Leftovers

Well, not much cycling has been going on as I missed my outside ride Wednesday. I made it up with 90 minutes on the trainer, but well, its the trainer... So, I was tagged on another site to write 25 random things about me. I thought you guys might enjoy it as well, so here goes the leftovers for you to chew through.

1) One of the most unfortunate things that defines me as a person is I'm a habitual procrastinator when it comes to things that hold minimal levels of interest for me or aren't going to cause me undue anguish if I put them off for a while and even then I still tend to put them off.
2) I like to be involved in conversations as far as listening to people talk and share stories and will interject my own anecdotes. However, I don't consider myself all that great at verbally communicating my true intentions or feelings.
3) I communicate well in written form (see #2). If you've ever read my blog, race reports, or emails where I have something to say, I can usually make a 10 word subject into something almost painfully long to read. However, it's the way I write and I try not to limit myself just for the sake of others reading what I have to say.
4) My wife and daughter are a massively important part of my life, but I still tend to forget that on a seemingly regular basis by operating in a self indulgent and independent manner.
5) I feel like I fail at being the best husband and father I can be at regular intervals. I see the guys that I admire in this respect and it leaves a hole in me knowing that there's something about me that makes me cling to independence and keeps me from wholly letting myself be engulfed in my family.
6) #5 is something that causes me both sadness and joy as I think the independence I do keep actually makes me better as a father and husband. In doing so, I fight a pretty fierce internal struggle almost daily on figuring out which way I should lean that day.
7) I consider myself a bit of a renaissance man in that I have more than just passing knowledge about a lot of varying things. Examples would be I can rebuild a motor and perform many auto related repairs, I have crocheted an afghan blanket, I can do counted cross stitch, I did everything in our basement remodel except lay the carpet, I can operate a various number of heavy machinery and farm equipment, I have a good amount of knowledge of various things about pregnancy and birth, and I have shot various targets from 500 yards+.
8) While I have tons of various skills, I still feel like I lack something specific that would define who I am or what I am capable of. I longingly read accounts of people doing extreme things (mountain climbing, ultra cycling, etc) and how they've found themselves during these tests of their limits and dream of doing the same thing someday.
9) I finished in a tie for 2nd place at the national indoor archery championships. I missed 2 arrows out of 120 out of a 1" bullseye at 20 yards.
10) I love my dad, but find it very difficult to share that with him by expressing it.
11) While my wife is my closest friend, I don't currently have anyone else that I'd consider a best friend. I've had a couple best friends throughout my life, but as I've gotten older, I haven't found a true kindred spirit yet that fits the bill just right.
12) I treat my friends the way I want to be treated as a friend. In doing so, I think I probably have some people shy away from me as being a little overly nice/interested/willing to do things as a friend.
13) I get anxious when I actually ask people if they're interested in doing something- riding, hanging out, etc because I think I might be overstepping bounds of certain friendships (see #12).
14) I think personal compliments rock even if I act like they don't. Someone told me recently they thought I was a great dad and it absolutely made my day.
15) I never drank on any regular basis until I started mountain biking. Even though I typically stop at 2 beers or less, I'm fighting to get back to not drinking on a regular basis so I can be a better mountain biker.
16) I lose myself in a hobby once I get interested in it spending way too much money and time. I shot competitive archery for years, then I moved into fixing/hot rodding cars, and now I'm in to biking. I'm hoping/planning the biking thing sticks for a good long time.
17) I got my nickname "Buckshot" from my grandpa and regret not thinking to thank him for a good nickname before he died.
18) I live in the house I grew up in and haven't moved in 30 years (I'm 31).
19) I currently own a car with a custom paint job valued at over $8,000 but it hasn't left the garage for 2 years because it has no engine or trans due to me starting a new hobby (see #16).
20) The guy that tagged me was a complete stranger over the internet who reached out during a very dark time in my life offering a shoulder and advice. We shared many personal conversations before we ever met in person almost a year later.
21) The only bone I've knowingly broken was in the back of my hand after punching my brother in the face during a stupid teenage argument.
22) I'm afraid if I keep riding my bike my streak from #21 won't last. It's not the break I fear, but the time waiting for it to heal.
23) My wife and I own an online lingerie business that we're currently expanding to do home parties for. It was inspired by friends of ours that own an adult oriented business.
24) I haven't shaved my legs (yet), but have shaved my chest before.
25) I wish there were more of these to answer as it gave me almost 2 hours of procrastination time...