Runabout

I just ordered a bike.

I ordered this bike because the resident storm chaser is convinced that this is the way to go. It doesn’t have chains — it has gears. It’s called “shaft drive technology.” I don’t know anything about it except that nobody in Dallas sells it, nobody knows anything about it, and if it ever needs repairs I suspect I am up a creek.

But that’s okay, since the resident storm chaser is paying for it, and since I know nothing about bikes anyway, I am just excited to have one on its way to me.

So anybody know anything about them? Any opinions? Speak up, please!

I chose this particular model because it’s a hybrid and supposedly will ride on trails and road, both.

The Ricochet is silver and the resident storm chaser liked the way it looks better, but it seemed to just be for roads, and I said, “Get whatever you want, but when I’m tearing down dirt trails and you’re stuck on asphalt, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

So he got one like mine, only without the sissy girl frame.

I considered getting a boy frame because the guy at the bike shop told me that they’re usually easier to sell if you decide to sell, and if you want to loan it somebody, a lot of guys wouldn’t ride a girl bike. (He said that last thing like it was a bad thing.)

I considered being all tomboy and getting a guy bike, but then I saw that my size was back-ordered and I am not waiting a few weeks just to have a guy bike. So what if I have a sissy bike, bite me!

You can read more about them at Dynamic Bicycles, and if you order one by June 2, you can get free fenders and bike rack, too! Woo-hoo!

Or you can buy some of them from LLBean, but they cost a little more (with cheaper shipping, but it still works out to more) and no free goodies if you order by June 2.

Oh yeah, how bad is this? I went to Richardson Bike Mart to make sure I was ordering the right size bike even though I wasn’t buying it from them. I know, that’s bad, isn’t it? But I bought a helmet, gloves, cable/lock and a water bottle from them. Maybe that’s better. (Even though I’d rather buy it at REI and get my 10% back at the end of the year!)

So I feel better about it all.

Now. Where is that bike?

Waiting is so hard.

Distress! Distress!

Sec. 3100.053. ORIENTATION ON FLAGPOLE OR FLAGSTAFF. If the state flag is displayed on a flagpole or flagstaff, the white stripe should be at the top of the flag, except as a signal of dire distress in an instance of extreme danger to life or property.

Didn’t these people learn in elementary school, “Smoke over fire?”

(The white goes on TOP.)

I’ll bet they don’t remember the official pledge, either:

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible.

So here’s my question.

How should I let them know? Knock on the door? “Excuse me, but your Texas flag is UPSIDE DOWN?”

Should I call the cops and report that the family on the corner is in dire distress?

Should I storm the back yard and shout, “I’ve got my gun! I’LL SAVE YOU!!!”

Or should I just leave an anonymous note that says, “Hey, you. Fix your damn flag, Texans don’t SHOW distress, damn it!”

Because they’ve been flying it that way for a week and it’s bugging the hell out of me….

Oh good grief.

(slapping forehead)

I feel so dumb. Of COURSE they’re flying it upside down. Of COURSE they know it’s a distress signal.

They must have just figured out who is in the White House!

I guess I’ll leave them and their political protest alone.

And While We’re on the Subject

Via diane.

How do we support our troops?

Go. Read. And keep reading. Every word.

Will saner minds ever prevail?

And for the record, in my dictionary “chicken hawk” has always been those who manage to avoid the dirty work of military service for themselves or those they love, but start wars to send other people’s loved ones to die.

Memorial Day

Casualties in Iraq — The Human Cost of Occupation –American Deaths

Since war began (3/19/03)
Total: 2464
In Combat 1987

Since “Mission Accomplished” (5/1/03) (the list)
Total: 2327
In Combat: 1890

Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03):
Total: 1999
In Combat: 1681

Since Handover (6/29/04):
Total: 1598
In Combat: 1355

Since Election (1/31/05):
Total: 1028
In Combat: 870

Total American Wounded
Official: 17648
Estimated: 18000 - 48100

Latest Fatality May 26th, 2006
Page last updated 05/27/06 11:22 am EDT

Oh.

Wait.

The White House doesn’t want us thinking about dead soldiers.

Never mind. Go spend money.

It’s Memorial Day 2006.

Party on, dude.

Source.

God bless the memory of those who have died in our nation’s service in all wars and conflicts.

GTD … and after

As matt so wisely pointed out in comments, before & after pictures are one thing, but what about “… and after and after and afters?”

Okay, so this is from this morning:

Clockwise from left:

Cool shelf-that-sticks-out has steno pad (not mine; somebody’s been here before me, hmm), blank index cards, blue pottery pen holder. (You can’t see much of that stuff but it’s there.)

Desk, from left: Tuner so I can listen to Air America or NPR or Radio Scotland or BBC or whatever else I want; a shelf over the tuner holds speakers and P-Touch labeler. Lamp and photos and stuff. My planner purse, open to today. Reference books. My laptop.

Behind my latop please note a particularly useful splurge I made a few years ago, an electric paper punch:

Yes, I realize you can buy a heck of a lot of prepunched paper before this thing will ever be cost effective, but the convenience for me has been worth it. In fact, I first considered buying it three or four years before I actually did — and couldn’t justify the expense. But I wish I’d bought it back then because of all the aggravation it saves me. It seemed like I was always making last-minute trips to Office Depot to pick up paper because I didn’t have the right kind. I needed 3-hole punch and only had regular, or needed regular and only had 3-hole. I don’t have room to store a lot paper so that I’m well supplied all the time, and it was just a hassle. Now I only buy regular paper, and with a zzzip-zzzip-zzzip-zzzip-zzzip the holes are drilled and I’m golden.

In front of it, a French sculpture that was a gift from a cool Cajun chick, that holds my cell phone and some foreign coins.

Then my inbasket (hasn’t been processed yet today), hPDA cards in stands, coffee cup and ice water, Moleskine with a Kinky Friedman sticker on it. Scene cards rubber-banded together. Bottle of Private Reserve Spearmint ink. Two versions of the treatment I’ve been struggling with for a month.

Under desk (barely visible) shoes and socks I kicked off this morning after taking dog to vet to have teeth cleaned. (Which will cost far more than my own teeth-cleaning, damn it.)

So that’s the state of the desk of Pooks.

Now. Back to that treatment.