New Year’s Resolution, One Month Early

For the past six months, my job has taken a huge chunk of my life away from me. While I wasn’t working 12 hour days, it sure felt like it since I would see my girls for only one or two hours at night. Many times, I wouldn’t see them at all since I was on the road dealing with traffic when they woke up, and attending other functions around the Phoenix area by the time they went to bed. And while the absence of my girls from my life was leaving a huge whole emotionally, I was also suffering physically. The added commute time directly subtracted from my daily exercise time. And, while over time I didn’t have to commute two and a half hours per day, every day, I was not very motivated to exercise on the other days either. So, over the past six months, I’ve gained 5 pounds about an inch in the waist, and lost far too much fitness. As a result, I’m most likely in the worst shape of my life.

This is a far cry from three years ago, when I was in the best shape of my life. Three years ago, I completed El Tour de Tucson in 4 hours and 58 minutes. Fast enough to qualify as a Platinum rider. I then ran a half marathon, only to be hindered by a sore knee. I easily had enough juice at the time to complete the run. Slowly, family life took control of my life requiring more and more time. This is natural, and now I can see why and how so many middle aged parents gain weight while their kids grow up. It’s happening to me now. But, I’m not going to let this continue!

First thing on the list was to take care of the job. Check.

Next, I need to get back to the thing that had me fit enough to do 110 miles in one day, and still be ready for more: bicycling.

This is where I start my New Year’s resolution a month early. I can’t start this early enough. I miss being on the bike often. I’ve managed to be on my bike only once a month at best recently, and I have always been painfully reminded how much I miss using my own power to get my butt around town. This is the time of year to do this, and the time is now.

While my new office doesn’t have an official bike setup, they are very open to the idea, and I’ll figure out a way to get back to one of my favorite things: bike commuting. BIke commuting is what dropped my weight from 240 pounds to 195 pounds. Bike commuting is what helped me gain enough fitness to finish el tour in personal record time. Bike commuting is what gave me balance in my life. I am going to start commuting by bike once again…finally!

Remebering Christmas

Tonight, I pulled the big fake Christmas tree out of the closet, and helped my two girls set up this year’s Christmas Tree. The smell of fake tree, the glow of the mini lights, the glass ornaments always leads me on a trip down memory lane. More over, I think of how Christmas for my daughters is different, and will always be different, than the Christmases I remember.

In particular, I thought back to the times (I can’t be so sure about how many) when we would all go to with my mom to her store, and help set up the Christmas displays. When my brothers and I were small, each under 10, and living in our original childhood home in the southern part of Tucson, just east of I-19, my mom was working hard at what as then Skaggs Drug Store. This store was nearly a 30 minute drive one way for my mom, and she would always come home late. Nearly always after our bed time. Even being so young, we knew our mom had to work. Besides, we would call her after school every day complaining that one of us was breaking some house rule … but that’s another story.

From what I remember, these Christmas parties were part work, and part Christmas party. There was food and drink provided. I think some times it was even a potluck. But, as far as each employee knowing everyone else in the store, this was definitely the case. I mean, my mom knew everyone, and we had several good family friends working with her at the store. Me and my brothers at least knew the names of the other kids in the store. In all, it was a fun time, even if there was some work involved.

These are fond memories of a time long ago. In fact, every time I visit a local store with a big Christmas display, I think of the people who took the time when the store closed one day, and put up all the ornaments and helped to decorate the trees. I doubt there was a big family gathering when it came to putting up the displays in stores nowadays. In fact, I’m guessing, the family has been taken out of the retail work environment. From what I remember, I think the modern retail store worker is missing out on some good ol’ fashioned family fun, with some family memories thrown in for good measure.

2009 Mora Family Calendar

Every year, since Eliana was born, I’ve gone through the task of gathering the best pictures we’ve taken in the past year and add them to a calendar for the next year. It’s been somewhat of a time capsule since there have been times in our busy lives where I look at the pictures on the calendar and say out loud

“Golly gee willikers, that was a year ago?”

Every year, I print out three copies, one for us, and one for each set of grandparents. This year, I’m going to do something a tad different, and make a PDF available for your viewing pleasure to see what we’re enjoying every day of the year.

I welcome your feedback you have on the preview PDF.

Has it been that long?

When this phrase usually pops to my mind, I’m usually referring to my girls. With my oldest at nearly five, and the in depth conversations I have with her on a daily basis, I can hardly believe the time has passed so quickly. No, this time, I’m going to really refer directly to myself.

This weekend, with our short trip to Tucson, will mark the 8th wedding anniversary of my wife and I. Has it been 8 years, already? Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday, but most times lately, it feels like a lifetime ago. Back then, things were different…

My wife and I met in Tucson, Arizona on July 6, 1999. I was an intern at IBM, and she was assigned to be the Korean translator on the product. Times were different as this was before September 11, foreign travel like this was common among translators. I remember she was wearing a black suit. I think back then, she wore mostly black anyways. (She’ll have to correct me in the comments.) It was a quick three weeks or so, but we managed to keep in touch because she went to school in Boulder, Colorado. Eventually, I finished my schooling, and a year later, I moved up to Boulder to start my new fresh out of college job at IBM. That was the summer of 2000.

Over the next few months, we stayed in close contact, and, well, we somehow ended up at the Boulder County Clerk’s office. There, we officially became a married couple in Colorado. That day was November 22, 2000. It was an odd feeling, as I remember asking her “Do you feel like we’re married?”. It turns out, she was thinking the same thing.

Over the next few years, we’ve had our ups and downs, as does any normal couple. We moved into the same apartment in Boulder. Eventually had to live apart for six months while I worked at a new job in Tucson. We bought a house. We had a baby girl, and learned how to be parents together. We then had another girl, and started it all over again. We moved to Phoenix, into another house. It’s been a long journey, and it’s been 8 short years. We’ve been through things for better or worse, thick and thin. Where this wild ride will end is anyone’s guess, but after all the crazy things we’ve shared together, I’m pretty sure we’ll be tackling life’s challenges together for many years to come.

Happy Anniversary, W.

History

What a night. In my short time on this earth, I have been witness to a few events in history, but all of them had little to no effect on me or my family. Tienanmen square, the fall of the berlin wall, even the attacks of September 11 while close to home, had little direct impact on my life (yes, I’m not counting the police state that followed shortly after). But today, the dawn of a new day, a new moment in history, the first African American President. The different between those other historic events, and this one is those others were clouded in fear, terror and suppression. Last night’s history represented change, hope and promise.

As an avid Internet user, I was watching the chatter floating along the tubes, and all of it was so positive, as if the Internet breathed a collective sigh of relief. Relief that the stupidity of the previous two elections had managed to not repeat itself. Relief that hope has prevailed over fear.  Relief that democracy still alive in the heart of America.  While the country can’t ignore it’s recent past, it now has the leadership and capability to deal with those issues intelligently and move on.

As I watched Barack Obama’s acceptance speech last night, I couldn’t help but grab my two daughters close. I knew it was a joyous moment. I wanted to have them there to listen to what was being said, because at some point in the future, those words would have a positive effect on their lives. They would look back in time and ask, “Daddy, did we listen when we when the United States elected Barack Obama”. I wanted to give them the honest ability to answer yes to that question, and be proud.

While Obama will not be the magic bullet to all problems, I do feel that he is the right man for the job. A man who actually does represent me, personally, in the executive branch of the government. He does represent hope, and that is what this country needs after eight years of agonizing fear and terror.

My First Political Rally

I’ve never been a political person, as I always thought politics was a sideshow intended to keep some people busy. Of course, this is the worst possible way to treat the democratic process, and this current election cycle is having a profound impact on my view of politics and the democratic process in the United States.

I would still classify myself as a Ron Paul supporter. If you see what is happening in the financial sector these days, it was pretty obvious that Ron Paul knew what he was talking about. He is the only person who ran in the primaries that wanted to not only end the war in Iraq, but remove all United States occupation of foreign countries. That meant closing all foriegn military bases worldwide. Perhaps this would be a drastic step to some people, but one that is necessary. Other countries have embasys here, but no military presence, so why does the United States have almost 200 bases abroad? Not that I know about foreign policy, but I do know that all those bases cost money to maintain. And rather than spend the money outside the US, why not spend it here? I could go on and on about the American Empire, as my research has lead me down some very disturbing rabbit holes. Needless to say, I didn’t like what I found, and it has motivated me to at least try to participate so that my children will have a future without such problems.

So, as it was today, part of my journey toward being a patriotic citizen of the United States, I took the opportunity to check out the Obama Rally in Denver today. I am in Denver for a programming class, and decided to use the time to recharge my batteries. I set up this trip nearly two months ago, and only last night, after trying to figure out what to do, did I find out that Barack Obama was going to be giving a speech at the Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver. I thought if nothing else, I would be able to hear what he has to say without media interruption, and I would be able to experience firsthand what all the fuss is about when it comes to political rallies, and take some cool pictures while I was out there.

From my friend’s place, I took the lightrail to downtown, and in the process already ran into several nice people who were obviously voting for (or have already voted for) Obama. From there, it was on to the park, where a line that streched around several blocks awaited me. I forgot to bring my jacket because the forecast was supposed to be for nearly 70 degrees; it was 45 according to my iPhone. I wasn’t sure of what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the civility of the crowd. Only after I looked at the Denver Post heading did I find out that 100,000 people attended the event; the single largest crowd to attend a political rally in the United States. I feel pretty humbled to have been part of it, even if I was just one amongst many.

I was in the back of the crowd the whole time. I didn’t even catch a glimpse of Barack Obama, however, I did hear his speech. While I can’t say that I was deeply moved, I was impressed by his few moments of candor with such a large audience. He repeated many of the political jibber jabber that goes on in a campign without being demeaning or attacking his opponent below the belt, or with subjects that don’t really matter.

He arrived, he talked, and he left, and I was at least part of the moment. It’s not much, but it was still an impressive sight to behold. Prior this his appearance, but after his opening acts had completed their local campaigning, the sound of people chanting his name was something that I hadn’t heard before. I heard this faint chant of “obama” coming from somewhere. In less than a second, it grew lound enough that I could determine the source: the amphitheater where he would soon be speaking. And shortly after that, I could truely hear the chant in full blast. It was very impressive.

In all, I would say, that I am still a Ron Paul supporter. If the republicans had the wisdom to nominate him instead of their current nominee, well, things would be different. However, I actually took the time to read (listen) to Barack Obama’s book, The Audacity of Hope, and was agast to find out that his struggles as a youth, as a working class man, as a parent and as a human were so close to my own, that it was clear that if I couldn’t vote for the guy to who made the most sense, well, I could vote for the man who at least symbolicly represents me in the government. And, that is perhaps the reason why he is so popular. The nation can see in him a little piece of themselves, somewhere. From the minority angle, to having only mom around, to having to fight for everything he ever had, this is the story of most American voters.

I’m not a drastically different person after all this political soul searching. I am moved after seeing so many people dedicated to the cause of getting one man elected to the office of President of the United States. I see their enthusism, and somehow find it containgious. I will continue to push myself to particiate in the greatest experiment in the history of the world, as it is the only way it will succeed. I want to continue to set a positive example and leave a good foundation for the future, for my children, and for everyone else’s children. That is what drives me these days, and it seems, that is what drives Barack Obama, and that is why he gets my vote.

Cochise County Cycling Classic XXI

I can’t believe that the time for the 4C (Cochise County Cycling Classic) has come around already. It seems like only yesterday I was beaten down by the harsh winds and crazy hills and struggling to pull my butt across the finish line. Wait, why am I doing this event again?

This year, I thought I would have enough time and motivation to get back into cycling to be able to finish the 92 mile trek across the backroads of Southeastern Arizona with minimal trouble. I have been going to the GABA rides, lately, and getting in a few full weekend spins in under my belt, but I haven’t put in anything near the 92 mile I needed for this event. I knew I was in for some pain at the end, it was just a matter of how much I could endour.

The ride out was a tad wet, as the rememants of a hurricane were making their way across the gulf and into the desert. I was trying my best to stay with the lead group at this early part of the ride beause they would help block the wind at least until the ride started to go up into the hills behind old town Bisbee. No such luck this time. It turns out that I’m in the worst shape of my cycling life. I couldn’t even manage to keep up half way to the uphill portion of the course. I was so tempted to turn off onto the 45 mile route. I knew that if I couldn’t even keep up with those guys, I was done for the day. I reluctantly journeyed up the hill with a monster headwind while climbing a mild 4 or 5% grade. I actually made some progress on some people, so I started to feel a little better about myself. Then came the 8-10% part of the course. In my very early days of cycling, I hated hills. Then, I grew to love them as they made me stronger, and I could finish them off without too much pain. I wasn’t at the point of hating the hills, by then, but I really wasn’t looking forward to this one either. I took my experience and knowledge and kept riding up the hill at my pace, and mine alone. The trip through the Mule Pass tunnel on bike is always a little freaky, but this time wasn’t so bad. I guess I am just used to it by now. Once the big hill was over, it was time for the big giant downhill. This part of the course made the uphill so worth it. I flew down as fast as I could, I wantedt o enjoy the ride down. Unfortunately, head and cross winds made it difficult to catch the 50 mph milestone I was trying for. My top speed down that section was 45 mph. Not too shabby, but I’d been that fast before.

The fast part of the downhill is fairly long, but then it levels out into a more gradual downhill, where you can pedal moderately and still get some good speed going. It was here all alone, just me, the bike and the road where you can achieve bike nirvana. Hearing the sound of the wheel rolling on the road at a speed of 35 mph is sweet music. And having to put as little effort into generating that sound is icing on the cake. After coming down from that high, it came time to tackle the second half of the course. The long road home, riding into headwinds no matter which direction you are going. My legs were pretty much spent by this time, so I just decided to go at the best pace I could, and try not to hurt myself. I eventually flatted, and recovered. It took nearly 4 hours after reaching the turnoff at Davis road to reach the finish line. Not a good performance. The last 20 miles on highway 191 were done at 10mph or less with a 30 mph headwind howling at us the whole time. I eventually made it to the turn off that was 6 miles from the finish. I took a break and sat down with an old man and woman who were there to make sure all riders were safe. They sat me down in a chair, held my bike, offered me some water, fruit and candy to make sure I would make it to the finish line. The old woman offered to drive me to the finish, however I felt bad in doing so after having ridden so far, and come so close to the finish under my own power. She said she would drive me a half mile to the end and drop me off so they wouldn’t know. But I would know, and I in the future, I could not, in good conscience, tell my kids not to cheat if I did so myself. I turned down her generous offer and rode for 6 more miles of tormenting winds.

I eventually made it to the finish line, tired and dehydrated. As soon as I checked in with the event officials for my time, I plopped on the grass, and laid there, for at least 30 minutes. My legs were sore, I needed water and fruit, but knew that I wouldn’t be able to stomach them. I must have worried my brother, who finished with no problem. I mean, I looked and sounded like I was going to be sick. I felt like it too. I found something at the Circle K to get me hydrated and give me a little energy until I could make it to dinner. After a while, although I was still sore, I was able to walk, and felt much better in general. At least good enough to have some food.

In all, the 4C event is a good ride to see how well you will do in el Tour de Tucson; it is a much tougher event considering you are battling all the elements on your own. I know that I won’t be doing all that well this year in el Tour, and will probably switch to a shorter route for my own sanity and safety. So, until el Tour, ride safe

Goal!

Yesterday was a busy day, but one marked with celebration. It was the third game of the season, and the nerves of the kids had settled a bit as there has been a few less tantrums about playing in the games.

But, there was cause for celebration as Eliana scored her first goal of the season. She had been pretty close in her previous games, only to be distracted at the last second.

While it is always great just to see her play, it’s nice to see her have fun and score and just stay involved. I want her to love this sport, and many others, and pushing her into it is not going to instill that in her. But, a little hug and encouragement, especially after a goal should do the trick, now and in the future.

Sunlight

Yesterday, we made our first family trip the Chase Field to see a major league baseball game together. As part of the deal, we went with the AYSO package that let us in at a slight discount, and as an added bonus, let is walk on the warning track prior to the start of the game. It was pretty neat to be down on the field, and I was able to get a few good pictures.

Movin’ On Up

It’s been about two and a half or 3 years since I purchased my first DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera. Over that time I’ve documented much of my families activities as well as grown my own personal picture taking abilities. My introduction to the hobbyist world of photography was with the ubiquitous Canon Digital Rebel XT (350d). This camera was so popular, that everywhere I would go that required picture taking, I would see at least 2 or 3 other people with the exact same camera. Even yesterday at the Diamondbacks baseball game, I saw someone with one. It’s a great camera, and it was easy to understand why it was so popular. Alas, it was time to put the past behind me, and step up to a new camera.

Since my experience with the Rebel XT was so positive, I decided to stick to the same line, and simply upgrade to the Canon Rebel XSi. My favorite improvements are the larger screen (3.0″  vs. 1.8″) and the better kit lens that comes with it. I’ve only had it for a day now, and the only grip I have is that the image size is even larger than the 8 megapixel images I had with my old XT. And, now, I’ve got to find a faster SDHC card since the ones I have are a tad on the slow side. So far, the images have been great.

Keep shooting!