08 August 2008 – 10:59 pm
I’m a moderately skilled cyclist. I’m fairly likely to remain upright on my bike in most situations. I’m comfortable riding in traffic, near cars (and doors that may open at any moment) and taking the lane when it’s required.
I’m not good at crossing railroad tracks, it seems. I took a different route out of work toward the light rail. In hindsight, this was a bad idea. It required crossing the tracks on 7th street, and then crossing them again to actually travel down 7th street. See the map (zoom in to just about street level):
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I was traveling west on Jackson, making a left on 7th to head south. Note the railroad tracks. I know they’re there. I cross them all the time. The surface is terrible, but I usually just bunny hop over the tracks. I didn’t bunny hop quite far enough today… Caught my front wheel just in the angled track rut area, went skidding down on my left side, and hit the ground hard. Hard enough to actually send my lip balm shooting out of my fully closed messenger bag where it came to rest about six feet away.
Is it sad that my first two thoughts were:
- Shit, there goes my rear derailleur.
- Thank god I didn’t fall on my knife side!
I have beautifully forming bruises in a crescent shape around my left knee, a bruise blossoming on my left hip, elbow, and shoulder. Ugh. Not much broken skin though–just some abrasions on my knee and elbow. I guess that’s the advantage to commuting in my regular clothes and not spandex. I would’ve shredded my knee (I was wearing long shorts) and probably ripped the shoulder of my jersey (I was wearing a sturdy cotton t-shirt) if I were commuting in full kit.
Though this is always one of the dangers of cycling on the road, stuff like this always takes me by surprise. I’m going to hurt tomorrow!
06 August 2008 – 10:49 am
Taking a break from cross-eyed order entry at work.
1. My uncle once: bought me the coolest Lego set available in my childhood–the castle.
2. Never in my life: will I do something I know I will one day regret.
3. When I was five: I got a little brother.
4. High school was: where I cultivated my finely honed nerdiness combined with a fierce need to compete.
5. I will never forget: all of the helping verbs (is are was were be being am have had has do does did may might must can could shall should will would).
6. Once I met: Bryan, I knew I was set.
7. There’s this boy I know: and he’s an asshole boy trapped in an incompetent, homophobic man’s body. I hope he gets shitcanned.
8. Once, at a bar: I dropped a full pint of beer, told my pal the bartender I was probably done drinking, then ordered another one.
9. By noon, I’m usually: ready for lunch.
10. Last night: I cooked a feast for Bryan and our houseguests.
11. If only I had: another bike.
12. Next time I go to church: I will probably not be at the one I grew up in.
13. What worries me most: is putting together money for a down payment on a house. But I’m still not that worried because I don’t worry much.
14. When I turn my head left I see: two printers and three post-it notes stuck to the wall.
15. When I turn my head right I see: Garrett’s desk.
16. You know I’m lying when: I tell you I’m lying.
17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: being a kid and having no responsibilities.
18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: one of the characters who appears in the first act, has one or two lines, then doesn’t appear again.
19. By this time next year: I will be preparing to go to EuroBike.
20. A better name for me would be: Darland Sasacha.
21. I have a hard time understanding: how stupid people got to be that way.
22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: be in grad school, pissing away money to get another degree in a subject I love but won’t use.
23. You know I like you if: I actually listen when you talk to me.
24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: Bryan, because he probably was the reason I tried in the first place.
25. Take my advice, never: take my advice.
26. My ideal breakfast is: coffee and something made at home. Served around noon.
27. A song I love but do not have is: a song I haven’t heard yet. I’m buried in music and I have a compulsion to own it if I like it.
28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: think of things to do that don’t require being in my hometown..
29. Why won’t people: actually think before they speak?
30. If you spend a night at my house: you should be someone who doesn’t mind 87 pounds of neurotic labrador retriever mix.
31. I’d stop my wedding for: nothing. And I didn’t.
32. The world could do without: 90% of the population.
33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: eat raisins.
34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: Bryan! Bottled blonde counts, eh?
35. Paper clips are more useful than: not having paper clips.
36. If I do anything well it’s: sleeping. I should be in the Olympics.
37. I can’t help but: I might try.
38. I usually cry: on the 12th of Never. I can’t remember the last time I cried.
39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: only idiots say “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Ultimately only the small stuff makes a difference.
40. And by the way: I’m having a good day.
I think today I had what some people would call “Saturday.” I slept in (until 10:15 OMG) and then made myself some breakfast, a pot of coffee, and hung out (lost at least 30 minutes in Facebook, damn you Reece). I showered at 2pm. I cleaned the house a bit…vacuumed, did dishes, contemplated laundry for at least half a minute. Then after a random meeting with our landlord, Bryan and I went and ran errands. Hit up Target, went to the bank, got coffee for him and Jamba Juice for me, then bought a few house essentials at Crate & Barrel. (We’re still spending there on our wedding gift cards.) Today’s haul was a new dish rack, a colander, salad spinner, and a cast iron skillet.
Apparently this is what people do when they have weekends. People who are not my parents, because they are in Reno for the weekend. They travel. I stay home and do little things. Tomorrow I might get to go on a bike ride with my friends. Monday my friend Jess and her new man arrive for a week’s visit.
Thanks, new!job. I appreciate this “Saturday” thing.
I do love reading some of the blog comment spam I get. While thousands of them are just links and more links, some of it is just “flattering” text, generally as a test to see I’m spammable. My favorite this week is:
Your site is a refreshing change from the majority of sites I have visited. When I first started visiting web sites I was excited by the potential of the internet as a resource and was very disappointed initially. You have restored my enthusiasm and I thank you for your efforts to share your insights and help the world become a better place.
I’m glad that I’m a refreshing change. Oh, and I want to know how people are searching for a specific four-word phrase (which I’m not putting here, lest someone search again) having to do with porn and arriving here. Must be all that porn I post… I thank Akismet for catching 206,914 spam comments/trackbacks/pingbacks since I last reinstalled it.