Plaidophile

I was feeling too tired and sore, so I took the bus and spent an hour commuting to work. But last night I meant to post the following:

• I just rode six and a half miles, a lot of it was uphill, and I feel grrrrrreat!

• A strong headwind meant it took me a little longer, closer to an hour. I didn't need to drink as much water since it was so cold though.
• I took 5th again rather than hopping over to 3rd, but the hill wasn't as big of a challenge this time (or it didn't seem like one anyway)
• My ass... not so sore!

• Contrary to what my coworker suggested, I took 3rd Ave and was quite pleased with it. The buses aren't at all difficult to deal with.
• I turned a bit early and missed Westlake. That diversion cost me about 10 minutes.
• On a related note, as fun as it is to coast down Denny from Virginia to Westlake (, it's really scary on a bike. I ended up timidly walking down.
• Westlake's a lot less scary when you take the frontage road and also know what's ahead.
• It's cool to be able to chat with fellow cyclists at stoplights. You can do that in a car but it's not advised.
• Had to readjust the seat height a few more times. It turned out that the clamp wasn't tightened enough. For future reference: one inch below the bottom of the logo on the stem.
• 8th → Market → 14th is a lot easier, but also a lot less fun at the end.
• My ass is sore.

• Got a late start from getting distracted working on a song, then had a few false starts as I remembered other important things I forgot to load into a smaller satchel (which I've had since college and now I'm glad I've kept it all these years since it fits on my cargo rack better)
• Still sore from yesterday's 13 miles of riding. Especially the ass.
• Took 14th to Market to 8th to Burke-Gilman. Mostly downhill/level with a few slight inclines, and it should be the same way on the way back.
• Westlake is scary. I was glad to be on the frontage road, though the semi-paved part leading up to it makes me uneasy.
• Finally adjusted the seat in the way the guy at Gregg's recommended, and it made a HUGE difference in comfort. Thanks, Jon! My ass thanks you.
• The transitional bit where Westlake reaches downtown is also scary.
• I need to find a way around the little peak on 5th between Westlake and Spring, since that's really steep. On the other hand, it's fun to go down the hill at 30MPH. But the first hand argues that it's not fun being unable to see because of my glasses being pushed into my face and hot, dirty air formlng little vortexes behind them.
• The entrance to the Union Station parking garage is further down than I thought.
• Total time: 55 minutes. I blame a couple of stops I had to take (tying my shoes, adjusting the seat), bad traffic timing, and being so darn sore from yesterday.

• 4th Ave is pretty steep on the way out, but only for a few blocks. After Seneca I could keep up with traffic easily.
• I missed the turn I meant to make to Westlake, but it worked out okay.
• Westlake is scary. There's no official bike path or sidewalks, and cars go pretty quickly. There's a parking-heavy frontage road for most of it, but that ends about a quarter mile from the Fremont bridge. During that interval there's a semi-paved sidewalk on the East side but it's covered with sharp gravel, so I'm not sure it's such a good idea to ride on.
• The Fremont bridge is just as much fun going the other way.
• Now I know where the Burke-Gilman trail is - it runs parallel to Leary between the Fremont bridge and the terminus of 8th Ave. It's a very pretty ride.
• 8th Ave is much safer and nicer than 14th Ave. There's more traffic but the streets are wider and better-paved, and there's also an official bike lane for much of it. The fact it ends at the Burke-Gilman trail is an added bonus. Now I know how I'm going to go tomorrow morning.
• The final stretch along 60th St between 8th and 14th Ave is downhill and went very fast. "Picking bugs out of your teeth" is no longer a figurative expression.
• Total time: 45 minutes, including waiting. Currently the commute is the same amount of time as the bus both ways, and this way I get exercise and a lot less aggravation.
• Total distance each way: approx. 6.5 miles. Total biking today: 13 miles, much of it uphill. Average speed: 8MPH. I estimate I was going 20-25 on level roads and possibly 30 downhill.

• Woke up at 7, without the assistance of an alarm. Breakfast: two whole wheat waffles with a dab of butter and real maple syrup. Took off at 8.
• Took 14th Ave N down to Leary. 14th is really bumpy and scary. Next time I'll take 8th instead. Leary is also a bit scary due to the pace of traffic so I rode on the sidewalks. Very little foot traffic though.
• The Fremont bridge is absolutely wonderful to go over (scenery-wise, anyway), which is why I planned the route this way. That and Westlake.
• Unfortunately, I messed up and turned early missed my turn and went straight onto Dexter instead of turning onto Westlake, which is really steep, and although it's pretty it's not along the lakefront which is what I was hoping for. Had to take a break halfway up the hill.
• Entering downtown wasn't too bad. Took Lenora to 5th. Found out just how hilly 5th is. Mostly kept up with traffic though.
• Arrived at work, had no idea where the bike entrance to the parking garage was. Went through the building lobby, went down to the parking garage, turned left to look for the bike cage, didn't find it immediately so I turned around and looked around some more. Spent 15 minutes looking for the bike cage. Eventually found it — just a bit further along in the direction I was going to begin with. Now I know how to get to it from the street though (or at least I will when I leave work today).
• My ass is so sore.

"Stronger Than" has been remixed. Until May 7 you can also vote on your favorite.

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This is the sort of thing I should set up a personal wiki for, like what L M Orchard used to do. I should see about some minimal wiki software which requires logging in to make edits, or something.

but surely we're better than this.

It took a while to get a decent amount of rosin on the cheap bow, and the cheap strings feel like I'll snap if I tune them properly (so I have it tuned like a viola but I eased them into the right tuning), and the pickup clips pretty badly, and the shoulder pad is pretty uncomfortable, but damn is this fun to play.

Especially when hooked up to a delay pedal.

Also I got Beatmania US today. I will play it after dinner, and set my wrists back three years.

One year ago yesterday, the company which was chewing me up finally spit me out.

One year ago today, I posted my resume on Monster. Within hours I got a phone call from a recruiter working with Amazon.

One year ago from two weeks from now, I got hired by Amazon.

stupid wrists and busyness. I missed the +5 deadline for 'stronger than.' I got lotsa ideas for it at least. But also 120MPH is next week and I have a pretty big huge idea for it. so. bleh.

Woo, an older song of mine is featured on a compilation of abstract electronica. Check it out — there's some cool stuff on it!

It sounds like there was a lot of drama. And here I skipped out of it because I was afraid it'd just be a big bloggy love-fest!

Between all the moving and stuff I've been feeling like I've been too tired to get things done but also mad at myself for not getting things done. So I bought an electric violin. It should arrive in a few days. Maybe it'll inspire me.

11:24 Oh wait, no, I ordered it yesteray. Yay me and my sense of time lately. Ugh.