And When it does, catch it before it's too late

It was very cold today. Consequently nobody on the bike trail but me. It was a little scary to be out there after dark, with the temperature dropping. What if I don't make it? This was a possibility I quickly discounted, but the question entered my mind. What if it's too cold out here? What will I do?

Maybe that just serves to remind me how good I have it in real life.

A sensitive core

An extra portion of salmon

The mashed potato side with aioli

Chorizo

Skordalia

A conversation to determine the course of my future

Resolved

General ideas of what to do differently in the new year:

1. Read before bed every night

Helps me sleep, I'm finding

2. Do more blog posts

Also helps me sleep

3. Try meditating

People who do it seem very devoted to the practice. Why shouldn't I get in on that?

4. Eat fermented vegetables every week

Almost goes without saying

5. Bike all the way to work once a week

Currently a 43 mile round trip, should make me stronger

6. Save more money

7. Improve my bread baking skills

8. Cut refined sugar consumption

Omnipresent and not necessarily great for anyone to be eating

School stuff

Having a rain-soaked afternoon in the GU library working on projects. It can be much easier to complete tasks when you're outside the home environment. I don't know where to go to find snacks, there are no video games, and nowhere to take a nap. Might actually get something done.

Postal Service

I got a wonderful card from the wonderful J tonight. The art of thank-you notes is underappreciated. What does it cost a person to thank someone by mail? Not much more than a stamp and ink. I appreciate it. I won't dally in the societal implications. No, there is more business-speak to be written in my paper tonight. I must away.

Can we please ride bikes not just sit inside all day letting fresh Georgia air go to waste

Heading out on the ICC trail with a bike on a magical Columbus Day. Sourdough starter is on the windowsill catching magical wild yeast straight from the air. Things are looking good right now.

R-I-D-E I wanna ride

Bike ride after 2 days of rain. Paths cleared, cars wiped of bird leavings. The ghostly golf course soon to be turned into condominiums. We talked brightly and exchanged views on appropriate bike gearing. The temperature was on the right side of cool. The wheels rolled free of friction, spinning for their own contentment. The handlebars felt solid in my hands. The brakes squeaked as I slowed down the hill. The minivan gave us a wide margin as it slowed down. Everything was in harmony.

Call Me Maybe

The achievement of Carlie Rae Jepsen in this song is to have made something fun and catchy that does not lack a soul and identity of its own. I hear so much music now that is all catchy with no soul. Call Me Maybe has something to it. Maybe it's the string section, maybe it's the meeting-a-romantic-interest jitters inscribed in the lyrics, but it has something different. This is in opposition to the two-line EDM/faux dubstep tracks that litter the radio waves. These all seem to be manufactured with the same set of machine tools in a music factor somewhere in Denmark. They do not move me. Good job, Carlie Rae Jepsen, good job. Yes, I know the song came out two years ago and I'm unfashionably late to the party, but good job.

My brain hurt like a warehouse

Let's shut down the shutdown! Am I right, people? This is clearly not working. Our legislators have lost all purchase on the national interest. What the country needs, not pandering to what the country wants. It burns me up, so that I have to start ignoring the news. There's never any hope any more. No hope of good governance. No hope of real change. Not anything that you can use to fuel yourself with. What keeps us going? The pursuit of cash. Is that all there is? A crass, advertising-driven profit society? I am so disappointed.