I gave an English lesson to a young French girl named Jessica. We talked about verb tenses. The “–ing” thing is very hard to explain, but I think she got it. She also didn’t know that Texas is a state and Brazil a different country. You can imagine. She said, “Brazil is in America.”
Me: yes, but it’s not in the United States
She looked confused. I tried to draw her a picture, but my geography of South America is not very good. Jean Pierre helped. I don’t think she knew that there was a North, Central and South America which seemed crazy to me. But if you think about it, young Americans don’t always know the geography of Europe.
Her foster mother was also my French family’s nanny. That’s how we know her. She’s very timid but at the same time obviously wants very badly to succeed. She just got a job working on costumes for Disney – a big opportunity, but she wants to travel, see the world. She hopes after some time she can work in their other offices. I meet a lot of very worldly people from other countries (I am reminded of Shanti saying when we were at Alogny “I sometimes forget that I am a very worldly person, and that other people aren’t like that.”). I do not often meet people like Jessica. She’s refreshing.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Notes on Velib
Ryan met with the people who run the Velib program in Paris and shared with us some interesting things he learned. He also promised to post photos which I will link to when they become available.
Paris is mostly flat which makes both it a good candidate for public bikes and the type of bike that would be needed relatively simple (you don’t need a lot of gears). In case of vandalism, they have to be indestructible. All working parts like the chain and the gears are covered up with metal casing. Even the nib to ring the bell has been replaced with a turning wheel with no parts sticking out that could break off. Each bike also has 3 gears, a basket, an adjustable seat, a small lock with its own key, and lights on the front and the back.
The system for maintenance is rather involved. If a bike is repeatedly checked out and then returned, its status changes to unavailable (indicated by a red light on the screen of the parking apparatus). Bruno told me that if you find a bike is broken, the guerilla why to indicate that is to turn the seat backwards. Tools and spare parts are kept in a compartment in the pavement under where the fleets of bikes are parked. More complicated maintenance and restocking of these compartments are handled by barge that floats from station to station along the river Seine.
The program employs 440 people – the equivalent of 280 FTE. Mechanics wear uniforms of maroon pants and black tops. All bicycle parts are identical because all bikes are identical. So, the inside of the barge is filled with piles of these parts: wheels, pedals, chains, handlebars, etc. The mechanics look very busy and professional, and the barge immaculate in Ryan’s photos. Most of the bike pods are near the Seine, but those that aren’t are served by trucks and are close to the edge of Paris anyway. I found it wise to check the chain, tires, and brakes before checking out a bike – many had a problem in one of those areas.
The cost to rent a bike increases over time to encourage turnover. The first 30 minutes is free. The next is one euro. The 3rd 30 minutes is 2 euros. The 4th is 4 euros, etc. If a person needs a bike for a day-long ride, they should rent it from a shop. These bikes are for transportation. I also heard that it was 150 euros charge if you failed to return a bike and 6 months in jail if you stole one. The night I had dinner with Tina and Bruno, Bruno took a bike so that his transportation wouldn’t cost anything. Tina and I paid for the Metro.
Like mine, Ryan and Ellen said that their experience using the bikes wasn’t perfect. They checked out one bike that was broken; so, they returned it. Then, the system wouldn’t allow them to check out another bike because it hadn’t yet recorded that they’d returned the first broken one for about 30 minutes (it supposed to take 5). Meanwhile, someone else checked out and then promptly returned that same broken bike indicating that they system had at least recorded that bikes return within its own parking system if not communicated that information to the other bicycles. After the second return, the light turned red and the bike recorded as out of circulation. If Ryan and Ellen had been in a hurry, they would have had to find another way to travel.
As with my experience, sometimes there are no bikes available. Tina said that a more common problem is having nowhere to park them once you have reached a popular destination. One time, they locked up the bikes and went for dinner waiting for a station to open up. I cost them ~3 euros.
Of course, I stood on the corner and counted bicycles. I found that slightly fewer than half of the bicycles on the road were Velib. I would like to assert that this indicates a doubling of the bicycle mode split, but Serge (Muriel’s boyfriend) said he got rid of his own bike (which he used to ride around Paris for transportation) when the program began. He said it’s easier to use the Velibs because you can take them just one way and use the Metro (or other mode) for the other leg of your journey due to rain or other inconvenience, and he doesn’t have to maintain them. His own bike always had a flat, and he didn’t know how to fix it himself.
I feel more confident asserting that the Velibs get people on bikes who may have never ridden one otherwise. I remember being amazed at how many bicycles were on the road when I visited shortly after the 1997 Metro strike. At the time, Juliette (a real parisienne) confirmed my observation that more people were riding for transportation.
But most of these people are not paying for the Metro, so doesn’t that cause a decline in public transit revenues? I don’t know, but I can cite a few advantages to the program:
• Improved public health
• Putting/keeping people/eyes on the streets – a friend recently posted to one of my carfree lists about how refreshing it was to see old ladies walking around Paris by themselves at night.
• Slowing traffic for all living things in the city to be safer.
Another important question on my mind is if this kind of program would work in the states. The Velib program does not provide helmets. Given the litigious nature of US society, I fear we would need to figure out how to provide helmets hygienically before a program like this would fly here.
Paris is mostly flat which makes both it a good candidate for public bikes and the type of bike that would be needed relatively simple (you don’t need a lot of gears). In case of vandalism, they have to be indestructible. All working parts like the chain and the gears are covered up with metal casing. Even the nib to ring the bell has been replaced with a turning wheel with no parts sticking out that could break off. Each bike also has 3 gears, a basket, an adjustable seat, a small lock with its own key, and lights on the front and the back.
The system for maintenance is rather involved. If a bike is repeatedly checked out and then returned, its status changes to unavailable (indicated by a red light on the screen of the parking apparatus). Bruno told me that if you find a bike is broken, the guerilla why to indicate that is to turn the seat backwards. Tools and spare parts are kept in a compartment in the pavement under where the fleets of bikes are parked. More complicated maintenance and restocking of these compartments are handled by barge that floats from station to station along the river Seine.
The program employs 440 people – the equivalent of 280 FTE. Mechanics wear uniforms of maroon pants and black tops. All bicycle parts are identical because all bikes are identical. So, the inside of the barge is filled with piles of these parts: wheels, pedals, chains, handlebars, etc. The mechanics look very busy and professional, and the barge immaculate in Ryan’s photos. Most of the bike pods are near the Seine, but those that aren’t are served by trucks and are close to the edge of Paris anyway. I found it wise to check the chain, tires, and brakes before checking out a bike – many had a problem in one of those areas.
The cost to rent a bike increases over time to encourage turnover. The first 30 minutes is free. The next is one euro. The 3rd 30 minutes is 2 euros. The 4th is 4 euros, etc. If a person needs a bike for a day-long ride, they should rent it from a shop. These bikes are for transportation. I also heard that it was 150 euros charge if you failed to return a bike and 6 months in jail if you stole one. The night I had dinner with Tina and Bruno, Bruno took a bike so that his transportation wouldn’t cost anything. Tina and I paid for the Metro.
Like mine, Ryan and Ellen said that their experience using the bikes wasn’t perfect. They checked out one bike that was broken; so, they returned it. Then, the system wouldn’t allow them to check out another bike because it hadn’t yet recorded that they’d returned the first broken one for about 30 minutes (it supposed to take 5). Meanwhile, someone else checked out and then promptly returned that same broken bike indicating that they system had at least recorded that bikes return within its own parking system if not communicated that information to the other bicycles. After the second return, the light turned red and the bike recorded as out of circulation. If Ryan and Ellen had been in a hurry, they would have had to find another way to travel.
As with my experience, sometimes there are no bikes available. Tina said that a more common problem is having nowhere to park them once you have reached a popular destination. One time, they locked up the bikes and went for dinner waiting for a station to open up. I cost them ~3 euros.
Of course, I stood on the corner and counted bicycles. I found that slightly fewer than half of the bicycles on the road were Velib. I would like to assert that this indicates a doubling of the bicycle mode split, but Serge (Muriel’s boyfriend) said he got rid of his own bike (which he used to ride around Paris for transportation) when the program began. He said it’s easier to use the Velibs because you can take them just one way and use the Metro (or other mode) for the other leg of your journey due to rain or other inconvenience, and he doesn’t have to maintain them. His own bike always had a flat, and he didn’t know how to fix it himself.
I feel more confident asserting that the Velibs get people on bikes who may have never ridden one otherwise. I remember being amazed at how many bicycles were on the road when I visited shortly after the 1997 Metro strike. At the time, Juliette (a real parisienne) confirmed my observation that more people were riding for transportation.
But most of these people are not paying for the Metro, so doesn’t that cause a decline in public transit revenues? I don’t know, but I can cite a few advantages to the program:
• Improved public health
• Putting/keeping people/eyes on the streets – a friend recently posted to one of my carfree lists about how refreshing it was to see old ladies walking around Paris by themselves at night.
• Slowing traffic for all living things in the city to be safer.
Another important question on my mind is if this kind of program would work in the states. The Velib program does not provide helmets. Given the litigious nature of US society, I fear we would need to figure out how to provide helmets hygienically before a program like this would fly here.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
My Velib Story in Pictures
Muriel and her boyfriend both have Velib cards (shown here on his apartment hammock). Muriel shows the card's back. He kindly lent me his card for the afternoon. (You can't use the bikes without a French bank card. Apparently this program is not for tourists.)
It took a while to find available, working bikes. We must have checked 5 or 10 different stations.
The first bike I checked out (shown) had no chain! The first bike I rode was broken too -- its front casing, fender, gear shifter and bell, but at least it was ridable. I learned to check the chain, tires, and brakes before checking out a bike. Even if you return a broken bike right away, it takes time before you can try another one.
Finally, we found working bikes!
Here in central Paris are all the bikes! We returned our bikes here for 5 minutes to avoid paying any rent -- the first 30 minutes are free. Muriel is reading Kristin's guide to Lost Paris.
This tree in central Paris was planted in 1601. We learned about it in the Lost Paris book.
We rode fast...
...all over central Paris.
Even after I dropped Muriel off at our starting point, I rode to the eastern-most station on the Metro-9 line before jumping on the train for the rest of the way home.
It took a while to find available, working bikes. We must have checked 5 or 10 different stations.
The first bike I checked out (shown) had no chain! The first bike I rode was broken too -- its front casing, fender, gear shifter and bell, but at least it was ridable. I learned to check the chain, tires, and brakes before checking out a bike. Even if you return a broken bike right away, it takes time before you can try another one.
Finally, we found working bikes!
Here in central Paris are all the bikes! We returned our bikes here for 5 minutes to avoid paying any rent -- the first 30 minutes are free. Muriel is reading Kristin's guide to Lost Paris.
This tree in central Paris was planted in 1601. We learned about it in the Lost Paris book.
We rode fast...
...all over central Paris.
Even after I dropped Muriel off at our starting point, I rode to the eastern-most station on the Metro-9 line before jumping on the train for the rest of the way home.
A Poem I Wrote Last Winter
I tried to go to bed tonight at 6:30 tonight
Because I felt so lonely
I wanted to split my ribs open with a fork
And parse out all the desires of my heart
For what I used to call unconditional love
But now I don’t know what it is
I used to call it support, companionship,
The wish to make another person happy
...to open my heart to them,
Not with a fork – but with something much softer
Like a spoon. To dish my disappointments out to them
Like pudding and to hold them in my hands
Just carefully – not dropping any
Knowing that disappointments are as precious
As the love we rejoiced after a light meal and a glass of wine.
They say that the heart is a sturdy organ
and considering the fragility of the human emotional system,
It’s representative organ should instead be the liver
Because the liver breaks apart with the lightest touch
Because the liver can really be damaged by living.
I don’t know about that – all I know
Is that I can feel my chest opening up – that I feel
The connective tissue of my ribs tearing;
and I think the liver is at the back of the body.
-Lilia Pilia, 2007
Because I felt so lonely
I wanted to split my ribs open with a fork
And parse out all the desires of my heart
For what I used to call unconditional love
But now I don’t know what it is
I used to call it support, companionship,
The wish to make another person happy
...to open my heart to them,
Not with a fork – but with something much softer
Like a spoon. To dish my disappointments out to them
Like pudding and to hold them in my hands
Just carefully – not dropping any
Knowing that disappointments are as precious
As the love we rejoiced after a light meal and a glass of wine.
They say that the heart is a sturdy organ
and considering the fragility of the human emotional system,
It’s representative organ should instead be the liver
Because the liver breaks apart with the lightest touch
Because the liver can really be damaged by living.
I don’t know about that – all I know
Is that I can feel my chest opening up – that I feel
The connective tissue of my ribs tearing;
and I think the liver is at the back of the body.
-Lilia Pilia, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Paris Paris
I don't have much to report. On Wednesday, Audrey (who I know through Sultan) and I went to art galleries and then shopping. We both liked these paintings that looked like distorted photographs with bright colors. There was an installation in the Mexican Institute with hay on the ground and little red husk pods on sticks a few feet off the ground forming an s-shaped swarm. We liked that too.
She showed me outlet stores for et vous and Kookai clothing lines (I had found the Kookai one before), and I bought some things including a dress with little bicycles all over it. (Very exciting!) I could not find any wool tights. I wanted to replace the ones I bought when here 2 years ago but were never returned by a shameless borrower last year to whom I no longer speak.
I cooked chicken molé for the Boisseaus that night.
Yesterday, I met Jennifer, and we mostly visited and wandered around. She needed some art supplies at BHV. I was amazed at how easy she is to talk to. It was as if no time had passed; our conversation just flowed like water downhill. It didn't even matter if we were talking about loved ones, cheese or producing art. Then, she went to take her daughter from school to guitar class, and I wandered off in her posh neighborhood (the 16th). I found the merry-go-round I took that very successful photo of -- they've put a fence around it. I shot some certainly less successful photos of it.
I swang by Gare de l'Est for today's train ticket, Tina's to return her key and pick up a little towel I had left there, and then wandered rather too slowly to meet Gwen and his boyfriend Mathieu. We had a lovely café meal of salade and red wine and many good laughs.
I've been waking up in the night and sleeping late which I guess is no surprise considering the time change. If I can get myself to together in time, the plan for today is a walk to Chateau de Vincenne and then to the train to the country.
She showed me outlet stores for et vous and Kookai clothing lines (I had found the Kookai one before), and I bought some things including a dress with little bicycles all over it. (Very exciting!) I could not find any wool tights. I wanted to replace the ones I bought when here 2 years ago but were never returned by a shameless borrower last year to whom I no longer speak.
I cooked chicken molé for the Boisseaus that night.
Yesterday, I met Jennifer, and we mostly visited and wandered around. She needed some art supplies at BHV. I was amazed at how easy she is to talk to. It was as if no time had passed; our conversation just flowed like water downhill. It didn't even matter if we were talking about loved ones, cheese or producing art. Then, she went to take her daughter from school to guitar class, and I wandered off in her posh neighborhood (the 16th). I found the merry-go-round I took that very successful photo of -- they've put a fence around it. I shot some certainly less successful photos of it.
I swang by Gare de l'Est for today's train ticket, Tina's to return her key and pick up a little towel I had left there, and then wandered rather too slowly to meet Gwen and his boyfriend Mathieu. We had a lovely café meal of salade and red wine and many good laughs.
I've been waking up in the night and sleeping late which I guess is no surprise considering the time change. If I can get myself to together in time, the plan for today is a walk to Chateau de Vincenne and then to the train to the country.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I made it!
For those of you keeping track of my itinerary, I am in Paris. I'm spending the day at Tina's near Canal Saint Martin, but tonight I go to Montreuil to see the Boisseaus (my French family). Being here feels totally natural, altho my French is rusty (what there is of it!). I now remember why I used to carry a compass for walking these crazy medieval streets.
It's much colder here than in New York. I wonder if I brought warm enough clothes. Here are a few more observations:
* I walked past a skinny little old black man pooping on someone's front steps on my way to the Metro in Ilana's gentrified neighborhood, Fort Green, yesterday morning. I wonder if that would happen on the upper east side.
* I am very much in style in Fort Green -- women with plastic-frames abound. Even in Paris I don't feel frumpy. Did I come to the fashion or did the fashions come to me?
* I've seen the Paris rental bikes everyone is talking about. I'll post a photo when I can.
* With the exception of all those bike paths we used on the Century, Paris appears to be more bike-friendly than New York based on the number of bike lanes and paths on the streets I have walked since I arrived.
It's much colder here than in New York. I wonder if I brought warm enough clothes. Here are a few more observations:
* I walked past a skinny little old black man pooping on someone's front steps on my way to the Metro in Ilana's gentrified neighborhood, Fort Green, yesterday morning. I wonder if that would happen on the upper east side.
* I am very much in style in Fort Green -- women with plastic-frames abound. Even in Paris I don't feel frumpy. Did I come to the fashion or did the fashions come to me?
* I've seen the Paris rental bikes everyone is talking about. I'll post a photo when I can.
* With the exception of all those bike paths we used on the Century, Paris appears to be more bike-friendly than New York based on the number of bike lanes and paths on the streets I have walked since I arrived.
Thoughts while waiting to board the plane to Paris
Today I walked around Brooklyn. It was much smaller than I expected. I walked from Ilana’s in Fort Green to Brooklyn Heights then back through Cobble Hill. The old parts of New York looks like Europe with attached buildings and cobble stone streets. When we rode through the more suburban parts of Queens on the Century, it looked just like Ohio with ticky tacky little houses made with brick and metal railings. Higher end homes were made with stone, also like in the Midwest. Our suburbs are quintessentially American.
Ilana’s friend Carly, who she met when they both lived in Nicaragua, is also trained as a city planner. She went to Cornell. But Carly does community work with a school. Of course, I don’t work as a city planner right now either. Anyway, Carly wanted to discuss the congestion pricing issue with me, bc she is very concerned about the impact it would have on the low-income. We discussed these problems and their possible solutions:
1) Low-income workers who need to have their cars in the city for their jobs would be adversely impacted. Of course, there are respectful ways to address this issue. The Universal Lifeline telephone program is a good example of an honor-system discount program that’s respectful to the recipients for that reason. Low-income workers who use a vehicle in the city would also benefit from reduced traffic because they would be able to get around town more quickly. For example, if a worker needs to drive his truck from client to client and he works for himself, he would be able serve more clients in a day with less traffic on the roads and therefore make more money.
2) Vehicles parking at the edges and crowding people’s neighborhoods – the current system has it’s boundaries primarily in low-income neighborhoods, which would mean that disadvantaged people would be more adversely affected. This is fixed by changing the boundaries. In London, they found that the edge neighborhoods did not experience a change in traffic and parking, but London is a sprawling city and there are thousands of access points. The access points to Manhattan are primarily bridges likely to cause clusters of street parkers at these bottle necks. However, the solution is easy – select the boundaries so that there are thousands of access points and there won’t be any clusters of parkers and accessors.
3) I am very concerned about the crowding on the subway. I suggested that more people would have to ride the buses. Carly said the buses are too slow because people are always looking for change, the bus has to lower itself at every stop, and because of the traffic. Obviously, the traffic would be addressed with fewer cars on the road due to congestion pricing, but an exclusive right of way would also help. A bus rapid transit system with pre-paid, elevated platforms would also speed up the system. This would be a capital investment, but funds for it could come from the congestion pricing program.
My plane just announced boarding for group 1. I’ll tell you the rest later.
Ilana’s friend Carly, who she met when they both lived in Nicaragua, is also trained as a city planner. She went to Cornell. But Carly does community work with a school. Of course, I don’t work as a city planner right now either. Anyway, Carly wanted to discuss the congestion pricing issue with me, bc she is very concerned about the impact it would have on the low-income. We discussed these problems and their possible solutions:
1) Low-income workers who need to have their cars in the city for their jobs would be adversely impacted. Of course, there are respectful ways to address this issue. The Universal Lifeline telephone program is a good example of an honor-system discount program that’s respectful to the recipients for that reason. Low-income workers who use a vehicle in the city would also benefit from reduced traffic because they would be able to get around town more quickly. For example, if a worker needs to drive his truck from client to client and he works for himself, he would be able serve more clients in a day with less traffic on the roads and therefore make more money.
2) Vehicles parking at the edges and crowding people’s neighborhoods – the current system has it’s boundaries primarily in low-income neighborhoods, which would mean that disadvantaged people would be more adversely affected. This is fixed by changing the boundaries. In London, they found that the edge neighborhoods did not experience a change in traffic and parking, but London is a sprawling city and there are thousands of access points. The access points to Manhattan are primarily bridges likely to cause clusters of street parkers at these bottle necks. However, the solution is easy – select the boundaries so that there are thousands of access points and there won’t be any clusters of parkers and accessors.
3) I am very concerned about the crowding on the subway. I suggested that more people would have to ride the buses. Carly said the buses are too slow because people are always looking for change, the bus has to lower itself at every stop, and because of the traffic. Obviously, the traffic would be addressed with fewer cars on the road due to congestion pricing, but an exclusive right of way would also help. A bus rapid transit system with pre-paid, elevated platforms would also speed up the system. This would be a capital investment, but funds for it could come from the congestion pricing program.
My plane just announced boarding for group 1. I’ll tell you the rest later.
Traveling sucks
...especially when you travel American. I arrived at the airport at 7:20 for an 8:10 flights. I meant to get there earlier, but I missed the first train which would have gotten me there at 7. I did the auto check in, and much to my surprise it said I had missed my flight. They had moved it 20 minutes earlier and require a 30 minute advance check in.
They said it was my travel agents responsibility to tell me the flight was earlier. I recognize that I could have checked the night before, but honestly I have never had this experience before. I called the travel agent (STA), and they just told me they hadn’t received any notification and sounded generally incompetent. I asked if I would receive notification in the future, and they assured me I would, but hung up absolutely confident that I would not. (I checked my Paris flight before I left the house.
The website said no change. Oddly, when I arrived at the airport later that same day, the flight had been delayed 5 minutes but was listed as “ontime”.)
Anyway, back to my story… the only unpleasant thing that happened on the flight was one of the attendants walking up the aisle yelling in each person’s ear from behind “seat belts fastened” when we all had them fastened and she hadn’t checked. I think it damaged my hearing her voice was so shrill.
They showed the premiere of a new TV show called Cane that I made a mental note after watching never to watch again even by accident. Then they showed Gracie, a movie about a girl who wants to play on the boys’ HS soccer team. I cried. I’d give it 3 stars. They also played several reruns of Cheers and Fraiser.
One full hour passed between when we landed and when I was reunited with my bag. I was out of cel phone range while on the subway. So, my sister was frantic with worry when I finally arrived in Fort Green close to 9 p.m.
Waiting for my Paris flight, and everything went smoothly. I went through security in my little tank top and capris (it's warm!) – the security girl laughed at me, I think because there was just no way I could set off the alarm since I was nearly naked.
My friend Joyce (not to be confused with my mother Joyce) has been talking lately about how she can never tell if someone is attracted to her in real life. But at Burning Man, she felt liberated to express her attraction as did others towards her. She is from New York. I noticed that no one is the slightest bit shy about staring here. And I stare right back. (Maybe I flatter myself. Maybe people stare because they think I’m funny looking. But even Ilana pointed out that in New York it’s OK to admire pretty people. They certainly gaped when I was walking around with her.)
They said it was my travel agents responsibility to tell me the flight was earlier. I recognize that I could have checked the night before, but honestly I have never had this experience before. I called the travel agent (STA), and they just told me they hadn’t received any notification and sounded generally incompetent. I asked if I would receive notification in the future, and they assured me I would, but hung up absolutely confident that I would not. (I checked my Paris flight before I left the house.
The website said no change. Oddly, when I arrived at the airport later that same day, the flight had been delayed 5 minutes but was listed as “ontime”.)
Anyway, back to my story… the only unpleasant thing that happened on the flight was one of the attendants walking up the aisle yelling in each person’s ear from behind “seat belts fastened” when we all had them fastened and she hadn’t checked. I think it damaged my hearing her voice was so shrill.
They showed the premiere of a new TV show called Cane that I made a mental note after watching never to watch again even by accident. Then they showed Gracie, a movie about a girl who wants to play on the boys’ HS soccer team. I cried. I’d give it 3 stars. They also played several reruns of Cheers and Fraiser.
One full hour passed between when we landed and when I was reunited with my bag. I was out of cel phone range while on the subway. So, my sister was frantic with worry when I finally arrived in Fort Green close to 9 p.m.
Waiting for my Paris flight, and everything went smoothly. I went through security in my little tank top and capris (it's warm!) – the security girl laughed at me, I think because there was just no way I could set off the alarm since I was nearly naked.
My friend Joyce (not to be confused with my mother Joyce) has been talking lately about how she can never tell if someone is attracted to her in real life. But at Burning Man, she felt liberated to express her attraction as did others towards her. She is from New York. I noticed that no one is the slightest bit shy about staring here. And I stare right back. (Maybe I flatter myself. Maybe people stare because they think I’m funny looking. But even Ilana pointed out that in New York it’s OK to admire pretty people. They certainly gaped when I was walking around with her.)
Monday, September 10, 2007
New York Century
Photos of Ilana and me the day before the ride
Ilana and a few of her friends rode the New York Century yesterday. You can view all the photos here.
Map of the route
Laura, Dan, Carly, Ilana, me
We frolicked in this fountain built for the world's fair. The firemen drove up to make sure we weren't drinking the water. A few minutes later, the park police drove up to tell us not to go in the fountain. We were done by then, but another group had been inspired by our fun. Carly explained to the police: "They aren't from this country. So, they are used to freedom. I knew this would be a police state thing."
Me and Ilana en route
You can see in the back the clunky "Jamis" mountain bike borrowed from one of Ilana's friends that I rode.
Ilana and a few of her friends rode the New York Century yesterday. You can view all the photos here.
Map of the route
Laura, Dan, Carly, Ilana, me
We frolicked in this fountain built for the world's fair. The firemen drove up to make sure we weren't drinking the water. A few minutes later, the park police drove up to tell us not to go in the fountain. We were done by then, but another group had been inspired by our fun. Carly explained to the police: "They aren't from this country. So, they are used to freedom. I knew this would be a police state thing."
Me and Ilana en route
You can see in the back the clunky "Jamis" mountain bike borrowed from one of Ilana's friends that I rode.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Yesterday at Muir Beach
Julie, Young, Sultan, me, Nigel, Kristin, Sarah, and Sheila
Young, Sarah, Nigel, Sultan, Sheila, Julie, and Kristin
Can you see the deer? I can't in this photo, but she was there.
Garden at Green Gulch
Yesterday, we went hiking near Muir Beach. Afterwards, we picnicked on the beach. You can see here....We thought we'd get a beer after our picnic, but Kristin instead conspired to bring us to a party at a family friend's home nearby. Their place was gorgeous, the food delicious, and the company splendid (of course). We sat in the garden and watched the light change. Once it got dark, we moved to their living room where we played music and sang. I loved it!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Questions and Answers
I'm playing a slightly new little game that involves asking questions of strangers and vice versa. My mother suggested I post some of my more interesting answers. Here they are.
I think "adventure" means different things to different people. What does adventure mean for you, and have you had any memorable adventures recently?
Some of my friends think I have a high tolerance for risk. So, my idea of adventure is probably different than others'. I travel a lot not because I like it but because it's good for me -- gives me perspective. I hope to be taking up new hobbies pretty much until I physically can't anymore. I believe that the brain never stops growing, that the human capacity for change and re-creation is unlimited and that embracing those activities is good and healthy. That said, I dislike wondering if I am going to die or where I am going to sleep tonight. So, I guess adventure to me is walking that fine line between uncertainty and discomfort.
Describe an interest you have that you would truly hope your partner could share with you.
I do a lot of things, and I am very happy to keep most of my hobbies as my own (as opposed to "ours"). I have thought that I would like a partner who is a skilled camper. I am not a skilled camper. I am a competent person who likes the outdoors, but I don't have a lot of experience roughing it in the wilderness. It would be cool to be with someone who also likes the outdoors but has better outdoors skills than I do. On the other hand, it doesn't have to be that exact thing; it can be something like that.
They say life is about simple pleasures, what is your simplest pleasure, and how does it make you feel?
It would have to be tea. I really like cheap Irish breakfast tea with sugar and soymilk. I like it strong enough so that it tastes just a tiny bit bitter. It makes me feel comforted, invigorated, alive. I'm used to drinking tea with my mother or my best girlfriends. so, it probably reminds me of that intimacy.
Do you feel a particular connection with a type of animal, and if so which one and why?
I really like chickens. I am not a scared person -- it isn't their cliched meaning that I relate to. I like how directed they are (towards worms, scratching and eating). I like how silly they look. The way they tilt their heads to one side when you talk to them makes me smile. I enjoy their unbridled enthusiasm.
How do you envision a successful relationship? What is it that you truly want in your next relatioship?
That's a tricky one. I would like to keep my own hobbies and my own friends. On the other had, I would also like to have a lot of shared activities. I wouldn't mind sailing together sometimes, but I want to keep it my thing with my friends. A regular Sunday afternoon hike would be perfect. I would like to cook and clean and jog together. Sometimes reading the same book so that we can discuss it would be fun. I'm looking forward to lots of meaty conversations.
What kind of adventures appeal to you (urban & non) and how do you work 'excitement' into your life?
I feel like my life is full of adventures, but when I go to write down what they are... well, it seems less clear. ... On Wednesday, I left work in Sunnyvale on my bike. I got as far at Sam Mateo before it got dark. Then, I rode in the dark to BART in Millbrae and took the train the rest of the way. That was an adventure that would have been both more fun and less of an adventure with someone else. I also like getting lost in the wilderness... and doing karaoke.
...do you love your work and see your self doing this or something similar for the forseeable future?
...I was chatting with some girlfriends last night, and one of them observed that I can both be incredibly creative in my job and there is nothing blocking me. A lot of it is customer service and marketing. But I also enjoy the project management, analysis and planning parts. I've been learning a lot at work lately about conflict resolution and "getting to yes". I used to think if someone said "no" that that was definitive. It turns out, at my job anyway, "no" means ask me again in a few weeks. It's very liberating. Who'd a thunk?
What have you learned from past relationships?
Ahahaah! I've learned a lot about myself and what I need. I've learned that if my partner isn't treating me the way I want to be treated, I must leave. I've learned to make sure we want the same big things in our future. I've learned to pay attention to my reaction to his past relationship stories. I've learned that being alone is better than being with the wrong person. I've learned that it's wrong to be with someone I am not deeply in love with just to avoid rocking the boat. I've learned how important it is to have a good group of friends outside the relationship... and a good set of hobbies. I've learned that the most important thing is for me to be completely in love with who I am in a relationship, and the second most important thing is for me to be in love with my partner.
I think "adventure" means different things to different people. What does adventure mean for you, and have you had any memorable adventures recently?
Some of my friends think I have a high tolerance for risk. So, my idea of adventure is probably different than others'. I travel a lot not because I like it but because it's good for me -- gives me perspective. I hope to be taking up new hobbies pretty much until I physically can't anymore. I believe that the brain never stops growing, that the human capacity for change and re-creation is unlimited and that embracing those activities is good and healthy. That said, I dislike wondering if I am going to die or where I am going to sleep tonight. So, I guess adventure to me is walking that fine line between uncertainty and discomfort.
Describe an interest you have that you would truly hope your partner could share with you.
I do a lot of things, and I am very happy to keep most of my hobbies as my own (as opposed to "ours"). I have thought that I would like a partner who is a skilled camper. I am not a skilled camper. I am a competent person who likes the outdoors, but I don't have a lot of experience roughing it in the wilderness. It would be cool to be with someone who also likes the outdoors but has better outdoors skills than I do. On the other hand, it doesn't have to be that exact thing; it can be something like that.
They say life is about simple pleasures, what is your simplest pleasure, and how does it make you feel?
It would have to be tea. I really like cheap Irish breakfast tea with sugar and soymilk. I like it strong enough so that it tastes just a tiny bit bitter. It makes me feel comforted, invigorated, alive. I'm used to drinking tea with my mother or my best girlfriends. so, it probably reminds me of that intimacy.
Do you feel a particular connection with a type of animal, and if so which one and why?
I really like chickens. I am not a scared person -- it isn't their cliched meaning that I relate to. I like how directed they are (towards worms, scratching and eating). I like how silly they look. The way they tilt their heads to one side when you talk to them makes me smile. I enjoy their unbridled enthusiasm.
How do you envision a successful relationship? What is it that you truly want in your next relatioship?
That's a tricky one. I would like to keep my own hobbies and my own friends. On the other had, I would also like to have a lot of shared activities. I wouldn't mind sailing together sometimes, but I want to keep it my thing with my friends. A regular Sunday afternoon hike would be perfect. I would like to cook and clean and jog together. Sometimes reading the same book so that we can discuss it would be fun. I'm looking forward to lots of meaty conversations.
What kind of adventures appeal to you (urban & non) and how do you work 'excitement' into your life?
I feel like my life is full of adventures, but when I go to write down what they are... well, it seems less clear. ... On Wednesday, I left work in Sunnyvale on my bike. I got as far at Sam Mateo before it got dark. Then, I rode in the dark to BART in Millbrae and took the train the rest of the way. That was an adventure that would have been both more fun and less of an adventure with someone else. I also like getting lost in the wilderness... and doing karaoke.
...do you love your work and see your self doing this or something similar for the forseeable future?
...I was chatting with some girlfriends last night, and one of them observed that I can both be incredibly creative in my job and there is nothing blocking me. A lot of it is customer service and marketing. But I also enjoy the project management, analysis and planning parts. I've been learning a lot at work lately about conflict resolution and "getting to yes". I used to think if someone said "no" that that was definitive. It turns out, at my job anyway, "no" means ask me again in a few weeks. It's very liberating. Who'd a thunk?
What have you learned from past relationships?
Ahahaah! I've learned a lot about myself and what I need. I've learned that if my partner isn't treating me the way I want to be treated, I must leave. I've learned to make sure we want the same big things in our future. I've learned to pay attention to my reaction to his past relationship stories. I've learned that being alone is better than being with the wrong person. I've learned that it's wrong to be with someone I am not deeply in love with just to avoid rocking the boat. I've learned how important it is to have a good group of friends outside the relationship... and a good set of hobbies. I've learned that the most important thing is for me to be completely in love with who I am in a relationship, and the second most important thing is for me to be in love with my partner.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Cruise to Tiburon
Major characters: my guest Kristin (shown) and sailing friends Joyce, Mark and Scott
See here for more photos.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Remembering Yourself
When I can't do yoga on Sunday, I usually do it on Friday. I always have lots of "deep thoughts" at yoga class -- either self realizations or things the teacher said. Yesterday, she said that we are not looking to improve ourselves through practice, we are looking to remember ourselves. I have spent so much of my life trying to "be better" but I'm just learning that I can't be any better. I just want to be myself perfectly.
As I was having these thoughts after yoga, I had another thought. I did a lot of walking on Thursday. Wednesday, I biked home from work (about 40 miles). My body was more sore from all that walking than from the bike ride. My back hurt. I felt twisted. When I bike, I get a pinch in my neck, but my body feels completely in line. That's not the case when I propel myself independently.
As I type this, I can see a metaphor emerging. I need people, mechanisms, structure to function healthily. My desire for freedom makes me wish I could work for myself, but my need for structure and others makes that unrealistic. I don't think it's about being extroverted (because I'm not). It's like Dar Williams said:
"Sometimes I see myself fine, sometimes I need a witness
"And I like the whole truth
"But there are nights I only need forgiveness"
These aren't things you can give yourself: reflection, witness, truth, forgiveness. You need to get them from others.
So, I was having these thoughts, and I realized that I'd completely forgotten the first thought about remembering yourself. I searched my brain for what it had been. After a moment, it came to me, but immediately I lost the second thought, about walking and the bicycle. I began to wonder if my brain can only hold on to one idea at a time... as if it has only one hand or no opposable thumbs. I'm a pretty good multi-tasker, but I need to write everything down, set alarms for myself on my electronic calendar, keep lists. I was tired and disoriented after yoga class yesterday which is pretty common -- sometimes I walk into walls.
As I was having these thoughts after yoga, I had another thought. I did a lot of walking on Thursday. Wednesday, I biked home from work (about 40 miles). My body was more sore from all that walking than from the bike ride. My back hurt. I felt twisted. When I bike, I get a pinch in my neck, but my body feels completely in line. That's not the case when I propel myself independently.
As I type this, I can see a metaphor emerging. I need people, mechanisms, structure to function healthily. My desire for freedom makes me wish I could work for myself, but my need for structure and others makes that unrealistic. I don't think it's about being extroverted (because I'm not). It's like Dar Williams said:
"Sometimes I see myself fine, sometimes I need a witness
"And I like the whole truth
"But there are nights I only need forgiveness"
These aren't things you can give yourself: reflection, witness, truth, forgiveness. You need to get them from others.
So, I was having these thoughts, and I realized that I'd completely forgotten the first thought about remembering yourself. I searched my brain for what it had been. After a moment, it came to me, but immediately I lost the second thought, about walking and the bicycle. I began to wonder if my brain can only hold on to one idea at a time... as if it has only one hand or no opposable thumbs. I'm a pretty good multi-tasker, but I need to write everything down, set alarms for myself on my electronic calendar, keep lists. I was tired and disoriented after yoga class yesterday which is pretty common -- sometimes I walk into walls.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Top 40
I had this great idea to not work today, but alas, even the best laid plans.... I did however get a walk up to have my legs waxed (The woman recognized me by my privates!) and eat a whole bunch of pastries. Noe Valley Bakery remains my favorite, but Kalyani introduced me to Dianda's on Mission which is also pretty good. I would love to do a survey of all Bay Area bakeries, but I would need to decide on one pastry as my staple from which to judge, and I just can't commit.
Laura noticed on Sunday that I'd bought new sunglasses (after Tyler caused me to lose the original pair in the ocean in LA -- no, actually, it was totally my fault). "Coach?" she exclaimed, and then she said something about my paycheck that I will not repeat. Anyway, I need to get a tie to keep these gems on my face indefinitely; so, I popped into about 12 junk shops along Mission. No have. Maybe Walgreens?
I perused these shops to the soundtracks of my youth: "Girl just wanna have fun," etc. If I had known I would still be listening to these songs 20 years later, I would have listened to a whole lot less top 40 as a teenager. Do we still have top 40? Is new music being produced that isn't a remix or a cover? I haven't heard it in years.
OK, truth time: I bought "Since U been gone" from iTunes... and even some Shakira I ended up not liking. I've bought maybe 4 contemporary songs in the last few years, and maybe what this is all about is me not liking contemporary music anymore. Am I getting old? (Don't answer that.) I just want to be able to listen to the radio without hearing songs I first heard in my teens, but it seems like that's not an option.
I was napping a minute ago and I thought of something else I wanted to blog about but it's already gone. My sister Taylor sent me an "inspirational" little movie, and while it generally nauseated me, I did like the following quote (paraphrased): "Many things will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Follow those."
Laura noticed on Sunday that I'd bought new sunglasses (after Tyler caused me to lose the original pair in the ocean in LA -- no, actually, it was totally my fault). "Coach?" she exclaimed, and then she said something about my paycheck that I will not repeat. Anyway, I need to get a tie to keep these gems on my face indefinitely; so, I popped into about 12 junk shops along Mission. No have. Maybe Walgreens?
I perused these shops to the soundtracks of my youth: "Girl just wanna have fun," etc. If I had known I would still be listening to these songs 20 years later, I would have listened to a whole lot less top 40 as a teenager. Do we still have top 40? Is new music being produced that isn't a remix or a cover? I haven't heard it in years.
OK, truth time: I bought "Since U been gone" from iTunes... and even some Shakira I ended up not liking. I've bought maybe 4 contemporary songs in the last few years, and maybe what this is all about is me not liking contemporary music anymore. Am I getting old? (Don't answer that.) I just want to be able to listen to the radio without hearing songs I first heard in my teens, but it seems like that's not an option.
I was napping a minute ago and I thought of something else I wanted to blog about but it's already gone. My sister Taylor sent me an "inspirational" little movie, and while it generally nauseated me, I did like the following quote (paraphrased): "Many things will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Follow those."
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
Life and other scraps
I haven't felt much like posting lately, and I don't know why.
My general philosophy has changed and lengthened: if you are not wet, bruised, and covered in mysterious mosquito bites (we don't have bugs in San Francisco), you aren't alive.
...Which makes me wonder if my body isn't somehow holding me back, imprisoning me, while at the same time offering me this great opportunity: life.
Quotes (from other people):
"You can't fuck the future. The future fucks you."
-Deadwood
"The dollar lost strength the way many marriages break up, slowly and then all at once."
-Daniel Gross, Slate
My general philosophy has changed and lengthened: if you are not wet, bruised, and covered in mysterious mosquito bites (we don't have bugs in San Francisco), you aren't alive.
...Which makes me wonder if my body isn't somehow holding me back, imprisoning me, while at the same time offering me this great opportunity: life.
Quotes (from other people):
"You can't fuck the future. The future fucks you."
-Deadwood
"The dollar lost strength the way many marriages break up, slowly and then all at once."
-Daniel Gross, Slate
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Douglas Adams quote
"The disadvantages (of cars) involved pulling lots of black sticky slime from out of the ground where it had been safely hidden out of harm's way, turning it into tar to cover the land with, smoke to fill the air with and pouring the rest into the sea, all seemed to outweigh the advantages of being able to get more quickly from one place to another -- particularly when the place you arrived at had probably become, as a result of this, very similar to the place you had left, i.e., covered with tar, full of smoke and short of fish."
pg 162-163, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Douglas Adams
pg 162-163, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Douglas Adams
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Jeans
I spent far more hours this afternoon than I wanted trying on jeans. For years, I have either avoided jeans or worn ones that didn't fit. But now, I know enough about my body and clothes and I have enough money for higher standards. I know only to bother with the "relaxed" or "curvy" or "wide legged" styles. At Gap, I took size 8 long and 10 long in Essential, Curvy, and Boot Cut (because they were on sale). They were $50. The Curvy 10 longs were OK, but the waist too big, and I don't really want to wear a 10. So, I passed.
I know the Easy Rider jeans at Lucky size 27 long fit me perfectly, but they're $100 and I already have a pair. I asked them if they have a darker color, but they don't.
Ann Taylor is usually a safe, if conservative bet, but they aren't carrying any casual non-capri pants this season.
Diesel was right there, and I have heard about Diesel jeans -- mostly that they are ridiculously expensive ($180). I'm willing to pay for jeans that fit; so, I thought I would give them a chance. I explained my situation to the sales lady, and she selected a few for me to try. They didn't fit. I nearly burst into tears.
I was going to give up, but I happened to glance into Old Navy which has never made clothes for my body. They have a new selection of jean styles: the Diva, the Sweetheart, and the Flirt. The Sweetheart have a "relaxed leg". After trying on at least 10 of them (Old Navy clothes vary within a size), I bought 2 of the 6 longs. They were $30.
Do you already know what I am about to say? By now, I know myself pretty well. I know what size I wear. I know which styles might fit me. I know what looks good on my body. But I still had to try on about 30 jeans today. Each pair, I truly, madly, deeply wanted to fit. It was exactly like dating.
I know the Easy Rider jeans at Lucky size 27 long fit me perfectly, but they're $100 and I already have a pair. I asked them if they have a darker color, but they don't.
Ann Taylor is usually a safe, if conservative bet, but they aren't carrying any casual non-capri pants this season.
Diesel was right there, and I have heard about Diesel jeans -- mostly that they are ridiculously expensive ($180). I'm willing to pay for jeans that fit; so, I thought I would give them a chance. I explained my situation to the sales lady, and she selected a few for me to try. They didn't fit. I nearly burst into tears.
I was going to give up, but I happened to glance into Old Navy which has never made clothes for my body. They have a new selection of jean styles: the Diva, the Sweetheart, and the Flirt. The Sweetheart have a "relaxed leg". After trying on at least 10 of them (Old Navy clothes vary within a size), I bought 2 of the 6 longs. They were $30.
Do you already know what I am about to say? By now, I know myself pretty well. I know what size I wear. I know which styles might fit me. I know what looks good on my body. But I still had to try on about 30 jeans today. Each pair, I truly, madly, deeply wanted to fit. It was exactly like dating.
Spenger's
My mother used to get shrimp scampi from the "to go" counter, and we would eat it eagerly in our unwashed kitchen or down by the marina on top of the car. I found the images and ideas of the old salty sailors a little scary -- long beards, scratchy booming voices, rough manners.... I took Spenger's for granted although I never wanted to lie on its carpet (like I did most carpets -- even on the BART train).
My best sailing girlfriend, Joyce, finally returned from sailing for 6 weeks in Tonga. Her stories include big waves and staying on course, accidental jibes in ocean passages with high seas, trouble with wind directions.... She told me some of them perched on the edge of our Precision as she gently corrected my point of sail. I told her that I used to say I sail because I like to drink, but now I say if you aren't wet and bruised you aren't really sailing. She said I've become saltier. Under her guidance, I did not crash into anything while docking.
After our little jaunt on the water, we went to Spenger's, where I haven't been in about 25 years, for my fish-and-chips project. I also had to get a Mai Tai. Both were fine, unremarkable. The drink lacked layering and an umbrella but contained lots of fruit. The chips were good if a bit limp. The fish was unimpressive in size and texture and the batter was... not the variety I prefer, more like bread crumbs.
They have a happy hour starting at 9 p.m. where a number of dishes are just 2 dollars. Joyce wanted to order every one on the menu, but I talked her down to 4, then 3. The best one was the shrimp scampi. We ate about one and half, and I took one home in a box.
My best sailing girlfriend, Joyce, finally returned from sailing for 6 weeks in Tonga. Her stories include big waves and staying on course, accidental jibes in ocean passages with high seas, trouble with wind directions.... She told me some of them perched on the edge of our Precision as she gently corrected my point of sail. I told her that I used to say I sail because I like to drink, but now I say if you aren't wet and bruised you aren't really sailing. She said I've become saltier. Under her guidance, I did not crash into anything while docking.
After our little jaunt on the water, we went to Spenger's, where I haven't been in about 25 years, for my fish-and-chips project. I also had to get a Mai Tai. Both were fine, unremarkable. The drink lacked layering and an umbrella but contained lots of fruit. The chips were good if a bit limp. The fish was unimpressive in size and texture and the batter was... not the variety I prefer, more like bread crumbs.
They have a happy hour starting at 9 p.m. where a number of dishes are just 2 dollars. Joyce wanted to order every one on the menu, but I talked her down to 4, then 3. The best one was the shrimp scampi. We ate about one and half, and I took one home in a box.
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