A dude I know from Bellingham just released an album with his friend and they’ve got it up for free. I’m really enjoying the tracks, and I think Michelle has been listening to it on my iPod a bit lately.
Category: blahblah
Fourth Ride
My dad, Joe and I did our last big ride before STP today. It was only 55 miles, but we figured we ought to enjoy some of our day off. We rode out to Boring on the Springwater Corridor then back to Marine Drive via 282nd. It was a great ride with a few great moments.
The first was when a cottontail rabbit t-boned Joe’s front wheel. Just before SE Foster, a cottontail rabbit darted across the path less than a foot in front of us. I braked enough not to hit him, so he collided at full speed with the side of Joe’s wheel, bounced off and somersaulted, righted, and continued into the woods. It was hilarious, after the fact, but had the potential to be much messier and wreckier.
By the time we got back, it was a bit warm, and I was out of water. I’d left home without keys, wallet, or phone, so I got home to a locked house. After a brisk hose-bath, I sat on the porch and, well, just sort of sat waiting for Michelle to get home. I was trying to figure out how to call her without needlessly being in public in bike shorts when I came up with a MacGyver of an idea. I opened the telephone network interface (the customer opening) and patched a phone from the basement in using a spare outlet for parts. I won’t say how I knew what goes where, but thanks to the precursor to the internet, I know red = ring, green = tip. By looking at a splice in the basement, I learned the blue with white = red, and white with blue = green. Fun!
Second Law of Urbanomics
We had to replace the sewer line as part of selling the house. We tried to just credit the buyer, but their lender wouldn’t give up the money until the repair was done. Crud. Luckily, we found a place that was able to fit us in before the closing and that stood up to the rigors of Angie’s List, though for a bit more.
They were able to get in and replace the line quickly, and with surprising stealth. It was a bit shocking to come home one day with two huge holes in the yard and a trackhoe sitting in front of the house. The next night, the sewer line was in, the holes were filled, and the sidewalks paved, but the public sidewalk looked like hell. There was no roped-off area, just a still moist, well trampled and ridden on sidewalk with strangers names written in it. Second law of urbanomics – leave wet cement, welcome civic art.
It turns out they were using a new mixer and it wasn’t going well. So they came back today and re-poured. Looks good, and without any marks, I had to leave something. I crouched and left my name in the very corner, where grass would soon cover again. I’ve got a fixation with sidewalks, and it was my cement, so I scratched away. Can’t fight the laws of urbanomics.
Stringing it together
This morning during the car trip over to my parents, I convinced Ella to string together two “dah” sounds to end up with a marginally accurate “duh-duh.” Close enough to Dada that I’ll take it.
This evening after getting home a little late from work, I joined Michelle and Ella on a blanket in the yard and led her to again spit out a dah-dah. They’re just sounds to her still, and “dah” turns in to “bah” or “blah” quickly, but it’s rather satisfying to hear.
Maybe the mother-child bond is really about “mah” being easier to pronounce than “dah.” Well, maybe it’s the whole food thing.
TV Guide
Did you know that Jeff Bridges is going to be on Craig Ferguson next Thursday night? I did – I get TV Guide Magazine.
I’m not sure how or why, but I started receiving TV Guide Magazine a few weeks ago. Maybe even a few months. I’m not sure who Craig Ferguson is either.
I really don’t have much use for it, so I just cancelled my mystery subscription online. Hopefully. I’ll be navigating the airwaves using Democracy instead.
How not to roll out a website
- Plaster the city with flyers for your new business with only the web site address on it
- Don’t have a website at that address
I’d probably try it this way:
- Set up your website with pertinent information on your new business
- then, advertise the address
Another 50
Joe, my dad and I rode a nice 50 mile ride on Memorial day largely following the 40 mile loop. We met at N. Vancouver and N. Killingsworth at 8 am and headed south to the river, then east on the Springwater corridor to Gresham. We made our first stop in Gresham, then took Kane Drive down to Marine Dr, where Joe was offered as a sacrifice to the flat tire gods. After a quick patch, we continued to I-205, where we ran the gauntlet on the 205 bridge in to Washington to check out the Vancouver side of the river.
I can’t explain it, but the I-205 bridge seems to to only go uphill. For 1.5 miles. With 3 lanes of quickly moving traffic on both sides. Then, once you cross, the route along the Old Evergreen Highway is no comparison to the Marine Drive trail. Oh well, lesson learned. I think we all agreed that we felt rather good for having ridden a little over 50 miles, though we didn’t do much climbing. We’ll have to do some of that before STP. Which is in July. Soon.
Apparently, calories and hydration are key. I’ll have to keep that in mind.
Looking at the stats
Artist Chris Jordan’s current work includes visual depictions of American life, enumerated. The stuff is fascinating on the web – I can only imagine what the installation must be like.
No more free donuts
British Chemists have developed a plastic-based blood substitute that may work as a short term replacement for human blood in emergency situations. Cool stuff, but I’m rather fond of the free donuts when you donate on Thursdays.
More sidewalk typos
I’ve walked by this one so many times I don’t know how I missed it. Southwest corner of NE Emerson and NE 27th. Emerson is spelled with 2 M’s.
The icing on the cake? The contractor stamp is misspelled too. My boys at Giebisch & Joplin should have had someone else doing the stamping. Maybe it was a disgruntled employee?
