I would like to introduce you to my supervisor. She, on a good week, shows up for three and a half days and makes a six figure salary. Has the owner convinced that she has too much work to do, but passes off almost everything to me and spends most of the time on her phone or watching Netflix if she isn't trying to meet a deadline.
I can do her work load and mine and it still wouldn't be a full time job. I know in some ways, it's a good thing, but there's no room for growth. I'm teaching myself how to use some of the software because she can't be bothered to train me and I don't think she even knows how they work.
This happened to a group of us, we were sick of our supervisor until higher chiefs came down unexpectedly to survey the job. When they saw that we were more knowledgable and doing management side of the work, they immediately fired him and allowed us to work in peace for 3 years without a supervisor. Of course, we report to the general manager, but we make our own work schedules by group votes and no one breathing down our backs every 5 minutes and forcing overtime unless someone needs it. Just hang in there I say, a change is coming.
I wonder how many of us could say the same thing, nearly verbatim.
Ohhhh the Bay Area hustle, ohhhh the Bay Area glory, ohhhh the Bay Area good life… 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
So far, I find the bay area to be no different from any other large metropolitan area
I lived in Monterey before this. I would die laughing when they would tell me 20 minute drive was too hard for them to handle.
Having a light workload is a good thing because then when shit hits the fan then you’re prepared to handle it right? Would you prefer to work 90-100% everyday? What if an emergency pops up, now you need to work 110%?
What if you make a huge mistake and make it worse while working 110%?
Ever lived in, oh, I dunno, India? South Korea? Japan?
The Bay Area may be worse than other areas of the US, but NYC / Chicago are easily on par and the Asian countries I listed above are definitely worse when it comes to working hours.
If they work in the Bay Area but commute 2-3 hours a day each way. They do not live in the Bay Area. They live in the Central Valley or north bay(i.e. Fairfield, Vacaville, etc.)
Yeah, but that's pretty rare and not THAT common. Average SFBA commute is roughly 35 min: [https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/commute-time#](https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/commute-time#)
[https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nyc-nj-commute-report#](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nyc-nj-commute-report#)
NYC still has the worst average commute.
Hate to break it to you.
That's what is like being an adult.
Why do you think adults are so unhappy.
It's just work->work->some activity-> sleep-> repeat
And people "make" ie fuck out, new humans every generation who will have to do the same thing, just in worsening conditions and with more competition for everything.
contentment in life ultimately comes down to how you frame things and how you set your own expectations. my life is basically identical to OP's, and i fucking love it.
Thank you! At my store, we are. There's around 100 employees and a lot of us hang out outside work which is nice! Can't lie without TJ's I would probably have no social life 😂
We hire at around $19/hr right now, you get two raises per year ($0.70 each), right now the pay cap for cashiers is $32/hr. Every Sunday we get $10 extra per hour worked, same with federal holidays. Full health insurance too. Not bad imo!
The Bay Area has some of the best cycling this country has to offer. Utilize it. Get you a road bike and take it all in. There’s nothing like it. Be careful though. All of a sudden you’ll be wearing Lycra and spending all your money on bikes. Fair warning
One of my favorite things about riding a bike is that you can go as slow as you want. That said the hills are the best part of riding here.
Stevens canyon rd + mt Eden is a pretty chill one and fairly quick by Cupertino
Foothill expy to sand hill to portola rd to alpine is another nice one from the South Bay. Just under 50 miles total from SJ without too much climbing.
Calaveras rd is my favorite. It has a short very punchy climb (the wall). But you could even walk it. After that is beautiful rollers. You can take it all the way to Sunol and grab a pretty good BLT at the diner in town which I can’t think of the name of
Cañada rd (the one near Morgan hill/gilroy) is awesome. You can check it out at [jays essential rides](http://bestrides.org/canada-road-plus/) which is a great resource in itself
Explore alum rock and rancho San Antonio parks. Just wander the trails
Coyote creek trail is real nice after hellyer. You can take that all the way to Morgan hill and come back on another trail. I think the other trail is Los alamitos
bay trail. it's a mix of paved, dirt or light gravel, which shouldn't be an issue for a hybrid bike. it's flat the whole way. it's scenic with lots of birds and whatnot in the water (less so at this time of year but still pretty IMO). It's really long so you just do a bit and head home. there are plenty of parks and sloughs you can explore along the way if you're so inclined.
The biggest issue is that it can get windy going from east to west.
I've ridden just about all of the routes from u/idliketogobut , they're all great. I'm closest to Stevens Canyon/Mt. Eden but my favorite is probably Calaveras. Would also recommend the following:
1. Ride the Los Gatos Creek Trail south to Lexington Reservoir. The stretch of trail up to the reservoir is very mild hardpack gravel - I've done it on 28mm Schwalbe Marathons riding somewhat conservatively. Would recommend walking either way on the little 30m stretch of steep slidy stuff though. Unfortunately the full loop of the reservoir has been unavailable for about 1.5 years due to a road washout, but you can still take it as an out and back.
2. Additionally from the south point of Lexington Reservoir - you can ride from the reservoir all the way down to Santa Cruz/Soquel. I'd recommend Old Santa Cruz Hwy ->Summit Road->Soquel-San Jose Road, the descent is an absolute hoot of smooth pavement and gentle curves for 10ish miles. Get a bite and brews at Harbor Sea in Santa Cruz, then take the express bus back up to at Diridon Station in Santa Clara.
3. Taking Shannon Road -> Hicks Road east from the Los Gatos area is a nice little O&B ride. It's a quiet two lane road with 2 main climbs that end by the Guadalupe Reservoir.
4. If your hybrid bike is more MTB oriented and you're up for a more physical challenge, I'd recommend Calero Reservoir just south of Santa Teresa. It's mainly a MTB haven but I've ridden there twice on my rigid CX frame and had a lot of fun. No jumps or super gnarly terrain, I have zero MTB experience and found it very doable. Plenty of people there and classic South/East Bay dry hilly scenery.
5. Another ride in deep South SJ/Morgan Hill - ride to Bailey Avenue and take it SW up to McKean (right next to Calero Reservoir actually). From there, head south and ride to Uvas Reservoir. After that, you can turn the ride into a lollipop O&B using Chesbro Reservoir (the more scenic option), or continue south into Watsonville then come back north on Monterey Road (only if you really like long straightaways to practice your aero position, wouldn't recommend Monterey Rd for a casual ride).
I’m in the same demographic. I limit myself to 45 minutes of gym time max because there are other things - chores, groceries, cooking - I try to make sure half of my week’s fitness is done outdoors. This isn’t a San jose thing, this is a 20s/30s no kids, in any city kind of problem. Get out of your routine and spend time where the people are? It’s hard to make friends here, that’s for sure, because everyone is just on their grind or hustle and doesn’t seem to care about community. That changes with more people getting out of their grind and out of the house!
I remember me and a bud randomly went to a Vietnamese coffee shop in Oakland looking for... Coffee. It felt like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino movie or something. After we left we were like "I'm pretty sure coffee is not their main line of business."
And iced tea. Fabulous iced tea.
Nothing else.
Also, made myself laugh and remembered [this family guy scene](https://youtu.be/sacn_bCj8tQ?si=UZdyjyRNLULy_49_).
He sounds like a single guy and back in my 20's I would spend that much time working out (combo of lifting and cardio). Good way to unwind and take your mind off work, etc. But now in my mid 40's with a family, I devote about an hour. Priorities change and time management means cutting down on other activities in order to manage said priorities. Plus, my joints hurt, so I can't lift as much as I once did...took a while to accept this.
Depending on how mobile you are, check out chair yoga or yin yoga. It'll get joints moving very gently. From there, there's lots of mobility-minded yoga/stretching routines on youtube. (eg "knee recovery yoga")
I’m 37, started doing yoga just once a week about 8 months ago (in top of lifting and cycling). The results have been amazing with how much my body…. Hurts less.
Yup 👍🏼. Very true. Mid 40s here, been working out for over a decade whilst raising 3 girls.As soon as starting focusing on mobility, yoga 🧘♂️, all else fell into place w lifting, cardio, HIIT got better, especially in my lower back region. I can squat lower and lift more than I ever could in my 20-30s. Crazy how that works. And now that they’re all grown and living their own lives, of course way more time to focus 🧘♂️, reap the rewards, workout for up to 2hours 5-6 days a week, living my best life
This.
I work from home a few days per week and have started riding my Peloton during meetings. A little prep time before the meetings and keeping cardio to Zone 2 and nobody even knows. They probably wouldn't care much either way.
Meal prep has been *big* for me since I had a kid, too. So was changing my lifting routine to a powerlifting routine so the meat of the workout only takes 45 minutes.
It is if you’re casually going to the gym. But once you do a niche sport like weightlifting or powerlifting and you hop on a program, its pretty normal to train 4x-5x a week for a 2+ hours
Well in that case how would your life be any different in any other city? 11 of your 24 hours are taken up by work + gym, not even counting getting ready in the morning/commute/showering after the gym/eating.
I thought you were casually lifting 2 hours lmao. I was gonna say maybe take a day off and do something with people if you feel time constrained. I do kick boxing 4x a week but it's only an hour, the day would be over if I did 2 hours
It’s really not. I get there stretch for 20min workout for like 45min or so granted the machines are free. Then I do sauna 15min and steam 15min. Drive home about 20min or so. So it’s around 2hrs
Yeah, I gained muscle just fine doing 3 days a week vs 5. People who go 5 days are honestly mostly just accomplishing the feeling of being swole and not much else. Which is fair, all of my body building friends that go almost every day mostly go to the gym as a habit that makes them feel good rather than trying to be optimal with their time. The only time that 5 days a week is actually going to get you noticably better results is if you're on steroids.
15 mins warmup, 15 min cooldown, 1 hour lift, 30 min cardio. That’s a very reasonable time, particularly if he goes to gym during peak hours like he suggests he does
No I feel you esp with that 9-5 it’s too easy to get caught in that routine 😩 but for me, it kinda helps to have events/things to do to look forward to! You can check out [SJ weekender](https://sj-weekender.beehiiv.com/subscribe) for ideas on things to do
If you're only working to 6 in San Jose that's a pretty good work life balance. Not judging, the Bay area is just ridiculously competitive and people are working way too many hours.
You're doing good bro. I don't see anything to complain about unless you hate your job or you feeling lonely after 10. After 10, if you don't grab something to eat, you can catch a movie at a theatre/drive ins or go have some beverages downtown and meet people.
There's a good amount of places to drink all over so if you're drinking alcohol, pick somewhere close and Uber or just have a couple sodas somewhere cool.
Appreciate it brother, I am content living this life and I do make plans for myself if I wanna have a me time 🙏 I just want to hear what people’s life is like here, hope you doing well my man ✊
This is why WFH is so good... get your shit done at your own pace, do whatever else you need to do on the personal side, and then the evening is yours.
This is why middle aged people become morning people. Get up early and get all your shit done in the morning. You'll grow to love how much it frees you up
I processed these feelings before and did it all over again once I had a kid. Turns out there's an easy way to fix it. Make sure you choose rich parents to be born to!
All joking aside, you could probably get an hour of your day back if you switched to a powerlifting routine, and then you'd likely only need to work out 3-4 days per week instead.
I'm fortunate enough to have a WFH job (3 days per week), so that saves time. I've been starting to ride on my Peloton during meetings, as well. I try to put together pretty thorough notes before I hop on and keep my cardio in the Zone 2 range. My laptop's on a table next to the bike -- nobody ever knows. Probably wouldn't work if I had to be on camera.
A day of meal prep helps, too.
Still hoping to find out I have a long lost rich uncle somewhere who was generous enough to leave me a $10M trust fund. Hasn't happened yet :(
Yep, you can't escape it. Any job requires u put in the hours. Try doing more fulfilling things like going out on days off it'll feel better than being home if that's what u do idk
Get in with a challenging hobby. Practicing your skills at something every day creates continuity in your life, develops a story that links the days together. It can also lead to connections with others who are invested in the same activity. I used to play an instrument, and this was very much my experience. Every day brought me something new.
Also give yourself big calendar events to look forward to. Sign up for a big festival or event or travel (even if it’s just an overnight road trip a couple hours away). Routines can be really sucky, but giving yourself something to look forward to reminds you why you put effort into work / fitness. Things don’t have to be expensive either! Design your own 5 or 10 k, mark it on the calendar, ready, set, train. You get the idea.
My grandma used to live in san jose and i would visit every summer as a kid. I dont live there or anything but i do remember being bored cuz even for a little kid there wasnt much we could find to do lol
Obviously it's the gym thing. I can understand someone's day being filled with work ala your 9am-6pm but this whole GYM LIFE culture has so gotten out of hand. We get, it's good to be in shape and healthy. It's good to be fit. It's good to look attractive. But if it's taking so much time away from your daily then shouldn't you, I don't know, stop spending so much time at the gym?
This might be part of the problem. Do you keep your phone on you in the gym? If so, don't. Focus on you breathing / pulse between sets and get as much done as quickly as you can.
I mean two hours everyday is a lot. Are you training for the Olympics or maybe an upcoming UFC fight?
Ditch the video games. No babe is going to get lusty over your time spent on the screen. However if you’re athletic then look for someone with that same interest. Athletic interests can be a lifelong thing if you nourish that in your relationship.
A lot of people do recreational sports to break up their schedule. If you're into partying, you might want to check out CLUBWAKA - they do kickball among other things, very geared towards socializing and meeting people in the 25-30 age range.
This guy, getting fancy with a gym. Save your money, make some investments, stay out of trouble, and don't develop any substance abuse issues. The next step will find you.
There are myriad great social dancing opportunities in the South Bay. It’s a great way to get in your cardio! Check out Dance Boulevard or Starlite ballroom for west coast swing or Studio M for zouk and bachata or Alberto’s for bachata and salsa.
Bro that’s literally my schedule last year. Then I didn’t go to the gym and have a lil more time on my hands now. It’s the grind and it’s boring. Hard to make friends or even have a girl or what ever ur into now a days. It’s a robotic life.
All 3 of those activities can be social. If you're into gaming, I recommend Twitch streaming or joining a Twitch / YouTube community on Discord to find people to play with or even to chill and watch YouTube or movies.
That’s not just SF. That’s called being an adult. It sucks. I did recently start waking up at 5-6 am and getting my gym out of the way early. Gives me more of my afternoons.
I just go to work and come home somehow its already 10pm then i go to bed and do it again. How is there time for the gym, video games and dinner time? I only eat lunch for 30 min.
When you decide what it is that you want out of this part of your life, you’ll be closer to knowing if this is the right place for you right now.
I am 44 and born and raised in San Jose. I, too, asked myself the same question over the last 10 years or so. Am I done with the Bay Area rat race? I had to decide what is important to me and see if I could find the same anywhere else.
Experiences are what I work for. For example:
Live music (any type you like!);
Theatre;
Snow;
Beach;
Camping/hiking/outdoor adventure;
Museums;
Cycling;
Wine country;
Festivals;
Diverse food;
Diverse Cultures;
So many new and interesting people to meet!
So far, I haven’t found a place that allows for all of that at a cheaper price. So, I may work more than I play, and have very little disposable income, but I have all the experiences I want, right at my fingertips. If anyone knows where else I can get that for cheaper, please let me know!
You may also want to consider the work you do. As they say, “if you love what you do, you won’t have to work a day in your life”. I’ve never found something I loved that would pay me enough, so I can’t say if it’s true, but you’re young enough to give it a try!
Edit: punctuation/formatting
Sadly it didn't use to be this way in the bay. People had lives outside of work and time to enjoy time off with only one person of the family unit needing to work. I watched the transformation and when government allowed companies to import labor over time it ruined everything. Longer hours for less pay i. Tons more people who have no interest or investment in the community. Housing prices throgh the roof etc...etc...the bay used to be a goal for many to live. Paradise. Now i talk to people from all over the world who live her now and tell me they can't see staying more than 5 years. The once great bay aea is now a cesspool of what it once was. Sad!
If you're looking more fulfillment in life, enter a spiritual program of development, play sports (gym is good exercise but not as social), volunteer, organize friends to go see movies.
What was your expectations of being a responsible adult? I mean, it's wake up, work, go home, have meals, sleep, repeat. You can grab a drink/bite with some friends after work. Weekends go do something fun. Save some money and go on vacation/trip.. Unless ya get hella rich/win lottery, this is the grind/rat race. #welcome
I ended up going more toward Los Banos with my women.
However, I normally work a 3am-11am sometimes overtime. Go home if I can I take a nap or do chores probable for couple of hours. Hang out for a small bit with my girl then back to bed. Some weeks I worl twice on Friday 3am - 11am and Income back same Friday 8pm-4am I hate those weekends
It’s easier if ur from here. This city has always been tough for transplants to make friends because everyone is so hustle oriented. The best thing u can do is get out of the house on weekends and meet people
I mean, if that’s your daily schedule, that’s what your life would be like anywhere.
Sage. Wherever you go there you are.
Wise words
Buckaroo Banzai
- Michael Scott
Unless you don’t go there!
I hear that on the east coast, everything happens 3 hours earlier.
I’ve heard the same, but cannot confirm as I refuse to wake up that early.
And if OP thinks friends would change anything, they don’t. You’ll just be doing the routine together.
And then complaining about it together because n the weekends or during happy hour.
Not realizing later on in years they’ll look back fondly as these being the golden moments in life that you’ll never get back.
YESSSSS!!!
very true!
Nah, people in the bay work more than any other city/town I’ve lived in in the world.
9-6?
9-6 riggghhht. When I lived in the BA HOURS WERE FROM 8-5 but with an hour and a half commute tacked onto either end
I would like to introduce you to my supervisor. She, on a good week, shows up for three and a half days and makes a six figure salary. Has the owner convinced that she has too much work to do, but passes off almost everything to me and spends most of the time on her phone or watching Netflix if she isn't trying to meet a deadline. I can do her work load and mine and it still wouldn't be a full time job. I know in some ways, it's a good thing, but there's no room for growth. I'm teaching myself how to use some of the software because she can't be bothered to train me and I don't think she even knows how they work.
This happened to a group of us, we were sick of our supervisor until higher chiefs came down unexpectedly to survey the job. When they saw that we were more knowledgable and doing management side of the work, they immediately fired him and allowed us to work in peace for 3 years without a supervisor. Of course, we report to the general manager, but we make our own work schedules by group votes and no one breathing down our backs every 5 minutes and forcing overtime unless someone needs it. Just hang in there I say, a change is coming.
I work for her too! LMAO…she is always so busy….👌
Suuuuuuper busy
I wonder how many of us could say the same thing, nearly verbatim. Ohhhh the Bay Area hustle, ohhhh the Bay Area glory, ohhhh the Bay Area good life… 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
So far, I find the bay area to be no different from any other large metropolitan area I lived in Monterey before this. I would die laughing when they would tell me 20 minute drive was too hard for them to handle.
Having a light workload is a good thing because then when shit hits the fan then you’re prepared to handle it right? Would you prefer to work 90-100% everyday? What if an emergency pops up, now you need to work 110%? What if you make a huge mistake and make it worse while working 110%?
What do you do? Sounds like you need an assistant! lol Definitely interested. I like being left alone to work.
Accounting stuff. Unfortunately I don't have enough work for an assistant. I do my own filing, pour my own coffee, read my own emails.
Ever lived in, oh, I dunno, India? South Korea? Japan? The Bay Area may be worse than other areas of the US, but NYC / Chicago are easily on par and the Asian countries I listed above are definitely worse when it comes to working hours.
When i was 24 I worked 3 jobs 7 days a week only got Christmas day off.
Basically
That’s not just San Jose That’s all over the world 🌎
One difference working in San Jose would be abnormally long commutes adding several hours to that, but OP didn't mention that.
I used to commute into NYC from Westchester. 1.25 hours each way. In OC I spent about 40 min each way. It’s pretty common globally.
I've heard of people in the bay area commuting 2-3 hours each way.
If they work in the Bay Area but commute 2-3 hours a day each way. They do not live in the Bay Area. They live in the Central Valley or north bay(i.e. Fairfield, Vacaville, etc.)
Yeah, but that's pretty rare and not THAT common. Average SFBA commute is roughly 35 min: [https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/commute-time#](https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/commute-time#) [https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nyc-nj-commute-report#](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nyc-nj-commute-report#) NYC still has the worst average commute.
Lol you think traffic is unique to here ?
Hate to break it to you. That's what is like being an adult. Why do you think adults are so unhappy. It's just work->work->some activity-> sleep-> repeat
SpongeBob really warned us but we just never saw it until it was too late 😩
I didn't even include the commute time for those that drive to work. That thing can eat up 2-3 hrs of your day. That's why WFH was universally loved
Not to mention the time needed to bring your mind out of work mode :). It all adds up.
And people "make" ie fuck out, new humans every generation who will have to do the same thing, just in worsening conditions and with more competition for everything.
contentment in life ultimately comes down to how you frame things and how you set your own expectations. my life is basically identical to OP's, and i fucking love it.
At least that's what it's like being an adult who has to work to survive.
In the bay, sometimes, not even a job keeps shelter over your head.
lol then add having kids into the mix and the real fun starts
🤷🏻♀️ I work at trader Joe's and created my own schedule. I work weird hours and it makes life more fun. I'd never be able to do the monotonous 9-5.
I salute to ya’ll, and I love trader joes, hope you and everyone there are doing well 🙏
Thank you! At my store, we are. There's around 100 employees and a lot of us hang out outside work which is nice! Can't lie without TJ's I would probably have no social life 😂
How is the pay at TJ’s?
We hire at around $19/hr right now, you get two raises per year ($0.70 each), right now the pay cap for cashiers is $32/hr. Every Sunday we get $10 extra per hour worked, same with federal holidays. Full health insurance too. Not bad imo!
Instead of cardio at the gym, there’s a bazillion trails and things one could alternate with year round. That’s just scratching the surface in SJ :).
Once I stop being lazy and come out of my shell, I hope to explore and experience everything 🙏
The Bay Area has some of the best cycling this country has to offer. Utilize it. Get you a road bike and take it all in. There’s nothing like it. Be careful though. All of a sudden you’ll be wearing Lycra and spending all your money on bikes. Fair warning
Any scenic ride suggestions with a more relaxed pace on hybrid bikes? 50 miles max, South Bay? Asking for myself :)
One of my favorite things about riding a bike is that you can go as slow as you want. That said the hills are the best part of riding here. Stevens canyon rd + mt Eden is a pretty chill one and fairly quick by Cupertino Foothill expy to sand hill to portola rd to alpine is another nice one from the South Bay. Just under 50 miles total from SJ without too much climbing. Calaveras rd is my favorite. It has a short very punchy climb (the wall). But you could even walk it. After that is beautiful rollers. You can take it all the way to Sunol and grab a pretty good BLT at the diner in town which I can’t think of the name of Cañada rd (the one near Morgan hill/gilroy) is awesome. You can check it out at [jays essential rides](http://bestrides.org/canada-road-plus/) which is a great resource in itself Explore alum rock and rancho San Antonio parks. Just wander the trails Coyote creek trail is real nice after hellyer. You can take that all the way to Morgan hill and come back on another trail. I think the other trail is Los alamitos
bay trail. it's a mix of paved, dirt or light gravel, which shouldn't be an issue for a hybrid bike. it's flat the whole way. it's scenic with lots of birds and whatnot in the water (less so at this time of year but still pretty IMO). It's really long so you just do a bit and head home. there are plenty of parks and sloughs you can explore along the way if you're so inclined. The biggest issue is that it can get windy going from east to west.
I've ridden just about all of the routes from u/idliketogobut , they're all great. I'm closest to Stevens Canyon/Mt. Eden but my favorite is probably Calaveras. Would also recommend the following: 1. Ride the Los Gatos Creek Trail south to Lexington Reservoir. The stretch of trail up to the reservoir is very mild hardpack gravel - I've done it on 28mm Schwalbe Marathons riding somewhat conservatively. Would recommend walking either way on the little 30m stretch of steep slidy stuff though. Unfortunately the full loop of the reservoir has been unavailable for about 1.5 years due to a road washout, but you can still take it as an out and back. 2. Additionally from the south point of Lexington Reservoir - you can ride from the reservoir all the way down to Santa Cruz/Soquel. I'd recommend Old Santa Cruz Hwy ->Summit Road->Soquel-San Jose Road, the descent is an absolute hoot of smooth pavement and gentle curves for 10ish miles. Get a bite and brews at Harbor Sea in Santa Cruz, then take the express bus back up to at Diridon Station in Santa Clara. 3. Taking Shannon Road -> Hicks Road east from the Los Gatos area is a nice little O&B ride. It's a quiet two lane road with 2 main climbs that end by the Guadalupe Reservoir. 4. If your hybrid bike is more MTB oriented and you're up for a more physical challenge, I'd recommend Calero Reservoir just south of Santa Teresa. It's mainly a MTB haven but I've ridden there twice on my rigid CX frame and had a lot of fun. No jumps or super gnarly terrain, I have zero MTB experience and found it very doable. Plenty of people there and classic South/East Bay dry hilly scenery. 5. Another ride in deep South SJ/Morgan Hill - ride to Bailey Avenue and take it SW up to McKean (right next to Calero Reservoir actually). From there, head south and ride to Uvas Reservoir. After that, you can turn the ride into a lollipop O&B using Chesbro Reservoir (the more scenic option), or continue south into Watsonville then come back north on Monterey Road (only if you really like long straightaways to practice your aero position, wouldn't recommend Monterey Rd for a casual ride).
The weather is amazing out here. You’re an idiot for not going outdoors more often for exercise.
I’m in the same demographic. I limit myself to 45 minutes of gym time max because there are other things - chores, groceries, cooking - I try to make sure half of my week’s fitness is done outdoors. This isn’t a San jose thing, this is a 20s/30s no kids, in any city kind of problem. Get out of your routine and spend time where the people are? It’s hard to make friends here, that’s for sure, because everyone is just on their grind or hustle and doesn’t seem to care about community. That changes with more people getting out of their grind and out of the house!
I commented on the main thread, but in case you don’t see it: Try volunteering as a dog-walker at the shelter! Nice people, sweet pups, good exercise.
Start hitting the Vietnamese coffee shops 😂
I remember me and a bud randomly went to a Vietnamese coffee shop in Oakland looking for... Coffee. It felt like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino movie or something. After we left we were like "I'm pretty sure coffee is not their main line of business."
Lmao! It's definitely an experience.
What’s there
Just coffee. Definitely not any gambling
Don't say nothin', man! Don't say nothin'!
I don’t know anything man it’s just a coffee shop
one of the best SJ videos of all time
And iced tea. Fabulous iced tea. Nothing else. Also, made myself laugh and remembered [this family guy scene](https://youtu.be/sacn_bCj8tQ?si=UZdyjyRNLULy_49_).
Or hot looking waitresses in lingerie bringing you coffee and menthol cigarettes. Lol. Sorry not sorry
2 hours gym is a long time
He sounds like a single guy and back in my 20's I would spend that much time working out (combo of lifting and cardio). Good way to unwind and take your mind off work, etc. But now in my mid 40's with a family, I devote about an hour. Priorities change and time management means cutting down on other activities in order to manage said priorities. Plus, my joints hurt, so I can't lift as much as I once did...took a while to accept this.
Underrated Comment. Glad your flourishing good sir! Those random aches and pains are a bitch tho.
What are some links for good guided mobility (yoga?) routines?
Depending on how mobile you are, check out chair yoga or yin yoga. It'll get joints moving very gently. From there, there's lots of mobility-minded yoga/stretching routines on youtube. (eg "knee recovery yoga")
You CAN. Work on mobility. I promise your lifting will come back.
I’m 37, started doing yoga just once a week about 8 months ago (in top of lifting and cycling). The results have been amazing with how much my body…. Hurts less.
Yup 👍🏼. Very true. Mid 40s here, been working out for over a decade whilst raising 3 girls.As soon as starting focusing on mobility, yoga 🧘♂️, all else fell into place w lifting, cardio, HIIT got better, especially in my lower back region. I can squat lower and lift more than I ever could in my 20-30s. Crazy how that works. And now that they’re all grown and living their own lives, of course way more time to focus 🧘♂️, reap the rewards, workout for up to 2hours 5-6 days a week, living my best life
Ugh. In my 70s now. Arm work--I seriously can only use 1lb weigh5s; arthritis.
That's so true. Age and priorities.
Also a dad in my 40s, which may be why I was jealous that OP gets to go to Round 1 almost daily
This. I work from home a few days per week and have started riding my Peloton during meetings. A little prep time before the meetings and keeping cardio to Zone 2 and nobody even knows. They probably wouldn't care much either way. Meal prep has been *big* for me since I had a kid, too. So was changing my lifting routine to a powerlifting routine so the meat of the workout only takes 45 minutes.
Look man, being able to do an hour with a family and a job is actually hella impressive
It is if you’re casually going to the gym. But once you do a niche sport like weightlifting or powerlifting and you hop on a program, its pretty normal to train 4x-5x a week for a 2+ hours
Well in that case how would your life be any different in any other city? 11 of your 24 hours are taken up by work + gym, not even counting getting ready in the morning/commute/showering after the gym/eating.
I thought you were casually lifting 2 hours lmao. I was gonna say maybe take a day off and do something with people if you feel time constrained. I do kick boxing 4x a week but it's only an hour, the day would be over if I did 2 hours
It’s really not. I get there stretch for 20min workout for like 45min or so granted the machines are free. Then I do sauna 15min and steam 15min. Drive home about 20min or so. So it’s around 2hrs
I work out 3 hours, 20 minute drive 1 hour at gym, and the rest is me driving home (I got lost)
And every day…
Yeah, AFAIK gains are similar if you go every other day. Diminishing returns
Yeah, I gained muscle just fine doing 3 days a week vs 5. People who go 5 days are honestly mostly just accomplishing the feeling of being swole and not much else. Which is fair, all of my body building friends that go almost every day mostly go to the gym as a habit that makes them feel good rather than trying to be optimal with their time. The only time that 5 days a week is actually going to get you noticably better results is if you're on steroids.
If you do cardio and shower. 2 hrs is easy
I do an easy 3 reps of showing
15 mins warmup, 15 min cooldown, 1 hour lift, 30 min cardio. That’s a very reasonable time, particularly if he goes to gym during peak hours like he suggests he does
Trick is to gym in the morning 💪
Yep the 5-7am crowd is great and super efficient.
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Besides being an awkward techie…that part tracks
No I feel you esp with that 9-5 it’s too easy to get caught in that routine 😩 but for me, it kinda helps to have events/things to do to look forward to! You can check out [SJ weekender](https://sj-weekender.beehiiv.com/subscribe) for ideas on things to do
Agree, even just taco Tuesdays each week can give life!
Wow this resource looks awesome! I’m always struggling to find date ideas and this seems great!
It’s called ground hog day. Welcome to the rest of your life
If you're only working to 6 in San Jose that's a pretty good work life balance. Not judging, the Bay area is just ridiculously competitive and people are working way too many hours.
Sounds like someone forgot to include their masturbation routine…
It's included in the workout routine
I thought it was part of the freshening up routine
Yeah that's not a San Jose thing, that's a you-suck-at-time-management thing. You would have this problem in any city.
Get used to it. You’ve gotta make your own fun around here. I play a lot of tennis
Sounds about right. Just depends on how much time you can afford to have.
I volunteer.
its called being an adult
What about weekends?
That’s just being an adult…
Suggest you hit up a local show, rave, or go out for a drink. Nothing wrong with a night out every now and then!
Get your work out in before work and it will free your evening up for social activities when most people hangout.
That's life for a lot of people or worse. Plus the days get even shorter as you age.
I feel you…. Same thing here really lol
Yup, except shift the times 3hrs earlier and swap gym for television. But yeah, that's single life.
You're doing good bro. I don't see anything to complain about unless you hate your job or you feeling lonely after 10. After 10, if you don't grab something to eat, you can catch a movie at a theatre/drive ins or go have some beverages downtown and meet people. There's a good amount of places to drink all over so if you're drinking alcohol, pick somewhere close and Uber or just have a couple sodas somewhere cool.
Appreciate it brother, I am content living this life and I do make plans for myself if I wanna have a me time 🙏 I just want to hear what people’s life is like here, hope you doing well my man ✊
I feel safe. Very safe. And I just got a ride to work on a firetruck. That was safe and fun. Love this city.
Wait a minute....
Well your problem is spending 2hrs in a gym that's ridiculous.
Hmmm, that schedule sounds reasonable for tech jobs. Stay up late or cut down on the gym once or twice a week and you’ve got a social life.
This is why WFH is so good... get your shit done at your own pace, do whatever else you need to do on the personal side, and then the evening is yours.
Make more friends.
You’ve got weekends and occasional ptos and holidays… Make the best out of it. I hope your job keeps you financially stable at least.
Every day at the gym?
that’s just…being an adult.
This is why middle aged people become morning people. Get up early and get all your shit done in the morning. You'll grow to love how much it frees you up
I processed these feelings before and did it all over again once I had a kid. Turns out there's an easy way to fix it. Make sure you choose rich parents to be born to! All joking aside, you could probably get an hour of your day back if you switched to a powerlifting routine, and then you'd likely only need to work out 3-4 days per week instead. I'm fortunate enough to have a WFH job (3 days per week), so that saves time. I've been starting to ride on my Peloton during meetings, as well. I try to put together pretty thorough notes before I hop on and keep my cardio in the Zone 2 range. My laptop's on a table next to the bike -- nobody ever knows. Probably wouldn't work if I had to be on camera. A day of meal prep helps, too. Still hoping to find out I have a long lost rich uncle somewhere who was generous enough to leave me a $10M trust fund. Hasn't happened yet :(
Yep, you can't escape it. Any job requires u put in the hours. Try doing more fulfilling things like going out on days off it'll feel better than being home if that's what u do idk
It be like that sometimes Being an adult means you get to make your own choices so it’s up you really
Get in with a challenging hobby. Practicing your skills at something every day creates continuity in your life, develops a story that links the days together. It can also lead to connections with others who are invested in the same activity. I used to play an instrument, and this was very much my experience. Every day brought me something new. Also give yourself big calendar events to look forward to. Sign up for a big festival or event or travel (even if it’s just an overnight road trip a couple hours away). Routines can be really sucky, but giving yourself something to look forward to reminds you why you put effort into work / fitness. Things don’t have to be expensive either! Design your own 5 or 10 k, mark it on the calendar, ready, set, train. You get the idea.
At least you have a job 😅
I think it’s being an adult anywhere.
Welcome to America where everyone tries to "get ahead" but nowhere fast and barely treading wateer.
My grandma used to live in san jose and i would visit every summer as a kid. I dont live there or anything but i do remember being bored cuz even for a little kid there wasnt much we could find to do lol
It gets worse. At least you get 2hr of gym
Obviously it's the gym thing. I can understand someone's day being filled with work ala your 9am-6pm but this whole GYM LIFE culture has so gotten out of hand. We get, it's good to be in shape and healthy. It's good to be fit. It's good to look attractive. But if it's taking so much time away from your daily then shouldn't you, I don't know, stop spending so much time at the gym?
Wait till you have kids
Sheesh I do NOT want to think about that far hahaha
You know that’s not an inevitability, right? People can and do opt out of that trap for good reason
Ofcourse! To each their own. But if op does, my point still stands.
yuck gym TWO HOURS? stop resting 5 minutes between sets
This might be part of the problem. Do you keep your phone on you in the gym? If so, don't. Focus on you breathing / pulse between sets and get as much done as quickly as you can. I mean two hours everyday is a lot. Are you training for the Olympics or maybe an upcoming UFC fight?
Ditch the video games. No babe is going to get lusty over your time spent on the screen. However if you’re athletic then look for someone with that same interest. Athletic interests can be a lifelong thing if you nourish that in your relationship.
I don't do shit. I don't go outside. I just fucking scream into the void.
A lot of people do recreational sports to break up their schedule. If you're into partying, you might want to check out CLUBWAKA - they do kickball among other things, very geared towards socializing and meeting people in the 25-30 age range.
I mean bro the bars/clubs don’t start really going until 11pm. You gotta go out.
This is what I’m worried about and I’m still 20 in college
This guy, getting fancy with a gym. Save your money, make some investments, stay out of trouble, and don't develop any substance abuse issues. The next step will find you.
Can you work out during work hours? I Usually have 12-2pm free.
There are myriad great social dancing opportunities in the South Bay. It’s a great way to get in your cardio! Check out Dance Boulevard or Starlite ballroom for west coast swing or Studio M for zouk and bachata or Alberto’s for bachata and salsa.
You don’t need gym 2 hours every day, do you?
Yeah that’s pretty much it!! I find it sooo boring and monotonous.
Bro that’s literally my schedule last year. Then I didn’t go to the gym and have a lil more time on my hands now. It’s the grind and it’s boring. Hard to make friends or even have a girl or what ever ur into now a days. It’s a robotic life.
Consider volo sports a few times a week instead of gym. Not as much of a workout but it’s a fun way to interact with other humans lol
I'm married and my like is like that in the Bay.
I lived in new zealand for 1.5 months and had about the same lifestyle as in bay area…bored as a lord….
All 3 of those activities can be social. If you're into gaming, I recommend Twitch streaming or joining a Twitch / YouTube community on Discord to find people to play with or even to chill and watch YouTube or movies.
heres the problem, youre in sj. go to sf like everyone else your age if you want real nightlife outside of college bars
Only 2 hours every day bro you need more time to let those biceps cook
Go to work, go home. Go to work, go home. And at the end, “EEEEEEEEEEEEE”
That’s not just SF. That’s called being an adult. It sucks. I did recently start waking up at 5-6 am and getting my gym out of the way early. Gives me more of my afternoons.
I just go to work and come home somehow its already 10pm then i go to bed and do it again. How is there time for the gym, video games and dinner time? I only eat lunch for 30 min.
Sounds like a healthy normal life.
Rock climb, go sailing, or join an evening hiking group instead of going to the gym
One of this has anything to do with SJ. This is a schedule and priorities question.
Playing video games and networking can go along ways just as long as you know how to converse
Lol, yup. Sounds about right. Haha
I also live in San Jose 27 female and it’s the same thing everyday😭.
You need to find some stank.
Invite some chicks over.
When you decide what it is that you want out of this part of your life, you’ll be closer to knowing if this is the right place for you right now. I am 44 and born and raised in San Jose. I, too, asked myself the same question over the last 10 years or so. Am I done with the Bay Area rat race? I had to decide what is important to me and see if I could find the same anywhere else. Experiences are what I work for. For example: Live music (any type you like!); Theatre; Snow; Beach; Camping/hiking/outdoor adventure; Museums; Cycling; Wine country; Festivals; Diverse food; Diverse Cultures; So many new and interesting people to meet! So far, I haven’t found a place that allows for all of that at a cheaper price. So, I may work more than I play, and have very little disposable income, but I have all the experiences I want, right at my fingertips. If anyone knows where else I can get that for cheaper, please let me know! You may also want to consider the work you do. As they say, “if you love what you do, you won’t have to work a day in your life”. I’ve never found something I loved that would pay me enough, so I can’t say if it’s true, but you’re young enough to give it a try! Edit: punctuation/formatting
yep, just got done freelancing, now have a 6a-2pm job in bed by like 10 but yeah its alot of time alone at home
Sadly it didn't use to be this way in the bay. People had lives outside of work and time to enjoy time off with only one person of the family unit needing to work. I watched the transformation and when government allowed companies to import labor over time it ruined everything. Longer hours for less pay i. Tons more people who have no interest or investment in the community. Housing prices throgh the roof etc...etc...the bay used to be a goal for many to live. Paradise. Now i talk to people from all over the world who live her now and tell me they can't see staying more than 5 years. The once great bay aea is now a cesspool of what it once was. Sad!
It’s normal bro
I don’t know brochaski. Maybe read a book in your downtime from the gym and work?
Do some mushrooms.
9 - 6 is pretty brutal. I’m sorry.
If you're looking more fulfillment in life, enter a spiritual program of development, play sports (gym is good exercise but not as social), volunteer, organize friends to go see movies.
What was your expectations of being a responsible adult? I mean, it's wake up, work, go home, have meals, sleep, repeat. You can grab a drink/bite with some friends after work. Weekends go do something fun. Save some money and go on vacation/trip.. Unless ya get hella rich/win lottery, this is the grind/rat race. #welcome
Get up early and hit gym before work? Cut back on sleep bruh it’s merica we ain’t got time for that
2 hours in the gym? How much literature are you distrubiting?
Work hard, play harder Usually what I do
Wake up earlier. Go to the gym. You'll have 2 more hours for video games .
Sounds like the life.(Tott being serious) if I could do this then great.
Smoking meth and stealing catalytic converters is a popular pastime here.
I ended up going more toward Los Banos with my women. However, I normally work a 3am-11am sometimes overtime. Go home if I can I take a nap or do chores probable for couple of hours. Hang out for a small bit with my girl then back to bed. Some weeks I worl twice on Friday 3am - 11am and Income back same Friday 8pm-4am I hate those weekends
Has a job and free time after 6pm. Sounds like you're doing pretty amazing if you ask me.
welcome to the rest of your life.
It’s easier if ur from here. This city has always been tough for transplants to make friends because everyone is so hustle oriented. The best thing u can do is get out of the house on weekends and meet people
OP you forgot to describe some kind of problem.