Different Hours

So, yes. The company's financial situation is perilous. Things aren't totally out of hand. I believe with some severe cutbacks we can be profitable again, but right now the belt tightening is difficult. Laying off Lance was a very unpleasant thing. He was clearly upset about it. I can't blame him. If we didn't have to do it we wouldn't. So it's perhaps a bit gloomy around here. It's all just a huge pain in the ass in lots of different ways. It seems very much like a failure of some sort. When we started years ago we had these visions of being a messenger company that did all the right things for its employees: high commissions, health benefits, etc. We did lots of things that most companies our size wouldn't dream of doing and we were proud of that. But we started doing these things when money was plentiful. It was the dot com years and we had more cash than we knew what to do with, we weathered the difficult years following the crash only to end up here, battered by workers comps, taxes, the cost of doing business. We dug out of this hole before and hopefully we will again. Anyone want to buy a messenger service? I'm sure you could make good money if you knew what you were doing.

Ok here's the new bike. It looks real pretty in the picture because it is. The stems too long, it needs new handlebars, it needs V-brakes instead of the old XTR canti's, all this stuff I have so hopefully over the next few days I'll take care of it all so I can hit the dirt this weekend.

Lots to blog about but little time. I'll hit some highlights (or lowlights as the case may be) and hopefully expound more tomorrw.

1) I've bought the Retrotec. It's such a pretty bike. And way lighter than I expected. It's got a weird assortment of parts but I've got plently of stuff to bring it around. I'll take some pics and post them.

2) the work saga continues. We've determined that under our current expense/income model we're not making money. Debt is building too quickly. I've had to lay off our 1 salaried employee and cut back the amount of $ we pitch in for workers health insurance. It feels like such a failure to have to do these things, but if we don't cut expenses we'll have too much debt to survive before we can implement longer term measures such as raising prices, giving new employees lower commissions, etc. It's a sad day. But it had to be done.

I'll write more tomorrow.

I hear word that the link I posted for the pics of Retrotec frames didn't work. I don't know why and I'm not smart enough to try to fix it without wasting the better part of my day. I will say that I've found a Retrotec for sale in the bay area. I found it on Craigslist being sold by a guy down in Woodside. It's about 8 years old but supposedly ridden very little. It's burnt orange (great color) and is set up with alot of older XTR stuff. The guy wants $750 for the whole bike and won't sell me the frame alone. Here's my conundrum: I really only want the frame because I can build it up pretty well with parts I've got. I can get a production Retrotec frame only brand new from the builder for slighty less than a grand, probably slightly over with tax, Do I shell for a new one or buy the used one and get some XTR (though older) and wheel set and front shock, etc. in the deal and pay about $300 less? I'm going to see the used bike tomorrow after work so perhaps things will become more apparent after the viewing. Maybe it won't even fit me? The obesssion continues and if my history of obsessing about bikes (my old Voodoo Wazoo, KHS Fleetwood, Sycip single speed) holds true it will be fulfilled.

Lance crushes the field once again. That time trial was a pretty amazing athletic feat. To dominate his closest rivals like that, wow. Again today he won the stage though I'm not sure what the point of beating Kloden at the line was. Kloden is no where near him in the GC. Oh well. I think Lance is really trying to put an exclamation point on his 6th Tour. And that exclamation point is an absolute drubbing of anyone who believes they can compete with him. But let's face it, this Tour hasn't been nearly as exciting as last years when the race was close and had many intriguing stories not the least of which was Tyler Hamilton competing and getting 4th with a broken collar bone. It would be more appropriate to swap this years tour with last years, Lance should've struggled more to win his sixth, it should have been more dramatic but instead it appears more business like for the best cyclist in the world. My hat remains off to him. I stand by my earlier declaration of screw the French cycling fans and press and add to it a general wave of my genitals to the obnoxious German fans. With the historical obsession of the Germans with the production of a perfect race (something I refer to as uber-honkey) you'd think they'd be happy to see Lance crush the rest of the world. Oh wait, he isn't German. Tainted blood, tainted blodd!!

Lately the blog has been very much and cycling and my general rants and not so much work. That's because work is a crashing bore. It's summer and that's a traditionally slow time for messenger services, indeed we are holding to the historic trend. I just don't feel like writing about it. If something cool happens or terrible or interesting I will.

Well it appears that Lance has the tour well in hand. He looked so stong on those climbs. I love to watch him climb (Basso as well in this case). It reminds me of being in great shape (oh it was so long ago) riding my single speed everywhere, racing it, creaming geared riders on it, and that familiar out of the saddle cadence, swinging the bike side to side, rocking the bike into a rhythm that seemed unstoppable, on days I thought I could climb forever. Those days are few a far between now, though occasionally when working on the Surly I get a few moments of satisfaction as I pound up Nob Hill, that of course is now followed by a few minutes of vomiting but what can you do...

I'm going to unload a couple of bikes. I want to buy a Retrotec, a mountain bike I've long had my eye on, and I've found one used here in the bay area, built up with XTR. It's a reasonable price as well but I've decided I've got to get rid of my Blue Collar single speed frame and my KHS Fleetwood cruiser frame (such a pretty bike) before I add more to the stable. I've just got no storage.

It's totally goofy but I love the NBA off season. All the wheeling dealing! The Warriors are in the thick of it. It's the best time to be a Warriors fan because they haven't played any games yet.

Where does Lance stand with the greats of cycling. Arguably the top 5 riders in history are: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Armstrong. Merckx is easily at the #1 spot and I think Indurain and Lance are tied for 4th/5th. Rarified company to be included in at all. History will decide how Lance's legend grows or diminishes.

I don't know if it's summer or what but I'm having a hard time doing any blogging. It's like the effort to move my fingers is too much, I get overwhelmed and have to eat a Snickers bar.

None the less here I am. I'm concerned with the company's precarious financial situation lately. Since our bookkeeping is more or less inept it's hard to know exactly but my numbers don't look very good. We're spending out more than it being collected so our debt is growing. Not quickly but growing. We need to cut monthly expenses and that means unpleasant and unpopular decisions. We need to cut back on the amount we contribute to employee health insurance and we need to cut back the hours of our only salaried employee or lay him off all togther. These are our only large fixed expenses. The ownership in having a meeting on friday to talk about these issues and we'll see what gets hashed out.

I'm still on Lance's side. I'm choosing not to believe the doping rumors or the self serving book that's recently been published supposedly showing that he was trying to hide his steroid use. Mostly because I don't like the way the French media has constantly attacked him over the years.

How about the Shaq trade? That is a huge NBA shake up. All of a sudden my Warriors are competing with the Lakers for the 8th playoff spot. Who would've thunk it? I love the NBA off season. It's the best time to be a Warriors fan because you can be eternally optimistic since no games have been played yet and thus no losses.

I've been on the fence for awhile but I've now decided that I'm absolutely pro-Lance Artmstong. I'm rooting for Lance to win and I'm doing it with all the fervor of a whirling dervish with hot cigarette ash in his pants. I do understand why many of the cycling fans that I know are not pro Armstrong. As with many sports it becomes harder and harder to root for the dominant player be it the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Cowboys, Mike Tyson, Barry Bonds, etc. and Lance is certainly that. But I've been hearing so much grousing about Lance's character. None of us knows the guy and while I'm sure he's no angel I also don't think he's the flaming asshole that many people try to portray him as. Is he arrogant? I'm sure. He's the best in the world at what he does, he's earned his degree of arrogance just as Michael Jordan did, just as Muhammad Ali did. Cocky comes with the rarified territory that these athletes occupy. I also think that Lance is an excellent representative of cycling here in the US. He may not be the best rep for cycling on the global stage, but in the US he embodies everything we like in our heroes. He came back from the abyss (cancer) and excelled beyond his wildest dreams. And he's dating a rock star now. I don't know Lance well enough to pass any moral judgements against him. The stories that people tell me (that inevitably come from someone's cousin who works in TV and knows the director of blah, blah, blah) regarding his behaviour on the set of some commercial shoot seem forced at best. Maybe he was having a bad day, maybe the person he was dealing with was being an ass and deserved a response in kind, who knows. I'm on his side because I want to see him make history, because I want the european press to stop accusing him of doping, because I want the french to respect him as great champion in a sport that they revere, because he works his ass off, because he rewards the loyalty of his teammates, because having a good American champion in a European dominated sport might just help us to climb out from under the mess the Bush/Cheney admin has made of our relationships with europe. That's the rant for today.

I know it's been a long time but I've been on vacation. Just back from the outer banks of North Carolina a few days ago, enjoyed a lazy weekend at home and now I'm back at work. Yick. THe beach was great, got to see much (though not all) of my family and that's always a good thing.

The business was still standing when I returned. That's always a good thing, though I understand there was some kind of plumbing related misshap while I was gone that resulted in poo being on the floor. I can't say that I'm sorry I missed that.

Read a good book about the band Wilco while lying on the beach. It was called "Learning How To Die" by Chicago music critic Greg Kot. It basically chronicles the demise of Uncle Tupelo and the history of Jeff Tweedy as he created records with the boys in Wilco. Good stuff assuming that you're interested in the "alt-country" history and Wilco in particular (a band that is definitely not alt-country). But some of the most interesting a salient points that I thought Kot made revolved around the nature of the music business and how it changed after the great consolidation (Time-Warner merger, etc.) of the labels in the mid to late 90's. Once a few enormous corporations held all the cards that idea of artist development quickly lost out to the need for an immediate return on the dollar. Labels that formerly were able to nurture talent and keep "prestige" acts that don't sell a ton of records on board were forced to part with bands they loved in order to maximize "hits" and 'units sold". As I read about the changing nature of corporate music and how Wilco was dropped after the recording of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" I was surrounded by the musicial machinations of my 14 year old nephew who proudly played displayed to me his "Yellowcard", "Lit", "Jet" CD's. Bands tailor made to have a hit or two and then fade quietly into the ether of our musical landscape. These bands are ready made and packaged to pump out hits (and sales) by catering to the lowest common denominator of the listening audience. These bands won't grow because even if they wanted to they would never be allowed to stray from formula. They will never challenge a listener much less themselves. Man, don't I sound old and bitter? It's just that I feel there's an entire generation being sold short by popular music. I had to convince my nephews that Blink 182 isn't punk rock, that punk rock stood for something that Blink 182 can barely hint at, that music with integrity is worth more than listening to what's cool because what's cool isn't. I don't really know why I'm ranting about this. I think it has to do with the value that I and my friends placed on the music that we listened to in high school. We believed the music we sought out and loved could change us and in fact did in many ways. I don't think "Yellowcard" is going to change anyone. I know it's a snobby attitude, but at least I understand why i'm snobby about it. There's just better "stuff" out there that will have lasting value, impact, importance over a life time. I have no intention of proof reading all this drivel so...

I've started playing tennis again. It's a lot of fun. I'd forgotten that I really like it. It's not basketball or anything but it's fun to hit the ball. I may even take a few lessons to really blow the dust off. I've been inspired by Maria Sharapova...no not that way.

I know it's been a long time but I've been on vacation. Just back from the outer banks of North Carolina a few days ago, enjoyed a lazy weekend at home and now I'm back at work. Yick. THe beach was great, got to see much (though not all) of my family and that's always a good thing.

The business was still standing when I returned. That's always a good thing, though I understand there was some kind of plumbing related misshap while I was gone that resulted in poo being on the floor. I can't say that I'm sorry I missed that.

Read a good book about the band Wilco while lying on the beach. It was called "Learning How To Die" by Chicago music critic Greg Kot. It basically chronicles the demise of Uncle Tupelo and the history of Jeff Tweedy as he created records with the boys in Wilco. Good stuff assuming that you're interested in the "alt-country" history and Wilco in particular (a band that is definitely not alt-country). But some of the most interesting a salient points that I thought Kot made revolved around the nature of the music business and how it changed after the great consolidation (Time-Warner merger, etc.) of the labels in the mid to late 90's. Once a few enormous corporations held all the cards that idea of artist development quickly lost out to the need for an immediate return on the dollar. Labels that formerly were able to nurture talent and keep "prestige" acts that don't sell a ton of records on board were forced to part with bands they loved in order to maximize "hits" and 'units sold". As I read about the changing nature of corporate music and how Wilco was dropped after the recording of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" I was surrounded by the musicial machinations of my 14 year old nephew who proudly played displayed to me his "Yellowcard", "Lit", "Jet" CD's. Bands tailor made to have a hit or two and then fade quietly into the ether of our musical landscape. These bands are ready made and packaged to pump out hits (and sales) by catering to the lowest common denominator of the listening audience. These bands won't grow because even if they wanted to they would never be allowed to stray from formula. They will never challenge a listener much less themselves. Man, don't I sound old and bitter? It's just that I feel there's an entire generation being sold short by popular music. I had to convince my nephews that Blink 182 isn't punk rock, that punk rock stood for something that Blink 182 can barely hint at, that music with integrity is worth more than listening to what's cool because what's cool isn't. I don't really know why I'm ranting about this. I think it has to do with the value that I and my friends placed on the music that we listened to in high school. We believed the music we sought out and loved could change us and in fact did in many ways. I don't think "Yellowcard" is going to change anyone. I know it's a snobby attitude, but at least I understand why i'm snobby about it. There's just better "stuff" out there that will have lasting value, impact, importance over a life time. I have no intention of proof reading all this drivel so...

I've started playing tennis again. It's a lot of fun. I'd forgotten that I really like it. It's not basketball or anything but it's fun to hit the ball. I may even take a few lessons to really blow the dust off. I've been inspired by Maria Sharapova...no not that way.

I know it's been a long time but I've been on vacation. Just back from the outer banks of North Carolina a few days ago, enjoyed a lazy weekend at home and now I'm back at work. Yick. THe beach was great, got to see much (though not all) of my family and that's always a good thing.

The business was still standing when I returned. That's always a good thing, though I understand there was some kind of plumbing related misshap while I was gone that resulted in poo being on the floor. I can't say that I'm sorry I missed that.

Read a good book about the band Wilco while lying on the beach. It was called "Learning How To Die" by Chicago music critic Greg Kot. It basically chronicles the demise of Uncle Tupelo and the history of Jeff Tweedy as he created records with the boys in Wilco. Good stuff assuming that you're interested in the "alt-country" history and Wilco in particular (a band that is definitely not alt-country). But some of the most interesting a salient points that I thought Kot made revolved around the nature of the music business and how it changed after the great consolidation (Time-Warner merger, etc.) of the labels in the mid to late 90's. Once a few enormous corporations held all the cards that idea of artist development quickly lost out to the need for an immediate return on the dollar. Labels that formerly were able to nurture talent and keep "prestige" acts that don't sell a ton of records on board were forced to part with bands they loved in order to maximize "hits" and 'units sold". As I read about the changing nature of corporate music and how Wilco was dropped after the recording of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" I was surrounded by the musicial machinations of my 14 year old nephew who proudly played displayed to me his "Yellowcard", "Lit", "Jet" CD's. Bands tailor made to have a hit or two and then fade quietly into the ether of our musical landscape. These bands are ready made and packaged to pump out hits (and sales) by catering to the lowest common denominator of the listening audience. These bands won't grow because even if they wanted to they would never be allowed to stray from formula. They will never challenge a listener much less themselves. Man, don't I sound old and bitter? It's just that I feel there's an entire generation being sold short by popular music. I had to convince my nephews that Blink 182 isn't punk rock, that punk rock stood for something that Blink 182 can barely hint at, that music with integrity is worth more than listening to what's cool because what's cool isn't. I don't really know why I'm ranting about this. I think it has to do with the value that I and my friends placed on the music that we listened to in high school. We believed the music we sought out and loved could change us and in fact did in many ways. I don't think "Yellowcard" is going to change anyone. I know it's a snobby attitude, but at least I understand why i'm snobby about it. There's just better "stuff" out there that will have lasting value, impact, importance over a life time. I have no intention of proof reading all this drivel so...

I've started playing tennis again. It's a lot of fun. I'd forgotten that I really like it. It's not basketball or anything but it's fun to hit the ball. I may even take a few lessons to really blow the dust off. I've been inspired by Maria Sharapova...no not that way.

I know it's been a long time but I've been on vacation. Just back from the outer banks of North Carolina a few days ago, enjoyed a lazy weekend at home and now I'm back at work. Yick. THe beach was great, got to see much (though not all) of my family and that's always a good thing.

The business was still standing when I returned. That's always a good thing, though I understand there was some kind of plumbing related misshap while I was gone that resulted in poo being on the floor. I can't say that I'm sorry I missed that.

Read a good book about the band Wilco while lying on the beach. It was called "Learning How To Die" by Chicago music critic Greg Kot. It basically chronicles the demise of Uncle Tupelo and the history of Jeff Tweedy as he created records with the boys in Wilco. Good stuff assuming that you're interested in the "alt-country" history and Wilco in particular (a band that is definitely not alt-country). But some of the most interesting a salient points that I thought Kot made revolved around the nature of the music business and how it changed after the great consolidation (Time-Warner merger, etc.) of the labels in the mid to late 90's. Once a few enormous corporations held all the cards that idea of artist development quickly lost out to the need for an immediate return on the dollar. Labels that formerly were able to nurture talent and keep "prestige" acts that don't sell a ton of records on board were forced to part with bands they loved in order to maximize "hits" and 'units sold". As I read about the changing nature of corporate music and how Wilco was dropped after the recording of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" I was surrounded by the musicial machinations of my 14 year old nephew who proudly played displayed to me his "Yellowcard", "Lit", "Jet" CD's. Bands tailor made to have a hit or two and then fade quietly into the ether of our musical landscape. These bands are ready made and packaged to pump out hits (and sales) by catering to the lowest common denominator of the listening audience. These bands won't grow because even if they wanted to they would never be allowed to stray from formula. They will never challenge a listener much less themselves. Man, don't I sound old and bitter? It's just that I feel there's an entire generation being sold short by popular music. I had to convince my nephews that Blink 182 isn't punk rock, that punk rock stood for something that Blink 182 can barely hint at, that music with integrity is worth more than listening to what's cool because what's cool isn't. I don't really know why I'm ranting about this. I think it has to do with the value that I and my friends placed on the music that we listened to in high school. We believed the music we sought out and loved could change us and in fact did in many ways. I don't think "Yellowcard" is going to change anyone. I know it's a snobby attitude, but at least I understand why i'm snobby about it. There's just better "stuff" out there that will have lasting value, impact, importance over a life time. I have no intention of proof reading all this drivel so...

I've started playing tennis again. It's a lot of fun. I'd forgotten that I really like it. It's not basketball or anything but it's fun to hit the ball. I may even take a few lessons to really blow the dust off. I've been inspired by Maria Sharapova...no not that way.