Sunshine and Sun Signs

The morning sun is shining through my front windows. I just love the way that looks in the summertime. There is a certain exclusiveness to getting up early when its still dark out, but waking to sunshine makes early rising pure pleasure.

With the smiling sun gracing my little apartment I feel a sense of belonging in this world. My most favorite astrology sign is my own - sun sign Leo - which is ruled by the sun. Most signs are ruled by planets: Taurus is ruled by Venus, Gemini by Mercury and so on. Leo, however, is ruled by a luminary, the sun. So I've always felt an affinity for sunshine, despite all its bad rap in the press these days.

Although I do love Leo and what the symbol stands for, recently I've turned my attention to my moon sign, Capricorn. While a sun sign is said to represent the outer personality, the moon sign pertains to a person's emotional life or how they feel about themselves, and is stronger in females generally. In fact I've read that females project thier sun signs until much later in their lives and almost exclusively live through their moon signs. In other words, the moon sign is probably more important for females, and a better indicator of personality.

As I said, mine is Capricorn, a very different sign than that of Leo. The sign is ruled by Saturn and is symbolized by a goat with a fish tail. All sorts of interpretations on that alone! Capricorn is best known for tenaciousness, and its level-headedness with money and material possessions. Now, I didn't say that I was expressing Capricorn tendencies, just that I have been looking at them. Anyone that knows me would probably not recognize those qualities, however, I know they are there and they make me feel quite guilty when I don't follow their advice! Which is another example of how the signs work in our lives.

In any case, the sunshine is gorgeous today and I must go and enjoy it before I scamper off to work!

Bike Love

Yesterday I rode my gorgeous Trek road bike. A beautiful symmetry of blue and white contoured together into a single tiny frame from which I can view small portions of my equally small world. I love my bike. Last year I was riding another Trek, but a hybrid instead of a road bike. The hybrid, being a cross between a road and a mountain bike, was significantly heavier. It was a struggle to get that bike up and down the flights of stairs in my third story apartment residence; requiring two hands and a lot of maneuvering. My new road bike, in contrast, is so light I can carry it with one hand and practically throw it over my shoulder.

So yesterday I was out, participating in what I can now call my passion, cycling. Its an excellent sport and pastime. To get good, cycling requires rather large time commitments, of which I can easily afford being that I'm single and relatively available most of the time. But with that time spent in the saddle comes much discovery, both of the world around as well as the world within. I have explored my neighborhood in ways I'd never imagined and I have also tested the limits of my mind in corners I couldn't otherwise have reached. Its all very new and exciting.

Again, yesterday. These last two weeks of cycling has led me to experience both my personal worst ride, and my personal best. Yesterday's ride was rather average however. Just a short loop up Jackson Quarry road and then down and back through North Plains. I went with a couple friends who seemed determined to leave me in the dust at every straight-a-way. I had to keep reminding myself to do my own ride, as the books recommend. I always do what the books recommend.

In the end we went close to thirty miles in about two hours. A fifteen mile an hour pace, which is pretty awesome for me although most likely casual for my friends. Still, ride with the best and you'll get better, they say. So I'm encouraged. This year I have already participated in a metric, and mileage, century and have signed and paid for the Seattle to Portland ride in July - 200miles. Its been a great season on my new road bike; truly one of the best investments I have made. I love my bike!