red light means go

A predicted high of 45F today - yay for warm weather!
Yeah, I never thought I'd think 45F = "warm" but I'm so ready to peel off my Underarmour and fold it away until November. Snow isn't even pretty anymore, just slightly annoying. The gross brown heaps that it eventually turns into [and then gross brown water that cars like to splatter at me] doesn't really help make Boston winters any more appealing.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for deferred gratification...just only when it applies to a goal that I can actually see. Desperately hoping for nicer weather that doesn't involve shards of ice flying in my face, enough layers to make me feel like I'm in a fat suit, and that embarrassing fogging up of my glasses whenever I enter a warmer room...is getting old.

I'm trying to be optimistic though; and even with all the snow yesterday, by early evening it was clear out. The lights strung up on the trees along Comm Ave were cute and pretty enough for even my beer soaked self to appreciate. I didn't get a picture though [I know, I really should have!], probably because I had no idea what I was doing at that point.
I ended up praying for a red light on my way home, hoping for an excuse to stop. I only hit one, and by the time I stumbled into my apartment, my face looked like a tiki torch.
I think I might have to train a little more for the beers + bikes shenanigans I'm mentally planning for the summer...

longing for yesterday

Biking through snow today after a day in the high 50s, getting splattered by a good number of cars on my way in, with only the promise of [bad] coffee at the end of my commute to make me feel sort of better...I'm seriously missing yesterday.
It was my first semi-lazy Sunday in a while, where I got to blow off everything for at least half the day. I even managed to blow off my own plans! Lazy won out over Sense of Obligation to go to the Bike Swap and Not Be an Anti-Social Hermit, resulting in me not getting any farther than Cambridge Bikes. And staying there for...over three hours...

In my defense, a lot of things got in the way. First, I met the spectacular RMM. Then, we got on the subject of ice cream cakes. And as everyone knows, you cannot peace out on a conversation involving ice cream cakes. It's just not allowed.
Okay, said conversation also involved strip clubs, butt acne, and cookies. Which is, you know, enough to keep me interested...but combine that with shiny, pretty, [pink] bike things, and it's a wonder I wasn't blatantly drooling.

I did get close though. All this talk of Bartley's in Harvard Square [which I keep saying I'll go to but never do because Veggie Planet always seems to win out], and watching Tom devour a burger a friend of his brought for him actually had me craving cow meat [despite not having eaten red meat in ages]. Right now, the thought of ground-up, masticated cow on a bun has my stomach audibly growling in the library [and it's not even close to lunch time yet].
Maybe hanging out [for hours] at Cambridge Bikes is not such a great idea always a good idea.

hats off to hoffman

Last night was the first time I've finished more than a third of a beer in a looooong time.
Actually it was the first time for a lot of things: staying at a bike shop after closing, keeping my bike at closed bike shop to get it later, and grabbing beers [or in my case half a beer] with the bike mechanics I pretend to work with/bother all the time.
It was the first time I've actually seen Hoffman on a bike, too [doing backward circles!]. And might be the last time for a while - yesterday's festivities were due to it being Hoffman's last day at IBC. I had promised to make him a hat for his wife [the one with the bunny on it], and after learning on Sunday that Thursday was going to be Hoffman's last day, I had to make one for him as well.

Okay, it's not like I'm never going to see him again; he's moving to Landry's up on Comm Ave. Still, it's sad, and we're all going to miss him tons. The left hand workspace on the first floor of IBC just won't be the same without his stickered out tool boxes. It just...makes me sad.
I'm sure he'll miss us as well. I'm sure deep, deep down inside, he'll always think IBC > Landry's. Which is why I left open the option of repping IBC.

He promised [although after beers and a couple shots] to wear the hat today to his first Landry's staff meeting. He's going to make everyone jealous - I mean, how can he not? It looks pretty killer on him:

And yes this is before we got trashed. I left mostly sober [after my first time in a closed shop!], but the ride back got my blood pumping beer and I was in a state of slightly-woozy-and-those-lights-are-too-bright drunkenness by the time I got home.
Most fun I've had in a while, even though it was a goodbye party for Hoffman. I did take pictures, though, and as Jeremy said, "pics are totes going up on Facebook [and Flickr]."

lounging regularly

I spent far too much time this weekend leaning over a particular counter in Allston. I'm working on wearing an indent into that space.
It's, of course, the IBC counter. And it didn't involve anything dirtier than bike grease and some of Herrell's heath bar brownie crumbs. Oh yeah, and chips. Chips are crucial.
Well, so are cookies. At least for the IBC Regular's Lounge that should be installed [mostly for my benefit]. Chris has already promised to fund the eternal cookies-and-chips supply for said lounge. I plan on warming the seats for other regulars. Eric, Erich, Jeremy et al. will be providing endless entertainment [possibly involving blood, even!]. It'll be one of the most coveted lounges in Boston.

To make things even better sweeter, I'd even consider busting out these cups [pictured above, not the other ones] for the really hardcore regulars. I got them in the mail as a late Christmas present from my best friend; they're a mid-West vintage find and seriously one of the coolest gifts I've ever gotten.
We agreed that they almost look like confetti cupcakes. Small and just the right size for really good hot chocolate or hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick poking out of it, I'm almost glad it's still winter. And with five in the set, it's the perfect number for a solid group of good [bike] friends.
Can someone start a petition for the Regular's Lounge? A big cup of Irish coffee wouldn't hurt either, especially after a ride in this snow...

lack of tired-ness

It's funny how you realize how neurotic your whole entire family is when you spend some time away. It's also, ironically, what makes going home so great: you fit right in, and you don't have to worry about acting "normal" anymore.
I'm not at home, but I take comfort in the fact that my Mom is probably working non-stop on her lacquer-ware [she's an artist]. She doesn't question how I'll stay up into the wee hours of the morning slouched over, embroidering a piece of cloth. Neurotic devotion loves company, I guess.
But I think anyone, even people outside my family, will agree that it's hard to get tired when you're doing something you really love. Well, until much later. Like right now. My legs are finally feeling juiced out, after doing laps from Allston to downtown, to Cambridge and back to Brighton. I don't usually ride this much, but having been introduced to this concept of "freedom," [well, until the library opens again on Monday] I was at a loss as to what to do, other than pedal, pedal, pedal. And though I'm not at home, talking with nearly all my bike friends today came close enough. Because neurotic devotion for the same exact thing is always a guaranteed good time.

First stop was at polo; I hadn't been to the court in months. And with a warmer weather, it seemed like everyone showed up. Boston's Cutest Polo Player was in attendance [I failed to get a pic], as was Boston's Hottest Polo Player [seen below].
And you know how the East Side Polo Invitational is being held here in Beantown in May? The teams coming up are going to face some stiff competition from our home teams. We're just not happy with the whole "one mallet" concept, so we figure double-fisting couldn't hurt. I mean, not as applied to polo at least.

Neurotic devotion? Probably. Are we going to own all the teams that come up for ESPI? Most definitely. Will we be the hottest players there? Yes, yes, and yes.
As I challenged the bald guy in the blue sedan who patronizingly tried to tell me to move over as I flipped him the bird on Comm Ave [which rendered him into some sputtering rage, in response to which I laughed]:
Bring it.

spinning out

Excuse the late evening posting recently, but it's been warm out.
Which means I haven't been getting enough work done, but it's not like the balmy weather's going to last much longer. Which also means I've been spending the day [since getting out of class] pedaling as hard as I can [to places where I can drink coffee]. The freezing cold almost made me forget how much fun it is to go so fast you're spinning out [although, yeah, I'm geared low]. Almost.

My excuse for blowing off the day? I'm officially on spring break, although it's not really spring, nor much of a break.
Still, I'm not complaining. The past few days have been akin to rubbing my face on cheese graters. It's not even the work, which can be sort of mind-numbing and prone to dammit-did-I-just-drool-everywhere-? naps, but the whole song and dance I tend to do at school. Smile, be sociable, pretend I don't have a secret life. Repeat.

Not that this secret life of mine is very exciting, mind you, but it does a lot to retain my sanity. And when things like "the economy" and "the world" start spinning out of control, well, it's nice to be able to hang onto something [even if it's just a fixed cyclocross bike].
Wait, scratch that. Especially when it's a fixed cyclocross bike...and coupled with coffee.