Pick #273

Matisyahu - "Jerusalem"

Censored Internet Videos

I was just on the BBC website to see an article about non-trained people assembling "flat pack" bicycles in the UK.  There's a video at the top of the post and I cannot watch it because it is "Not available in your area"...what kind of bollocks is that?  This is the internet?  If I can see the text and comments from other readers, why can't the same 0s and 1s turn into a video on my bloody screen? 

I've encountered similar problems trying to watch spanish language videos from Mexico.  Seriously, I want to watch.  What difference does it make that I'm not in Mexico or the UK?

Bike Shop in Vero Beach

Today I went to Bicycle Sport to get pedal washers for the Uno.  It's definitely the best bike shop in Vero.  My mom informed me that Bicycle Sport is where she bought my very first bike, a Giant ___model here_____.  It was a coaster brake model, I think it had 20" wheels.  I rode it from training wheels up until 6th grade when I got my Huffy Blades 26" mountain bike.  My parents wanted to get me a good bike but I insisted on a Huffy because other kids had them and I thought that made them cool.  What an idiot.

The pedal washers didn't fix my creaking noise.  I'm going to need to get a frame replacement.  Good thing it's under warranty.  I thought steel was supposed to be durable.  If you have any idea what's wrong, let me know...here are the symptoms:

My bike creaks when I pedal hard.  Not when I'm "coasting" or relaxing down a hill, but it will creak when I accelerate or climb.  It's not regular.  Not every pedal revolution or wheel revolution or chain revolution.  I can feel the creek in my feet.  I've replaced the bottom bracket, the pedals, tried a new rear wheel, put on the pedal washers, and lubed everything.  It's not the headset because I don't even have to touch the bars to get it to creak.  Not the seat either.  I'm open to suggestion.  FYI:  I wrecked my bike a few months back and maybe the frame incurred damage.

Pick #272

New Politics - "Yeah Yeah Yeah"

Edit:  Oh No!!! This is the same as Pick #260...I didn't update my previous picks file that I cross reference before posting :(

Impaired Cognition

Yesterday I was trying to work from home.  I was trying to finish writing my final exam.  It took me a very long time to finish.  I was sick and my mind just didn't have its normal presence.

I was wondering today if my impaired mental state from yesterday matches the everyday mental state to lots of people.  I  sometimes think that it's easy to do the things I do and that almost anyone can do whatever they want.  Granted, I could have probably finished just a bit faster if I had the drive, but lacking the drive was part of my mental state at the time.  Maybe I just got some insight into where limitations come from.  I don't know if this makes sense to the reader or even myself when I come back to read later.  I think that means it's time to stop (or go back & edit).

Eco Friendly Tissues

I happened to notice a new brand of tissues at Publix yesterday.  They're made by a company called Scotties. The best part is that for every tree they use, they plant 3.  The company uses trees that are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and is somehow ambiguously linked to the Renewable Forest Project.

That's 10x better than using recycled tissues.  They're not that expensive (they cost about 0.75¢) when compared to something like Publix Greenwise (costing about 0.70¢).

Pick #271

Elvis Costello - "Accidents Will Happen"

Engineers Without Borders 5k

I did not want to get up when my alarm went off at 7:20 this morning.  It took me a second to remember that I had a race to go to.  I got ready quietly, eating a banana and a granola bar.  I threw my running stuff together, put on some warmer clothes for the ride over, then hopped on my bike.  Due to my lack of preparation, I forgot my race number belt and had to pin on my number like Abe Lincoln did.

On the way to the race, I saw a dead dog in the road.  It had a collar on, so I stopped and called the owner.  I felt bad delivering that news.  I hoped it wouldn't funk me out of the race.  The girl cried when I told her about her dog and I felt bad for about 2 miles.  I figured that it would be better to get that call than to keep looking for a missing dog only to find it later and more decomposed.

When I got to the race, there was only one other bike on the rack.  Later on, some single speed pulled up with Christmas lights on the bike.  Nice.  I went to get my number and was amazed that I could pick any number on the table.  Also, when I told them my name, I noticed that the list of preregistered runners was not alphabetized.  I picked #22 and got ready for my race.  Just as I was removing my warm-up pants about 4 minutes before the scheduled start, there was an announcement that the race would start 10 minutes late.  Boo.  At least the weather was perfect.  It actually started 13 minutes late.  I led the race for about the first 1/4 mile or so then was passed by the man who would go on to win it.  I tried to stick with him.  When he pulled away, I planned to reel him back on the hills.  He didn't drop at all on the hills.  He kept opening his gap on me just as I kept opening mine on 3rd place.

I was 2nd overall and first for the tri team.  We won the team division with strong finishes by other members:  Bobby in 3rd overall, Alex in 4th overall, and Alexa won overall for the women.  Riley and Wren showed up too.  Chris was race directing, and Maggie and Peter manned the water station.  I won a $15 RoadID gift card in the raffle!  Add the free shipping coupon from the race number and that's a cheap item from RoadID.  BTW, if you don't have a RoadID, you should get one and wear it.

Pick #270

Project Pat - "Bull Frog Yay"