No good deed goes unpunished

I help my neighbor extract her key from a stiff lock, and for some reason this means that I must be a brainwashed disciple of the satanic/Jewish/gay conspiracy to take over the world and bring about the End of Days through global economic destruction, which in turn gives her the right to pause outside my door and scream shockingly offensive insults every time she walks by.

I realize that we're supposed to be honoring the people who died protecting her right to her completely crazy opinions, but it's still extremely annoying to suffer this kind of abuse from a stranger in one's own home. I'm so tired of renting.

Why I still don't bike to work

1. I was on my way to work when it happened.
Normally I don't work on Sunday afternoons, but my boss had told me that she planned to come into the lab that day, and as long as I had nothing better to do she could really use my help. As it happened, I did have other plans for that day, but after n00b stood me up those plans suddenly changed, and I found myself with indeed nothing better to do, and hence I tried to go to work. The rest is history. Every night I think, "Tomorrow I will do it!" And every morning I look at my bike, and it's the wrong color, and my shoulder starts to ache, and then I spend an hour or two trying not to have flashbacks. It's pretty overwhelming.

2. The costs outweigh the benefits.
At the moment, I can barely afford to feed myself. Another wreck at this point would immediately bankrupt me and/or directly lead to suicide. (I am not exaggerating about either of those things.) In addition, as long as my brand new $1300 bike that I can't afford but bought anyway is locked up safe at home, it can't be stolen (as long as my apartment isn't broken into again, anyway---I'm not exaggerating about that, either; this year has been nothing but shit), and that way I'm still out only one Cross-Check that I can't afford instead of two Cross-Checks that I can't afford.

3. My job sucks.
I'm a well-trained monkey liberal arts major working for peanuts in a lab at a hospital that's a mile away from the college neighborhood where, for some reason, I still live. It's just not worth riding my bike there. Being a bicycle commuter at the University of Chicago Press was a point of pride; being a bicycle commuter to a post-college drudge job at the University of Chicago Medical Center even though you're 30 and should have a real career by now (as well as a house, husband, and maybe a kid or two, or at least a dog) is just depressing. Riding the bus is for losers, and that's exactly what I am.

"What a clever impersonation of a stupid poor person!" [/Futurama]

Shit, what with the new sky-blue Cross Check and incidentally matching Po Campo Loop Pannier that I got for the Cycle Chic equivalent of a song a few months back, plus my Showers Pass Touring Jacket that's still perfectly waterproof except for the huge rip on one shoulder and the Vittoria Randonneur Cross tires that were hardly even used before I sold the bike I bought them for (O Fortune! O Irony!), I'm likely to be the best equipped non-student brokeass bike commuter to a low-wage part-time job on the south side of Chicago this summer.

the nato summit air and water show

i am live at oakwood, watching the marine helicopters and coast guard cutter.

So... Did anyone else see the F-16s today?

Jennifer's bike and style blog

 It's CMS 16 blue!

So that's why it looked oddly familiar with my tropical sunset Po Campo wristlet handlebar bag (with all I cram into it, one couldn't possibly wear it on the wrist). The bottle cage is actually my own pseudo-vintage bike accessory from last millennium. The saddle and tires are still stock; that will need to change sometime in the near future. Fortunately I still have Avenger's old Vittoria Randonneurs on hand, so that's just a matter of me not being lazy. The rack is the same as the old one, except Topeak has since added one of those springs for people who don't like panniers, and as a pannier person, I am already completely annoyed with it. I may have to shop around a little.

Still not back

I tried and failed to bike to work today.

I thought this was supposed to be easy. I've been telling people for years that this is easy.

Thanks, NATO!

The streetlights on the Lakefront Trail by McCormick Place were out for a pretty long time---but not anymore!

In other news, even the geese have been banished from the lakefront, or else they left of their own accord. In any case, let us be thankful for literally less crap to put up with this weekend.

Hello, my name is Fred

When I get home from work, I put on my special day-glo cycling clothes and helmet, and I take my rackless, fenderless road bike out for a recreational ride on a local multiuse trail.

How you must despise me now.

Draconian restrictions on Metra during NATO summit

And don't think you won't be affected because you don't ride the Metra Electric. The following restrictions are system-wide on May 19, 20, and 21:

1. Riders may be subject to search and/or screening before boarding or while en route.
2. Riders may carry only one bag not exceeding 15 inches square and 4 inches deep. Boxes, parcels, luggage, backpacks and bicycles will not be allowed on trains. Banned items cannot be stored at Metra stations. They must be removed or they will be disposed of.
3. Riders may not carry any food or liquids on the trains. This includes coffee and other beverages.
4. Riders may not carry any type of tools, pipes, stakes, wood or weapons, including pocket knives and pepper spray, on the trains.
5. Law enforcement personnel must identify themselves and present their credentials and any weapons. Security guards will not be allowed to carry any weapons onboard. 

As for the Metra Electric, well, I don't know why they're even bothering to say that it will be in operation. Full details here; complain here.