I love holiday weekends! And I love short work weeks following them.

The trouble with weekends is they end too quickly. It’s no reflection on the job. I enjoy my work. In fact, when I am not at the office, I have a lot of creative pursuits in which I engage and I can never seem to get enough time to accomplish as much as I’d like because I can always find more to do.

I am not bored.

In the past week, I have bought a new domain, www.mickeymaguiremusic.com (to promote my musical activities and songwriting). I have put together the website twice (long story). I have rebuilt my primary website, Tricorn Publications. I have submitted an article to a magazine for publication. I have bought and tested a new PA system. I have photographed it and added the images to the music website. In short, I have been very busy. But, I am always busy.

I need a good holiday weekend. Do I have plans for the coming weekend? You bet. I plan to work on the next issue of Ukulele Player Magazine and also work on some music-related stuff for the promotion of my music. I am also planning on promoting speaking engagements. I will be doing some seminars on positive thinking and finding your passion in life. I also plan to do some seminars on leadership and team building.

No, I am not bored. In fact, I am never bored.

The weather channel predicts thunderstorms for today. That’s fine. I have plenty to do inside and even if I can’t run my laptop for long before the battery needs a recharge, I have a tablet with eleven hours of batter life. I’ll be fine, either way.

I have a new domain to promote my music: Mickey Maguire Music is the name of the site. Here is the URL:

http://www.mickeymaguiremusic.com

On that site, I’ll have audio and video samples posted, a gig calendar, a music BIO, and a blog (titled News and Events).

Music  is another one of my passions. I have mentioned that previously. This particular blog is about pursuit of passion and turning dreams into realities. Well, the new domain is a part of that. I’ll me promoting and playing music publically again. Which also means that I’ll probably start writing songs again, too.

If you love music, check it out. The site is made with WordPress and I love the look of it. It’s really a nice looking theme that I’ve chosen and customized. The theme is “Weaver II” and really is well-suited for the intended purpose of the site.

Check it out. Click the link above..

My wife loved the first Japanese stir-fry so much that she really wanted another dinner tonight. Well, I decided that she is totally worth it.

I made a nice stir-fry with fillet mignon, bamboo shoots, water-chestnuts, baby corn, snow peas, onions and celery– served over rice. It was delicious and my wife absolutely loved it.

Here is a picture:

My wife raved about it. The meal was enjoyable. Mary Rose chopped the veggies and stirred the rice while I prepared the beef. I cooked it all and served it piping hot. Yummy.

I am a firm believer in celebrating success. Life should be full of joy. When you are happy… celebrate!

My wife won an important contract yesterday. She is a freelance copywriter. I am proud of her and I have watched her grow as both a writer and an artist. After yesterday’s events, she wanted to celebrate. She wanted to go get something to bring home for dinner. We both love quiet dinners at home and when we do go out for dinner, we pick our destinations based on how quiet and tranquil they are. We tend to favor Japanese steakhouses for that reason.

I gave my wife a little money and told her to go to a nearby grocery store and get a bottle of wine. That gave me about fifteen minutes to prepare rice. While the rice was steaming in the closed pan, I stir-fried chicken, sliced onions and green peppers and added soy sauce to the pan.

With the meat seered to lock in the juices, I added the onions and green peppers and turned them separate from the chicken until they were done. I then mixed them in and turned the whole thing until the rice was totally finished.

My wife came in with the aroma filling the house and she had a smile as big as Texas. I had her chop some celery and added that to the mix.

The rice was done. I put the rice on plates, added the chicken and veggies, topped with a little teriyaki, and we sat down for a delightful meal. All of it was ready in fifteen minutes. And that, my friends, is the joy of traditional Japanese cooking. It is fast. It is healthy. It digests well. It is perfect for a celebration!

Congratulations to my lovely wife, Mary Rose. You’re the best!

My wife took this picture to post on facebook. She was so thrilled.

It’s a great day to ride a bicycle.

Today, it is supposed to be in the low fifties by the time I am home from the office. I’ll be riding my bicycle. While I prefer fair-weather riding, I have done my share in poorer conditions, but there is something about riding on a sunny day that makes me want to celebrate life with every stroke of the pedal I make.

In truth, as a cancer survivor, waking up in the morning constitutes a good day. Being able to enjoy riding my bicycle makes it a GREAT DAY!

I started riding as a small child, like many people. I fell in love with bicycling and have never stopped but for the brief period after being diagnosed with colon cancer and undergoing surgery to remove the one small tumor that was found in me. Since it had not spread, and had not breached the colon wall, I needed no radiation treatments, no chemotherapy. But, some of my colon was removed and the rest was sewn together. Exactly one month later, I was working the day job. Two years later, I was riding a bicycle once more.

There is something compelling about being on a bicycle. The notion of it gnaws at me, it pulls my heart-strings. Yes, indeed, it does. As I write this, my Fuji bicycle sits in the corner of the den waiting for me to go out the door for a spin. And that is exactly what I will do– as many days as possible before the snow returns next winter.

So, if I am not home, should you call, look to the west and you will find me somewhere rolling on two wheels and sporting a very big grin.

The weather is warming slowly over the week. By the weekend, we are supposed to have temperatures in the fifties. I am already planning a bike ride.

This time of year can be unpredictable. That is why, when I ride, I wear layers of clothing and I have a bag on my bike rack that will hold any layers I remove (or may need to add) for cycling comfort. I started using a rack on my bike after I bought the Nishiki comfort bike. The first thing I did when I arrived home with my new Fuji was move the rack from the Nishiki to the Fuji in preparation for my first ride.

A rear rack adds a little bit of weight, but the convenience of having a rack cannot be understated. I have found that handle-bar bags are not as spacious as a rear bag, like the one I now use. The bag I have is a better solution for me than panniers (some people call them saddlebags). I like a small bag for under the seat, but, it does not hold much.

When you ride a bike, it is nice to have a place to store a wallet, a mini-pump, some extra clothing, and a few essential tools (in case you need them). My wife likes to add a few energy foods to her handle-bar bag. That, too, is not a bad idea and might come in handy on a long ride. Over all, I have found that the few extra ounces of weight are really a good trade for the ability to ride in comfort and be prepared for whatever might happen on the road.

This weekend, I’ll be riding. I am looking forward to it.

Well, I was awakened by my alarm clock this morning to find that we were the lucky recipients of the traditional March snow storm. Ask a lot of old-timers and they’ll tell you that Ohio has a long-standing tradition of March storms. In many cases, the snow hits hard and fast and is gone within a few days.

This year, it is a bit of a bummer because I just bought a new bicycle and I am yearning to start riding. I am ready to ride. I would have been ready to ride even with my old bike, but, with a new bike, I am more anxious than ever. Now, the forecast is for fifty-degree weather coming this weekend. If it is not raining, I’ll be on my bike.

I have a passion for bicycles. I find the meshing of gears, chains, and derailleurs almost an art-form. There is something quite magical about a Super-Record rear derailleur when it responds to the rider’s shifting of gears. It is music, a symphony of man and machine. It is effortless. It is flawless. It is the pinnacle of perfection. Yes, for those of the Dura-Ace school, Shimano and rider can also make beautiful music together.

I now anxiously await the cadence of the pedals, the rhythm of man and machine. I long for the ebb and flow, the rise and fall of legs as I propell myself across the pavement. My only regret is that once I start, stopping must come at some point. When I go to the office, parting is such sweet sorrow. But, then, there is always tomorrow.

Greg LeMond is a real American Hero.

If you are reading this, you may or may not know that Greg LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France. In fact, he won it three times.

Unlike Lance Armstrong, who now has admitted to doping his way to the podium, Greg LeMond RODE CLEAN. In fact, from the beginning of his professional career, Greg spoke out against doping. He wanted nothing to do with it.

Doping is Pointless!

The Tour de France is the ultimate test of human endurance. It is a 22-stage bicycle race, 2200 miles long with only two days of rest through time-trials, vineyards, and some of the toughest mountains a cyclist may ever face. It’s over 100 miles a day of burning muscles, soreness, fatigue, and little time for recovery between stages. If you don’t sleep well every night, you’ll never complete it. In fact, that’s all many riders ever hope to do– complete it. Well, Greg Lemond won it.

Greg Lemond not only won the Tour three times, he did it with a smile on his face. Why? Because cycling was and is his passion. He loved every minute of it. And he never forgot the fans.

While Lance Armstrong’s admission of guilt finally made the news, Greg LeMond had been bashed for years because he said that Lance had been doping and was critical of him– he even lost a manufacturing contract with Trek Bicycles over it (they built his LeMond bikes). Has anyone apologized to Greg after Lance’s admission of guilt? I doubt it. Is Greg disappointed about that? Most likely not– it’s not his style.

Greg LeMond will always be an American Hero in my eyes. Now, if only more cyclists were like him…

I just returned from the first ride of the year.

There is something exhilarating about the first bike ride of the year, even if it is just a short ten-minute ride. I don’t care if I did cut it short due to the cold, the act of riding for the first time each year always energizes me.

It’s thirty-seven degrees, damp, and windy. My new Fuji Absolute 2 was sitting in the den just tempting me. Finally, I couldn’t wait any longer. I slipped on some summer cycling tights, then a pair of Levi’s jeans. I put on two sweatshirts and then my Pearl Izumi windbreaker. I wore a Pearl Izumi headband that covers the ears (been doing that ever since the “bug in the ear” incident). I wore wool socks on my feet and cycling gloves on my hands. Out the door I went.

There is a church about a mile down the road, so, I sprinted into the wind to that church, stopped long enough to swallow some water, and sprinted back home. I popped in the door about ten minutes after I suited up. How long did I actually ride? Does it matter? The fact is, I rode. The bike worked flawlessly.

Now, the bike is sitting in the den waiting for the next ride. I have tea brewing. It’s time to read Bicycling Magazine and relax.

Cheers.

It’s that time of year, again. I refer to spring. Tomorrow is March 21st.

With the coming of spring, my mind always turns to my favorite outdoor recreation activity, bicycling. I have patiently waited as the cold of winter made me wish that I were in Florida rather than Ohio. Alas, I am here and it is still somewhat cold, but, it won’t be long now and I will be riding a bike and enjoying the surrounding farm land.

I bought a cheap Nishiki “comfort bike” late last summer to return to cycling after recovering from colon surgery. After being diagnosed with colon cancer December 6th, 2010, and undergoing surgery to remove the one small tumor that they found, I didn’t know whether I would ever be able to ride again.

Early in 2011, I sold my Fuji road bike with deep sadness and regret, but, it made sense considering. Well, late summer, 2012, I had a strong yearning to ride a bike. I bought a Nishiki Tamarack and started riding daily.

Now that I know I can ride, I felt that an upgrade was in order. Yesterday, I bought a Fuji Absolute 2 (2012 model) from Performance Bike in Columbus, Ohio. I plan to log a ton of miles this year and for many to come. It’s a great cardio workout and I have always had a passion for cycling. I even wear cycling garb.

Here’s the new Fuji. It has a nice component set and I love the look of it. I had to clean the threads on one bottom rack mount with a tap, but, after that, mounting the rear rack was a simple task. I also had to adjust the front brake. It was squeaking. No problem.

If you like Fuji bikes, check out Performance Bike.