Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

My brother says that all the time. I don't know why it's the title, except that I keep hearing him say that in the back of my head. So there.

So...no posts in a week or so. You'd think I didn't care about my intrepid readers at all.

This week has been one of those weeks. You know the kind. There is no accounting for the time spent, but it did pass, and with some haste. You feel like you've been extremely busy, but you can't point to anything that you accomplished. There was a hectic pace to everything, but you aren't sure why. One of those weeks.

So, today I had these grand plans to join a group mountain bike ride at Annadel State Park. I spent yesterday evening tuning up my bike, cleaning out my camelbak, ensuring I had spare tubes, tools, and chain bits...the whole pre-ride drill. I was fairly nervous about the ride, for two reasons: 1) I have never ridden with this group before. My group rides have always consisted of small groups of friends...this was going to be with a group of people I didn't know. So, I wasn't sure how I would be, you know? Like, am I going to bonk in the first five minutes? Is my derailleur hanger going to break at the farthest point from the parking area? Will I have the technical skills and stamina to stay with the group? I didn't want to be the boat anchor...the guy everyone is waiting on. I am sure, if that had happened, that the group I was riding with would have been gracious and kind...that's just how mountain biking is. That didn't stop the little bit of nerves that I had, though. And 2) I had never ridden at Annadel, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I had checked all of my favorite mountain bike sites for trail info...but that's never the same as riding it.

Notice how I said "had?" Turns out, my stomach had other ideas. I spent the greater part of a night either on, or in close proximity to, the throne. I woke up at 3:30 a.m., and after countless trips to the head, decided I should probably take some Immodium AD. No dice. So, I felt like I had a real bug. I finally fell back to sleep at ~6, only to be woken up by my alarm so I could call the guy I was supposed to carpool with and tell him I wasn't going to make it. I then kinda-sorta slept until 9. When I got up, I went downstairs and parked in front of the North Carolina-Arizona game, in a zombie state of mind. My food today consisted of gatorade, one slice of dry toast, and a banana. I took a nap this afternoon for a few hours...when the dogs weren't driving me insane. I got up and had a little bit of dinner. I feel some better, but not much. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

I probably shouldn't be in front of the computer (it's making my headache worse), but I can't help it. I am bored. I'm not very good when I'm sick. I whine alot, and generally act very cranky. I know, I know. Some of you may think that's my general state of being...trust me, I'm worse when I'm sick. I tried reading earlier (a new author that I bought on a whim), but it's terrible writing. It's like if Danielle Steele, Robert Jordan, and David Eddings somehow were melded into one giant, bad Super-Author. Only worse.

Okay, that's all for now. I have reached my pain threshold...time to go stare blankly into space.