EDENHILL

I had a busy and enjoyable day, but man alive was it busy. Sometimes I felt like a cow on the way to the slaughter house.

My alarm buzzed me awake at 8:15am. I was up soon after, showered, and went downstairs for my free hot breakfast. I relaxed and read the paper, went to Starbucks, and finally left the hotel at 10:30am.

My first stop was the National Museum of American History. I haven't been to this particular museum since 1991. If was in the midst of a full renovation last time I was in DC.

       

I saw all sorts of displays, from the evolution of electrical power and railroads, to pop icons like Kermit and the Ruby Slippers, and finally ended with one of the top hats warn by President Lincoln. The museum was crowded, especially the exhibit on First Ladies - which I skipped. Still, I managed to spend four enjoyable hours, and from there I moved on to the Newseum.

       

Newseum is a private institution and dedicated to the history of print and broadcast journalism. It's an impressive addition to the lineup of DC museums which lie outside the Smithsonian. I only had 90 minutes to explore. Believe me, any news junky could spend a lot more time. The displays were fascinating - covering the time line of media from the 19th to the 2st centuries. I plan on going back when I return to the District and have more time someday in the future.

Following my tour of DC's newest museum, I walked through a sculpture garden and the Naval Monument. A block later, I unexpectedly walked through a farmer's market. It was a great variation and made me feel, just for a moment, like I could be a local.

         


Finally, to end my day I toured the National Portrait Gallery. Wow! What a hidden gem that museum is! It has some of the most wonderful and famous portraits and busts in the country. Yet, it wasn't nearly as busy as the other two museums. The gallery is larger than I expected. It includes many beautiful works that are focused on American artists - both modern and classical. Portraits and busts make up about half the collection. The rest is dedicated to American Art.

         

By 6:30pm I was on my way home riding the Metro from Chinatown back to DuPont Circle. That concluded my day - a full and yet relaxed one, even though I sometimes felt like a cow being herded through the varied yet consistently cramped Smithsonian museums.

       

  

I have set off on my summer vacation in Washington, D.C.

I left early this morning, dropping my dogs at their usual puppy resort before arriving at SeaTac Airport. My American Airlines flight went flawlessly. In fact, we arrived 10 minutes early in St. Louis, and then 5 minutes early at National Airport. I carried my luggage on board, so once we deplaned, it was an easy walk through the terminal to the Metro Rail station. 30 minutes later I arrived at my hotel.

I am resting comfortably at the Marriott Residence Inn DuPont Circle. It's the perfect place for me - a one bedroom suite with a small kitchen. I got this room at an insanely inexpensive price. After checking in and changing my clothes, I walked next door to the neighborhood grocery store. When traveling alone I always stay in hotels with kitchens so meals are easy to fix and I can avoid eating dinner alone in a restaurant.

The weather in DC is warm, humid and cloudy - par for the course at this time of year. Thunderstorms are a possibility. This week's weather looks to remain the same as today. Though I have been in far hotter and more humid weather (summer 2003 in Charleston, SC) it doesn't take much humidity for me to move from feeling comfortable into uncomfortable. As for now, I'm enjoying my air conditioned room.

Tomorrow I will visit the Smithsonian - specifically the Museum of American History. My last visit there was in 1991. This is the perfect time for a visit since the museum recently went through an extensive remodel, reopening last year. Other sites on my list include The Building Museum, Newseum, and a tour of the US Capitol and Visitor Center. I also obtained passes to view both the Senate and House chambers. Of course, there will also be 4th of July festivities and I have a ticket to see a musical: The Color Purple at the Kennedy Center.

There's a lot of fun ahead of me.

 

    

I had the urge to try something I knew would be tough. I had my doubts. But I did it anyhow.

I rode a total of 32 miles today: 26 miles from Greenwood to Capitol Hill via Downtown and Alki Point in West Seattle. Then the usual 6 miles home from my school. I'm very tired.

There is no way I could have done this ride on a regular bike. I am too out of shape. But, on the climbs (and some were very steep and/or long), I had assistance and that kept me going even as I was standing up and pumping hard. The steepest hill was in Downtown Seattle from Western to 3rd Ave. The longest hill was the climb up California Ave from Harbor Ave. But that was followed by a wonderfully long and speedy downhill on Admiral Way toward the Alki Point lighthouse.

It's fun exploring Seattle this way. I have many ideas for other routes throughout the summer.

You can look at the map of my route HERE (www.mapmyride.com).

Other than almost getting hit where Ravenna Blvd meet East Greenlake Ave, it was an uneventful day. The hardest part was biking into a headwind on Harbor Ave going south. It's amazing how much a steady breeze can slow one down. It was at that point that I really started to feel tired. By the time I got to school, I was greatly fatigued. I worked for three hours before heading home. I think I will sleep well tonight.

Since I bought my bike one month ago, I have ridden 335 miles. That has saved me from buying about 12 gallons of gasoline at a cost of approximately $35. I've burned approximately 10,000 calories, though I've only lost 3 pounds . Yet, that is to be expected. A pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, so my total calories burned is about equal to the weight I have lost.

Today marks the most mileage I have put on my bike in one day: 27.5 miles. I rode to work, then took a scenic route home through the downtown core. After eating lunch at home for an hour, I rode the 13 mile round trip between my current house and my old house (so I could read the electricity and water meters - the new tenants are taking over the utilities).

I'm pleased with all these stats, but when I look at what I have done so far, I never thought this would be me.

I freakin' LOVE riding my bike. I really do! Who would have ever guessed that would be the case. Have I finally found a form of physical activity that is both good for me and I can routinely enjoy as an everyday part of my life?

The things I love about biking include fresh air, sunshine, seeing Seattle from a new perspective, saving gas, lessening our dependence on foreign oil, and reducing the amount of carbon I pump into the air. Mostly - I feel proud of myself for making a positive change and sticking with it for a month.

Of course, there are some negatives about biking. Many car drivers are thoughtless and even a few are downright mean. Yesterday, a woman honked at me when I was waiting at a red light. When the light would turn green, we were both going straight through, but apparently she was upset that I wasn't against the curb. I was on the right hand side of another car that was planning to turn, preventing the annoyed woman from passing the turning car. My position in the lane was perfectly legal and even smart because I had left room on my right for any car that wanted to turn right. And, because I can use my electric motor to zip quickly through intersections, I really don't hold anyone back. But doing things that are smart, courteous and legal mean nothing to some impatient drivers. All I did was turn around, stare at her for about 10 seconds, then turn around to wait for the green light.

Though I most often complain about rude or inattentive car drivers, they aren't always the mean or thoughtless one. Sometimes it's pedestrians that stand in the street waiting for a green light and I have to swerve to miss them when I have the right of way. Or sometimes it's cyclists that run red lights or pass unsafely and give the rest of us cyclists a bad reputation. A few cyclists have even given me a bad time for riding an electric assist bike - one saying they should be illegal in bike lanes. There is a strong amount of arrogance and exclusivity among some in the Lycra and Spandex elite. I guess I expected better from them, but I was naive.

Last of all, there is one negative issue I have yet to encounter: bad weather. If it's chilly in the morning I just wear long pants, my fingerless gloves and my fluorescent yellow jacket. I have been warm and comfortable every day, but that will no doubt change in the future. My enthusiasm for biking may shift with the change of seasons. I hope not. I certainly plan on commuting through the fall and winter - adapting to cold and wet weather by wearing rain gear. I've already attached flashing lights to my helmet to augment the lights on my bike when my bright and sunny commute turns into a dark and dreary one in November.

For now,  despite the negatives, biking is fun, good exercise, gets me where I need to go, saves money and helps save our planet.

I love this video. It's very funny, and strangely enough - I wish it were true. Unfortunately, the President is just a man.  (And you can ignore the JibJab commercial at the end).


  

Finally I got the word! Yesterday my seminar in NYC at Columbia University was approved. We had the funds for it the whole time I was waiting for approval. The issue was securing a space at the seminar. It's a very popular event over five days including about 1,700 teachers from what I have heard. Our names (myself and two collegues) were pulled off the waiting list literally on the last possible day.

Now we are all working together to plan the trip. Our principal has given us a budget for airfare, hotel, fees and food. It sounds like all three of us are going to arrive a little early and use an extra day or two for touring around the city. Then, on Monday we are in classes and presentations from 9am - 4pm every day until Friday afternoon. I will return to Seattle on Saturday.

I'm excited for the opportunity to see some sites I have never seen before including the American Museum of Natural History plus the Hayden Planetarium. Also, my collegues and I are arranging to see 2-3 Broadway shows.

It's amazing! This will be the second summer in which I was able to go on a professional trip mostly paid for by either my school or a foundation supporting public education. I'm a lucky guy!
        
Pictures of: Columbia University, Hayden Planetarium, Hotel Beacon & Central Park

I wondered when I would lose my virginity?

No! Not that virginity! I'm talking about my bike fall virginity.

Well, I lost it today.

I decided to take a different route home. It's not that significant a change, but I get bored with always commuting along the same route even when I drive, so today seemed like a good day for some variety.

I decided to go across the Montlake bridge rather than the University Bridge as is the norm. In order to do this, I have to go down the hill on 19th Ave from Interlaken Park. It's a nasty hill, very steep, and ends at a stop sign along a busy two lane arterial.

As I went down the hill I gathered speed rapidly. I applied my breaks steadily, and......nope - I didn't crash. I sure was scared of it though.

In order to get to the Montlake Bridge I also have to cut through a church parking lot, and then I double back through some residential streets to connect with a trail under the State Route 520 viaduct. The problem started when I took a wrong turn. I went right instead of left. That placed me in the position of going down a narrow switchback pedestrian path instead of wide residential streets. I had done it once before so I  figured I would do it again.

WRONG!

Half way down the path one switchback was too tight. I was going slowly which actually had the result of making steering less stable. My peddel clipped a retaining wall, I wobble and headed toward the edge and a dramatic slope. I had to slam on my brakes or go over the edge of the path. So slam I did - tumbling down on my hands and knees as I shouted OH CRAAAAAP!

I scraped up my palms and really banged up one knee. Once I stood up and looked around (hoping no one saw me in the midst of my embarassement) I noticed the bike was in a most peculiar position. The rear tire was up on a retaining wall I had clipped. It was standing vertical with the front tire flat on the ground. The front tire and handle bars were twisted parallel to each other (they are supposed to be perpendicular). Once I pulled the bike back into an normal standing position on the trail, I noticed the handle bars were scratched. One hand brake was twisted, just like the headlight. Otherwise, all seemed well.

I corrected the handle bars by placing the front tire between my legs and twisting things back into the correct position. I made other small adjustments as I continued to mutter: "Oh crap, oh crap!" I was worried about my $1800 bike! I corrected the bent headlight and realigned the hand brake.

A couple small chunks of flesh had been gouged out of my palms by gravel, and my right knees ached. Strangely the thing that hurt the most was my jaw - not because I hit my face or head but because I'm sure that as I went down I was gritting my teeth bracing for impact.

I took some deep breaths then walked my bike the rest of the way down the path. I climbed back on and continued on my way. Half way home I realized I could feel my right knee sticking to the inside of my jeans. I knew what that meant.

As I got close to home I could feel my knee tightening up. When I reached the house (yeah, I used the battery more than usual) I changed my clothes which revealed a swollen knee with peeling flesh and blood. It wasn't too bad, but neither did it feel good. My upper thigh already had a hand sized yellow and purple bruise. Interestingly, my jeans weren't torn. A bag of frozen peas was applied to my knee for 20 minutes, followed soon by a glass of wine (applied to my gullet - not my knee).

So there you have it - the semi-public loss of my bike crash virginity. It happens to everyone and I'm grateful because it could have been worse. Nope, I won't make the mistake of thinking I can ride down narrow switchback again.

The text below is from travel.yahoo.com. It's a great commentary from an anonymous flight attendent about what annoys them most from passengers. I agree with all of it.

HOWEVER!, the passengers are not the only ones lacking thought and brains. Since a top 7 list is begging for an additional three comments to round out the list, I have included my own frustrations with AIRLINES.

In the American airline industry, there is plenty of blame to go around.

1. Bring your pet on the plane and then act like an animal.
Over the years, I've seen a pet on a passenger's lap, a pet tucked into a seatback pocket, and a pet loose in the aisle (I nearly hit one with my beverage cart). All of this is against federal regulations. People tell me how well-behaved their pet is, but they can't follow the rules themselves! Your pet must stay in its carrier while you're on the plane. Yes, even if you've paid a "pet-in-cabin" fee.
 
2. Shove your bag into the first bin you see and then walk to your seat in the back of the plane.
You think you're clever, I know. You expect to grab your bag on your way out of the plane, but you're selfishly inconveniencing others. I can't lie and say we flight attendants don't take some small satisfaction when we tell you, "We couldn't identify the bag's owner, so we sent it to cargo." It's a security issue, for real. Carry-ons need to stay near their owners! So don't look so shocked when we say, "The signs will direct you to baggage claim. You can pick up your bag there."
 
3. Think that because you're on an airplane you're off-duty as a parent.
Stop expecting us to have spare diapers, formula, medicine, toys, playing cards, or batteries for DVD players or Game Boys. It's an airplane, not a 7-11. Take your kid to the restroom before you board. Leave the dry cereal and Legos at home and bring snacks and toys for your kids that won't make a horrible mess.
 
4. Drag on an oversize bag that's too heavy for you to lift by yourself.
I won't be compensated for any injuries I might sustain if I heft your bag into the overhead compartment for you. (And other passengers shouldn't have to step up and take the risk either.) The guideline is simple: You pack it, you stack it. Try this at home as a test (and this is to you ladies, especially): After you've packed your bag, put on the shoes you plan to wear on the plane and see if you can lift your bag and place it on top of your refrigerator. You can't? Pay the fee and check the bag.
 
5. Gripe that you haven't been seated in a roomy exit-row seat.
The exit rows weren't created as a reward for people who are tall, overweight, or just plain nice. They were designed to help passengers get out of the plane in an emergency. The people seated in an exit row must be able to see and speak clearly, open the emergency door, and help others. I prefer to see uniformed military, firefighters, law-enforcement officers, or off-duty pilots and flight attendants sitting in those seats. While the gate agent may assign exit-row seats first, the flight attendant makes the final determination about who gets to sit in them. And the quality of our choices is one of the frequent concerns of Federal Aviation Administration officials when they audit airlines for safety practices. So please don't complain. I'm just doing my job.
 
6. Act like you don't know the meaning of the words "under the seat in front of you."
Someday I will be muttering "under the seat in front of you" in the old-age home for flight attendants. What is it that you don't understand? To be clear, items should not be stowed behind your calves, under your feet like a footstool, in the open seat next to you, or in your lap. It's under the seat in front of you. And it applies to everything you carry on board. Items stored carelessly can trip others, or dislodge during takeoff and get lost, or inconvenience others. And while I'm on the topic: Please don't wrap your purse (or umbrella strap) around your ankle to keep from forgetting it. What will happen in an emergency, when every second counts and there's no time to disentangle yourself from your precious bag? Will you drag it ball-and-chain-style down the aisle of a burning plane?
 
7. Whine about the high price of flying.
When I hear people complain about coach airfares, I know they're not keeping up with the news. Fares have rarely been cheaper. In recent years, it's not uncommon for you to be able to cross the continent for under $130 each way, with a maximum of one layover. It's a bargain! At that price, you're barely paying for the fuel to get your body there—never mind the cost of shipping your 50 pounds of gear. You're already on the gravy plane. People point to first class ticket holders and want to know why they don't get the same treatment. Wake up folks: You're getting a great deal. If you want even more, pay more!
 
ADDITIONS BELOW ARE FROM JOHN

8. Rip Off Class
It's a well known fact, that first class ticket prices are triple or quadruple that of economy class. So, you charge 300% more for a seat that has 20% more room and a meal that's worth maybe $35 in a mainstream restaurant. A $300 tickets jumps to at least $1,000. Excuse me?

I know I need to pay more to get more, but as a comparison, I should get a 5 star meal and a seat that is 3 feet wide in order to justify the price of a first class ticket. It's a well known fact that first class tickets pay more than their fair share of costs per mile. When economy class has low fairs, it's because first class passengers have supplemented the costs. BUT, when the flight is canceled or delayed, we are all treated the same - in other words abandoned or relegated to an endless customer service line waiting 2 hours just to be told I can't help you. I guess I am the crazy person, because I continue to fly first class 50% of the time due to the fact that I have so many points, so I can afford to do so. Only two times in my life have I paid for a first class ticket. I'm starting to think I am the naive one, and airlines are con artists.

9. Just Shut Up and Wait!
How many times have I been sitting at an airport gate 30 minutes before a departure and with no aircraft in sight, yet the reader board says "ON TIME." That's a bunch of BS. They know they cannot get a plane to the gate, disembark passengers, clean up and re-load in less than 30 minutes. The gate agents say nothing, the airline says nothing, the reader board says nothing, but it's clear the flight will not take off on time and no one will admit it. No one will tell us ignorant passengers what is going on - no matter what class we are flying in. There's a good chance I will miss my connecting flight, and the airline will do nothing to help me prepare - no hotel voucher, not food credit, no information, NO CUSTOMER SERVICE for a reschedule! I have literally called customer service at the time of departure to reschedule a connecting flight and been told that because the flight has not officially been delayed, I can't reschedule. There is no such thing as customer service in the airline business - only cattle herding. (yes, the same is true of Southwest!)

10. The Great Luggage Scam
You have to pay extra to check in a bag. That policy which is expanding to virtually every legacy carrier is forcing people to carry luggage into the cabin. Yes, the same people who can't lift their own luggage into the bin above their seat are doing so because they don't want to pay the luggage fee - and the flight attendants blame them! This has got to stop! The airlines have to stop charging for the first checked bag. I don't care if your charge for the second (because people pack too much crap!) but when I do travel economy class I am sometimes unable to put find a spot in the overhead bins above my seat because the airlines don't charge a realistic price for travel, make up extra fees for checking one bag, then blame people for carrying a fifty pound bag on board the plane. Please be realistic and charge a realistic fare.

Flying is torture, and those few airlines (like Virgin America) who are trying to make travel more pleasant AND affordable, are being attacked for doing so. After years of enduring the challenges of travel through the friendly skies, I am finally cutting back on my travel  because I just can't take the stress anymore. Airline bookings aren't down just because of the bad economy. I think people are finally getting fed up with both their fellow jack ass passengers, and the stupid airlines who wouldn't know good cutomer service even if it arrived on time and at a reasonable price.

Seattle is rated as one of the most bike friendly cities in the USA. Washington state as a whole is rated at the top. Though Portland does a better job of integrating safe bike routes into their urban transportation grid, both Seattle and Portland have a long way to go compared to the cities of Europe.

Under the Obama administration there has been a lot of talk lately about high speed rail, and I fully support a massive spending campaign to expand rail transportation, including HSR. But, most travel by American citizens is under 7 miles in length - a distance easily done by bike. We need to do more to help bike commuting expand - and that means addressing safety through a variety of means and designs.

As a new bike commuter, safety has been at the top of my mind lately. I've carefully chosen my route to school with safety as my top priority, but still there are sections of my route that feel anything but safe. I've only been commuting for 3 weeks now, and I have been cut of by right hooks and distracted drivers half a dozen times.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has painted many miles of new bike lanes in the last couple years, but their current design leaves much to be desired. They are often located in the door zone, which presents a major safety issue for cyclists. The city is also starting to experiment with bike boulevards, but they have done a poor job with slowing traffic on bike boulevards and marking them so drivers know to share these residential streets and watch carefully for bike riders.

Yesterday, issues between bikers and auto drivers came up and slapped me in the face in a very personal way. When the topic of bike commuting came up at school during lunch, a woman who often substitutes in our building said, "Oh, I hate bikers. They always slow me down. I want to run them off the road." I fired back with a sarcastic remark about it being ironic that a teacher has trouble "sharing" the road.

I was shocked and hurt by her ignorant statement and the assumptions underlying it. She seems to think roads are only for cars and trucks, and it made the safety issue even more important. On the busiest streets, bikers need to have separated bike lanes because as bike commuting increases there are going to be more and more conflicts and accidents, and in those conflicts no matter who is at fault, it will always be the cyclist that is the big loser.

Below is a great video from one of my favorite websites: http://www.streetfilms.org. They make the case for the use of more traffic separated bike lanes in some locations and under some circumstances.

I wish Seattle was doing more work like this. Bike commuting is growing rapidly in Seattle. The number one reason people give for not commuting more often by bike is weather, followed closely by safety issues. We may not be able to control the weather, but we can certainly do more to make bike commuting safer. Then, let's follow that with some serious public education efforts. The arrogant and distracted driver is a big danger.

(psst...Sarah, what is the Ad Council doing about bike safety and driver education?)

        

I have three more weeks of school and then I'm free for 10 weeks of summer vacation. This weekend has been a preview for what I hope summer holds in store.

I felt very tired yesterday, but I'm not sure why. I didn't get much done around the house other than a little weeding, shopping at the nursery, and setting up part of a drip irrigation system in the back yard.

I ate dinner early and found myself falling asleep watching TV. So, I went to bed at 8:00 and was soon sound asleep. I didn't wake up for a solid eight and a half hours. By the time I woke up just before 5am, I was refreshed and re-energized. I got up and immediately started cleaning house. I vacuumed, dusted, steam moped the wood floors, cleaned the counters, stove, cupboard faces, and emptied the dishwasher. Then I vacuumed and dusted on the second floor and folded a load of laundry. By that time it was 8:30. I put on a bright red T-shirt and went for a twelve mile ride on my bike. I'm glad I went early. Things were quiet around Greenlake and on the Burke Gilman trail during most of the ride. But, by the time I had wound my way through the University district past Calvary Cemetery, and headed back toward home on Ravenna Blvd I reach Greenlake again and the place was a mad house. It's really frustrating when pedestrians are sauntering along in the bike lane chatting, paying no attention to cyclists. Normally it doesn't bother me, but toward the end of my ride it was so busy I found it nearly impossible to pass without riding on the grass. I think I'll be avoiding Greenlake on Sunday mornings from now on.

Once I was home I showered and dressed for more shopping. I went to the grocery store and to The Home Depot to pick up a few more small pieces for my irrigation system. Soon I had finished setting up the majority of the soaker hoses and was testing out the system and my new timer. My faucet leaks so I can't leave the valve open 24/7 - but I'll see if I can fix that another time. For now all the new plants are lying next to a soaker hose and things work fine.

Once I finished with the irrigation, I tore out old plants in three large pots on my deck. I re-filled one of them with red geraniums, and two others with golden Monterrey cypress surrounded by deep purple petunias. Then I refreshed the hanging baskets on the front porch with creeping lavender petunias (I like petunias! Can you tell?). That was followed by washing my truck, pulling more weeds, cleaning the table on the deck and finally pulling the garbage and yard waste out to the curb. Whew! What I lacked in energy and productivity yesterday I sure made up for today. I rewarded myself with 30 minutes lying the sun. Tonight I BBQ some chicken. My second BBQ dinner of the season.

The sunny warm weather we've had over the last two weeks has got me primed and ready for summer vacation. I have many plans for projects around the house and yard - not to mention regular sessions on my bike.

What a strange life I lead?

My class just finished two performances of "Vacation on Mars" our annual musical, which this year focused on a family that goes on vacation through the solar system and runs into trouble. All went well for the two performances. About 150 people attended the two performances. I kept things simple and the kids did a good job. The tunes were catchy. In fact, it's hard to get the bloody melodies out of my brain!

The strange part was my discovery that one of my girls is a total stage DIVA! Generally, I don't say disparaging things about 2nd graders, but this student is definitely on her way to bitchy divahood and she made my blood boil a couple time. It was kind of scary. I had to yank her chain in private on more than one occasion.

Next up: looks like I have a new tenant for my old house. It's a young couple from San Francisco who have lived in Seattle for just 10 months. They are looking to start a family, but aren't ready to buy. He is a relatively new dentist; she works for Nordstrom. The strange part: Why is it I can't sell my home, yet while forced to keep it and try to rent during a tough rental market (tough for owners) I have no trouble finding tenants on my own and I've managed to avoid the costs of using a leasing agency. Other homes in the old neighborhood are still trying to find tenants! I haven't even paid for advertising! Word of mouth has been adequate. The ease with which this has happend has been very unexpected. A positive note: I negotiated better terms and a small increase in the monthly rent for this new tenant. That's good for me.

It was somewhat strange taking these new tenants through the application process too. I've never been privy to so much private information from folks I don't know. I checked on his employment, their credit scores, criminal convictions (they have none) and contacted their current landlord. I almost feel like a real grown up - or is it I feel like a powerful slum lord! 

Finally, I'm being considered for another business trip. It hasn't been finalized yet, but it looks very likely I will be going to Columbia University Teacher College for a week long seminar on writing instruction during early August. Last summer, I was lucky enough to go on a four day cruise that taught me to give instruction on chess in the classroom. It strikes me as strange that during a time when teachers are being layed off, I'm probably going on a business trip to NYC. The trip is being paid for out of funds from this year's budget, and they are special funds which the district cannot touch. Obviously, the trip funding isn't enough to save anyone's job, but the complications of a government budgeting are so arcane and complex, it's amazing anyone ever gets paid.

I'm excited about the prospect of going because many consider the Teacher College to be the premiere US institution for the preparation of teachers. It's a great privledge, and I'm amazed more teachers didn't ask to be considered. Currently, three spots are availalbe for the trip - and only three of us applied for consideration.

Life is interesting.

I bought a new bike yesterday. It's an eZee Sprint 1000 (see pic below). It's designed as a commuter bike with a tough frame, thick punture resistent tires, front fork shock absorbers as well as one below the saddle and a seven gear internal hub derailour. It came with fenders, front and rear lights, a rack, chain guard, a simple computer and - yes, it is an electric assist bike. No, it isn't like a moped. Legally, it's considered a bike. But, on board is a lithium ion battery and a front hub electric motor.

Commonly, these bikes (manufactured in China) are sold throughout Europe. The battery is there to help get you up moderate hills. You still have to pump, just not as hard. I intend to transition at least part of my work commute into a bicycle commute during the fall. For now, I'm going to ride my bike on weekends and during summer to get used to riding in a busy city, and get in better shape.

Being a middle aged man, carrying 25 pound more than I should, I got this bike to help me make the transition to a healthier life. Make no mistake - these electric bikes will not take you to your destination without plenty of peddling. You just don't have to peddle as hard, and on the flats there's no need to use the battery assist at all.

Yesterday and today I took the bike out to get a better idea how my commute will be during the next school year. Believe me, it won't be easy. It's 6.1 miles each way if I follow the safest bike route without adding too much distance. Most of my route is in bike lanes, on trails, or through both parks and residential streets. I'm doing my best to stay off heavy commercial avenues.

The big issue is Seattle hills. I live at an elevation of just over 280 feet. My commute route requires that I drop down to nearly sea level, then rise again to about 350 feet. I want to arrive at work without appearing as a sweaty pig.

I know myself well enough to acknowledge that if the commute is too hard on me, I simply won't follow through with it on a regular basis. Therefore, I bought a bike that will help me out on the steepest climbs.

Capitol Hill, where I work, isn't the highest hill in Seattle, but approaching it from the north end and rising to nearly the peak in just 1.5 miles is a major hurdle. I've done it twice now, and on the eZee Sprint it's doable. I arrive huffing and puffing, and I definitely break a sweat - but I'm not exhausted.

There is more than one benefit to commuting by bike. Of course, it's healthier, but it also decreases my carbon footprint. I drive a hybrid car, and now I will also ride a hybrid bike. The model I bought has received excellent reviews and the company has been around for years, though they are new to the American market. Currently, the bikes are only sold in Seattle and New York, or on the Internet.

So there you have it. It's something new and I'm happy about it. If you feel like teasing me and calling me "lazy" (as some already have) go ahead. Let's see you try my commute on a regular bike! Most people wouldn't even consider it. Sure if you are young or already in good shape, you would do better than I - but I'm neither of those, so this is the route I've chosen to take and I think it's a good choice.

Since when do American's care what Miss America thinks about social issues?

When did the rantings of a loser hypocrite start to matter to the gay community?

Since when did christian American's adopt a nude model and runner up beauty queen with fake boobs as their spokesperson for morality?

Since when did any of this matter?????

We can build the case for gay marriage without worrying about a vapid loser beauty queen. SHE LOST! Stop paying attention to her. No one will remember her next year if we stop talking about her.


Since when does what she "thinks" matter?

It seems the weekend is over. It as been somewhat sunny, which means I have been productive outside - but not inside.

How does any single person keep a home looking good inside and out? I have no idea. Perhaps if I didn't have a boyfriend that lives 175 miles away, I would have more time at home and spend more time cleaning. But I don't, so keeping my place looking good is proving to be a challenge.

This weekend I spent much of my time in the yard. I cleaned the master bath first. Then I weeded most of the front yard and planted heather in the parking strip. On Saturday I washed and vacuumed my truck in preparation for selling it to my nephew. Sunday included church, shopping, and a haircut - as well as more weeding in the front yard. I also purchased and installed a new alarm system for my home.

There is no doubt I was busy. Unfortunately, there is a downside to all the work and progress. While preparing the truck for sale, I had to install a new battery. When I lifted the old battery out of the engine compartment, I strained my back. Yes - as has been the case for the last four years, around the time of my birthday, the muscle spasms in my back have returned. Thankfully, they are mild so far...well, sort of.

I have been doing my exercises as recommended by my physical therapist last summer. I hope the stretching and movement can forestall or even eliminate my problems this year. I don't want to put up with the torture of extreme muscle problems in my back for another spring season.

God help me.

I've made some changes in my yard since moving into this house 10 months ago. When I occupied the home in late June of 2008, there was a giant old laurel tree in the back yard. It was easily 30 feet tall and an imposing wall of greenery that blocked almost all sun to the back yard and living room. It also provided a great deal of privacy for both me and my neighbors. Because a laurel is an evergreen, the light blocking features would last 365 days a year. I immediately made the decision to tear the tree down. I was willing to sacrifice privacy for the benefits of sunshine whenever possible.

It took two hours for an arborist service to chop the tree to the ground, leaving a large stump and a pile of wood. Three weeks later, the wood was hauled away. After another two weeks the large remaining stump and roots were ground into chips. Virtually all remnants of the laurel were gone by the beginning of September. I managed to restore a small remnant of privacy by putting up a bamboo fence.

Fall and winter passed without any significant changes in the back yard. I simply lived with the barren conditions. However, that status changed this weekend. After spending $800 at Wells-Medina, Flower World and Swanson's Nurseries, the back yard is coming back to life.

The remaining plants from the previous owner include: a camellia, vellow flax, 4 small euonymous shrubs, 8 lily of the Nile, 4 small hostas and two ornamental grasses. Yesterday I added to that inventory by planting a large flowering dogwood tree. That was a big pain in the back, believe me! I also added forsythia, three azaleas, an Italian cypress, a white rhododendron, five more hostas, an astilbe, heavenly bamboo, maiden hair fern, sword fern, lady fern, 5 mondo grasses, 9 blue star creeper, and a growing collection of river rocks (collected by digging up the yard) arranged around my large Japanese lantern.

Coming up, I have more work to do in the side yard. I intend to add bishop's weed, bleeding heart, more astilbe, as well as container plants on the hot tub deck. I will probably also add a simple drip irrigation system and cover all that with bark mulch to suppress weed growth. I suspect I have another $400 to spend in the next 1 - 3 months.

Below are some pictures of my revised landscaping from last July and today. It's early spring and everything is young, but I imagine there will be a lot of growth in the next 5 months.