I love this image that my friend Jonas put this image together for me (thanks, Jonas!). Now that I've got a bike stand (borrowed from my friend, Mike), I feel more fully engaged in the bicycle life than ever.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pat's Bicycle Life
I love this image that my friend Jonas put this image together for me (thanks, Jonas!). Now that I've got a bike stand (borrowed from my friend, Mike), I feel more fully engaged in the bicycle life than ever.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Reframing our personal map
Without a car, we've started to realize that our personal landscape has shifted in scale and scope. For obvious reasons, we no longer go to grocery stores 7 miles away (yes, I do miss weekly visits to Russo's). It makes a lot more sense to hit the local Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop with the bike and trailer.
I've also noticed that having a car allowed us to be complacent about the professional services we receive. When we first moved to Boston in 2000, it took a while to find a pediatric dentist. My son has some special needs that made finding the right dentist pretty important. Even though we lived in Roxbury, we ended up going to a dentist in Cambridge. Even after we moved to Brookline, we kept going to Cambridge. But we had a car, so it could work. Even though we could have looked for someone closer, we never took the trouble. It's a hassle to change your dentist, doctor, vet, hairdresser. It's much easier to stay in the same routine. But going to professionals outside your neighborhood comes at a cost--there is an environmental impact of the travel, it eats up extra time from your life, and your money supports an office and workers in a town that's not your own.
A couple weeks ago, I had to take the kids to the dentist for checkups. But the appointment was too close to the end of school to effectively get there by bus, so I ended up renting a zipcar. With traffic, it took us almost an hour to get there (it's about 4 miles from home). Going to the dentist ended up consuming three hours and cost $30 in car rental fees. When I had our own car, I wouldn't have noticed the cost (though it was still costing me), and I would have ignored the time spent.
I've since found a new dentist for the kids, one that we can walk or bike to. And all it took was a couple e-mails to other parents at my son's school, and a phone call to the dental offices. I should have made the change years ago, but the convenience of the car allowed the situation to continue (even though it actually was less convenient).
(It turns out that our old dentist is retiring anyway, so we wouldn't have gotten to see him much anymore anyway.)
More and more, we're rethinking how we're accessing life around us and bringing it back closer to home.
I've also noticed that having a car allowed us to be complacent about the professional services we receive. When we first moved to Boston in 2000, it took a while to find a pediatric dentist. My son has some special needs that made finding the right dentist pretty important. Even though we lived in Roxbury, we ended up going to a dentist in Cambridge. Even after we moved to Brookline, we kept going to Cambridge. But we had a car, so it could work. Even though we could have looked for someone closer, we never took the trouble. It's a hassle to change your dentist, doctor, vet, hairdresser. It's much easier to stay in the same routine. But going to professionals outside your neighborhood comes at a cost--there is an environmental impact of the travel, it eats up extra time from your life, and your money supports an office and workers in a town that's not your own.
A couple weeks ago, I had to take the kids to the dentist for checkups. But the appointment was too close to the end of school to effectively get there by bus, so I ended up renting a zipcar. With traffic, it took us almost an hour to get there (it's about 4 miles from home). Going to the dentist ended up consuming three hours and cost $30 in car rental fees. When I had our own car, I wouldn't have noticed the cost (though it was still costing me), and I would have ignored the time spent.
I've since found a new dentist for the kids, one that we can walk or bike to. And all it took was a couple e-mails to other parents at my son's school, and a phone call to the dental offices. I should have made the change years ago, but the convenience of the car allowed the situation to continue (even though it actually was less convenient).
(It turns out that our old dentist is retiring anyway, so we wouldn't have gotten to see him much anymore anyway.)
More and more, we're rethinking how we're accessing life around us and bringing it back closer to home.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Patience with cats and rain
Patience is the name of the bike trailer that we're using, and she continues to be remarkably useful and sturdy.
On Friday, I had to take our cat, Tycho, to the vets for tests and shots. Turns out the cat carrier fits perfectly into the trailer. I was worried that the ride would be too bumpy, so I lined the bottom with plenty of towels. But with the pneumatic tires, it's really not that bad. I also worried whether the cat would freak out at being in the trailer. Whenever we go for a ride in the car, he yowls and meows and lets me know that riding in a car is a weird, unpleasant experience.
Oddly, he didn't seem to mind riding in the trailer at all. He made one small meow at me, and that was about it. My theory for this is that riding in a car is an intensely strange experience for a cat--the air is still, so it seems like we must be inside a house, but yet there's a sensation of movement. In the trailer, it was clear that we were outside. He could feel the air moving, and he could see me right in front of him. He could hear the sounds of the world. He didn't seem to mind it at all. (And, for the record, it's a pretty short ride.)
Yesterday, I put Patience to the test in the rain. It was pouring out all day long, and I'd agreed to a handyman job out in Newton, 6.2 miles from our house (each way). I wanted to keep the job, and I thought I'd give the trailer and my rain gear a good workout.
It certainly got it. I loaded the trailer with my toolbox and other tools, probably 20-30 pounds of tools, and hit the streets. Remnants of hurricane Ida cascaded from the clouds. Autumn leaves blocked many of the storm drains along the route, making huge puddles and swiftly flowing streams covering the roads. Luckily, traffic was light. Still, I made sure I had all my lights and flashers going so I could be easily spotted.
I didn't mind riding in the rain. My jacket and rain pants kept me pretty dry, and my baseball cap under my helmet kept most of the rain off my glasses, so I could still see. Pulling the cart through the water and up the hills was a pretty serious workout, but within my abilities (funny how you tend to gloss over the hills when you drive a car, but I can tell you that between Cleveland Circle and Newton Center, Beacon Street goes up and down a big-ass hill).
I got to the job with my feet soaking wet, but otherwise dry underneath my gear. And the trailer kept my tools completely dry. Unfortunately, I got a little lost just as I was approaching my destination. I'd printed out a google map of the area, and it lasted just long enough to get me unlost before the rain dissolved it into a soggy clump. Getting lost in the pouring rain on your bike is not a happy feeling.
The rain came down even harder on the way home, and the front seam of the jacket leaked a bit onto my shirt, but the pants were great. I need to find some better waterproof shoes for riding at some point.
It was a good adventure, though I confess that I was awfully tired and wiped out when I got home and had to take a little nap in the afternoon.
The temperature was in the mid 50s, so the ride was surprisingly fine. I expected to be cold and miserable, but I didn't mind riding in the rain at all. (Tracy might just say that shows that I'm a little nuts.) The trailer handled beautifully in the rain--I'm really getting used to hauling it around. We'll see how it goes in the wintertime when it gets old out.
On Friday, I had to take our cat, Tycho, to the vets for tests and shots. Turns out the cat carrier fits perfectly into the trailer. I was worried that the ride would be too bumpy, so I lined the bottom with plenty of towels. But with the pneumatic tires, it's really not that bad. I also worried whether the cat would freak out at being in the trailer. Whenever we go for a ride in the car, he yowls and meows and lets me know that riding in a car is a weird, unpleasant experience.
Oddly, he didn't seem to mind riding in the trailer at all. He made one small meow at me, and that was about it. My theory for this is that riding in a car is an intensely strange experience for a cat--the air is still, so it seems like we must be inside a house, but yet there's a sensation of movement. In the trailer, it was clear that we were outside. He could feel the air moving, and he could see me right in front of him. He could hear the sounds of the world. He didn't seem to mind it at all. (And, for the record, it's a pretty short ride.)
Yesterday, I put Patience to the test in the rain. It was pouring out all day long, and I'd agreed to a handyman job out in Newton, 6.2 miles from our house (each way). I wanted to keep the job, and I thought I'd give the trailer and my rain gear a good workout.
It certainly got it. I loaded the trailer with my toolbox and other tools, probably 20-30 pounds of tools, and hit the streets. Remnants of hurricane Ida cascaded from the clouds. Autumn leaves blocked many of the storm drains along the route, making huge puddles and swiftly flowing streams covering the roads. Luckily, traffic was light. Still, I made sure I had all my lights and flashers going so I could be easily spotted.
I didn't mind riding in the rain. My jacket and rain pants kept me pretty dry, and my baseball cap under my helmet kept most of the rain off my glasses, so I could still see. Pulling the cart through the water and up the hills was a pretty serious workout, but within my abilities (funny how you tend to gloss over the hills when you drive a car, but I can tell you that between Cleveland Circle and Newton Center, Beacon Street goes up and down a big-ass hill).
I got to the job with my feet soaking wet, but otherwise dry underneath my gear. And the trailer kept my tools completely dry. Unfortunately, I got a little lost just as I was approaching my destination. I'd printed out a google map of the area, and it lasted just long enough to get me unlost before the rain dissolved it into a soggy clump. Getting lost in the pouring rain on your bike is not a happy feeling.
The rain came down even harder on the way home, and the front seam of the jacket leaked a bit onto my shirt, but the pants were great. I need to find some better waterproof shoes for riding at some point.
It was a good adventure, though I confess that I was awfully tired and wiped out when I got home and had to take a little nap in the afternoon.
The temperature was in the mid 50s, so the ride was surprisingly fine. I expected to be cold and miserable, but I didn't mind riding in the rain at all. (Tracy might just say that shows that I'm a little nuts.) The trailer handled beautifully in the rain--I'm really getting used to hauling it around. We'll see how it goes in the wintertime when it gets old out.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Romantic Eye Poem Lyrics Lines Love Sms Wallpapers
So Melodious
You can feel her Dedication in form of a Wife
She is a Woman
You can feel her Divinity in form of a Mother
You can feel her Warmth in form of a Friend
You can feel her Passion in form of Beloved
You can feel her Care in form of a Sister
You can feel her Passion in form of a Beloved
She is life
Her Heart is so Tender
So Charming and You can feel her Blessings in form Grandmother
So Naughty and So Sharing and Yet she is so Tough too
Monday, November 9, 2009
Guide to future parents cute kids and beautiful babies care funny wallpapers
Bonding with baby wallpapers
Calming baby wallpapers
Containing baby wallpapers
Exercising baby wallpapers
Introducing baby to pets wallpapers
Lifting baby wallpapers
Making baby smile wallpapers
Massaging baby wallpapers
Playing with baby wallpapers
Shopping with baby wallpapers
Stimulating baby wallpapers
Testing baby’s bottle wallpapers
Walking with baby wallpapers
Washing baby wallpapers
Saturday, November 7, 2009
IT PARK BULDINGS IN PAKISTAN (ISLAMABAD CAPITAL OF PAKISTAN)
Its ISLAMABAD capital of Pakistan.and the buildings are from IT park in Pakistan.
Pakistan building wallpapers
Pakistan amzing building wallpapers
Pakistan building construction wallpapers
Beautiful Pakistan building wallpapers
wallpapers of beautiful Pakistan islamabad
Beautiful Pakistan building wallpapers
Friday, November 6, 2009
Endhiran Super Star Rajinikanth (Robot) and aishwarya rai unseen Lastest Wallpapers
Endhiran rajini aishwarya rai wallpapers
Endhiran ishwarya rai wallpapers
Endhiran super star rajinikanth allpapers
Endhiran latest wallpapers
Endhiran rajinikanth allpapers
Endhiran rajinikanth and aishwarya rai wallpaper
Endhiran rajinikanth and aishwarya rai wallpapers
Endhiran rajinikanth pic
Endhiran rajinikanth wallpaper
Endhiran universal beauty aishwarya rai wallpapers
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Some Awesome Wallpapers of Moon (Cool Moon Wallpapers)
Nice look of moon wallpapers
Moon use as valley ball wallpapers
Moon looks a diamond wallpapers
moon helps as yoga wallpapers
Different Stages of moon wallpapers
graceful moon in tree leaf wallpapers
Moon hunting wallpaper
Moon hunting wallpapers
Moon in Frame Wallpapers
moon in playground
Moon is switch on off bed switch wallpapers
Moon looks a football wallpapers
Moon looks a Rock wallpapers
Moon looks Digital Clock timer wallpapers
Moon use as Ballon wallpapers
Moon use as valley ball wallpaper
Moon's use as valley ball wallpapers
Wallpapers of graceful Moon
wonderful look of moon wallpaers and Colourful Moon Wallpapers
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