Survival of the (not) Fittest -or- How 7-11 is slowly taking over the world

(this post is originally from April...blogger has changed, and it automatically updates. i'm annoyed that my posts will no longer carry the original dates. grr.)

colorado's fine weather has officially kicked in, so i'm riding my bike a ton again. welp, and my car died. in the eisenhower tunnel. that's a story for another day. essentially, i'm biking to the bus and back every day for work. have been for a little over a month. it's pretty rad...i'm on my bike for about 40 minutes a day, and on the bus for roughly the same. AND I GET TO PEOPLE WATCH AND EAVESDROP on the bus. sometimes a hassle, but mostly it's rad.

-not only can you not RIDE your bike on the 16th Street Mall, you also can't even take your bike on the shuttle bus. that's wack. especially considering that the bus advertises alternative transportation and how savvy it is to save gas. not to mention that there ARE NO BIKE LINES ON 15th or 17th. seriously wack. riddle me this: one day, whilst riding between Welton and Lawrence, the shuttle bus was driving ALONGSIDE me. what the what?

-in my opinion, the suburbs are worse. no bike lanes, no shoulders. way to go, colorado. there's this willow tree that i ride by, and since there is no lane and no shoulder, i smack myself in the face with it's low-hanging branches about 33% of the time. (i think i'm done complaining now.)

-i lied. more complaining. in the 'burbs, there are some pretty excellent bike paths. like little roads for bikes. except they're also for horses. which means poop in the way. gross.

-by the end of the year, i will ride the entire 12ish miles of hills to school and back. keeping in mind that suburban hills are very different from city hills, i'm taking it one way at a time. i found a sign on the arvada side that reads Platte River: 7 Miles, so i've got a solid frame of reference for what the ride entails. maybe the last week i'll do the entire commute. (i'm also doing a 5k at the end of april. hrmmm.)

The Kickball Metaphors (or Thoughts from a Bike)

-music should fit the atmosphere. specifically if you've obviously worked at creating an atmosphere. por ejemplo: r & b, southern rock, and john lee hooker do not equal Gypsy House Cafe. all three were heard there recently. it was super disconcerting.

-i made perhaps the perfect summer scarf last night. i found a funzie fabric with little kids swinging from trees, which i used with a small blue floral print remnant. if you still haven't checked out my stuff, you can support a terrific cause by clicking on my etsy site. (the cause would be Scum of the Earth.)

-"Because you can't decide if you're a vehicle or a pedestrian." that's right, mandykeller, i can't. as i ride my bike everywhere, i oftentimes find myself above the law. well, in my head anyways. i also find myself talking to cars (even more than when driving) and pointing, saying things like "SCOOT-SCOOT-SCOOT-ER-ROO!" when they aren't doing what i'd like.

-mostly i love that i'm noticing more and more about where i live. stuff i haven't noticed before. the habit of going to new bookstores and coffeeshops is accompanied by eating brunch by myself at a newly discovered locale every monday.

-you also have the opportunity to notice and engage with people when you're biking. random three-sentence conversations happen, and you actually see the motorcycle with two wheels in the front (what is that all about, anyway?) and have time to think about it.

-regardless of the mode of transportation, i am thoroughly annoyed by people who sloooow down to turn right. especially when one-way streets are involved. grrr.

-for some reason, toni braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" has been in my head today. i'll go ahead and blame the gypsy house for that.

-so there's this neighbor kid, maybe 7-years-old, who rides a blue bike. he's taken to saying "Hi" to me quite often. our neighborhood isn't exactly booming with kids, and i think his parents only let him ride on the sidewalk on our side of the block. lately every time i come home on my bike, he rides over to say hey. he usually sits on his bike at the end of our walk and waits until i pull my bike up the stairs. maybe i'll ask his name and have a new bff.

-originally i was going to philosophize on how kickball scenarios translate quite well into real life situations, but i've lost the gusto for it. essentially, there is much to be said for being aware of others, but just as much to be said for being focused on yourself. maybe i'll keep that brewing and report back. cover, stir, simmer.

-in a somewhat related circle of thought, i have found myself being way too apologetic in some instances. as in with my entire being. not necessarily a pushover, but certainly more permissible than usual. i'mma work that out, too.

"There are a thousand things about me I want only you to know..."

i know i've been MIA a while, but i've been busy. and processing. mostly busy. i have been trying my hand as super-nanny, and last week was with 6 families in 5 days. i'm also building up my furry friend list, and have dog sat for 9 dogs in the last month. some of my favorites include a great dane, a boston terrier and a wicked smaaht boxer.


one of the pluses to my new life is that i get to ride my bike. a lot. what bike? the bike i fixed. my church has a non-profit bike shop that is geared towards alternative transportation. if you're committed to making a bike be your main mode of transport, they'll give you one for free. i had gotten a free bike (1980s mountain bike, no less) from one of my nanny families last fall, but hadn't ever taken it in. well, a couple of months ago i did. the fabulous aaron pott helped me tune it up, overhaul the axles and get on the road.

aside from learning all kinds of bike stuff, i now try to ride at least five miles a day. i save errands like the post office and the bank for morning rides, and have only driven my car about twice a week for the last few months. radtastic. that's a picture of my gnarly rear triangle, including the derailleur and gear wheel.



when i'm riding down broadway, or basically any hill, i like to pretend i'm in an 80s movie. not usually Rad (sorry, daniel tosh). i've certainly laughed a few Pee-Wee style when crossing streets and smiling like an idiot. a few weeks ago, i realized something frightening. kevin came over and we watched Goonies. check this out:















ridiculous. apparently i've unknowingly been channelling josh brolin circa 1985. (ps: i cut my hair. and darkened it. i'll probs be rocking the fauxhawk for summer again soon.)

in other news, i've been working on my etsy site. it's not finished yet, and i've been procrastinating that big time. i haven't advertised it, but a shop in denver that's opening this week contacted me to see if i'd be interested in selling my stuff. righteous. (the etsy site is actually a fundraiser for my church, more info on that when i'm fully up and running.)

lastly, i can't stand it when you hold the door open for someone and they touch the handle as they are walking through. especially if you've obviously been holding it for them. geez a lou. seriously? thought i'd hold it just up until the second you were crossing the threshold, then i was gonna let go. people.