Month: December 2025

Dec 03 2025 2025-12-03 2025-12-03 by Ross

Something Good Every Day — Coming Home…

Posted in Something Good

The last two days, going to work has felt like a chore. I’m over it. Walking into that building has taken more effort than I like to admit, and finding something “good” during the school day hasn’t come naturally. Some days the well feels dry.

But the good for today wasn’t at work.
It was coming home.

Home is peaceful right now. My wife, the pets, the familiar calm of the evening settling in. I’d say the kids, but they’re out of the house these days—though two will be back for a month over Christmas, and that will bring its own kind of good chaos.

Tonight we have ASL lessons early, but after that? We’ll have time. Time to read by the fire, or watch a Christmas rom-com, or play a game. Nothing flashy, nothing huge—just the kind of quiet, comfortable evenings I live for.

After-work nights are where the day finally exhales.
That’s the good for today.

It’s great to be alive.


Dec 01 2025 2025-12-01 2025-12-01 by Ross

Something Good Every Day — Dinner

Posted in Music, Something Good

Tonight’s “good” was dinner.

Not some gourmet masterpiece—Blue Apron did most of the heavy lifting—but still, I cooked it.

My wife had a long, chaotic workday, and the rest of her week is going to be just as bananas. Normally, cooking is something I do because… well, I do 95% of the cooking around here. It’s habit. Routine. A task to be crossed off before I collapse on the couch.

But tonight I put my mind in a different place. Instead of treating it like a chore, I treated it like a kindness. A small act to make her day a little softer around the edges.

I put on a fantastic playlist, let the music carry me, and cooked without rushing or resenting or watching the clock. Just chopped, stirred, plated, and felt good while doing it. When she walked in the door to a warm meal after a punishing day, it felt like I’d done something meaningful—even if it was simple.

Not every act of love has to be grand. Sometimes it’s dinner. Sometimes it’s mood. Sometimes it’s just deciding to do the same thing differently.

(And let’s be clear: this new mindset does not extend to picking up the clothes on my side of the bed. That’s a bridge too far.)

Good playlist, good food, good deed.

It’s great to be alive.


Dec 01 2025 2025-12-01 2026-01-04 by Ross

This Week in Training – Week 10: Oof, Thanksgiving….

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(A reminder that snowstorms and road trips are not part of any structured training plan.)

Oof, Thanksgiving. It did not end well — and not entirely my fault this time.

I started strong with a swim on Monday before we headed out of town. Got in two runs and some island biking while away, but the Midwest snowstorm torpedoed the weekend. Instead of flying back early Saturday and finishing strong, I spent 14 hours sitting in a car doing absolutely nothing. The only endurance event was my patience.  I lost that event.  It’ll be a funny story once my family starts speaking to each other again.

So no, not the week I hoped for. But it was a vacation week, and it is what it is.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 1
  • Total Distance: 2,025 yards
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Notes: Got this one done before traveling. Felt good to move, knowing the rest of the week might get messy.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Distance: 5.85 miles
  • Total Time: 38 minutes
  • Notes: Island riding — short, easy, mostly for fun. The scenery was better than the mileage.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Distance: 10 miles
  • Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
  • Notes: Two solid runs early in the trip before the weather and travel schedule took over.  Plus, running along the ocean is always a nice change for me.

Strength/Other 💪

  • Workouts: None
  • Notes: Unless car-seat core tension counts.

Relative Effort 📈

  • Total Weekly Effort: [Not tracked this week, but probably “Low to Moderate Frustration” on the perceived exertion scale.]

Reflections ✍️

Not a great week, but not a total wash either. I did what I could around travel, weather, and long hours of sitting still. The important part is that I’m itching to get back into it — a good sign heading into the next stretch.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

  • Get back on top with consistent training across all three sports.
  • Aim for three solid weeks before a planned rest week over Christmas.
  • Rebuild rhythm and routine — the real victory after a disrupted week.