09.16.07
Gone
It’s lucky for me that I just finished my single-speed cruiser bike project, because my good bike was stolen today. I’d gotten used to keeping the bike outside, where I could just hop on and ride to wherever I was going. I do much more of my commuting and errand-running on a bike now than with my car, so the loss is keenly felt. I know I could have taken some more precautions, but there’s still a fundamental unfairness to someone lifting your means of transportation.
The other problem for me is that I have nothing to ride for distance now. My new project is purposely geared low, as it’s intended to be an about-campus bike. It’s also got a small frame and big, heavy components, so it’s terribly inefficient.
Events like this also bring my fiscal irresponsibility into sharp focus. I’m terrible with money - I don’t budget, and I’d much rather trade money for fun experiences than save it up. So, no new bike for Joe right now. I’m going to use that money for something bigger than a bike.
08.29.07
Recipe!
So, I am crazy busy with school, arguments with the Co-op office, etc. - but this is a divine mixture of vegetables:
- 1/2 eggplant
- 1 zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- 1 tomato
- 12 baby carrots (or so)
- Ground Mustard
- Chopped garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice the eggplant and zucchini in half, then cut into 1/4 inch slices. Line the bottom of the pan with them. Chop the tomato and onion, layering over zucchini and eggplant. Add the carrots. Season with everything, then pour olive oil over the vegetables to coat. Roast for 50 minutes.
Awesome.
08.05.07
Rock Music Saved My Soul
Anyone who’s been to a rock show recently knows the sort of turmoil that constantly occurs in a crowd: people trying to squeeze in front of you to get a better view of the show. At The Hold Steady’s show yesterday, two guys squeezed just in front of me, offering the traditional “Sorry, man.” For some reason, now seemed like the time to address this meaningless platitude.
“Like Hell you are.”
“What?”
“No one is ever actually sorry for squeezing closer to the stage. You don’t need to apologize to me.”
“It’s just that we really love this band, man. You understand.”
“Of course I understand. I’d like to be as close as possible, too.”
“Sweet, thanks. You want some wine, man?”
“Absolutely.”
08.03.07
Friday Random Ten: Lollapalooza Edition
- The Arcade Fire: Neighborhood 1 - Tunnels
- Warren Zevon: El Amor De Mi Vida
- Dire Straits: Sultans of Swing
- Randy Pease: Like You
- Spoon: The Fitted Shirt
- The Flaming Lips: Mr. Ambulance Driver
- Silk Road Orchestra: Gallop of a Thousand Horses
- The Raconteurs: Level
- Talking Heads: Psycho Killer
- Camera Obscura: Knee Deep at the NPL
Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day. There’s a possibility of afternoon thunderstorms and it’s going to be in the 80s all day. I’m going to wind up bringing both sunscreen and an umbrella, taking no chances. I’m excited for the lineup I’ve planned, though! It’ll start out a little twee with Matt & Kim, but things are going to rachet up fast with the 29-member I’m From Barcelona Swedish music collective. I hope they bring the whole band. All in all, the music is going to kick my ass - I’m going to be jumping up and down for something like four straight hours bouncing from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to The Hold Steady to Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Spoon. I don’t know if I’ll have enough energy left at the end of that for Interpol or not.
I’m apparently just all about trying to die from exhaustion this week. First my double-up bike ride, then a Lollapalooza weekend, then the Great Apartment Move-Out.
Don’t Bonk
I went for a bike ride after work yesterday. Here’s the map of my route. I intended to stop at ‘pause mark’ #5, turn around, and come back for a total estimated distance of 18 miles. Because I’m a doofus, I missed the point and just keep right on riding. I was in the zone, man. After a while, though, I looked at my cell phone clock and realized that I had gone way too far. I turned around at the red mark; it’s about 18 miles from my starting point, or the entire distance I intended to ride.
I wound up riding 37 miles yesterday on one quart of water and two granola bars. When I got home I crashed so hard that I wound up just laying on my bed, eyes open but unfocused for an hour. I don’t even remember if I had any thoughts at the time. Still, I’m sort of psyched that I can still jump on the bike and do 37 miles in an evening, even if it totally wipes me out.
08.01.07
Google Street View: Coming Soon to Milwaukee
I spotted this car on Interstate 94 today on the way home from work and snapped a picture with my crappy mobile phone camera. It’s a Chevy Cobalt with California plates and a suspicious metal appendage atop it. Looks an awful lot like these. I think we’ll see Milwaukee added to the Street View cities some time in the near future.
07.31.07
Why I Have a Hard Time Relaxing
Or: Work Exists to Sap Your Will
Better and more interesting people than I have written about the ridiculous farce of a life that frequently accompanies the “full time” American work week. A typical day goes something like this:
- Get up and shower. (if you wake up on time)
- Drive to work.
- Work all day (or waste time online while trying to look busy)
- Leave work at 5 (if you’re lucky)
- Get home.
- Make dinner.
- Congratulations! It’s now 8 or 9 PM, generally considered to late to do much outdoors.
- Go to bed, or you’ll be too tired to repeat it all tomorrow.
07.27.07
The Coolest Man in the World
You and I will never be as cool as Poppa Neutrino. The guy built a raft of junk and sailed it across the Atlantic. He’s getting ready to single-hand a junk raft across the Pacific, which is just a mind-boggling achievement. He turned his “tribe” into one of the coolest bands out there - the Flying Neutrinos. The guy is like a wandering prospector dropped into the middle of our time. He works hard, he’s incredibly smart, and he does what he wants whenever he wants to.
You will never sail a raft across an ocean or start a band composed of your children. Ok, you may try the second one, but your children will hate you. This guy is so cool his kids LIKE being in his band!