More Roadblocks

This one didn't even make the earlier list. 

Birthdays 

In the months of April and May, we have six significant birthdays starting on April 17th and ending on May 23rd.

Starts with Joe, then me, then Henry on the same day as my old friend Lori, then brother-in-law Jeff, then mother-in law Delores.

This means parties every weekend and parties trump hiking every time.  It's a good problem to have, so many loved ones and friends, but this is where I get knocked off course and typically do not get back.

This roadblock shines the light on a flaw in my training schedule.  I can't just train on Saturdays if I want to climb Mt. Hood.  Seems obvious, but I'm not skilled at this goal setting business.  In fact, other than graduating from college or the occasional diet here and there, I can't think of any other goals I've set.  No five year financial goals, no will, no vision of where I will be in ten years.    Writing that makes me feel pathetic.  I see Suze Orman's face, watch her shake her head at me.  

But back to the problem at hand.

Ready for another roadblock?  I wake up at 6:00 am, get myself and the kids up and out of the house, work until 4:30 or 5:00 pm, commute 30-60 minutes home, make dinner and finish up eating around 6:30 or 7:00 pm, load the dishwasher, hang out with the kids until their 8:30 pm bedtime, and try to get to bed by 10:00 pm if I can.  As I write this, I see there could be a half hour of exercise thrown in to the mix after dinner.  Or I could wake up earlier to exercise before work.  

Ready for another roadblock?  I've got insomnia.  Not the, "it's hard to fall asleep" variety, but the, "I haven't slept in a week and am hallucinating" kind.  For the last seven years, I had slept sound with the aid of Ambien.  Last month, I weaned myself off and now getting a night's sleep is challenging to say the least.  One of the items on the "sleep hygiene" list I took home from the Naturopath, No vigorous exercise in the evenings.  

So 5:00 am it is.  

Roadblock cleared.