Lance Armstrong - transformation through intensity

A fascinating article on the physiological qualities and changes by Lance Armstrong. He's definitely not "mellow". . .


"As Lance Armstrong cruises to a probable seventh consecutive victory in the Tour de France, the world's premier road cycling event, most of us are left to marvel: How does the man do it?
Is there something in the 33-year-old Texan's genetic makeup that makes him superhuman? Not if you ask Ed Coyle, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin.
Coyle has been testing Armstrong, who will retire from cycling after this Tour de France, for 13 years. The result is a rare comprehensive study of an athlete over his entire career. Coyle's findings were reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology. "

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0722_050722_armstrong.html

True joy...

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
George Bernard Shaw


And no, joy is not pain, Miss Abelbeck. I recant my previous statement. :)

Being an "M" (instead of a "T")

This summer I've been introduced to the notion of becoming a "T" person. The shape of the letter is analogous to one's areas of competence. For example, a "T" person has depth in one area (the vertical bar of the letter) and a wide area of superficial knowledge (the horizontal bar of the letter).

During a conversation, I realized that I'm a "M" person. I start with two pillars of competency (the outside bars of the letter), and then I return to the superficial level of each bar and drive toward a center (of lesser, but still significant depth) in between the two pillars.

The fun part is that I know one pillar is music, and the other is science (probably computer science/math as I delve deeper), but it's still a process of discovery!! Or maybe I'm totally wrong and the pillars will turn out to be something else! Well I know that one will be music anyway... :)

Explaining the Exploding Tulip

Yes...all mysteries will be revealed. :)