Shawnr's Journal
My Podcast Link
10/28/2006 20:29 #34328
lady sovereign10/28/2006 20:29 #34327
waiting for lady sovereign²°ž
10/07/2006 21:26 #34326
New BikeI got a bike today. It was kind of exasperating searching, but once we bit the bullet and went into an actual bike shop, things got a lot better. It really makes a difference on something like a bike or a computer to get some good first-hand advice. I was afraid of getting upsold, but I actually got down-sold after I explained what I wanted.
Here's my issue: I have a 5-10 minute window to catch one of two buses to the metro each morning. If I miss that window, then I must wait another 20-30 minutes to catch the next bus. That happens regularly because I am consistently running just a little bit late.
I only live a mile from the metro, so it is easy enough to walk. But walking takes me 20 minutes or so. So it's not really that advantageous. Plus, it's frustrating because it's not a super nice walk along a busy road and multiple buses I could have caught will almost always pass me.
Because, of course, catching a bus isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds. It's not like you can ever really know whether the bus is running 5 minutes early or 5 minutes late, and it's not unusual to find the bus is 10 or 15 minutes late. Rain seems to really disrupt service. I can only imagine what will happen when it finally snows.
And the ride home is even more capricious. The bus is sometimes 5 minutes early and often as much as 30 minutes late. It's as if they randomly skip the 6:28 stop entirely and wait until 6:58. That happened to me and Sarah last week when it was raining.
And, of couse, taking the bus isn't free. It costs $1.35 per day.
So today I bought a bike. This one:
It's a Schwinn Frontier (http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_detail.php?id=620). They said that it was pretty much bullet-proof and has no complicated parts. It's almost impossible to get a bike without shocks these days... Am I the only one paranoid about having complicated bikes?
I was stoked to see that the Schwinn website shows they havve brought back several classic style Schwinns. How cool would it be to have a Sting Ray? Or a cruiser? Maybe if the bike riding thing works out Sarah will let me trade up to a nicer bike. But for now I have pretty much the cheapest bike you can buy and not feel like you're totally riding a deathtrap...
Here's my issue: I have a 5-10 minute window to catch one of two buses to the metro each morning. If I miss that window, then I must wait another 20-30 minutes to catch the next bus. That happens regularly because I am consistently running just a little bit late.
I only live a mile from the metro, so it is easy enough to walk. But walking takes me 20 minutes or so. So it's not really that advantageous. Plus, it's frustrating because it's not a super nice walk along a busy road and multiple buses I could have caught will almost always pass me.
Because, of course, catching a bus isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds. It's not like you can ever really know whether the bus is running 5 minutes early or 5 minutes late, and it's not unusual to find the bus is 10 or 15 minutes late. Rain seems to really disrupt service. I can only imagine what will happen when it finally snows.
And the ride home is even more capricious. The bus is sometimes 5 minutes early and often as much as 30 minutes late. It's as if they randomly skip the 6:28 stop entirely and wait until 6:58. That happened to me and Sarah last week when it was raining.
And, of couse, taking the bus isn't free. It costs $1.35 per day.
So today I bought a bike. This one:
It's a Schwinn Frontier (http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_detail.php?id=620). They said that it was pretty much bullet-proof and has no complicated parts. It's almost impossible to get a bike without shocks these days... Am I the only one paranoid about having complicated bikes?
I was stoked to see that the Schwinn website shows they havve brought back several classic style Schwinns. How cool would it be to have a Sting Ray? Or a cruiser? Maybe if the bike riding thing works out Sarah will let me trade up to a nicer bike. But for now I have pretty much the cheapest bike you can buy and not feel like you're totally riding a deathtrap...
09/21/2006 20:26 #34325
Cigarette MannersWow, I can't believe how awesome these Japanese signs are. I also can't believe there are FIVE PAGES of these things. I learned so much about Japanese Smoking Etiquette: 1) Don't smoke around other people. 2) Always carry a portable ashtray. 3) Cowboys lived in old movies. 4) Don't abuse children or snow (or snowmen). 5) Always check behind you before you fart.
As far as I know, these are real signs. I got to them through a post on the old Boing Boing.
As far as I know, these are real signs. I got to them through a post on the old Boing Boing.
09/17/2006 18:48 #34324
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffaloCategory: wikiality
Here's an example of what I love about Wikipedia (and I found this linked from Digg, which I also love):
"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." is a grammatically valid sentence used as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated constructs.
...
If a comma is allowed between subject and predicate, and the optional "that" is included, the sentence becomes:
Buffalo buffalo that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
Substituting the alternative plural produces:
Buffalo buffaloes that Buffalo buffaloes buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffaloes.
If the homophones were then replaced with other words, it would look like:
Buffalo bisons that Buffalo bisons intimidate, intimidate Buffalo bisons.
Finally, using common articles produces:
The Buffalo bisons that Buffalo bisons intimidate, intimidate Buffalo bisons.
It may help to consider the following sentence, which has the same grammatical structure as the original.
Many things many people say confuse many people.
I hope to ride it whenever I can, which I figure is anytime it's not a hurricane or blizzard. I got a fender for my bike, so I shouldn't be stopped by wet weather, and I'm still not sure what the winters will be like here. I imagine ot nearly as bad...
And (e:southernyankee) -- definitely drop a msg when you're in DC.
Nice Ride. Yeah, for some reason it doesn't always seem like the Metro connections match up very well.
We will have to meet up when I return to DC.
Would love to meet you and Sarah. Let me know what works for you both.
I will admit the two buses I take to work usaly line up preaty good. I think In the close to two years I have taken them in the morning I have had a problem once and that was because of snow. But there are some buses like the #20 and not sure what other ones that often run late or early and can make things messy. I will admit that there are sometimes when having a bike and being able to ride it would be cool. For example next saturday there is a party for (e:lilho) at Volkners and it would be cool to just ride there and then when ever things where over ride home and not have to worry about times of buses and such. But what I'm wondering is will you ride your bike in the snow and ice or is it just for the nicer weather days? I don't know much about bikes but it looks like a preaty good one.