So I have neglected my blog. I am surprised I did not find it shriveled up and dead like all but the heartiest of my house plants. I found a solution to that problem: buy plants that live in your fish bowl, and you never have to water them. I'm so smart, but I digress. I have 15 min to write this entry and then I must return to the dreaded world of Educational Psychology. It may look like I do lots of work for that class, but the truth of the mater is, and I quote my dad here: "if you spent as much time doing work for that class as you do complaining about it you would have a 100 in the class." Only two more weeks of classes, one week of finals, one week of senior activities, and a car ride down the coast, and then off across the country on my bike for two months. Kind of excited. Kind of scared.
So I have much exciting news. First I have my bike! It is blue and pretty, and very technologically advanced. So I got it and me being just a tad bit bike illiterate didn't realize that fancy bikes have fancy valves and normal bike pumps don't work. So I had this beautiful bike that I couldn't even try out cause I would ruin the rims. I was also unsure if my bike even had tires, because I have tread less tires. I called Bath Cycle and Ski, and Darcy informed me that yes in fact those were tires on my bike, and so off I went to the bike shop down town and they generously filled the flattened tire with air. So I'm all excited for my bike's (which is still missing a name) maiden voyage, and my first experience with clip on peddles. So I bike around in circles in our parking lot to figure out the mystery of the mysterious contraption that make a clipping noise, but are name clipless. I was proud I did not fall, and there were only a few times where parked cars tried to jump out in front of me. I manage to avoid all of their sneaky attacks without casualties on either front. I was a little weirded out, since it felt like the peddles moved around quite a bit on my foot, but I just figured that was normal. Apparently it is not. I ventured out onto the road, and then as I was going to turn onto Ridgecrest Rd, when I wanted to stop and look at my map. My right food does not want to declip. I turn my ankle as far as I can, and it just doesn't want to declip. So I make the executive decision that I just wont get off my bike till I get home. My peddle did not listen to the executive orders, and shortly there after my right shoe detaches from the peddle, and I tried to click it back in and it will not. They truly became clipless peddles. In my distraction of my right foot not clipping, when I stop to investigate I forget to declip my functioning left peddle. So I fall over in very slow motion onto the grassy shoulder. No one was hurt well except my pride. Luckily no one was there to watch. I found out that I had not tightened the screws that hold the clips onto my shoes. So the screws worked their way out. After much use of my handy dandy mulitool, I got my bike back up and running. I really couldn't be that upset with me bike, because it was such a beautiful day that one did not mind sitting in the sun on the side of the road playing bike repair. The rest of the ride was uneventful, well minus the fact that I fell in love with my bike. Though just for clarification my love does not extend to my saddle. We will be needing a new one of those.
Ok so my 15 min post turned into a 34 min post. ooops.
Before I return to the land of Education I must thank the following people: Vicky M., John and Libby M, Dan M., Tom P., Michael S., and Bob and Ginny V. I'm almost there which is so exciting!!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Swimming without a suite
Today I did Ed Psych all day instead of going for a bike ride in the 50 degree weather. So I decided I would go for a swim tonight as my excise. Now as a leftover crew benefit I have a locker in the Hill Center, where the pool is. My suite and towel have been living there since before spring break. I went to open my locker today, and me being wicket intelligent cannot for the life of me remember the combination. So as fun as skinny dipping in a public pool sounds, I decided against it. Instead I played Euchre. hmm... maybe not the smartest use of my time, but by the time I biked home and got my work out stuff so I could go to the gym, I would have been way too far behind schedule. Plus I now had an extra hour that I wasn't exercising that I could use to play games without getting behind schedule. Well at least at the time it sounded like a great excuse.
This weekend though I did end up doing both the Biking and the Building. I went and volunteered at the Corning Habitat for Humanity ReSale store. It is supposed to open next week. It was fun to get back out in the community again. I got to play walky-talky. I worked with the electrician to figure out what outlets and lights were on what circuits. Since the panel was in another room, and we had no modern communications devices I was the middle man, and yelled to the guy at the panel what the girl standing at the outlet had to tell me. I think was I find so interesting about Habitat Houses is they do not have all the bells and fancy toys, but they get done. Because they have the manpower of volunteers they can take a little longer, and use three people on a job, that having the right tools could be done with one. We did find out that practically all of the outlets in the entire show room were on the same breaker. Me not really knowing that much about electricity knows that that is not a good thing. They were going to fix that real soon.
So after I got home from the build I decided that I was going for a bike ride. I found a good map of the area surrounding Ithaca, and immediately the road Midline jumped out. I being a math nerd was super excited. The Midline in hyperbolic space is the only line between two divergent parallel lines that is perpendicular to both lines. Non divergent parallels don't have a midline. So after not really having studied the map that hard I went off biking in my adventure. Along the way I actually had to strip down layer, and it was the first time this year that I could comfortably wear shorts. Ok there have been other warm days, I just haven't gone biking on them. Now a Suz bike ride usually consist of me biking along a road for a while, and then deciding to take the next turn that appears, and then biking on that for a while, and then turning again until I eventually deciding that I should start attempting to get home. My main goal is always to try and do a loop, and take a different route home then I used to get out there. The challenge here in Ithaca is how to make a long bike ride, and avoid the hills. But Saturday I had a goal: Midline Rd. I did have to stop a few time and look at my map, cause I had no idea where I was. Also Midline was a bit farther then I was expecting, and I ended up biking home when it was a tad bit darker then I would have normally like. Overall though it was a good ride that google has told me was 23 miles. Unfortunately my new bike still has not arrived. I think it is anxious to make the trip across the country and started without me. So if anyone see a blue Surly Long Haul riding along alone, will you please kindly point it in my direction.
So this day of both biking and building made me pumped for this summer. Even thought there is only a few days since my last post, I got a new donation since I last updated. Thank you Lorraine M.
Now I must return to the world of Ed Psych.
This weekend though I did end up doing both the Biking and the Building. I went and volunteered at the Corning Habitat for Humanity ReSale store. It is supposed to open next week. It was fun to get back out in the community again. I got to play walky-talky. I worked with the electrician to figure out what outlets and lights were on what circuits. Since the panel was in another room, and we had no modern communications devices I was the middle man, and yelled to the guy at the panel what the girl standing at the outlet had to tell me. I think was I find so interesting about Habitat Houses is they do not have all the bells and fancy toys, but they get done. Because they have the manpower of volunteers they can take a little longer, and use three people on a job, that having the right tools could be done with one. We did find out that practically all of the outlets in the entire show room were on the same breaker. Me not really knowing that much about electricity knows that that is not a good thing. They were going to fix that real soon.
So after I got home from the build I decided that I was going for a bike ride. I found a good map of the area surrounding Ithaca, and immediately the road Midline jumped out. I being a math nerd was super excited. The Midline in hyperbolic space is the only line between two divergent parallel lines that is perpendicular to both lines. Non divergent parallels don't have a midline. So after not really having studied the map that hard I went off biking in my adventure. Along the way I actually had to strip down layer, and it was the first time this year that I could comfortably wear shorts. Ok there have been other warm days, I just haven't gone biking on them. Now a Suz bike ride usually consist of me biking along a road for a while, and then deciding to take the next turn that appears, and then biking on that for a while, and then turning again until I eventually deciding that I should start attempting to get home. My main goal is always to try and do a loop, and take a different route home then I used to get out there. The challenge here in Ithaca is how to make a long bike ride, and avoid the hills. But Saturday I had a goal: Midline Rd. I did have to stop a few time and look at my map, cause I had no idea where I was. Also Midline was a bit farther then I was expecting, and I ended up biking home when it was a tad bit darker then I would have normally like. Overall though it was a good ride that google has told me was 23 miles. Unfortunately my new bike still has not arrived. I think it is anxious to make the trip across the country and started without me. So if anyone see a blue Surly Long Haul riding along alone, will you please kindly point it in my direction.
So this day of both biking and building made me pumped for this summer. Even thought there is only a few days since my last post, I got a new donation since I last updated. Thank you Lorraine M.
Now I must return to the world of Ed Psych.
Friday, April 4, 2008
I'm a bad blogger
I have been a very bad at this blogging thing recently. First and Foremost Thanks to all the amazing people who have donated to my cause, and I have now raised well over $3000. The end is in sight, but I have to make certain that I don't let myself slack off. There is über long list of people to thank since I last update so here goes it.
THANKS to: Nan A., Dave B., Harry and Geri D.,Karen L., Matt and Pat M., Carol S., Mark and Jane T., and Levi W. The best part of this list is the diversity of it. It ranges from people I see every day to the aunt and uncle of my roommate who I have only had one conversation with in the doorway of our apartment. It always amazes me who donates, and the generosity of people. This trip has also gotten me back into contact with people that I haven't spoken to in years. My 7th and 8th grade math teacher donated, and told me about her huge Christmas cactus that has grown up from a small little clipping I gave her over 9 years ago. (Oh dear that number makes me feel old.) I am not the best at keeping in contact with people, but I am trying very hard to get better at it.
Sorry if this entry ends up sounding scattered, and contains typographical errors. Some of the are on purpose, and, well, most of them probably are not. I stayed up way way to late last night writing in German about how the architecture and history of Berlin are connected. I pretty sure I have mentioned it before, but formal writing in what ever language is not one of my favorite past times. In fact I might even go as far as to say I abhor it. But this entry is not to be an anti writing rant.
So back to the topic of Biking and Biking and other topics that begin with B. (If you didn't notice writing does not in fact begin with B.) So there is a bike working it's way from Bath Cycle and Ski in Maine to my humble abode here in Ithaca. I am getting a blue Surly Long Haul Trucker. I's so excited. I feel like it is Christmas, because it got shipped at the end of last week. Everyday I walk up to my door, and hope there will be a humongous box sitting there with my name on it. So far everyday I return to an empty hall, but there is always tomorrow. I will need to figure out a name for my bike. Since it's a Surly I feel like it really must get a piratesk name. I will have to get to know it before I can commit to anything. Naming something is not something to rush into. Lipschitz the fish would probably agree with that statement.
Unfortunately I have not only been bad at the blogging, but also at the training. I think the weather and I are on opposite schedules. The days I have time, it is rainy and icy, and cold which just demotivates me. It snowed 4" a week ago. I was a bit perturbed to say the least. Or it is absolutely beautiful and in the 50s, and I must sit inside and write about Architecture in Berlin. Wildlife sightings in the last few rides include a ground hog, a raccoon, deer, and a Yeti. Ok at least one of those was seen on a computer screen. Although to be truthful I admit that I have spent a significant amount of time in the last few weeks playing cards instead of doing me work. I have to keep telling myself that I have almost gradumacated. I have to prove my mommy wrong that I can play Bridge, and not flunk out of skool. Just 44 days left before I am supposed to receive my fake diploma. I get the real one a couple weeks later. I am so excited for graduation, and for this trip, but at the same time I am terrified of life after college. I think I hate saying good bye even more then I hate writing.
Well it is time for young ones to be in bed. Tomorrow morning I am going to do some affordable housing, and work with Ithaca Habitat for Humanity on the new Corning ReSale Building. I have to get up at the crack of dawn, aka I have to be on campus at 8am. If nothing else College has taught me how to sleep in. It is a habit that I will have to unlearn in the real world.
THANKS to: Nan A., Dave B., Harry and Geri D.,Karen L., Matt and Pat M., Carol S., Mark and Jane T., and Levi W. The best part of this list is the diversity of it. It ranges from people I see every day to the aunt and uncle of my roommate who I have only had one conversation with in the doorway of our apartment. It always amazes me who donates, and the generosity of people. This trip has also gotten me back into contact with people that I haven't spoken to in years. My 7th and 8th grade math teacher donated, and told me about her huge Christmas cactus that has grown up from a small little clipping I gave her over 9 years ago. (Oh dear that number makes me feel old.) I am not the best at keeping in contact with people, but I am trying very hard to get better at it.
Sorry if this entry ends up sounding scattered, and contains typographical errors. Some of the are on purpose, and, well, most of them probably are not. I stayed up way way to late last night writing in German about how the architecture and history of Berlin are connected. I pretty sure I have mentioned it before, but formal writing in what ever language is not one of my favorite past times. In fact I might even go as far as to say I abhor it. But this entry is not to be an anti writing rant.
So back to the topic of Biking and Biking and other topics that begin with B. (If you didn't notice writing does not in fact begin with B.) So there is a bike working it's way from Bath Cycle and Ski in Maine to my humble abode here in Ithaca. I am getting a blue Surly Long Haul Trucker. I's so excited. I feel like it is Christmas, because it got shipped at the end of last week. Everyday I walk up to my door, and hope there will be a humongous box sitting there with my name on it. So far everyday I return to an empty hall, but there is always tomorrow. I will need to figure out a name for my bike. Since it's a Surly I feel like it really must get a piratesk name. I will have to get to know it before I can commit to anything. Naming something is not something to rush into. Lipschitz the fish would probably agree with that statement.
Unfortunately I have not only been bad at the blogging, but also at the training. I think the weather and I are on opposite schedules. The days I have time, it is rainy and icy, and cold which just demotivates me. It snowed 4" a week ago. I was a bit perturbed to say the least. Or it is absolutely beautiful and in the 50s, and I must sit inside and write about Architecture in Berlin. Wildlife sightings in the last few rides include a ground hog, a raccoon, deer, and a Yeti. Ok at least one of those was seen on a computer screen. Although to be truthful I admit that I have spent a significant amount of time in the last few weeks playing cards instead of doing me work. I have to keep telling myself that I have almost gradumacated. I have to prove my mommy wrong that I can play Bridge, and not flunk out of skool. Just 44 days left before I am supposed to receive my fake diploma. I get the real one a couple weeks later. I am so excited for graduation, and for this trip, but at the same time I am terrified of life after college. I think I hate saying good bye even more then I hate writing.
Well it is time for young ones to be in bed. Tomorrow morning I am going to do some affordable housing, and work with Ithaca Habitat for Humanity on the new Corning ReSale Building. I have to get up at the crack of dawn, aka I have to be on campus at 8am. If nothing else College has taught me how to sleep in. It is a habit that I will have to unlearn in the real world.
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