Progress

During a conversation with my sister yesterday, she used the words

"love him to death"

in reference to my father.


(eyebrows)

More Guffawing at Consumerism

Why does this continue to be excessively funny to me?

Papa Smurf!

For real!

But how did they know what he had

on his hard drive?

I have officially switched to the side of those who'd rather buy digital and burn their own.

Pretty cover and liner notes be damned.

(ahem)

BWAAAAAAHAAHAHAAAA!!!

And I get to keep the stuff; the store don't sell it, so the can't say it's theirs?

Man, please....

(hee, hee)

David Smith's Ghost Bike

at the corner of 6th and 36th.

(explanation of a ghost bike)

I saw the bike while on my way to a print casting. A while back I'd thought of taking pic of all the ghost bikes that I saw in the city, but I didn't make a habit of carrying a camera and my list of unfulfilled intentions is long and broad.

The other night/morning, while doing a (ridiculous 35 degree, not including the wind and light-rain) ride on the West Side Bikeway, I saw a ghost bike near the entrance to the NYPD impound yard. The bikeway itself is the safest bike lane in the city, but the places where there are intersects with traffic - particularly at that intersection - seem to be deadly (<- not hyperbole). While reading about Smith's collision, it occurred to me

1. that I typically ride in traffic
2. how unconsciously nervous I am of doors opening when riding in bike lane

Manhattan is fairly narrow, so I'll generally make my way over to the WSB if there's not another stop I plan to make. Riding in traffic is, for me a challenge thing - it feels good to realize that you're keeping up with or making better progress than traffic.

However, I don't do this that often. And I have definitely felt the places where it feels more scary than thrilling/enjoyable to ride and typically avoid them. I also tend to not ride inside the city during rush hours - so I won't encounter the problem as much as people who are true bicycle commuters.

That said, these are my observations as someone who has been a cyclists, driver and pedestrian in the city:

Pedestrians are oblivious to everything.
Drivers are oblivious to everything but cops.
I find myself the most aware of my surroundings as a cyclist -
but cyclists AIN'T perfect.

It seems like riders tend to be listening to audio devices less,
and talking on cellphones less (though I've seen it happen)
and fumbling with items less.

And for those who are trying to admonish a dead man for not wearing a helmet,
you should just as well be chastising him for not wearing a suit of armor - though it would have done just as well as a helmet to protect him from internal injuries. Remember: pedestrians have sidewalks; cyclists, even where there are painted bike lanes, are in the street.

It just so happens that I noticed the bike the day of the memorial ride - I wish I would've known about it before it happened.

A central non-automobile corridor in this city would be nice. Regardless, as long as people, bikes and cars are allowed to share the same thoroughfares, there has got to be better commuter education.

blessings to the those who orbited in Mr. Smith's universe;
honesty and peace to the mind of the driver & passenger of the car,
and to the driver of the truck.

One person eating a 7 Layer

chocolate cake (that takes 200 eggs to make), should not only be NOT comp'ed. They should be charged extra.


Gluttony should be discouraged.


(eyeroll)

(rouge)

So, I'm looking at this script, and I get to this part where I have to be embarrassed -

I'm thinking I want to try it more innocent, test my ability to bring color to the cheeks,

And I find a place/sensation that I think is what I'm feeling for;

And, of course somebody walks by and my eye shoots over to watch said body,

Catching me genuinely in the moment I just discovered somewhat sense memory-aly.

Preparation is fun. Shame I don't do it more.

I just realized

that the E70 that I'm currently using - that I said I was going to sell - can recognize the contacts spoken to it. My old 6360 and 6560 did voice tags, but you had to speak it and assign your own voice tag to each contact. They matched the sound of your voice to the sound of your recorded voice.

This one recognizes unrecorded speech.

Cool.

Hell, for all I know this is, by now, passe'.

But I like it.

Every time I'm ready to get out, it pulls me back in.

And why is it

still ONLY 10:53.

You know what?

Eff it.

This chile thass serving as today's supervisor?

(yeah, back at that place again)

Yeah...I wanna bite her booty. Iss pritty and says stuff to me when she pass by.

Granted, she was prolly still pushing through elementary while I was giving people the false impression I was earning my scholarship...

(wait, I don't think I fooled anybody then)

-- ok, that was the second time she came over here and I had to switch windows -- I Spy secret *ish. Ha!

Nevertheless, such is the state of life.

Ok. I got that out of my fingers.

God, make me a healer.