OldMansRevenge.com

I got up early today - ready for my weekly database lesson at the local Apple Store.  I remembered right before I went to the mall that a major running race was in the neighborhood and driving and parking would almost certainly be a hassle.

So…I decided to ride my bike over.  It is only a few miles.  Easy.  But it was only 33 degrees!  Damn, it was cold.  I went to my class - it was good as always - and while I was in the shopping center it warmed up.  Riding home was warm and comfortable.

I also had another eye doctor appointment.  I don’t want to think about what they are saying yet.  Too painful.

Too much of the rest of the day I moped.  I have to stop that.  Feeling sorry for oneself is a losing proposition.

I’ve been really bad this week. It seems like I’ve worked hard, but not accomplish much. I hate it when I do this to myself.

I do have some excuses — but it doesn’t seem like enough. I’m still having eye problems from my trip to San Diego last week. I’ve been at the hospital a number of times having tests run on my bad eye. Those are never fun but I usually pretty much just make it part of my day and go on. I haven’t done that very well this week.

It was a cold and windy day today (hey, it is late April and it actually snowed for about half an hour!). I planned to ride my bicycle but wimped out. At least I did go to the gym.  I haven’t been doing that nearly enough. If I’m going to make it 100 miles on my bike in a day in October, I’m going to have to work much harder than I have been at riding my bike or, if work gets in the way during the day or the weather is bad, getting to the gym. I’ll let you know how I do on that.

But hey, tomorrow is Sunday, the start of a new week. I will be much better and more productive next week than I have been this.

The Wisehart home is a place where people beat cancer.  I’m a two time survivor (brain in the late ’70s, prostate in 1999); my wife Jill beat breast cancer earlier this year.

To celebrate the Love of My Life being cancer free, we decided to hold a celebration century bike ride on our 16th anniversary - October 11th.  I will design three 33 mile loops - starting and ending at our house.  We expect a couple hundred people will ride.  Some may ride their bikes 5 miles, some will ride all 100 with Jill and me.  Hell, one of our friends is planning to ride his motorcycle with the group to help the cause and lend some (loud and stinky) support!

It will all be to raise money for the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center.  Jill found, during her treatment last winter, that a number of women were driving hours to get home after either chemo or radiation because they were spending all their money on medical treatment.  There was nothing left in the piggy bank for a hotel.

We think that is awful.  Jill’s celebration century ride will be a fundraiser for to help women with breast and other forms or cancer with the rest of life.

I’m damned proud of that goal.

To make a long story short, I’m in about as bad shape as possible.  I started today to get ready for Jill’s ride.  I rode my fixed gear bike (if you don’t know - don’t ask.  If you do know - you are likely a bicycle person) a few miles.  My creaky knees hurt but it was fun.  I’m going to try to get a few miles in tomorrow, too.

What a weekend! I spent it with 500 others at Frank Kern’s Mass Control seminar at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego.

As always - I had a great time hanging out with other like-minded entrepreneurs. People focusing on the internet space are especially an interesting bunch. They are generally a bunch of social misfits trying to figure out how to make a living from home by just being smart. Some of them are REALLY smart - and do well. Some others don’t do so well. They are pretty much universally nice people. I always enjoy internet based events.

I may or may have not been the oldest guy in the room - but I at least competed for the honor. I think that is fun, too. Conversations - and maybe even a cold one or two - with twenty-five year olds from very different places than my space (both culturally and economically) makes for fast learning.

I don’t play consultant much any more - haven’t for 9 years. But occasionally, when an old client (almost 20 years since I first worked on his business) calls and needs some help, I say yes. Today was the first of three days I’m going to spend trying to dust off old skills and playing consultant again.

The entrepreneur here was at one time as high as #13 on the Inc. 500 list. A few months later that company was gone. He could have screwed lots of people. Instead, he took the high road, never declared bankruptcy, paid off creditors (over a LONG time) and moved to Cali and started again.

He started his current company in 1992. It struggled for years. About 5 years ago business got good. It still is, although a very large and profitable customer will soon go away. He still has enough cash flow to work out new strategies. That process started today.

I agreed to make a monthly trip back here as well as spend time in Denver working on his challenges. I’m excited about it. It is a VERY good thing to take on new (or, in this case, old) engagements to keep the brain synaps flowing. This is gonna be fun!

I promise I’ll keep you posted as we come up with new strategies, tactics, priorities, etc. to renew and rebuild this 16 year old company.

Who’s the crazy man writing this blog?  Me!  Here I am - old man’s wrinkles, not much hair (did I mention that most of the hair is grey?), too heavy - you name it and I am it!

Today is my first day ever blogging.