Goal 3: Swim More

Although I never swam competitively, I have swum for pleasure and exercise my entire life.  However, now that I moved two blocks from a pool, I just never seem to go anymore.  My number one excuse is that I like how my hair is at exactly that day.  A lame excuse, but completely in line with my priorities in life.  So, I will set a day and time where I at least have to go to the pool.  If I don't want to get in that's fine.  I figure once I'm actually at the pool it should be easier to just jump in.

What is a Geek?

First definition in Merriam Webster's: "a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake."

Makes me stop and wonder what all the self-proclaimed geeks I know are actually doing in their free time...

Mean Girls

Mean Girls was on TV tonight.  I haven't seen it for a few months, which is probably the longest I've gone without seeing it since it was released.  Mean Girls is so ridiculous in its caricatures of female subculture, but at the same time, it's the most relate-able movie I have ever seen.  It is hysterical, nuanced, and brilliantly written.  I've probably seen it a few hundred times and it is still enjoyable today.  The characters are funny, tragic and sympathetic at the same time.  When it came out in theaters I thought it sounded like a horribly trashy high school clique movie.  However, I was willing to give Tina Fey the benefit of the doubt and I do not regret that decision.

In summary, if you haven't seen it, watch Mean Girls ASAP.

Red Head Day

The ginger discussion on Glee got me doing some more research into a festival I read about this past September in Breda in the Netherlands, Roodharigen.  Maybe I'll check it out next year.  Two of my favorite things: red heads, and bikes.  Any other red heads interested?

Glee Gingers

This week's episode of Glee was a little slow, but I appreciate the little redhead supremacy rant.  While I think that the words said are true, the tone seemed a bit mocking (as fit in the scene).  It is true that the red head gene (MC1R) will be dormant soon and completely out of the gene pool a few generations later, based on current population models.  However, life is different for red heads and while it is not necessarily good or bad, it is something that, based on conversations I've had with blonds and brunettes, is not appreciated by non-red heads.  However, I'm still glad that red heads got some love :-)

Mobile Pub?

Is it legal to serve beer for profit from a bicycle?  If so, I may have found a new job :-)

Keg Bike

Goal 2: Bike Tour

On my vacation this past summer, I was hiking in the Cinque Terre with a Belgian retiree who asked me where were some interesting spots to visit if he were to go to the US.  I initially rattled off the major eastern cities like New York and Washington, but beyond that I had no idea.  I started thinking about why I seemed to vacation in Europe more often than the US.  Obviously, the foreignness of it is appealing, but the west coast is just as foreign to me as a New Englander as the UK.  I think the major factor for me is easy accessibility.  As a non-driver, travelling the US can be difficult; this issue is not as substantial in western Europe.
I got to thinking and decided that in order to see the US, I would be self-reliant and ride my bicycle.  So, for my next big vacation, I want to do a bike tour.  I have several options in mind; I plan to have this accomplished by the end of summer 2012.

Transportation Isolation

As the weather has been changing and my respiratory system not keeping
up, I've been taking the metro more frequently. One aspect of public
transit that I miss when biking is the social atmosphere. Unless I am
riding my bike with someone, it is just me, alone on my bike.
However, even when travelling alone on metro, there are always other
people around. Even if you aren't feeling particularly outgoing that
day, metro conversation eavesdropping is a great way to spend a
commute. Since I know that I really enjoy metro eavesdropping, I am
sometimes inspired to up the zaniness factor of my conversations on
metro, for entertainment purposes. There is less mental strain since
you just need to pay attention to where your stop is, not worrying
about how you get between points A and B. If I were to zone out on my
bike, I'd probably get hit by a car (it nearly happens frequently
enough when I am paying attention).
Public transportation is a great way to bring a community together.
Community building is ultimately it's purpose. However, the metro
community, often overlooked by those who rely heavily on metro, is a
critical piece of bringing people together that is often overlooked
when weighing the costs and benefits of public transit.