For they are wrathful. Despite living in a place where it is meteorologically impossible, despite temperatures reaching 90 not 2 days before, do not, do not, mention how wonderful it is to ride a bike, because the fates will call down a hail storm on your ass while you bike home from campus.
Seriously.
Hail storm.
When I took off my helmet, a whole Icee full of slush poured off.
Those of you who know where I live can share in my stupification, but not my sodden blue jeans.
I need hot chocolate.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Easy Pedaler
My photo for today on the Photo365 blog is of my bike. It got me thinking.
It's funny, I live in a city where you really need to have a car. I don't. Some of the time, it's a big hassle - well, ok a lot of the time, it's a big hassle, but I take a lot of pleasure in being stubbornly different. It's not easy. You have to work to be a bike rider. In all honesty, I'm a pretty sanctimonious twit with a martyrdom complex about riding my bike. I try to hide it, but I think I'm better than all those car drivers. I suffer with my hair shirt of greased pant-legs and mud-spattered bags. I wear them proudly.
No one anywhere in the US really designs with bike in mind. Even on most campuses, bike lanes are nowhere to be found and bike racks are an afterthought at best, placed not where most useful, but where there seems to be room. The racks in my apartment complex are bolted to the ground in such a way that you can't actually park with your wheel through the bars. Bike lanes anywhere are few and far between.
Most days I'm on the bike to and from campus, which is about 15 minutes one way. That's really not far or time-consuming, but it does a lot for me. It's a physical tuneup for the mental workout on campus. I've never been able to feel really comfortable driving, even when I did it every day. I've never really been a car person. But on a bike? Yeah, much better.
I guess I get what motorcycle freaks talk about when the say it's all about the wind in your hair and the bugs in your teeth. Except with the bike, it's all me. There's a nasty hill on the way to school. Every day, I push myself to get up it, panting, getting the heart rate up. When I get to the top, there's a stop sign and every time I stop there, I look at the cars around me. They didn't do anything to get up that hill.
C'mon folks, go for a ride. It's good for you.
It's funny, I live in a city where you really need to have a car. I don't. Some of the time, it's a big hassle - well, ok a lot of the time, it's a big hassle, but I take a lot of pleasure in being stubbornly different. It's not easy. You have to work to be a bike rider. In all honesty, I'm a pretty sanctimonious twit with a martyrdom complex about riding my bike. I try to hide it, but I think I'm better than all those car drivers. I suffer with my hair shirt of greased pant-legs and mud-spattered bags. I wear them proudly.
No one anywhere in the US really designs with bike in mind. Even on most campuses, bike lanes are nowhere to be found and bike racks are an afterthought at best, placed not where most useful, but where there seems to be room. The racks in my apartment complex are bolted to the ground in such a way that you can't actually park with your wheel through the bars. Bike lanes anywhere are few and far between.
Most days I'm on the bike to and from campus, which is about 15 minutes one way. That's really not far or time-consuming, but it does a lot for me. It's a physical tuneup for the mental workout on campus. I've never been able to feel really comfortable driving, even when I did it every day. I've never really been a car person. But on a bike? Yeah, much better.
I guess I get what motorcycle freaks talk about when the say it's all about the wind in your hair and the bugs in your teeth. Except with the bike, it's all me. There's a nasty hill on the way to school. Every day, I push myself to get up it, panting, getting the heart rate up. When I get to the top, there's a stop sign and every time I stop there, I look at the cars around me. They didn't do anything to get up that hill.
C'mon folks, go for a ride. It's good for you.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Gonna Wash That Quiz Right Out Of My Hair
Alrighty, I think we're getting back on the quizzing track, so I'll hit'cha with another one. As a sidenote, giving up any pretense to try to not repeat songs I've already quizzed is very freeing, but I still feel a little bad, because I know there are some dupes in this one - hopefully different parts of the songs quoted though.
Here goes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. And an extra one waaay out of my standard genres :)
Here goes:
1.
Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too
2.
There is a yellow one that won't
Accept the black one
That won't accept the red one
That won't accept the white one
3.
If I only had a dollar, for every song I've sung.
And every time I've had to play while people sat there drunk.
You know, I'd catch the next train back to where I live.
4.
I should have known better
But I trusted you at first.
I should have known better
But I got what I deserved...
5.
How the heartaches come and they go
and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
6.
I used to have a lover with a Midas touch
I turned to gold but he turned to dust
Left me for another, I turned to stone
7.
Cast in this unlikely role
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact.
8.
I took for granted,all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter,I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now
9.
My head is full of magic, baby
And I can share this with you
The feel I'm on top again, baby
That's got everything to do with you
10.
everything you do is irresistible
everything you do is simply kissable
11. And an extra one waaay out of my standard genres :)
It was a cold night
And the snow lay 'round
I pulled my coat tight
Against it falling down
4.48mi - 31'12"
I hope that was enough to stave off some of the pizza that I ate yesterday. Oh, man, it was incredible. Soooooo fattening and delicious. I think today calls for a little more respectable stir-fry. Maybe fried rice with all the rest of the veggies in the fridge tossed in for good measure...
Also, Lance Armstrong came on after my run and told my I set a new personal best for the mile (5'47" - yea!), but I'm like Zerodoll. I'm pretty skeptical of how accurate this whole Nike+ thing is. Here's a list of the recorded distance from the same one loop run that I do most often:
Ok, ok, enough procrastinating. I'll go to work now...
Also, Lance Armstrong came on after my run and told my I set a new personal best for the mile (5'47" - yea!), but I'm like Zerodoll. I'm pretty skeptical of how accurate this whole Nike+ thing is. Here's a list of the recorded distance from the same one loop run that I do most often:
| 4.54 |
| 4.52 |
| 4.49 |
| 4.49 |
| 4.48 |
| 4.48 |
| 4.47 |
| 4.46 |
| 4.46 |
| 4.44 |
| 4.44 |
| 4.42 |
| 4.42 |
| 4.4 |
| 4.4 |
| 4.39 |
| 4.39 |
| 4.34 |
| 4.33 |
| 4.32 |
| 4.28 |
Ok, ok, enough procrastinating. I'll go to work now...
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