotypical, unoriginal, or boring, you must remember one thing.  I'm lame.  That's right, I said it, I'm lame.  I'm boring, safe, grossly unoriginal and bursting with sterotypical behaviors.  Sorry about that, but it's true.  Is this why people tend to like me?  Am I safe and predictable?  You betcha.  I tend to be unoffensive and friendly.  If you met me, you probably wouldn't remember me because I'm not really all that memorable.

Mohawk?  Nope.
Weird job? Nope.
Odd physical abnormality?  Nope.
Strange hobbies?  Nope.
Wacky religion?  Depends who you talk to, but my answer is "Nope".

If I told you just about anything about myself, you wouldn't be surprised.  It would all fit.  I must admit, I rather like it way.  It feels safe and predictable.  I like safe and predictable.

Since I like safe and predictable, the next question is "When is all this going to change?"  When is the upheaval, the life-altering event?  What will it be?  Disease?  Death?  Disability?  Extreme wealth?  Fame? (The last two seem pretty unlikely, don't ya think?).

Maybe I should seek out change.  Maybe I should find change before it finds me.  Face it head on rather than waiting for it to smack me in the face.  I probably won't.  Remember, I like safe and predictable.  We humans don't seem to embrace change well.  I'm not the only one.

Lets start with a movie review - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Being a serious dork, I was at a midnight showing of HP 7 Part 2.  There was actually a funny feeling in my stomach as the movie began.  I had been looking forward to this for months (years, really).  By the looks of things, I was not the only one.  One of the Van Andel kids was there (the tall goofy looking one that is behind the Van Andel Institute).

I was for the decision to make the last book into two movies.  Sure, there are obvious monetary gains from it, but the last book was so thick with action and drama that two movies made sense to me.  Through the vast majority of the film I was having a great time.  There was great action and special effects.  There was funny little moments that made you laugh.  Some of the final scenes of the characters mourning over those who had died were well done.  Someone in the theater was actually crying.  Granted, some people have trouble separating fiction from non-fiction.

There were small changes to the story line that didn't phase me and helped to keep things rolling.  And then the final battle between Voldemort and Harry.  I really wanted it to be in front of all the assembled characters.  I wanted Harry to tell Voldemort he had one last chance and he just needed to show some remorse.  I wanted Voldemorts own Avarda Kedarva to backfire into him, killing him.  I wanted everyone to erupt in joy when they saw that Harry had finally won.  I didn't get any of this.  Woe is me.

This has happened before.  I came out of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers actually angry with the production team.  They had butchered a wonderful book.  It took a second viewing to appreciate the movie for what it was, which was quite a good movie.  Admittedly, once I saw the extended version of The Two Towers I was like a gushing school girl again.

Do I need to see part 2 again?  Yes.  Will I love it.  Yes.  Will I love the ending.  Maybe.  We will have to see.

P.S. Oh, and I really wanted Harry to use the elder wand to fix his phoenix feather wand.  Sad face.

Everyone has to have a "First"

This is my first blog post.  I feel exceptionally awkward/uncomfortable/vain/conceited even thinking anyone else would really give a hoot what I have to say.  About anything!  I'm one of those people who tends to have a lot of thoughts running through his head but doesn't verbalize many of them.  I suppose this would be a good way of getting some of them out there.  But why should you care?  You probably won't.  I'm OK with that.

Topics I will Likely Cover:

• My kids - they're cute, cuddly, smart and a big ball of fun...except when they are sick, tired or hungry.  Then they have the personalities of an enraged, yet weepy, bear.
• My wife - I probably won't say a lot about her because I don't want to get in trouble.  I will say that I love her to the depths of my heart and am continually amazed she picked me.  She deserves better.
• Physical therapy - I'm a physical therapist.  I love what I do and am pretty sure it is what I was meant to do.  How many people can say that.
• Bikes - most of my free mental space is taken up with bikes and stuff about bikes.  I'm a roadie mostly, but I don't race.  I ride hard, but I'm not particularly fast.  I just really like to bike.
• Movies - I don't get to see nearly as many as I used to, but don't be surprised if a movie review pops in there.
• Church - I hope I didn't just lose you there.  I'm not going to preach or tell you what you should or shouldn't do.  I have beliefs, they are strong, and they influence every facet of my life.  And being an exceptionally imperfect person in an imperfect world, I will not judge.  If I do, call me on the carpet.  I won't mind.

I'm sure other topics will pop up.  This is all on a whim anyway.