I started work a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised at how nice and welcoming everyone was. My boss actually sent out an email to everyone to introduce me and asked them to welcome me. So people already knew which school I was from, that I like cycling and where I live. My first paycheck was pretty nice, although the bonus was heavily taxed, by heavily, I mean 50%! There are coffee machines (with tonnes of flavors to choose from, although I don't drink coffee) and filtered water (something we never had back whence). There is a vending machine that has quite nice snacks for only a quarter (because the company subsidizes them). The work hours are nice too. I normally come in at 8.30 and leave a little after 5 - longer than most people at the company! We have breakfast brought in every Friday, and every second Wednesday we have lunch brought in. All in all, a quite nice environment to be in. Equally important, the project that I am working on is quite interesting. Although of course, I have to work on things that are not 'mine', which is totally fine. In grad school, you are supposed to work on your thesis, however, I spent perhaps 25% of the time working on my advisors pet projects. Now that I am at work, whatever I do, directly goes back to the company.
One afternoon, a colleague and I started talking about cycling. He used to ride quite a lot but haven't been doing much lately. I suggested to ride together sometimes. There was no response from him, which was rather weird, so I walked away. Moments later, I get an email from him saying that he wanted to ride with me....So the following day we rode with a club. He is a body builder, who has too much mass on the upper body. He does have legs, but absolutely no endurance. So we got dropped at maybe a third of the ride. He kept on apologizing and asked me to give him another chance, that he would do this and that to improve and be better for the following Saturday. So last Saturday we rode with the club again. We did a 60 miles ride with plenty of climbing. He was actually not bad and was faster than me on the climbs (must be all the muscles). However, he bonked and had to ask others for food because 'he was going to faint', we then had to stop for a meal, and then he cramped. He said that he must be the most problematic person I have rode with - I couldn't have agreed more. Yet I can honestly say that I don't mind the trouble, however, he complained constantly, saying how he couldn't make it, that he's going to give out and had to let every living thing know that he was struggling....seriously!? Man up. As well, he is, how should I put this, quite dumb. He called himself retarded and that he doesn't like to use his brain.
The following day, I was supposed to do a recovery ride. So I found another club to ride with. The recovery ride turned out to be a 40 miles ride with some climbing. I met a quite eccentric guy during the ride who has a handlebar moustache, grew up in China because his parents were missionaries, has a huge tattoo on his arm, used to smoke and has a phd in English literature. Given how different he is, I was surprised to find that we actually have a lot in common. And during his spare time, he likes to read and learn new things. So that day, I rode with a guy who wanted to better himself, and the day before, I rode with a guy who lifted weights and didn't want to tire his brain....you can see who I enjoy talking to more. Anyways, this moustache guy (sorry, the moustache was just too distractive) wanted to have dinner...when I heard him say that, my heart just sunk - I'm just not cut for this dating thing. There is so much expectations etc. Why can't people just go out as friends and see where that leads? That way, you can actually learn about the other person in a more genuine way. Anyways, we will ride and have lunch instead. Let's see where this leads. Based on past experiences, the chances of things working out is low, but he is a nice and intriguing guy, so I would like to get to know him as a friend and perhaps something more.
Ok, so tired now, it's probably because nowadays, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I get up at 5 am or before to go to cycling gym with my new coach. He has rollers there that the students use. And he has 2 rules. First, no questions. Second, no complaining. The second is easy to satisfy, but I warned him that I'll have questions because I want to know why I'm doing what I'm doing....He told me to just listen to him. However, I break the first rule numerous times during each session, it just cannot be helped. And this went back to my friend (the Russian guy) at the bike shop, who told my coach that I want to know why because I am smart. My friend told me that my coach doesn't like questions because there was once someone who stole his training techniques and went to open a cycling school himself.
