And now for something non-cycling-related

...More or less.  Long, rambling, have-another-beer post.  Let's give it a whirl.

I'm looking at this blog, and you would think that all I do is ride the bike.  Well, no.  It's just that I try to keep my work opinions to myself, try not to over-publicize people who might not want their name or picture posted on the interwebs, and don't have much going on beyond bike, work, family, and friends.

But I will say something slightly different.  It originates in cycling, but it applies across the board.

Having the right people around you is huge.  You hear about this in so many circles.  They talk about it in MBA classes.  There was a great article in Fortune a few months back about the CEO from Pepsi and her coworkers, and how well they work together.  I certainly see it at work too.  We all have our quirks, but we don't have anyone who's an out-and-out prick.

I'm even more astounded at the quality of people when it comes to family.  You know when you get a little older, into your 20s or 30s, and finally realize that your parents are people?  And you look at siblings and -- wow -- these people are adults all of a sudden, with mortgages, sex lives, and fungi growing in strange places?  This is when I started realizing how big the quality of people is. 

The ~wife and I talk about it from time to time.  We imagine our parents 20 years ago.  Neither of our families was destitute, but we weren't rich, and with 32 kids each, a lot of things were a struggle.  How did our parents buy christmas trees, at like $50 or more a pop, back in the 1980s, when that was real money? 

Good people make things happen, they encourage you, and they make you want to be good -- better -- easter people -- yourself.  On a somewhat smaller scale, but still important, I'm really glad for the people around me who are better than me, and at the same time encourage me to improve myself. 

My ~wife was at a party with me and the cycling team at some point last year, and remarked about how skinny everybody is.  And she pointed out that's probably quite a bit of motivation for me.  No kidding.

It's a lot easier to want to be a better person -- whatever that better is -- when you've got good people, good role models, I spose.  Tonight I had the privilege of hanging out with some guys who are at the upper end of my abilities.  When I got home, I read a very kind and encouraging email from another guy who's at least a shade better than me.  These people are a bit above me in one respect or another, but so many of them are very encouraging.  Both by being a little better, and by making me feel like I can get there too, they help me out immensely.

I guess it's nice to find the good in people.  It's double-nice when it's easy to find.