Y'all Know What A Homonym Is?

testing postie!

2009-07-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

hi there is it now 2 pm?

race relations

2009-07-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday on the way home, a tiny man on a tiny bike with a tiny skintight outfit passed me near Cole's Barbeque. In the most light-hearted of ways, I thought, "ooo, competition!" and picked up the pace for a little race. I could have passed him once or twice, but I didn't want to be too creepy, and it was really all I could do to keep up most of the time.
I thought about giving up when he broke away after Betty Burger, but -- aha! -- the pedestrians on the trestle slowed him down a bit and I caught up. I was stoked to be able stay on his tail until we parted ways at the old funspot. I thought about thanking him for the good workout, but again, I'm sure I was being creepy enough without that on top.
Sometimes you gotta race, I don't know...

bmx dream

2009-07-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

I love waking up and recounting my latest crazy dream - just like, "--and then there was poison gas everywhere, and my english teacher showed up and yelled for us to run upstairs, and the second floor was like our apartment, but there was all kinds of plants growing in the bedroom!" and so forth...
But I also love waking up and not even realizing I had a dream. Then going about my business all day until something triggers me to remember it, and say "wait a secondddd..."
Yesterday, Andy and I were riding bikes to the store and he was jumping on & off the sidewalk as usual, hitting the lips of driveways and whatnot, and I thought, "hmm I was doing that yesterday." Except I totally wasn't - I've tried bunny hopping before and was very successful at getting the front tire an inch (or less) off the ground... that's it.
But I had dreamt the night before that I was riding bmx & bunny hopping over everything & it was super-easy. I busted up laughing at the recollection, but Andy said I could probably learn for realsies with a little help.

sweet pea

2009-06-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

I've still been riding, just not writing...
I've also been taking photographs! I couldn't resist this sweet pea on my way towards 41st Avenue last week.
In other news, Andy has bought himself a Benz and now my Honda is once again my own. This will test my commitment to riding, as a vehicle is such a convenience... but I know I have the willpower to stay on the bike!
Now, who's with me?!

fabulous ALC riders

2009-06-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Coming up to the State Park & Soquel intersection this morning, I was met by at least a hundred riders waiting in a long line for a green light. I rode with a small group of them for my last mile and wondered what race they were in. We passed some roadies with signs, one of which simply said FABULOUS ALC! and they cheered us on with "You riders look great!"
My lack of spandex gave me away, but they waved at me anyway. Turns out that today is Day 2 of the AIDS Life Cycle 8, which is not a "race" but rather a "ride." A very long ride. Spanning San Francisco to Los Angeles in 7 days, which sounds like more than enough time -- but the shortest day is still more than 60 miles.
I can't talk about an AIDS benefit ride without providing the donate link, that would just be wrong...

camaraderie

2009-05-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

I have a friend named Dylan (you may know him as internet sensation and A-list gay, Noodles and Beef. Yes, I know Noodles and Beef! Yes, I can get you on a date with him!) who drives a mini-cooper named Magnus. Magnus is pretty chill; he listens when you talk to him and practically drives himself. When Dylan & Magnus pass by other people driving mini-coopers, Dylan waves excitedly and is usually met with a happy wave back, like "Hey! I love my mini-cooper, too!"

The best is when Dylan waves to mini-cooper drivers when we aren't even in Magnus. We can be cruising in my Honda and then he just gets bewildered stares like, "Do I know this crazy person? Why is he flagging me down?" Their confused faces are pretty funny.

But my point is that there is a sense of camaraderie between Dylan and his fellow cooper-drivers. It's like finding out that someone went to the same college as you, or that they too enjoy... golfing... or something.

The camaraderie flows freely in bike commuting. When you're biking and another bicyclist passes by, there's about a 90% chance that they will positively acknowledge your similarities (aka smile at you). I love this! I haven't stopped to actually meet any of these people, but they all seem friendly enough for that fleeting second. And once you establish a routine, you'll notice the same riders day-in and day-out. You may never know their names, but it's good to know there are kindred spirits out there.

On that note, a very silly and easy game. No one will keep score but you. The goal is to be the first to smile when you pass a fellow cyclist. Scoff if you like, but I happen to know that smiling is very good for your health, so even if you lose a round, you still win in the long run...

give it a rest, ok?

2009-05-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't been riding much the past week or two because work has been awful hectic. I just didn't have the time or energy to commit 2 hours a day to riding. BUT! Our huge project is just about complete and work is slowing down to a normal pace. So, back on the bike!

I think it's very important for people to listen to their bodies and their stress levels. If work is exhausting you too much to ride, save the ride for another day, if you can. On the other hand, exercise helps relieve stress, so perhaps you should in fact ride! What a puzzle. Anyway...

Cindy Godman of the Hartford Courant wrote a piece yesterday about balancing work, family, and exercise. You can read it on the Chicago Tribune site, but in short:

Start small, don't be overly ambitious.
Don't expect to be able to ride every day starting on day one. It's okay to take a day off from the commute here and there until you've built up your stamina.

Relax!
You're not going to feel like you are successfully balancing work, family, and exercise if you're all hopped up on stress. Luckily, bike commuting hits two birds with one stone - you're getting exercise and avoiding the stress of driving. Plus you have time to sort out the day's troubles in your mind. Riding can be a really meditative activity if you can chill out!

Get enough sleep
This was one of the problems keeping me off my bike. Work was taking up more of my day, so the rest of my responsibilities were creeping into my sleep-time. I couldn't face a 10 mile ride on too little sleep! Do yourself and your longevity a favor and get your 7 - 9 hours in each night. Maybe drink a glass of warm milk just before you hit the sack and do a bit of lucid dreaming to keep it interesting!

bike to work day: IN COLOR!

2009-05-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

Pictures supplied by a lovely volunteer named Jamie, who was working at Verve that morning with her sister (pictured, at my immediate left). Jamie has yet another sister who organizes all the Bike to Work events! Very cool.

bike to work day

2009-05-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

Another "what luck!" moment today--my camera battery died as I was trying to take a picture for Westi at Pictures From A Bike. (She inspired me to begin riding, and I don't think she is participating in Bike to Work Day this year, due to new twin bay-bays.)

Luckily the volunteers at the breakfast site in front of Verve Coffee Roasters on 41st were incredibly friendly (who'd have guessed!) and one will be emailing pictures soon.

I enjoyed the free coffee & breakfast and picked up a complimentary pack of strawberry Clif Bar Shot Bloks out of curiosity. The best part was.... Free Massage! Oh hell yeah, definitely worth being a few minutes late for that!

i see beautiful things

2009-05-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Riding past 7-11, I spotted a mallard with a bright green head just sittin' around in front of some apartments. "A duck!" I exclaimed aloud to no one but myself... as if I was two and had just learned the word, which I thought was funny. His female friend was sitting beside him just behind a tree.

Then passing by Twin Lakes, I was looking out on the water & sunrise as usual and I saw dolphins playing close to shore! I've heard people talk about seeing dolphins but had never seen them myself. They were coming up and out of the water in a pattern that reminded me of what Nessie must look like--you know, like in a serpentine fashion? So, I was enthralled and pedaling really slow and just watching. Then I realized I didn't see any dorsal fins. Turns out they were seals, but beautiful all the same! Guess I will have to keep my eyes open for dolphins.

off to a good start?

2009-05-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

This morning was my first ride to work on my pretty new bicycle! 'Cept I didn't make it too far... Luckily I was helped by a kind soul in a truck with some free time on his hands.

What luck to get a flat my first day! Guess I will have to buy that mini-pump a little earlier than I expected. Andy and I are going to Bike Trip after work to see what they think & buy some new tubes!

I hope this isn't the start of Hitchhike to Work Week...

my new best friend

2009-05-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Emily at Bicycle Trip for the outstanding customer service! Not only did she know about everything I needed, she was super-friendly and a great teacher. She also coaches with the Dirt Series program! Very cool.

So, check out my new bike! It's a Giant FCR 3 W - built for ladies' geometry. It's so light I can hold it over my head! Great for living on the second floor. Also, it has these sweet trigger shifters--which I find are a lot cooler than the twist shifters that my old mountain bike had. I can't believe I'm riding something with skinny tires--I've always been anti-skinny tires but this bike felt right. Oh, and I'm also rockin' a helmet now--I figure the odds of me needing it rise with every day that I go out riding (fingers crossed of course).

Oh, and just in time for Bike to Work week, which starts tomorrow!

hilton knows what's up

2009-05-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

so much time to think

2009-04-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

At times I appreciate that the cruiser makes me go slower than most bike commuters.
Gives me more time to think & see...
Anyway... 5th ride today! 100 miles!

multiple sources

2009-04-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

Last week I did a little research about the amount of CO2 I am going to keep out of the atmosphere by biking instead of driving. I was a little skeptical about my internet findings, but another source corroborated the numbers. Hopefully they're not just sharing mistakes! Since it's from the EPA, I am choosing to trust these numbers are correct.

So, this being my 3rd ride, I've avoided emitting 0.0226227 tons of CO2!

Plus BONUS POINTS! I went on a 2-mile lunch run for me & a coworker. Add .0007616 to the mix!

0.0233843 tons of CO2

also, umm obviously this post is still a draft but i am publish-happy!

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/findacar.htm

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx2008f.jsp?year=1993&make=Honda&model=Accord&hiddenField=Findacar

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator2.html#c=transportation&p=reduceOnTheRoad&m=calc_currentEmissions

1 day : 19.8 miles : 0.0075409 tons CO2

two in a row

2009-04-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was thinking that perhaps I should wait until Monday before riding to work again, you know, let my body rest or something. But last night when Andy asked if I would be riding again today my immediate response was "yes." So there you go, I'm diggin' it.

Plus I saw the funniest thing at Twin Lakes beach!

I get a kick out of other people's stupidity. But I am realistic enough to know that coulda been my mistake, too. :)

Senses:
mmmm bakery smells!
more seagull music.

Observations:
Could Capitola look any more beautiful? With the sunrise to the right, and a few people enjoying the quiet morning, and just so much water!

Wishlist:
Riding gloves. My knuckles + cold wind = whooey

yes, i'm bragging

2009-04-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

View from the bike commute! Love it.

in the beginning

2009-04-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

I did my first real ride today! I was amped when I got to work in 1 hr 10 min!

Surprises:
1. I thought I would get my blood flowing enough that I would be warm in a tee for the rest of the day. Wrong! The cold wasn't unbearable during the ride, but it was definitely enough to cancel out any blood-warming I had done. Office + cold - sweater = brrrr!
2. I didn't pack a lunch or snacks, and the ride made me really hungry!

On the way home, I kept a leisurely pace & just really enjoyed flowing through all the sea-side neighborhoods. I heard lovely seagull music!

come on and take a free ride

2009-04-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

I took the cruiser out yesterday and was successful!
I mean, really, what was going to happen? I don't think I ever envisioned myself not making it.

So this was more of an opportunity to see how much time I was going to need to make it to work on time, and test the route--which I highly recommend to anyone about to start bike-commuting. I gained a lot of insight in those 2+ hours that came in very useful for planning the real deal. Definitely had to rethink my route due to a nasty hill. I'm talking 25% grade. Gaining 144 ft in 0.3 miles. Even if I had gears that would not be going down!

So now I am ready to begin my bike to work escapades. It will be 9.9 miles each way, but I get to see the beautiful coastline for most of the way & now I am finally gonna get some exercise.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-03-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

It has been 3 years to the day since you and I joined forces, my dear Personal Blog.
What shall we do to celebrate?

Pickle Sickle Bob

2007-12-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

www.picklesickle.com

This is what happens when you get bored. And hot. But don't want to get fat.
At least that's what they say.

I have a photographic memory. See?

2007-07-30T17:06:00.001-07:00

brokey broke

2007-07-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

good times...

old 'nudey

2007-03-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

haircut! que corto!

2007-03-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

stupid new blogger wont post my pikkytures

4:24 of awesome hilarity

2006-05-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

"Vans" by the Wolfpack + this flashback.

"this is what happens when i get hungry!"

2006-05-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

hooray for good times yesterday/today. i love how inviting stephanie for food somewhere turned into an eleven person extravaganza at acapulco. with amazing delicious food. followed by clips of karate dog at the big house ("i'm so angry at this movie!"). followed by a chill-out sesh at erik's, where i stole a cigarette from his girlfriend (sorry, ashley... but only a little). followed by more karate dog (in my dreams!). no, but really, i was very glad to hang out with the real hang-out-troopers til the wee hours. the only downside is that after staying up talking til five with steve and lieb, i am quite tired, and only a millimeter closer to finishing my multitude of assignments. crap. (but good crap). i love you allllllllll.
oh, and i got to ride the bus with brian today at 7:30. that was fun. 'cause i was falling asleep standing up.

i should be sleeping

2006-05-25T03:28:00.000-07:00

my ten-page law and policy essay is not at the forefront of my mind.
how far behind i am in my independent study is not at the forefront of my mind.
the fact that i still haven't gotten a hang of chiaroscuro yet is not at the forefront of my mind.
rather....
what would be appropriate attire to the 90's party this sunday?
when will i make time to go to safeway to stock up for the barbeque?
how awesome will our last issue of the year be?
[that last one was a rhetorical question. if you must know, the answer is "very."]

oh - before i forget...

2006-05-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

I need to start compiling the list of greatest softball moments for each week.
In my opinion....
Week 1 - April 21st:
- Erik Hellen's crazy-wild dinger. Short-shorts. Short shirt. And a mad fury when it comes to hitting that ball.
Week 2 - April 28th:
- The intense game of five-man-pickle involving Dan and Sam. As if regular old pickle weren't enough to get you outta your seat and screaming your ass off, both Dan AND Sam had to get in on it, complete with falling, sliding, and cries of victory when Sam finally made it home and Dan was safe on third.
I think there should also be moments of honorable mention on this list... Any suggestions?

2006-03-30T20:31:00.000-08:00

Damn. I am not smart enough for the online Jeopardy test. The chance was there, right in front of me, to make it to the top [Jeopardy] and make history. And I flushed it down the drain. Or maybe they're looking for idiots to go on the show. In that case, you'll see me on Tv sometime during the next year.

a place for dreams

2006-03-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

This morning I dreamt I ran an 8-mile marathon. Not only did I run it, but I won it. And the last leg was truly an "amazing race." After that I realized it was a dream but then fell back asleep. Then dreamt that I was telling Matt about my fake victory, and he was amused by my story. I miss that guy.

c'mon honey, let's go make some noise

2006-03-24T01:22:00.000-08:00

hey, blogspot - remember back in 2003 when me and you hooked up. that was pretty sweet. but then i stopped calling you. i don't know what i was thinking. people make mistakes. i'm glad you took me back.