yep, even my 'decorations' were kinda geeky.
2.02.2009
storage.story.7
why do i still have this?! this and two used cell phones. . . it's about time i cleared through all this.
storage.story.8
i own the dvd now, so i supposed i can let go of this dubbed copy my friends made me in virginia. they knew how much i loved the movie.
storage.story.9
something fun from sarah. she taped it while she watched the dvd, and then decorated the label. nice huh?- eventually i bought the season.
storage.story.11
i got this from my college roommates. i asked for it specifically. . . do you know what it is?
storage.story.12
it's log, it's log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood.
it's log, it's log, it's better than bad, it's good.
everyone wants a log, you're gonna love the log.
log, from blammo.
storage.story.17
i'm not exactly keeping these, or getting rid of them. . . they are a surprise for someone, though if he reads this it won't be much of a surprise.
storage.story.18
i kept this. it's from the infamous surprise- sushi battle- iron chef themed- birthday party, that my friends in kent threw for me.
storage.story.19
look at him. he's pissed that i'm giving him up.
he's sitting there, laying on a thick guilt trip.
sorry dan, maybe i should've sent it to you.
storage.story.20
my gag gift for my apprentice year at SFO was a pair of hand made hawaiian shorts, since i didn't participate in hawaiian shirt fridays.
storage.story.21
these are my sushi pj shorts. sarah made them for me. cute design huh? i always thought it was neat that buffy had a pair of pj's made from the same material in a later episode.
storage.story.22
i got this shirt for giving a good tip after getting my second tattoo. i never wore it, i like the design, just never been much for white shirts.
storage.story.23
this is the last of the turandot lanterns. all the others were all thrown away. the props master let me keep one, and that one is gone now too.
storage.story.24
swon helped me pick this out in a korean store in ohio, maybe she can help me fine a new one in korea. . . a better one. :)
storage.story.25
we used to customize our mag lights by having more than one in different colors. all the parts are modular, so we swapped them out.
storage.story.28
what i kept. 7 large boxes of cd's, books, dvd's, comics, and memorabilia. the six small boxes are surprises for other people.
1.29.2009
it's a start
i’m in LA.
well, i’m a little north of LA, but depending who you talk to, it’s all part of the same ‘city state.’
i’m here for a few days to empty my storage unit.
i flew in to the burbank/ bob hope airport. it was about 9:30, but to me it was a little after midnight. this airport dumps your luggage outside, right next to arrival and departure traffic. it sorta feels like a ‘hi, welcome. . . now get out.’ i passed melissa joan hart as i walked to get my rental car. (i never watched ‘sabrina- teenage witch’ but i heard that penn jillette played the devil in a couple of episodes. wouldn’t mind seeing that.) the music playing in the rental car terminal was drippingly 80’s. . . and the song as i signed my contract, ‘dancing in heaven’- one of the dancing montage songs from ‘girls just want to have fun.’ as if suddenly being on the other side of the country in with fifty degree and higher weather isn’t surreal enough.
i’m finding my way around better than i expected, but it feels like the speed limit is ten to twenty miles and hour faster than i remember. it didn’t seem fast to me when i lived here, but i guess my rhythm has changed, and as for circadian rhythm- forget it. it’s a little after 6 am. i should sleep more, but i can’t. might as well get up and be productive, it’s why i’m here anyway.
well, i’m a little north of LA, but depending who you talk to, it’s all part of the same ‘city state.’
i’m here for a few days to empty my storage unit.
i flew in to the burbank/ bob hope airport. it was about 9:30, but to me it was a little after midnight. this airport dumps your luggage outside, right next to arrival and departure traffic. it sorta feels like a ‘hi, welcome. . . now get out.’ i passed melissa joan hart as i walked to get my rental car. (i never watched ‘sabrina- teenage witch’ but i heard that penn jillette played the devil in a couple of episodes. wouldn’t mind seeing that.) the music playing in the rental car terminal was drippingly 80’s. . . and the song as i signed my contract, ‘dancing in heaven’- one of the dancing montage songs from ‘girls just want to have fun.’ as if suddenly being on the other side of the country in with fifty degree and higher weather isn’t surreal enough.
i’m finding my way around better than i expected, but it feels like the speed limit is ten to twenty miles and hour faster than i remember. it didn’t seem fast to me when i lived here, but i guess my rhythm has changed, and as for circadian rhythm- forget it. it’s a little after 6 am. i should sleep more, but i can’t. might as well get up and be productive, it’s why i’m here anyway.
1.19.2009
the big list
new project, semi long term. . . hopefully completed within a year.
this ‘big list’ relates to my itunes.
i have started a project. the project is to listen to every album in my itunes, completely. while listening i plan to denote the songs that i really like from each album and appoint them to one large playlist.
i have a lot of music i haven’t heard even once.
i have even more music that i haven’t really listened to.
according to my itunes, i have 942 albums currently. i’m sure that there are many that aren’t complete albums, just singles. i’m conservatively guessing that there are 600 to 700 complete albums. it’s still a lot to listen to, but i’m kinda looking forward to it.
it’s been a long time coming. i’m sort of ashamed that i don’t have a better grasp on my own music library. i am so thankful for all my friends who have gifted me music. i should honor that gift by listening to it, right?
i make lots of playlists. usually i start a playlist with a bunch of music already in mind- to fit a particular mood or event. i add more with time, and if i really want to flush out the playlist i will scroll through the entire library for more ideas. it’s a slow process. i might know of an artist or album that i want to incorporate, but i’m kinda bad at remembering actual song titles, so i need to touch through each song to find the one i meant to use.
there is a lot of music that is fine but i’m not going to listen to it over and over, so it’s not something that will go into a playlist. i can skip it. therefore, it doesn’t go into ‘the big list.’ eventually, if i start to run out of room on my ipod, i could strip out the songs that aren’t in ‘the big list’. . . but i hope that won’t happen too soon.
some people might find this form of organization a bit of overkill. i’m actually really excited about having a list of ALL the songs i like, that i can then pare down further. it will make my playlist process more efficient. ahhh, efficiency. . . my german side is so appeased.
i thought that i might try to review the albums on this blog as part of my process, but i don’t know if i want to commit myself to that. we’ll see. . . maybe i’ll do it when i’m moved to do so. . . eh. . . time will tell.
one of my friends probed me about this new project. (i was relieved to know that she actually thought it was a good idea.) she wanted to know how quickly i could tell if i wanted to keep or pitch a song, and if i had a set criteria.
interesting questions. . .
some songs i know within the first few bars, though it’s still a good idea to listen to the whole thing to make sure there isn’t some sort of annoyance later that would disqualify it.
there are some songs that i don’t love completely, but i really like the bass line. songs like that deserve to be in ‘the big list’ but probably won’t end up in a lot of the subsequent playlists.
i will initially pick and gravitate to music that i’ve heard before, but didn’t really pay attention to. stuff from commercials, from movie soundtracks. . . music that other people have played around me. (probably the only way i ended up with a phish album. an assistant technical director i worked for played it in the scene shop constantly. what can i say, it grew on me.)
so no real criteria. . . just what i like.
so, how well do you know your music library?
(i have another big list to talk about at some point, but it needs to percolate a little more.)
this ‘big list’ relates to my itunes.
i have started a project. the project is to listen to every album in my itunes, completely. while listening i plan to denote the songs that i really like from each album and appoint them to one large playlist.
i have a lot of music i haven’t heard even once.
i have even more music that i haven’t really listened to.
according to my itunes, i have 942 albums currently. i’m sure that there are many that aren’t complete albums, just singles. i’m conservatively guessing that there are 600 to 700 complete albums. it’s still a lot to listen to, but i’m kinda looking forward to it.
it’s been a long time coming. i’m sort of ashamed that i don’t have a better grasp on my own music library. i am so thankful for all my friends who have gifted me music. i should honor that gift by listening to it, right?
i make lots of playlists. usually i start a playlist with a bunch of music already in mind- to fit a particular mood or event. i add more with time, and if i really want to flush out the playlist i will scroll through the entire library for more ideas. it’s a slow process. i might know of an artist or album that i want to incorporate, but i’m kinda bad at remembering actual song titles, so i need to touch through each song to find the one i meant to use.
there is a lot of music that is fine but i’m not going to listen to it over and over, so it’s not something that will go into a playlist. i can skip it. therefore, it doesn’t go into ‘the big list.’ eventually, if i start to run out of room on my ipod, i could strip out the songs that aren’t in ‘the big list’. . . but i hope that won’t happen too soon.
some people might find this form of organization a bit of overkill. i’m actually really excited about having a list of ALL the songs i like, that i can then pare down further. it will make my playlist process more efficient. ahhh, efficiency. . . my german side is so appeased.
i thought that i might try to review the albums on this blog as part of my process, but i don’t know if i want to commit myself to that. we’ll see. . . maybe i’ll do it when i’m moved to do so. . . eh. . . time will tell.
one of my friends probed me about this new project. (i was relieved to know that she actually thought it was a good idea.) she wanted to know how quickly i could tell if i wanted to keep or pitch a song, and if i had a set criteria.
interesting questions. . .
some songs i know within the first few bars, though it’s still a good idea to listen to the whole thing to make sure there isn’t some sort of annoyance later that would disqualify it.
there are some songs that i don’t love completely, but i really like the bass line. songs like that deserve to be in ‘the big list’ but probably won’t end up in a lot of the subsequent playlists.
i will initially pick and gravitate to music that i’ve heard before, but didn’t really pay attention to. stuff from commercials, from movie soundtracks. . . music that other people have played around me. (probably the only way i ended up with a phish album. an assistant technical director i worked for played it in the scene shop constantly. what can i say, it grew on me.)
so no real criteria. . . just what i like.
so, how well do you know your music library?
(i have another big list to talk about at some point, but it needs to percolate a little more.)
1.12.2009
a man to savage
this is actually a really old post that i’ve been sitting on for a while. . .
i was walking through our illustrious mall recently. the place is a dead zone. it’s pretty normal for there to be more people working there than actual shoppers. it makes for a really uncomfortable shopping experience in my mind. the clerks have absolutely nothing else to pay attention to other than you. instead of casually browsing you feel like you are dodging merchandise-hocking stalkers.
seriously, the biggest crowd i saw there was outside the toddler tumbling place. see, the stores are doing so badly and closing so often that some of the store fronts are being used as college outreaches areas, and toddler gymnastic clubs. there were maybe fifteen parents outside the gymnastic ‘store’ windows watching kids somersault and cartwheel their way down a long trampoline. personally, i couldn’t help but think that setting up a trampoline in a place with a drop ceilings and a number of enthusiastic kids would later result in injury or property damage.
anyway, since everything was so quiet, i actually started to pay attention to the paging system, which i usually tune out as white noise. (really annoying white noise.) it was during a particular page that i had this spark, this connection to the poor soul stuck behind the information desk.
a woman’s voice, with no girlish giggle like you would hear or crack yourself while making a prank call. this person was a comic ‘straight man’ genius. complete, dull delivery. perfect.
“amanda savage. would amanda savage please come to the information desk. we are requesting amanda savage to report to the information desk.”
sadly, i was no where near the information desk, and i was on my way out. but i would’ve liked to walk by and share a knowing chuckle or a sly smirk. it seemed just a little sad for this joke to go without an audience.
is it like that riddle about the tree falling in the woods? is a joke funny if there’s no one there to laugh at it? or is it enough that the deliverer of the joke was spilling their sardonic wit into the void, and maybe getting their kicks from that alone?
it definitely left me feeling a little like i was walking through wes anderson’s mall. . . wondering to myself. . . is this funny? or is it pathetic?
i chuckled anyway.
i was walking through our illustrious mall recently. the place is a dead zone. it’s pretty normal for there to be more people working there than actual shoppers. it makes for a really uncomfortable shopping experience in my mind. the clerks have absolutely nothing else to pay attention to other than you. instead of casually browsing you feel like you are dodging merchandise-hocking stalkers.
seriously, the biggest crowd i saw there was outside the toddler tumbling place. see, the stores are doing so badly and closing so often that some of the store fronts are being used as college outreaches areas, and toddler gymnastic clubs. there were maybe fifteen parents outside the gymnastic ‘store’ windows watching kids somersault and cartwheel their way down a long trampoline. personally, i couldn’t help but think that setting up a trampoline in a place with a drop ceilings and a number of enthusiastic kids would later result in injury or property damage.
anyway, since everything was so quiet, i actually started to pay attention to the paging system, which i usually tune out as white noise. (really annoying white noise.) it was during a particular page that i had this spark, this connection to the poor soul stuck behind the information desk.
a woman’s voice, with no girlish giggle like you would hear or crack yourself while making a prank call. this person was a comic ‘straight man’ genius. complete, dull delivery. perfect.
“amanda savage. would amanda savage please come to the information desk. we are requesting amanda savage to report to the information desk.”
sadly, i was no where near the information desk, and i was on my way out. but i would’ve liked to walk by and share a knowing chuckle or a sly smirk. it seemed just a little sad for this joke to go without an audience.
is it like that riddle about the tree falling in the woods? is a joke funny if there’s no one there to laugh at it? or is it enough that the deliverer of the joke was spilling their sardonic wit into the void, and maybe getting their kicks from that alone?
it definitely left me feeling a little like i was walking through wes anderson’s mall. . . wondering to myself. . . is this funny? or is it pathetic?
i chuckled anyway.
1.11.2009
ottawa.2009.2
ringing it in on the rideau.
so my friend sara invited me to hang out with her and a few of her friends in a hotel in ottawa for the new years. we had a really great time.
aren't these cookies super cute? i particularly like the snowflake ones. these were in a bread shop on the byward market.
ottawa.2009.3
an indoor picnic, sort of.
sara, kate, and i picked up a bunch of tidbits from the byward market and brought them back to the hotel for the whole group. bread, goat cheese, brie, pears, clementines, salsa, queso, chips, falafel, hummus, samosas, dips. . . mmmmm.
the night before we filled up on shwarma from around the corner for dinner. not to mention the 'medicinal' essentials;
ottawa.2009.5
it was nearly 20 below new years eve. thankfully the russian bar we headed to was just across the street from the hotel.
ottawa.2009.13
a pose at the dancing bear statue.
we've dubbed this 'snotcicle day.' it was very cold.
the byward market was mostly closed for the holiday but we walked around anyway.
ottawa.2009.15
worst stairs ever!
unless you carry a sled in your back pocket. and i don't. :(
by the tracks in the snow it kinda looks like someone, or several someones went down, either on a sled or on their ass.
12.22.2008
fred.1
it doesn't occur much, but as noobs enter my parent's house and exchange quizzical glances, we find that we have to explain our fredutian temple.
it was made by my uncle when he was in college.
it's traveled across country a couple of times, and it sits in my parent's living room. it's one of my favorite things.
it gets even more fun during the holidays. and tis the season!
11.20.2008
only here
i had to send some very official documents a very long ways away this week. i drove about 45 minutes to the closest international shipment establishment. well, i did that after i went the the first place that i thought would work, turns out they no longer ship internationally- something about the economy going under and them closing down their stores or something.
i got on my phone and started making calls. when i located a place i asked for directions and was told that i would know i was in the right place when i saw the store for pool supplies. i figured the pool supplies store was close by and had a very eye catching sign.
no. . . not so much.
the international shipper was located in a store that was also a pool equipment supply store and . . . and you say? yes. . . AND. . . . a christian book store.
it took close to a half hour to get my package prepped. a half hour, two calls to the shipment headquarters. . . and one computer crash.
the gentleman that first helped me didn’t exactly insight confidence within me. i tried not to sneer at the rush limbaugh show playing in the background. he had to leave halfway through the process, i was ok with that. the woman that finished everything was very meticulous and seemed intent on making it all work.
time will tell i suppose.
i got on my phone and started making calls. when i located a place i asked for directions and was told that i would know i was in the right place when i saw the store for pool supplies. i figured the pool supplies store was close by and had a very eye catching sign.
no. . . not so much.
the international shipper was located in a store that was also a pool equipment supply store and . . . and you say? yes. . . AND. . . . a christian book store.
it took close to a half hour to get my package prepped. a half hour, two calls to the shipment headquarters. . . and one computer crash.
the gentleman that first helped me didn’t exactly insight confidence within me. i tried not to sneer at the rush limbaugh show playing in the background. he had to leave halfway through the process, i was ok with that. the woman that finished everything was very meticulous and seemed intent on making it all work.
time will tell i suppose.
9.14.2008
just checking
i gave a cop my middle finger a couple of days ago. actually i gave him both.
in full disclosure, i gave him all of my digits. i had to get finger printed as part of a criminal background check. i had to wait a couple of hours because the finger printing area was in use for real bookings- so i got some errands done. once the finger printing area was available, everything was pretty easy. now i wait.
i don’t like waiting.
in full disclosure, i gave him all of my digits. i had to get finger printed as part of a criminal background check. i had to wait a couple of hours because the finger printing area was in use for real bookings- so i got some errands done. once the finger printing area was available, everything was pretty easy. now i wait.
i don’t like waiting.
9.11.2008
esplanade.JPG
the morning ride through the esplanade. this is my view for most of it. pretty scenery. . . some runners, roller bladers, walkers, cyclists. . . and my brother. . . from behind.
memorial.JPG
here's the second part of our morning ride. it's a familiar view though. dan in blue, leading the way through the memorial park drive i think?
flying.kite.JPG
on the move from one place to another, dan and i stopped in the common and watched some kite flying. here is a father and daughter team. we saw the kite up in the air and it took us a bit to locate the handlers. actually we noticed the string stretching across a large part of the common at first. then we walked over, watched and listened to them for a while.
can you see the kite?
it's 23 feet tall.
still can't see it?
kite.jpg
my camera was barely able to catch it. it's only a few pixels big. but you might be able to see something where i've pointed out.
the kite was about 2000 feet in the air when we walked by. the father had just attached another 2000 feet of string as we approached, and when we left he had it nearly 3000 feet out.
kind of amazing.
9.09.2008
plans, shmans
the summer camp has ended and it was straight into helping to clear out my grandpa’s house. there was a family friend looking to rent it. dad and i had been working at it in bits and pieces for months. it was slow going with only two of us. . . but reinforcements were on the way. there were cousins headed to college and cousins moving into new apartments. . . in their wake aunts and uncles arrived in incredibly relieving shifts. suddenly truck loads were being moved hourly, as opposed to weekly and monthly. extra sets of kitchenware were sorted out for use. favorite furniture was claimed and distributed. it was rushed and dirty, but i got to spend a decent amount of time with some of my aunts and uncles.
i thought i had another week, i thought i’d get to see the cleaning through to the end, but i didn’t check the calendar closely.
the plan made earlier was to do this one ride with my brother. the museum of science along with communities within boston set up a scale model of the solar system. each planet was set in a different part of town. there was a plaque along with each planet where you could make a rubbing on a special ‘passport’ that you could turn in, once completed, to the museum of boston for some sort of discount. dan mapped a route, back and forth, that would be around 60 miles long. i planned to visit over labor day weekend.
surprise #1- labor day weekend was a week earlier than i thought. i figured i had another week to gear up for the ride, and another couple of days to relax after helping to clear out my grandpa’s house.
surprise #2- dan tried a bit of the ride out. . . and found that the solar system bit was no longer in existence. too bad. .. had it been up, the title of the blog would’ve been something like, ‘cycling the solar system’. . . catchy, eh?
that ride being scrapped, we planned to put together whatever came easily. my dad and uncle had the house work under control, and i made my way to boston. my brother and a few of my friends had some extra time off. . . loose plans to hang out. . . good thing it was all kind of loose- time did not play nicely.
dan and i spent the mornings on his favorite ride through the esplanade. a really pretty ride- and good for the metro-challenged rider (me). we tried to do extra laps to make up for the lost longer ride. we kept putting off longer rides in order to catch up with people, but nothing ever gelled too well. . . not for lack of trying. who knew there were going to be green line jamming sox games every day i was there? along with the sox games a couple other problems cropped up and we missed a chance to hang out with friends on saturday and sunday. we got some riding in, and caught tropic thunder and hung out with dan’s roommate and coworker. kinda fun. . . and tropic thunder was a RIOT! hey, why not try to plan another meeting on monday? well, monday we planned to meet up with our cousin to help her move in to her new apartment. yay. . . more moving.
the plan to help move was for 2pm. dan and i did a morning ride and missed the call that noon would actually be more helpful to our cousin. we left to catch her around 1, on our bikes. . . remember me?. . the metro-challenged rider? well, riding got us there faster than public transport. . . what with another sox game in play. plus, it turns out all the moving that was being done that weekend was helpful. it slowed down traffic a lot. it also created obstacles. . . big truck, ornery people, and furniture type obstacles. so i wasn’t swift or slick. . . but task accomplished. we got to my cousin’s just in time to have missed all the heavy moving. totally not planned! we stuck around to help her and her girlfriend put together a completely complicated desk- it had way too many parts. it did give us some time with them and our aunt, uncle, and her sister. again, another visiting window of about and hour or two. meanwhile another friend who wanted to see us was being held up in town by the sox game. after a bit we hopped on the bikes to catch up with him. . . for another hour long visit. we did decide that i should stay another day so we could actually get together properly.
that night was trivia. (made it just in time.) one of my favorite things about visiting with dan. dan, his roommate, and i didn’t end up doing well. . . but if anyone else could’ve seen the semi educated guesses that we nailed out of nowhere. . . and the number of times we came so close. . . well, it was an impressive game, even though our score sucked.
tuesday gave us a chance to meet up without all the obstacles. i went for a morning ride after dan went to work. i cleaned up and then felt how tired the whole weekend had left me. we had been on the go from early morning through late evening each day so far. all the short visiting windows and running around to get to them. it all hit me hard. so i napped before meeting up with our friends. we had a nice time at dinner. sadly the evening was cut just a little short as work pulled away one of our friends. however, it made it an early night to get in and play some wii rockband. because we had been so busy, dan and i hadn’t had a chance to set down and play. the game is pretty damn fantastic.
all and all a pretty great visit. . . though something of a whirlwind. i got to do all the things i hoped, the riding, the trivia, the visits, and the wii rockband. . . it just took a little longer and involved a bit more running around than i anticipated. oh well.
i thought i had another week, i thought i’d get to see the cleaning through to the end, but i didn’t check the calendar closely.
the plan made earlier was to do this one ride with my brother. the museum of science along with communities within boston set up a scale model of the solar system. each planet was set in a different part of town. there was a plaque along with each planet where you could make a rubbing on a special ‘passport’ that you could turn in, once completed, to the museum of boston for some sort of discount. dan mapped a route, back and forth, that would be around 60 miles long. i planned to visit over labor day weekend.
surprise #1- labor day weekend was a week earlier than i thought. i figured i had another week to gear up for the ride, and another couple of days to relax after helping to clear out my grandpa’s house.
surprise #2- dan tried a bit of the ride out. . . and found that the solar system bit was no longer in existence. too bad. .. had it been up, the title of the blog would’ve been something like, ‘cycling the solar system’. . . catchy, eh?
that ride being scrapped, we planned to put together whatever came easily. my dad and uncle had the house work under control, and i made my way to boston. my brother and a few of my friends had some extra time off. . . loose plans to hang out. . . good thing it was all kind of loose- time did not play nicely.
dan and i spent the mornings on his favorite ride through the esplanade. a really pretty ride- and good for the metro-challenged rider (me). we tried to do extra laps to make up for the lost longer ride. we kept putting off longer rides in order to catch up with people, but nothing ever gelled too well. . . not for lack of trying. who knew there were going to be green line jamming sox games every day i was there? along with the sox games a couple other problems cropped up and we missed a chance to hang out with friends on saturday and sunday. we got some riding in, and caught tropic thunder and hung out with dan’s roommate and coworker. kinda fun. . . and tropic thunder was a RIOT! hey, why not try to plan another meeting on monday? well, monday we planned to meet up with our cousin to help her move in to her new apartment. yay. . . more moving.
the plan to help move was for 2pm. dan and i did a morning ride and missed the call that noon would actually be more helpful to our cousin. we left to catch her around 1, on our bikes. . . remember me?. . the metro-challenged rider? well, riding got us there faster than public transport. . . what with another sox game in play. plus, it turns out all the moving that was being done that weekend was helpful. it slowed down traffic a lot. it also created obstacles. . . big truck, ornery people, and furniture type obstacles. so i wasn’t swift or slick. . . but task accomplished. we got to my cousin’s just in time to have missed all the heavy moving. totally not planned! we stuck around to help her and her girlfriend put together a completely complicated desk- it had way too many parts. it did give us some time with them and our aunt, uncle, and her sister. again, another visiting window of about and hour or two. meanwhile another friend who wanted to see us was being held up in town by the sox game. after a bit we hopped on the bikes to catch up with him. . . for another hour long visit. we did decide that i should stay another day so we could actually get together properly.
that night was trivia. (made it just in time.) one of my favorite things about visiting with dan. dan, his roommate, and i didn’t end up doing well. . . but if anyone else could’ve seen the semi educated guesses that we nailed out of nowhere. . . and the number of times we came so close. . . well, it was an impressive game, even though our score sucked.
tuesday gave us a chance to meet up without all the obstacles. i went for a morning ride after dan went to work. i cleaned up and then felt how tired the whole weekend had left me. we had been on the go from early morning through late evening each day so far. all the short visiting windows and running around to get to them. it all hit me hard. so i napped before meeting up with our friends. we had a nice time at dinner. sadly the evening was cut just a little short as work pulled away one of our friends. however, it made it an early night to get in and play some wii rockband. because we had been so busy, dan and i hadn’t had a chance to set down and play. the game is pretty damn fantastic.
all and all a pretty great visit. . . though something of a whirlwind. i got to do all the things i hoped, the riding, the trivia, the visits, and the wii rockband. . . it just took a little longer and involved a bit more running around than i anticipated. oh well.
8.06.2008
a sensory booster shot
“In an era of stress and anxiety, when the present seems unstable and the future unlikely, the natural response is to retreat and withdraw from reality, taking recourse either in fantasies of the future or in modified visions of a half-imagined past.” - Watchmen
there are a couple of ideas that have been scrambling around in my brain pan lately. i’ve had more free time this summer than in recent history, and have gotten to see a good number of movies. so many of them were comic book movies, or superhero type movies. . . at least more than i remember in an average summer. . . . but then again, i didn’t used to get out as often. i thought it a bit telling of our current state that our entertainment has become so saturated with hero fantasies. like we’re looking for saving or something? america: the well endowed damsel in distress.
for the most part, i’ve greatly enjoyed the movies. . .the comic book/ superhero ones: ironman- surprisingly FANTASTIC!, hulk- very strong, hellboy- enjoyable production eyecandy, dark knight- amazing, wanted- really good for what it is , hancock- actually didn’t see yet, . . . and then the super human ones- indiana jones- enjoyable, get smart- enjoyable, x-files- not nearly as bad as rottentomatoes made it out to be, mummy- probably won’t see. .. .
it was at one of the more recent movies that i caught the watchmen trailer. i came to comics late- and i wouldn’t say that i’m well versed or a huge fan, but i definitely like what i’ve read and want to read more. tank riot touched on the subject in a recent podcast. when asked what comic book they can’t wait to see come to the movies they said ‘watchmen’. . . so it was up on my radar, and i ordered it.
i just finished my second chuck palahniuk book in three months- (i’ve completely diverted from my reading list, but i’m a little hooked). i picked up a dusty jd salinger that had been sitting on a shelf since i was in highschool and started that, when again, i was diverted by the arrival of my copy of watchmen. i have a tendency to read too quickly. i really want to devour the story. . . and i quickly forget details. i will probably have to go back and reread the watchmen. it is so thick- both literally, which surprised me. . . and thick with a variety of reading levels. . . deconstruction, satire. . . . i’m not describing it well. it doesn’t read like a straight forward comic. there are book excerpts, news articles, and letters interjected throughout. the history and parallel world-like view is lush. . . and there’s a meta comic- adding even more allusion and metaphor. it’s an incredibly rich and detailed world. all the acclaim makes sense. i’ll have to do my part to become a watchmen pusher.
now i can’t wait to see what the movie does. hurry up march!
the salinger is good, but it’s like going off of caffeine compared to the watchmen. there’s a sensory withdrawal. . . .
i’ll have to supplement with more doses of the latest sigur ros album. :)
there are a couple of ideas that have been scrambling around in my brain pan lately. i’ve had more free time this summer than in recent history, and have gotten to see a good number of movies. so many of them were comic book movies, or superhero type movies. . . at least more than i remember in an average summer. . . . but then again, i didn’t used to get out as often. i thought it a bit telling of our current state that our entertainment has become so saturated with hero fantasies. like we’re looking for saving or something? america: the well endowed damsel in distress.
for the most part, i’ve greatly enjoyed the movies. . .the comic book/ superhero ones: ironman- surprisingly FANTASTIC!, hulk- very strong, hellboy- enjoyable production eyecandy, dark knight- amazing, wanted- really good for what it is , hancock- actually didn’t see yet, . . . and then the super human ones- indiana jones- enjoyable, get smart- enjoyable, x-files- not nearly as bad as rottentomatoes made it out to be, mummy- probably won’t see. .. .
it was at one of the more recent movies that i caught the watchmen trailer. i came to comics late- and i wouldn’t say that i’m well versed or a huge fan, but i definitely like what i’ve read and want to read more. tank riot touched on the subject in a recent podcast. when asked what comic book they can’t wait to see come to the movies they said ‘watchmen’. . . so it was up on my radar, and i ordered it.
i just finished my second chuck palahniuk book in three months- (i’ve completely diverted from my reading list, but i’m a little hooked). i picked up a dusty jd salinger that had been sitting on a shelf since i was in highschool and started that, when again, i was diverted by the arrival of my copy of watchmen. i have a tendency to read too quickly. i really want to devour the story. . . and i quickly forget details. i will probably have to go back and reread the watchmen. it is so thick- both literally, which surprised me. . . and thick with a variety of reading levels. . . deconstruction, satire. . . . i’m not describing it well. it doesn’t read like a straight forward comic. there are book excerpts, news articles, and letters interjected throughout. the history and parallel world-like view is lush. . . and there’s a meta comic- adding even more allusion and metaphor. it’s an incredibly rich and detailed world. all the acclaim makes sense. i’ll have to do my part to become a watchmen pusher.
now i can’t wait to see what the movie does. hurry up march!
the salinger is good, but it’s like going off of caffeine compared to the watchmen. there’s a sensory withdrawal. . . .
i’ll have to supplement with more doses of the latest sigur ros album. :)
8.01.2008
fuck the squeaky wheel
for those of you who may be offended by the use of the word ‘fuck’. you may want to stop here. in recent times i’ve been known to substitute an ‘effing’ or ‘frick’ and even a ‘frel’ (though not a ‘frack,’ still waiting to netflix those) for comedic effect, such will not be the case today.
i’m not fucking laughing. for those who don’t mind it, and are interested in the rant to follow: welcome. keep a tally if you wish, because i intend to fucking use the word as much as fucking possible. you see, i have few vices. i’m not a heavy drinker (barely a drinker at all), i don’t beat the proverbial ‘wife’ or ‘cat,’ nor do i usually feel the need to unleash my anger at complete strangers just because someone else has fucking disrupted my calm. so when i’ve been pushed to the fucking limit, i turn it inward, yeah, i sulk and become not so fucking cheery. . . perhaps play some NIN or linkin park really loudly in my car or headphones. . . but i’d rather upset the person who fucking upset me, than treat the next person like crap. they don’t deserve it, and frankly, neither the fuck did i. fucker.
(10 if you include the title)
perhaps this is my vice. i don’t intend to use real names, though i’m not sure why we should keep these fucking people anonymous. they are not innocent. they are a fucking scourge. yes, fucking yes, i understand that everyone has a fucking story. *eyes fucking rolling* there is always another side, so why should i stay quiet? i have a fucking story too. . . why is that not taking into fucking consideration? i’ve had too many other people’s fucking problems laid on me as of today. last week one of the program assistants noticed that i was being hassled by a third party and said (feeling sorry for me) that her mother, in these situations, always used to say, ‘one’s inability to organize does not constitute an emergency on my behalf.’ i wish i lived in that world.
i’m gonna keep going with this. . . since i feel my blood pressure falling and my shoulders relaxing. fucking finally.
in one sense i think it is so fucking sad the effect that this has on my memory. i’ve been working for this summer program. i have databased and tracked the names and information for all these candidates. 70 to 80% of all them were on time with their paperwork, they and their families were responsible and respectful. . . and i doubt if i can name one of them. i can, however, rattle off the fucking five top contenders for greatest fucking annoyances. most of the time it was not the camper’s fault, but their fucking parents’. though there were a few camper’s who seemed pretty fucking annoying, and i can remember their names too. i can remember the name of one fantabulous girl. actually, two. one girl took charge of all her own paperwork and i never talked to her parents. and a second girl was accepted very late (after some fucking kid dropped out) and she was able to get all the paperwork in at lightning speed. seeing two girls rocking it out makes me only wonder more why these other fuckers were incapable.
how fucking unfair is that? there are a couple hundred that did everything fine, but they will not stand out to me, because they didn’t squeak loudly enough. because they did everything right. it’s a fucking shame.
like most people, i’m rather patient and level headed. i can be very understanding of someone’s problems the first time around. but the 15th fucking time, or the 15th fucking person isn’t going to hear nearly as much compassion in my voice. ps, ‘15’ is a completely arbitrary number, i don’t know my exact limit. maybe because my limit is further out than others is why so many people think i’m so patient?
i am beginning to understand why creditors sound the way they do over the phone. they put up with nothing but sad stories and excuses all day. it’s all on the phone though. the don’t have some very annoyed and frustrated person standing in front of them, making fucking demands that cannot be met. yelling. . . . practically crying, fucking slamming walls?! really. . . is that how a grown up acts? oh wait. . . i guess so. it’s not like this is my first time on the fucking ferris wheel of emotionally fucked humans. and i’m not talking people who are locked up, medicated, and straight jacketed. i’m talking about people who act like fucking children when dealing with frustration and anger. they are allowed to walk around like everyone else.
fucking example #1
- a student designer at my undergrad. i was his scenic artist. we were doing some late night painting on his set together. he seemed mostly fine, kind of a dick. . . but no more than to be expected. he kept talking about this amazing blue paint he mixed earlier that day. it was this unbelievable color, there’s no way anyone could’ve come up with such a perfect blue. (in my head i’m thinking, it’s fucking BLUE. . . show it to me and i can mix it.) he was worried that someone had used it for a class project. he didn’t mark it. he left no note indicating that it was for a production and not to be used for a class. fucking idiot.
of course we got to the scene shop and the paint had been used. -it’s at times like these when i wish i had a video camera installed in my brain so i could run the playback for others who weren’t there. i’ve so often needed a witness.- anyway, a tantrum ensued. he threw paint cans and lids around the paint shop. he showed me the few tablespoons of his paint that was left over. i sat the bucket in front of me. while he fucking rampaged through all the class projects to eye who had used his color, i pulled out several cans of paint and set forth to remix the color. in ten minutes i had a perfect match. . . a full bucket. he had a red face and made a fucking huge mess of the paint shop which we had to pick up in order to work.
fucking example #2
-a mentor in grad school. to give a brief but definitive idea of my situation: there had always been two lighting grad students. after me, there continued to be two lighting grad students. for the three years i was there. . . i was one lighting grad student, doing all my normal work plus the work of the 2nd non existing grad student. there came a time when my fucking plate was simply too full. according to my schedule i was supposed to hold a lab session and keep five students busy hanging lights for a show. i was the master electrician, partial lighting designer, and lighting coordinator for a dance show. there were several lighting designers. some of them were fucking late with their choices and information. i didn’t have time to prepare my lab because of their lateness. instead of running a poorly organized lab that wouldn’t accomplish much beyond my own frustration and the frustration of my lab students. . . i let them have their two hours to themselves. i used the two hours to prep the late paperwork for the rest of the week. from that point on, the hang, focus, tech, and run of the show were all on time.
as i was using those two hours in the most efficient way i knew a few of my friends warned me that our teacher was on the warpath. she heard that i let my lab go for the day. in my own head i wonder if she had reflected on the fact that a student she fucking chose to add to the design process was now the one who had turned in her fucking paperwork late. . . and the responsibility to fix the problem fell on me. guess fucking not. when the teacher found me she was literally gnashing her teach, pulling at her frizzy hair, and spitting as she yelled at me. (another great brain cam moment.) she was so angry she could barely articulate. i remember the main idea- ‘what was i thinking? how could i let my class go? i’m so irresponsible.’ blah blah fucking blah.
was she interested in my method? fuck no. was she interested in knowing that because i had these two hours i wouldn’t have to shave it off my four hours of sleep time that night? fuck no. apparently she needed to show that my ability to prioritize pissed her off. . . and that she resembled fizzgig from the dark crystal when she throws a tantrum. (see link)
fizzgig
i’m feeling fucking better and better. . .
fucking example #3
-a staff person comes looking for her check. the checks come in the afternoon mail. she was promised by someone else that her check would be waiting for her. i am a temp with no control and little understanding of how things run. i comb through the desk. i look in the normal places. no check. i tell her it normally comes in the afternoon mail around 2pm. this isn’t fucking good enough. she was told differently. the person that told her is on vacation.
‘i need it.’ ‘what am i supposed to do for two hours?’ ‘i was told it would be here.’ all repetitively spouted at me. the frustration and anger building in her. and now she starts looking at me like i could bend over and fucking shit a check out for her, but am refusing. i make calls. the check was cut. it’s in the mail system. i tell her the mail comes around 11am and 2pm. . . . again, and again. she’s practically yelling at me now, for something i can’t fucking control. then she slams the wall with her hand. (dammit, where is that brain cam?!) she has to be somewhere, she needs that check before she leaves. . . . yeah, and i was supposed to be doing work. . . but now i’m here listening to you say this over and over again, and none of it is changing the outcome.
she reassures me that she isn’t yelling at me. she isn’t mad with me. does it matter? i’m making the phone calls, trying to remain kind to the payroll staff as i repeat questions. i have to deal with the human equivalent of the squeaky wheel directly. it doesn’t matter because she can’t actually take her fucking frustration out on the right person. . . therefore i get it.
she finally left. the people in the neighboring office return from lunch (oh right, i skipped lunch listening to this fucking mess) and i ask them about the morning mail. they explain there was a back up in mail services due to a power outage a day earlier.
she calls at 1pm. mail hasn’t arrived yet. again at 2:07. . . should be here soon. she decided to come back and wait for it.
oh goody.
the mail guy came by, no check. i explained the situation. calmly. (in my head i’m wondering if this woman carries a gun. could i duck quickly enough? she’d be frazzled. it would probably make her a bad shot. maybe i’d have time to duck and throw something damaging at her. throw her off her fucking game just long enough? ) the mail guy agreed that payroll is important and usually makes people smile. he delivered it yesterday and watched the vacationing person put it in a special spot. he pointed it out to me. there were the checks. i’m relieved. i thank the mail guy. my calm exterior didn’t faltered once. perhaps he even feels that he’s helped me. . . without me upsetting him first. i’m relieved and frustrated. someone could’ve told me (the only person in the office this week) where the checks would be hiding.
the staff member reappears. yet some other tragedy has occurred in the time it took her to drive back. what the fuck ever! take your fucking check and leave me in fucking peace!
i have no one take my fucking frustration out on. so i put it here.
good news: the inclination to writing ‘fuck’ is subsiding a little.
fucking conclusion
am i better than these people? yes. yes i am.
that just kinda feels good to say. yes i am better than these fucking squeaky wheels. fuck them. go choke on some oil!
ahhh. . . this is fucking zen!
truth? i have bad days. i complain about them. i lay my frustrations on others. . . though usually it’s a shared frustration. i don’t throw things, i don’t tug at my hair and grind my teeth, i don’t slam walls, i don’t yell. i do cry in bathroom stalls when no one knows. i do write about it and seethe on it for YEARS! i do hold grudges. for YEARS.
i feel better.
fucking addendum
in the face of all these fuckers, the more upset they got, the quieter and more stoic i got. is it possible that this is a catalyst for their overly dramatic ridiculous fucking behavior? is it possible that they feel better when they see someone else all worked up over their problem? and when faced with someone who remains resolved they spiral out of control?
if this is true. . . i’m really gonna need that brain cam installed STAT!
i’ve used an hour of my work time to write this. i will have to make up for it. maybe listen to some tool. . . post this to my blog. . . but i won’t give the check out guy at the grocery a hard time because i fell behind on my work. i’m gonna SUCK IT UP and finish my work. no biggie people.
7.29.2008
aha!. . . it's not just me. . .i knew it!. . . dammit.
situation: an older sister is visiting her younger brother in boston. he currently lives there, but they both attended college there. she’s happy to be visiting her brother and hanging out in a place where she has fond memories. they are walking down the street on a bright afternoon, hoping to see friends and meet up for dinner.
after passing a few people on the sidewalk a bit of bothersome paranoia sets in on the older sister. she turns to her brother and asks,
“Do I have something in my teeth?” She gives an overly toothy grin.
“No,” he replies.
“Something on my face, in my hair. . . anything weird?”
Their pace slows a bit.
“No,” again he replies and blandly adds, “Why, because everyone we pass seems to be staring at you intensely?”
“Yeah, you see it too?” She’s relieved and exasperated.
“Yeah, I don’t get it.”
They both shrug a little, and move on.
- The problem with being paranoid, is when you’re right.
after passing a few people on the sidewalk a bit of bothersome paranoia sets in on the older sister. she turns to her brother and asks,
“Do I have something in my teeth?” She gives an overly toothy grin.
“No,” he replies.
“Something on my face, in my hair. . . anything weird?”
Their pace slows a bit.
“No,” again he replies and blandly adds, “Why, because everyone we pass seems to be staring at you intensely?”
“Yeah, you see it too?” She’s relieved and exasperated.
“Yeah, I don’t get it.”
They both shrug a little, and move on.
- The problem with being paranoid, is when you’re right.
7.20.2008
4th@boldt.1
while walking the grounds at boldt castle i found the pyro set up for the 4th's fireworks later that evening.
4th@boldt.3
i was just here a few months ago, so while others were on the tour, i took advantage of having cell service and called my friend andria. we had fun catching up while i walked the grounds.
4th@boldt.4
this girl totally has the right idea. going out in your feetie pj's is completely underrated.
4th@boldt.8
haven't figured out how to take decent night shots. really wanted to get the castle silhouette. . . but ended up with blurry. . . but kinda pretty.
fun with cycling, parts 1 through 6
part 1: do i really want a bike?
i looked online for used, and new. . . walked by the cheapies in walmart and thought, ‘how bad can they be?’ i discussed with my brother the styles and what to look for and debated why i shouldn’t get a ‘cheapie’ . . . i researched styles, weighed pros, cons, . . . .
finally i ended up in my local shop asking about a trek/ commuter/ touring/ comfort/ city bike with a number in my head. . . and they had one that fit my number. . . as well as me, (hey, i’m short, i need a short bike). as i debated if i really wanted it, being that i had a perfectly good hybrid sitting in a dark storage unit in southern california, the owner of the shop had me take it out for a spin. practically pushed me out the door with it in my hands.
SOLD
smart guy
the slightly weird thing is that it’s red. i never intend to buy or own red bikes, but all of mine have been red. . . .(except for one maybe, my memory isn’t so good.) my first real bike was a red bmx bought at a garage sale. . . there might have been a 10 speed in my teenage years that was gray and pink, with the curly handlebars?. . . or maybe i just coveted it. . . . the hybrid i got in virginia (the one aforementioned as being held captive by my storage unit) is also red. i named it drusilla. . . i was watching ‘i, claudius’ at the time.
part 2: muscle memory
on my first spin i crested the hill at the top of my driveway and turned left. since i was a kid i always took a bit of the sidewalk on the left of the road until traffic cleared so i could move to the right of the road. i turned left and my first instinct was to stand on my pedals. i second guessed myself, why would i stand on my pedals? this bike is far more comfortable than the bmx i used to ride around on. standing on my pedals just made me feel cool, right. . .it’s how they did it on that movie, bmx bandits? i decided to sit. . . turns out my muscle memory was there for a reason. i always stood because the sidewalk is incredibly uneven. . . and hasn’t changed (unless it’s gotten worse) since i was young. it wouldn’t matter how comfortable your bike seat is. . . you don’t wanna ride over that. lesson learned.
part 3: take in the scenery and the wildlife
take them in, but don’t hit them. i nearly hit a deer. . . or, more likely, it nearly hit me. i ride a less travelled area through higley flow. there is quite a bit of wildlife. . . i just didn’t expect it to come charging out at me. guess i scared the deer enough to send it back to the woods. . . lucky me.
part 4: finding my limits
i used to ride my bike a lot as a kid and teenager. during the summer a friend of mine and i would push out early morning and head to south colton. our turning point was somewhere near sunday rock. . . and a local store. it was always chilly in the morning, so we’d wear leggings over our shorts on the way out. at the end of the first half we’d each get a ‘hot mama’ slim jim thingy and ditch the leggings then ride back to play basketball. it was nearly a 10 mile trip. . . and some of the hills are kinda killer, or at least they look that way now.
i’m doing 10 miles at a time through higley flow. the hills aren’t as difficult, but there are a couple of challenges. on the first ride through i kept visualizing my legs as pistons or as part of a train chug chugging along in order to keep pushing. i was happy to see how far i could push my leg muscles. . . it was my stomach that nearly gave out. i don’t remember if i had something that was spicy earlier that day or what, but making my way up a particularly steep but gracefully short hill i had hot bile make it’s way up my throat. i spent the rest of my ride belching it out. attractive, huh?
part 5: gotta love the small town bike shop
i stopped in a week after getting my bike to start adding to my accessories. first, the gloves. i bee-lined for them. . . the owner tallied the price, but left off the tax. i reminded him, but he just waived it off. i reassured him about how much i loved the bike and he smiled and said, ‘good, keep riding, and let that girl over there know how much you like it.’ there was a girl debating over a couple of bikes. it turned into a 20 minute chat as she told me what she was looking for, and how she planned to use the bike, etc. i gave her a quick rundown of the research i did, gave her some suggestions about what to look for, and finally left telling her that she should take one for a test drive.
i’m pretty cheap advertising.
part 6: on the move, sans music
when working out or going for a walk, i’m always accompanied by music. . . or a podcast, or some aural fixation.
i’m hesitant to do so while riding around traffic (that and i can hear if my gears are acting up, or if my brakes need adjusting). for the time being, it would seem that the sound of rushing wind is enough to satisfy. off that i found it so annoying when the wind would pick up on my walks and drown out my ipod. . . and it seems i can’t get enough of it riding. the wind acts as white noise. it only breaks when i turn my head. facing forward is like listening to a channel with nothing but snow, and turning my head is like hitting the mute button.
hey. . . make your own fun where you can.
i looked online for used, and new. . . walked by the cheapies in walmart and thought, ‘how bad can they be?’ i discussed with my brother the styles and what to look for and debated why i shouldn’t get a ‘cheapie’ . . . i researched styles, weighed pros, cons, . . . .
finally i ended up in my local shop asking about a trek/ commuter/ touring/ comfort/ city bike with a number in my head. . . and they had one that fit my number. . . as well as me, (hey, i’m short, i need a short bike). as i debated if i really wanted it, being that i had a perfectly good hybrid sitting in a dark storage unit in southern california, the owner of the shop had me take it out for a spin. practically pushed me out the door with it in my hands.
SOLD
smart guy
the slightly weird thing is that it’s red. i never intend to buy or own red bikes, but all of mine have been red. . . .(except for one maybe, my memory isn’t so good.) my first real bike was a red bmx bought at a garage sale. . . there might have been a 10 speed in my teenage years that was gray and pink, with the curly handlebars?. . . or maybe i just coveted it. . . . the hybrid i got in virginia (the one aforementioned as being held captive by my storage unit) is also red. i named it drusilla. . . i was watching ‘i, claudius’ at the time.
part 2: muscle memory
on my first spin i crested the hill at the top of my driveway and turned left. since i was a kid i always took a bit of the sidewalk on the left of the road until traffic cleared so i could move to the right of the road. i turned left and my first instinct was to stand on my pedals. i second guessed myself, why would i stand on my pedals? this bike is far more comfortable than the bmx i used to ride around on. standing on my pedals just made me feel cool, right. . .it’s how they did it on that movie, bmx bandits? i decided to sit. . . turns out my muscle memory was there for a reason. i always stood because the sidewalk is incredibly uneven. . . and hasn’t changed (unless it’s gotten worse) since i was young. it wouldn’t matter how comfortable your bike seat is. . . you don’t wanna ride over that. lesson learned.
part 3: take in the scenery and the wildlife
take them in, but don’t hit them. i nearly hit a deer. . . or, more likely, it nearly hit me. i ride a less travelled area through higley flow. there is quite a bit of wildlife. . . i just didn’t expect it to come charging out at me. guess i scared the deer enough to send it back to the woods. . . lucky me.
part 4: finding my limits
i used to ride my bike a lot as a kid and teenager. during the summer a friend of mine and i would push out early morning and head to south colton. our turning point was somewhere near sunday rock. . . and a local store. it was always chilly in the morning, so we’d wear leggings over our shorts on the way out. at the end of the first half we’d each get a ‘hot mama’ slim jim thingy and ditch the leggings then ride back to play basketball. it was nearly a 10 mile trip. . . and some of the hills are kinda killer, or at least they look that way now.
i’m doing 10 miles at a time through higley flow. the hills aren’t as difficult, but there are a couple of challenges. on the first ride through i kept visualizing my legs as pistons or as part of a train chug chugging along in order to keep pushing. i was happy to see how far i could push my leg muscles. . . it was my stomach that nearly gave out. i don’t remember if i had something that was spicy earlier that day or what, but making my way up a particularly steep but gracefully short hill i had hot bile make it’s way up my throat. i spent the rest of my ride belching it out. attractive, huh?
part 5: gotta love the small town bike shop
i stopped in a week after getting my bike to start adding to my accessories. first, the gloves. i bee-lined for them. . . the owner tallied the price, but left off the tax. i reminded him, but he just waived it off. i reassured him about how much i loved the bike and he smiled and said, ‘good, keep riding, and let that girl over there know how much you like it.’ there was a girl debating over a couple of bikes. it turned into a 20 minute chat as she told me what she was looking for, and how she planned to use the bike, etc. i gave her a quick rundown of the research i did, gave her some suggestions about what to look for, and finally left telling her that she should take one for a test drive.
i’m pretty cheap advertising.
part 6: on the move, sans music
when working out or going for a walk, i’m always accompanied by music. . . or a podcast, or some aural fixation.
i’m hesitant to do so while riding around traffic (that and i can hear if my gears are acting up, or if my brakes need adjusting). for the time being, it would seem that the sound of rushing wind is enough to satisfy. off that i found it so annoying when the wind would pick up on my walks and drown out my ipod. . . and it seems i can’t get enough of it riding. the wind acts as white noise. it only breaks when i turn my head. facing forward is like listening to a channel with nothing but snow, and turning my head is like hitting the mute button.
hey. . . make your own fun where you can.
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