Sleep is the new sex.

Trusting Women

2010-02-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

Sean James and Al Joyner on trusting women:

Key quotes:
Al Joyner: I want my daughter to live in a world where everyone's decisions are respected.
Sean James: My mom showed me that women are strong and wise. She taught me that only women can make the best decisions about their health and their future.

21 Jump Street

2010-01-20T22:27:00.000-08:00

Only radder.
Much, much radder.

Spock has never been so sexy.

2009-12-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Patrick Stewart, thank you.
Amnesty International, thank you.

"A few facts: About 10 women commit suicide every week as a result of their contact with domestic violence or violence of partners or ex-partners. Two women are murdered by their partners or ex-partners every week. Everyone suffers. No one escapes the tramua of those experiences [not even Spock]."

Adorbs

2009-11-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

Shop Wall Wisdom

2009-10-04T19:43:00.001-07:00

True wisdom is found written on the walls of bicycle shops.

I feel like such a voyeur.

2009-09-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

And if that's not cute enough, check out this.
Via CuteOverload.

Here's hoping

2009-09-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

David Foster Wallace is one of my favorite writers and so I am both excited and worried about the release of the "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" movie which is based on the David Foster Wallace book by the same title.

Here's hoping it doesn't suck.

Art & Zod & Stuff

2009-09-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, Alison Tharp, will be exhibiting some of her art work this weekend at the Compound Studios & Gallery (located at 6602 San Pablo Ave in Oakland, Ca) as part of a series put on by Obi Kaufmann and the local art magazine, Oakland Swee(t)art.

The show, entitled "The Bright Darkness" will be going down Saturday, September 11th, from 6pm-9pm.

I met Alison through Jesse, who I worked with while at the Missing Link. It's telling that I still consider those days I spent working & slacking with Jesse (et. al.) at the Link some of the bestest thus far. Jesse, who was obviously meant for more than tagging & receiving bike parts, flew the coop & settled, quite comfortably and successfully, at Peter Thomas Hair.

Jesse is high on the list of people in the Gay Area that I miss the most, which is kind of surprising as when we were slacking at the Link, we didn't really hang out in a non-shop environment, and even after he moved on to cutting hair & dispensing the worst dating advice I've ever heard, we weren't all up in each other's bidness. Nevertheless, Jesse is a friend of the highest order (probably because his sense of humor achingly reminds me of a friend I lost, years ago, to suicide).

Anywho, back to Alison: I met Alison because, like Jesse, she is also a senior stylist at Peter Thomas Hair. Furthermore, Jesse & Alison are a bit of a thing and as such, I've been lucky enough to add yet another undercover overachiever to my list of friends*.
And they have a wee little dog. Named General Zod. Which is awesome.

Finally, if you live in or find yourself in the Gay Area & are in the need of a haircut, I'd highly recommend the people at Peter Thomas Hair. Especially of course Jesse and/or Alison; they give good hair.
And, I'm not the only one who thinks that is Peter Thomas Hair the ne plus ultra of Bay Area hair- the 126 reviews of Peter Thomas Hair over at Yelp carry an average mark of 4 outa fivers.
I especially like this review because of the conflicting emotions it inspires in me- do I want to bear this reviewer's children or kick their PBR-drinking, psuedo-complicated, elitist hipster ass?

*As a plain, old, traditional underachiever, I sometimes find it a little embarrassing that all of my friends are so talented while remaining so irritatingly nonchalant about their talents. Fucking christ, if I can't be a winner, can you all at least own up to your über alles status so I can bask in your glory?
Thank you.

Don't forget your wig.

2009-09-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Steve Smith at All Hail the Black Market.

Khede Kasra

2009-09-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

"Though the road to full gender equality is long, this simple campaignable act was the first of its kind in the whole Arab region and the first important step in the right direction."

Via Feministing.

Take 2

2009-06-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes. Title IX was rad.

You're fooling yourself if think that's all we* need tho. "Babe, set and match: How looks count for more than talent when Wimbledon decides which girls will play on center court."
Oops, 'scuse me, centre.
Why are we calling women girls? Aren't we past infantilizing women by calling them girls?
And I won't even get into the obvious racism involved here as well.

*And by we I mean everyone, because even the dudes have wives, sisters, daughters, mothers, friends, girlfriends, cousins, doctors, teachers, etc. who have been negatively impacted and are still today impacted by sexism.

Infinite

2009-06-24T00:56:00.000-07:00

Can't sleep.
Again.

Reading Infinite Jest.
Again.

The first time I read it I was in high school.
Yes, I was a precocious little smart ass.
I thought that I was too cool for school and that was the end of that.

If you want to be one of the coolest in the nerd crew that you run in, you can join in on Infinite Summer.
There's even a hashtag (#infsum) for it over at the twitter and if it's on the twitter it must be cool.

There's a couple of glancing mentions of Georg Cantor in the book, to whom Krystoph Pistoff may or may not be related.
That sentence sux.
The end.

Hey, Kimberly Sue!

2009-06-17T01:18:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the news?

Hammer & his pants are comin' back.
Gold has been rad for a while tho.
Remember?
Now do you remember?

My favorite was Mr. AARP Man at 54sec with suitcoat, glasses, & sweatband. Way to grind it man!

Freud, in a nutshell.

2009-05-30T12:06:00.001-07:00

I'm not a quitter.

2009-04-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

And no, I'm not dead.
Just craycray busy.
I'll be back.
Sometime or other.
In the means, check out Womenscyclingmag.com or womenscyclingmag.wordpress.com.

Counterpoint.

2009-04-09T16:47:00.001-07:00

Horseshit.

2009-04-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

Life can be so confusing.

2009-04-01T20:57:00.001-07:00

Push me.

2009-03-30T15:12:00.001-07:00

Hard to say which one is funnier.
(But if pushed for an answer, ha ha ha, I'd vote for the first as the second could potentially be NSFW.)

Water

2009-03-23T15:18:00.001-07:00

For best effect, watch it in biggity screen.

Fast, faster, fastest?

2009-03-23T12:13:00.001-07:00

"That doesn't give us much time."

2009-03-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

(I wish I could blog about something fabulous & exciting but alas, I'm a boring person.)

A whole warehouse of peas in my head.

2009-03-16T15:53:00.001-07:00

Attention all you single ladies, Bobby is single!

"I know. I know."

Mario Cipollini gets punked

2009-03-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

Did you see that bitch slap at the end?
Oh Mario, I would have expected more from you.

What's so funny

2009-03-07T16:39:00.001-08:00

From Icanhazcheezburger.com.

Fiat

2009-03-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

Via FredCast.com.

Help a Sister Out.

2009-03-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

First, a video and a rather long one at that.

From SF Bay Guardian:

My dear friend Hollis Hawthorne, a major force in the San Francisco art and bicycle scene, is in critical condition in India. The 31-year-old dancer, artist, and activist was in a tragic motorcycle accident near Pondicherry last Tuesday, February 24, which left her with severe head injuries and in a coma. As of today, she is at Apollo Hospital in Chennai and still unconscious, though she’s finally breathing on her own. Her prognosis is still unknown.

Why do I care?

Hollis is known in San Francisco as co-founder of the Bay Area Derailleurs , an all-female bicycle dance troupe whose purpose is bike activism and female empowerment.

And if you know me, you know I just lublublublublub bike activism and female empowerment.
So I would encourage you to help a sister out.
More at Help Hollis Get Home and at Friends of Hollis Hawthorne.

This is reality.

2009-02-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

Thisisreality.org.

Barcodes

2009-02-11T17:45:00.001-08:00

Man, don't you just love the netflix?
Of course you do!

Have you noticed the barcodes?
No?

Update 2/12/2009: From Steven Woo, this link which suggests that barcode showing or no, it doesn't really make a difference. Well, there you have it.
I still think barcodes are magic tho.

Lemme walk you through them then:
Barcode #1 on the dvd protecto sleeve:

(BTW, I highly recommend Creature Comforts.)

Barcode #2 on the bottom of the return mail envelope & happy little peek through window above:

Now, if you insert the dvd protecto sleeve with its barcode facing the address side, this is what you get:

But if you insert the dvd protecto sleeve with it's barcode facing the same way as the barcode on the return mail envelope like so:

You get this:

Not actually apparent from the picture because I cut off the bar code on the return envelope, but what you get is both barcodes visible & scanable.

I don't know for sure if you get your movies back more quickly if you make sure the dvd protecto sleeve barcode is scanable w/o opening the return envelope sleeve, but I do know that barcodes are magic*. So watch your movies & pay attention to the barcodes.

*Hey, bike industry? UPCs & barcodes really are magic. Get on it!

One of the problems with being a 21st century hippie

2009-02-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

Is that often times when I decide not to support a company through the consumption of their product, I find that I didn't really support them to begin with and as such can't feel as if I am expressing my dissatisfaction with their company's stance on whatever dirty, commie, pinko hippie cause that may currently be bothering me.
Rat farts!

Same thing with these products that I never really bought to begin with but now will most definitely not buy:

Kellogg's cereal
Kashi*
Pop-Tarts
Nutri-Grain bars
Stretch Island fruit leather
Keebler
E.L. Fudge
Vienna Fingers
Famos Amos
Club crackers
Munch'ems
Town House crackers
Carr's
Cheez-It
Morning Star**
Eggo

Why?
Because.

*I used to occasionally buy a box of Kashi cereal like once a month but no more, I swear it!
**Back in the day, when I was living in the dirty, commie, pinko hippie student co-ops, I used to eat Chik patties all the time. I'd say I ate at least 5 a week. Now that I live on my own & I pay for my food directly, I just can't justify buying a box of 6 patties for whatever it is they cost. It's a rip. But lord are they tasty. No more, no more.

Hurrah!

2009-02-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

All the info your little trembling heart could ever possibly desire at SFBike.org.
Be a contestant or just "watch hot cyclists pair up". It's free to coalition members, 10$ for non-members.

From the SFBike.org site:

What about the perception that too much bike riding could cause impotence?
Health experts agree that the tremendous cardiovascular fitness conveyed by cycling will usually outweigh any minor impacts that might occur from ordinary riding. Sexual performance becomes noticeably improved in most cases. Men can experience stronger "thrusting muscles," a heightened sex drive, reduced stress, and longer endurance - hurrah! - from cycling regularly.

Seriously, I'm getting sick & tired of people worrying about potential cycling-related man-junk issues because you know what has an even bigger effect on the man-junk's utility (or lack thereof)?
Being a fat, out of shape, lazy sack of shit.
So, go ride your bike, git sum, and be happy.

Fight!

2009-02-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

All the details at www.PillowFight.info.

Alright, you've been told. I want to hear of epic battles, dragon slayers, & mad pillow carnage. Photos too please.

And to think that Cat's still single

2009-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Cat described these cupcakes by claiming that they are "so good I would marry myself & be my own housewife if I could" and when I made them I almost called Cat up right then and there to propose to her.
Stupid fucking prop 8.
(I don't think it would have worked anyway because I don't think I'm her type. And I'm so tragically straight.)

Cat's Marry Me Brownies*
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
¼ cup almond meal
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sugar
.333 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

Combine flax seed meal & coconut milk and allow this mixture to stand for about 20 minutes.
In separate bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, & cayenne pepper.
Add sugar & oil to the coconut milk mixture. Stir well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir well.
Pour into 9 x 9 baking pan, cook at 350° for about 30 minutes and start looking for venues & caterers.

*I made these into brownies instead of cupcakes because I didn't have cupcake tins. Furthermore, cupcakes are so annoyingly trendy these days that I'd have to shoot myself in the leg if I contributed to that trend.
So, brownies it is.

East Bay Hills Alley CX

2009-02-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

If'n you aren't going to go out for the Jamboree, you might want to check this out:

"Get ready for 30 to 50 miles of roads and trails in the Oakland and Berkeley hills..."
All the nitty gritty here.

People are trying to cram about 3.5 week's worth of fun into this weekend and I have the feeling that I'm going to come back from my Santa Cruz/Bay Area trip a changed woman.

Shop wall wisdom

2009-02-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

As seen last time I was at the Link.

Scheduling Conflicts

2009-02-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

Here in St. Babs, California's bastard geographical child, I'm struggling to manage my racing schedules: the SlowCal schedule, the NorCali schedule, & the Grasshoppers.

February 28th:
The first of the Grasshoppers, "Cross/Mountain. Leave your road bike home. 50ish miles" they say and I can't help but be excited.
NorCali schedule has the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic Downtown Grand Prix. Meh, except for the fact that it would be a women's 3 feild. Not a 1/2/3 feild, not a 3/4 field, but a 3s only field. Still, meh.
SlowCal schedule has the Callville Bay/Southern Nevada Stage race, which I know will be well attended.
Hmm, now I'm conflicted: Stage racing or an informal race with the kids? Yikes!
Projected winner? SlowCal with the Southern Nevada Stage race.

March 7th:
The second of the Grasshoppers, "All road, all the time. 70ish miles." Not as exciting as 50miles of cx riding but still exciting considering it'll be good people riding bikes & having fun.
NorCali schedule has the Berkeley Bicycle Club team time trial, which rolls over the fabulicious 3 bears loop; however, they ride it in the wrong direction & I'd have to find a partner. Meh.
SlowCal schedule has the Island View crit, which I would kind of feel obligated to do given as it's right here in town.
Projected winner? SlowCal with the Island View crit.

April 11th:
The third of the Grasshoppers, "Mountain. 25ish miles." I don't even own a mountain bike so I guess that's out, and besides, NorCali has Copperwhopyerarse listed for that day. I'm sure I'll never do as well at Copper as I did back in the day, when I was a 4 & I could do no wrong, but it's one of those races that makes you a better person & builds character, so I feel obligated to do it.
SlowCal has Fort Irwin Road Race. Meh.
Projected winner? NorCali with Copperwhopyerarse.

May 9th:
The fourth & final 2009 Grasshopper, "Road. Mostly paved. 85ish miles." Interesting, verrry interesting.
NorCali has some crit. Meh.
SlowCal doesn't have much. Meh.
Projected winner? Grasshopper with the 85miles of mostly paved racing.

I'd say I'm most conflicted about the first of the Grasshopper dates as I think it would be the funnest, terrain-wise. Not to roadie, not to mtb, just right for the Goldilocks riders.
But, overall I think I'll be able to get a good blend of the three calenders.
What do you think?

Haz vs. Has

2009-02-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

I think proper lol cat speak would be "haz" instead of "has" but who am I to judge?

Stolen from UrbanVelo.org.

It's not that I'm a quitter

2009-01-31T17:13:00.001-08:00

It's just that I tend to break out in hives when exposed to too much toolbaggery.
And, I don't want to tell you how to race your bike, but christonastick, always remember Rule #1*.

Two main points on the Women's 3/4 field at Poor Kids:
Firstly, if you're on a team with the numbers, the right way to break up the race is to send someone up the road. Lather, rinse, repeat.
It is toolbaggery of epic proportions (and a clear violation of rule #1) to grab a fistful of brakes & then attack off the front.

I don't know where those women learned that nasty little trick, but where I come from we don't cotton to such underhanded ways & I am certain that had they pulled that little toolbaggery move on a group ride they would have been ripped a new one in seconds.
Seriously?
That kind of toolbaggery move?
In a January race?
A race that means nothing?
In the women's 3/4 field?

I suppose there's some sort of explaination; maybe your mother didn't breast feed you or you were the fat kid in 3rd grade or no one asked you to senior prom. But whatever the explaination is, get over it and/or leave your toolbaggery at home.

Secondly, I know that you've been told a million times: "Whatever you do, don't ever pull. Don't ever stick your nose in the wind." I hate to burst all your purty little bubbles, but if no one pulls, no one races. It's the wind, it won't kill you so don't be so scared.

But, don't you sweethearts worry, there is an easy solution: one person rides in the wind. After x amount of time has passed they pull off the front, either to the left or to the right, & they drop back & fold back into the back off the group, resting after their pull in the wind. The person behind the first rider then rides in the wind for about the same amount of time.
Lather, rinse, repeat, & next thing you know, you're clipping the miles away at a good speed & everyone has their turn in the wind so it's all equal.

Ugh.
Sometimes bike racers are total asshats.

*Rule #1: Don't be a dick, even if you have one.

You might want to sit down.

2009-01-28T05:47:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Stevil who said:

I know I'm releasing this a bit early, but I'm all blown out on cheap crank and am in need of something to occupy my time tonight.
For those of you who are in reasonable proximity, be there, or be the shape that rhymes with 'there'.
For those of you who are not, start warming your frequent flyer miles up.

It's gonna be totally mediocre.

I think what Lars is trying to say

2009-01-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

In the latest issue (February 2009, Issue 121) of ProCycling is:

"AUH8ERSSMB!"

Given that it was the first thing I noticed in the photo, I won't try to tell you that I'm actually not obsessed with other people's junk as I've tried to tell you in the past (once, twice, & thrice). I don't think that I am actually obsessed with other people's junk but I also worry that it's a case where the more I protest I'm not something the more I prove I actually am what I claim not to be.
So.

For a serious question: How the hell did the photo editor miss that? Especially when the title of the article is "Waiting to Explode"?

(Although this isn't the first time that Lars has, uhm, walked the junk exposure line. The CXMag's "Lars Boom: 192cm of Dutch Pride & ready for '09 Worlds" was rather, uhm, revealing. And just going back and re-reading the article and man, in the opening paragraph: "The cycling shorts tightly cling to his thighs the size of beeches." C'mon now, was that really necessary?)

Boxes

2009-01-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Even the Thomson shipping boxes are primo quality.

Although I'm waaaaay more excited about the Masterpiece seatpost than I am about the shipping box.

(Even if the new seatpost is just a preventative measure; the last time I took the roadie up to the Bay Area four people heckled me about the 20$ generic Kalloy seatpost. Four people!)

Jammin'

2009-01-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

How could you not like a jamboree?

2007 evidence & 2008 evidence.

I hate to say I told you so

2009-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

But I told you so.

Once.
Twice.
And thrice.

Lockdown

2009-01-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

As seen on my upcoast boogie.

Ding, ding, dong.

2009-01-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Worth a thousand words they say, check out Carson Blume's photos here.

The nutshell version:
How was the Gibraltar Hill Climb Time Trial you ask?
Honestly, it sucked but it sucked in the character building, "I'm a better person for having done it" kind of way.

The long-winded version:
I la di dah'd my warm-up instead of doing a proper warm-up with real intensity so of course the first five minutes of the climb were hell. I know (and am constantly reminded) that my body really likes a long warm-up with plenty of intensity and yet I persist in babying my warm-ups.
Why?

So it goes. Once the initial period of suck passed I was able to settle into a rhythm of sorts.
Climb, climb, climb.
Tra, la, la.
Climb, climb, climb.
Ding, ding, dong.

Wait, you mean to tell me you've never heard "Ding, Ding, Dong" by Günther?

Really, truly, and honestly, that was the song that was stuck in my head for the first half of the climb. I must say that it was, in its own way, effective in keeping my tempo up & my brain distracted (the chin? the umlauts? the shiny teeth? the pixelated red arses?).

Unfortunately, right as I was starting to feel all cocky & full of myself, the suck returned when the climb got steeper & steeper.
"Oh, holy Mary, mother of God, why must it be so?"

I'd look ahead for spots along the climb and I'd tell myself "It flattens out a little there. I'll feel great there, I'll get to shift up. It'll almost be like riding downhill" but as the climb progressed, I'd look ahead for those short sections of relief only to realize that life was going to get much, much worse. So then I'd just look at the ground, 2 feet in front of my wheel and I thought about Lauren pulling her XtraCycle to get home.
"If Lauren can pull an XtraCycle up through the Berkeley/Oaklandish hills, surely I can do this."

Then I started loosing all of my faith in the bicycle (generally & specifically) and my ability to overcome the force of gravity.
Dear God, did I really need 2 bottles?
And my seatbag?
And my pump?
And the apple in my jersey pocket?
And why in heavens name didn't I swap my cassette & tires from my überjanky, porky wheelset over to my slightly less janky & slightly less porky wheelset?
I hate my life.
Why was this a good idea?
What is my fucking problem? Sheesh, I could be napping, playing with puppy dogs, having a root canal, anything but this unending hell I'm living now.
Seatbags are bullshit.
So are pumps.
How far down the mountain would my bike travel if I got off right here, right now & just strong-armed it?
etc.

And yet, through the blackest of outlooks, I kept pedaling.
Then I remembered that this wasn't like a cx race and there weren't going to be boys in hot-pants handing out beer. How I managed to convince myself to continue when I remembered this, I do not know, but continue I did (albeit with a broken heart).

And the climb kept on coming and I kept on, well, whatever it was I was doing by this point, I kept on doing it.
Slow.
Slower.
Slowest.
Finally, after too many switchbacks of false hope, I saw the finish line, gave 'er the obligatory up shift & out of the saddle sprint, but at this stage of the game, I wasn't fooling nobody.

Jersey zip, stick your tongue out for the camera, be happy it's done, spin your legs out with your friends, and never, ever leave your wingman.

I'll give you three guesses.

2009-01-12T17:48:00.001-08:00

Don't believe the hype

2009-01-11T22:19:00.001-08:00

The other day I was at the grocery store & noticed at checkout that Jessica Alba was on the cover of one of those People/US/OK types of magazines for some sort of "5 months after the baby & look at how thin she is!" type of story. A dime a dozen, eh?

But I had seen the photo before here.
The short accompanying story has this to say: But those feeling envious can now breath a sigh of relief ... because even Jessica's curves were airbrushed before her latest pictures were released.

Insert long-winded social commentary here because right now I really don't have the wherewithall to bring it like it should be brought.
Bleh!

Trapped

2009-01-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

I actually think that the fully random prank calls are mean-spirited but the prank calls you make to friends are hilarious (á la Pete calling his old shop and asking for bike "service").

I hadn't ever pranked a telemarketer tho.
Obviously trapped in my Western mode of thinking.

Clink! Screw! Bend!

2009-01-10T13:27:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile up in NorCali Catherine has this to say about the cupcakes she made last night: "Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate, sooo good I would marry myself and be my own housewife if I could."
Let's hope she emails me the recipe like she told me she would.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

2009-01-09T16:11:00.000-08:00

Reg info here & coloring page here.

Now, if you're nice to me and tell me I'm funny, witty, cute, smart, fabulous, gorgeous, that I've got great fashion sense, I'm more fun than a barrel of monkeys, a good listener, an extraordinary cook & baker, a great mechanic, a super-duper friend, etc. I'll let you borrow my fancy-schmancy colored pencils and German markers.

I'm listening...

Good morning sunshine!

2009-01-09T07:46:00.001-08:00

So this morning I got up, caffeinated, & strolled on down to the beach (just the bluffs actually) to do some morning yoga and there, just off the trail, I saw this:

Apparently Stevil isn't the only person who's got a secret outdoor stash and Gary and Murphy aren't the only ones with a little bit of a thing for Jägermeister.

Five Days of Vengeance

2009-01-06T20:23:00.000-08:00

So, a while back I made a list of Gay Area things that I miss now that I live in St. Babs. now that I live in St. Babs. (Please keep in mind that the list was by no means exhaustive and that if I moved back to the Bay Area right now, today, this instant, I would be able to make a similar list of St. Babs area things that I would miss.)

#2 on that list? The Parkway.
Why? To quote myself: "Pizza, beer, and comfy couches so you can make out like a teenager at the movies. Oh wait, you are at the movies!"

You need further proof of the Parkway's radness?

I haven't seen the film, but the IMDB tagline makes me wish I was going to be there: "15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance."
Whoa.

Pizza, beer, couches, and bike parking?
Who could ask for more?

Many thanks to John McBomb @ Rickshaw Bags for the heads up via the book.

How to prank call your LBS

2009-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

These are so juvenile*.

Episode 1: "You all a full service shop? Oh, good, good because I really need some service. If I came in today could you yank my cranks?"
Episode 2: "How much do you all charge for a rim job?"

*Thanks to Pete who still calls his old shop up & asks for "service".

Screw it.

2009-01-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

When a Phillips is not a Phillips, via Instructables.

Need a job?

2008-12-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Bad economy got you down? Don't worry, Xtracycle is hiring! Yay!

Xtracycle seeks a top-notch, experienced Warehouse Manager for our Northern California Headquarters. No phone calls please - email resumes, cover letters, inquiries to info@xtracycle.com.

And by NorCal, I think they mean Oaklandish.
You can read the whole job posting here.

Woe is me.

2008-12-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

This was more awesome than the photo suggests. It's a sucky little camera that can only do so much (or so little). And not to mention that when it comes to taking good pictures, I don't really know my arse from my elbow.

Anyway, the point of all of this is that my life is sometimes almost unbearably difficult.

"I want to be evil."

2008-12-27T13:11:00.001-08:00

RIP Eartha Kitt.

NYTimes article on her life & career here.

Go forth and be stylish.

2008-12-24T13:31:00.001-08:00

Apparently, I've been knotting them incorrectly.
Now I know.

For the love of God

2008-12-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Someone please buy my NiteRider.
Thank you.

Down with brown.

2008-12-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Nick for the heads up on the SD Reader article.
Would you pay $750 for a bike with no brakes?:

“You’ll see the spectrum right there,” says Ditta, when we discuss the Velodrome scene. “You’ve got the racers, the guys on the track doing what track bikes do, what they’re supposed to do, and then you’ve got the subculture on the outside, usually hanging out and doing their thing and socializing. And then there are the spectators, who are kind of in the middle, who can be on either side of the track. I’ve raced on the track, and I’ve hung out on the other side of the track, so I’ve been on both sides of it.”
...
But, truth is, part of the fun of having a fixed gear is being able to trick it out, I’m told, put bright rims on it and ride in style. “I’m guilty of being a color-coordinating bike dork,” Ditta admits with a smile.
...
Speaking of riding skills, I’m still struggling on the brown bike. I skitter into a hairy turn, trying to remember to keep pedaling, keep pedaling. Thankfully, the bike I’m riding is outfitted with brakes, and I use them, slowly, slowly coming to a stop.

I was very happy to see the author briefly mentioning the influence of the BMX scene on the current fixie culture and was even happier that Ritchie Ditta got so much ink.
Ritchie who?

Oh, that Ritchie.

The new up & coming cool kid's bike color?
Brown.
Don't believe me?
Mr. Low Pro, High Style himself is riding this lovely brown Hunter.

No, really, brown.
You heard it here first.

Better in French?

2008-12-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

Give a Helmet to a Kid in Need

2008-12-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

From Walk Oakland Bike Oakland:

Tomorrow lucky kids from Oakland and other east bay cities will be getting new bikes. But they need helments (by CA law, actually) to go with those bikes. Please consider calling to make a donation: 415-255-7036 x315

Announcment: This Saturday, the organization All of Us or None will be giving bicycles to children and teenagers whose parents are incarcerated. They are asking for donations of helmets to give along with the bikes.

If you or your organization is interested in donating a helmet, please contact Hamdiya Cooks at 415-255-7036 x315. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

While the Community Giveback will be held in Richmond, most of the invited children are from Oakland. Please consider assisting this holiday event and promoting bicycle safety by donating a helmet.

2008 Community Giveback will be held on Saturday December 20th 1-4pm
Youth Service Bureau
84 Broadway, Richmond, CA 94801

Send your donation (any amount is needed and will be appreciated) to:
All of Us or None
c/o Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
1540 Market St. Ste. 490
San Francisco, California 94102

Lock Down

2008-12-19T12:57:00.001-08:00

I don't know how I will cope with this loss.

2008-12-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

MillerCoors to Reformulate Sparks Energy Drink:

MILWAUKEE (AP) — MillerCoors LLC says it will reformulate its Sparks energy drink to remove caffeine and three other ingredients from the product.

A group of state attorneys general had complained that caffeine and other stimulants in the beverage would reduce drinkers' sense of intoxication and increase risky behaviors in driving and other activities.

The Milwaukee-based company says it will remove caffeine, taurine, guarana and ginseng from Sparks and will not produce caffeinated alcohol beverages.

Oh, Sparks, at times we haven't quite seen eye to eye, but overall, it's been a good relationship. Thank you for all the swell times.
Guess it's back to the old Red Bull Vodka for night on the town prep/bike polo hydration needs.

Drill here, drill now.

2008-12-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

I almost replaced old Aunt Flo with one of those Cinelli Vigorellis that City Grounds has on sale but the fork isn't drilled for a brake & I'm so tragically unhip as to ride brake.
Yes, I know, some people would say "Well, you could probably drill the fork pretty easy" but the problem is is that when it comes to bike parts, I'm actually not a fan of putting holes where there weren't holes before.
Call me crazy.

That Vigorelli is a nice bike.
Flashy, but nice.

What have I been doing with my life?

2008-12-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

Man, I can just barely eeek out a 2second trackstand on the Marin 29er*, let alone whip my bike like it ain't no thang.
*sigh*
Maybe I'll get a BMX bike next instead of a sucktacular time trial bike.

More good stuff over at MaderaBMX.net.

*Which, for the record, it totally awesome.

Cheap

2008-12-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

New Year's resolutions from some industry pukes via Bicycle Retailer and Industry New's 5th Spot:

Tim Jackson, the Masi Guy: "...Hopefully help to make the world a better place by sharing my love of cycling with more people and helping them to find the reasons why I have been so addicted to cycling for the past 26 years..."

Karl "Zenmaster" Wiedemann at Thule: "...Get five non-cycling friends into the sport of cycling..."

But it should come as no surprise that my favorite New Year's resolution from the list comes from Sky Yeager of Swobo: "You mean other than cutting down on the hard liquor? Actually, I meant to say, cheap hard liquor."

And if you were wondering, no, I still don't do New Year's resolutions, thank you.

Exponential Times

2008-12-16T17:27:00.001-08:00

Don't mind me, I'm just going to go have a sit down so I can wallow in my own relative insignificance.

Most definitely.

2008-12-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Fabian Cancellara is proof positive that white* is most definitely the new rad.
Gold is also rad again although white gold is still most definitely not rad.

*Except when it comes to cycling shorts.
Never, ever in white.
Thank you.

Thank you, Wanda.

2008-12-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

"Instead of spending your money on hate, buy a coupla cans of pork n' beans."

Wanda makes me wish I was gay.

If I've told you once

2008-12-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've told you a thousand times.
Close the screen door already!

December 10th: A Day without a Gay

2008-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

More info at daywithoutagay.org.

Their FAQ section is fabulous:

Are you implying that "gay" is equivolent to "sick?"
Whoa! NO! It's just that "gay" rhymes with "day" so it was a cute and clever way to get you involved. HAHA! Now you're hooked! You're beautiful, very not sick, and super wonderful. Help us spread service however you feel comfortable, SWEET THING!

I'm straight.
Yay! Thanks for all your help so far! You are welcome to call in "gay", too. And consider yourself free to use this "Gay For A Day" pass as needed to volunteer!

Winter Holiday Gift Ideas

2008-12-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

For those who like the mens:

For those who like the womens:

I've given up trying to come up with new stuff (my original DiB post & my original BiB post).
No, really, coming up with new stuff is just not on the list right now.
I'm sure you'll get over it.
I know I have.

& for the record, I'm still not the arbiter of good taste.
Go figure.

Please don't waste my time.

2008-12-08T14:42:00.000-08:00

Thank you.

St. Babs Mushroom Cup

2008-12-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to BK Smooth.

Story time.

2008-12-07T22:42:00.000-08:00

There is an amazing story behind this.
Ask me about sometime but be prepared for an adventure story of Marian proportions.

Happy Holidaze from Rickshaw Bagworks

2008-12-04T12:47:00.001-08:00

All the good stuff on Rickshaw here.
Their flickr photostream here.
You're welcome.

Macaframa + LA

2008-12-03T23:25:00.000-08:00

Only the best from Macaframa Productions.

I feel like I've done this before.

Oaklandish Representin'!

2008-12-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

FastFreddie Rodriguez is that blur on two wheels.
Yay, Oakland!
(And the coffee shop they talk about? I've a dollar that says it's Cole Coffee.)

Random factoids: Fast Freddie was born in Bogota, Columbia.
Why do I care? My mother grew up in Columbia & I still have family down there.
International, you know.

Freddie as Panda of the Week here.

Macaframa + SD

2008-12-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Only the best from Macaframa Productions.

Git sum!

Supermarket Street Sweep

2008-12-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

When: Saturday, December 6th, noon, high.
Where: Meet at the Cupid Span's sculpture (aka the Bow & Arrow) at Folsom and Embarcadero.
Points Race: Bring back the most food from 5 grocery stores. In the event of a tie for points, the faster time wins.
Speed Race: Buy food from 5 grocery stores and get to the finish as soon as possible. Be the fastest girl or boy.
What to Bring: A bag, box or crate or whatever you rock to the grocery store, and a lock and money to purchase items (suggested $20-30, anything you are comfy with, everything helps).
All items will be donated to the San Francisco Food Bank.

Killer prize list, check it here (although I'd be even more excited if the prize list included a Sabbath t-shirt like we see Dustin* wearing here).

*who probably actually doesn't like me very much at all because sometimes I drink beer and I get loud & obnoxious.
Actually, I'm loud & obnoxious even when I'm not drinking beer.
I'd probably have more friends if I weren't so loud & obnoxious.

Say it ain't so!

2008-11-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

From FailBlog.org.
(At The Strand no less, & while we're on the subject, I still wonder what in tarnation ever happened to my red Strand t-shirt that my sister gave me years ago.)

Not that I feel a relationship coming on, but if I did, I think I would be bummed.

For a Good Time

2008-11-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

Combine:

^1/4 cup oil

^1/2 cup sucanat

1 cup mashed 'naners

^1/2 cup water

In a separate bowl combine:

1^1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

^1/4 tsp baking soda

^1/2 tsp salt

^1/4 cup ground flax seeds

Once the wet ingredients are mixed well & the dry ingredients are mixed well, slowly add the two together.
Mix well.

Optional:

^1/2 cup chopped nuts

^1/2 cup chocolate chips

Spray/oil standard loaf pan.
Pour proto-'naner bread goodness into loaf pan.
Bake at 350° until done. (My original recipe states 35-45 minutes but I feel like I always end up cooking it for almost an hour.)

Your non-vegan friends won't even know it's vegan.
I promise.

Life-changing

2008-11-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Waiting for that life-changing idea? Just sleep on it.

“Sleep seems to stimulate your mind to make non-obvious connections. It puts all the information from the day into a big biological theatre and forces the mind to speak to people at the back of the theatre, who you may not think you have any connection with. This is the basis of creativity - connecting ideas, events and memories that wouldn't normally fit together.”
...
Once asleep, your brain gets busy making sense of your experiences from the previous day, consolidating memories and transforming short-term memories into long-term ones. Become sleep-deprived and your memory suffers.
...
If you're going through a tough time in your professional or personal life, getting enough sleep is essential. Become sleep-deprived and your frayed emotions will reach breaking point. Lack of sleep increases levels of the hormones cortisol and adrenalin, making us tetchy.

"You have your own vocabulary."

2008-11-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

"We have white pepper for some reason."

Snoop & I?
Nobody understands us.

I might have to revert back to the old title.

2008-11-24T18:20:00.000-08:00

Nap without Guilt: It Boosts Sophisticated Memory:

Conversely, Wisconsin researchers briefly interrupted nighttime slow-wave sleep by playing a beep - just loudly enough to disturb sleep but not awaken - and found those people couldn't remember a task they'd learned the day before as well as people whose slow-wave sleep wasn't disrupted.
...
To prove a lasting effect, McGinty mimicked human sleep apnea in rats. He hooked them to brain monitors and made them sleep on a treadmill. Whenever the monitors detected 30 seconds of sleep, the treadmill briefly switched on. After 12 days of this sleep disturbance, McGinty let the rats sleep peacefully for as long as they wanted for the next two weeks.

The catch-up sleep didn't help: Rested rats used room cues to quickly learn the escape hole in a maze. Those with fragmented sleep two weeks earlier couldn't, only randomly stumbling upon the escape.

It's not magic.

2008-11-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, CX races don't just magic themselves into existence so be a (wo)man and do your part.

The Gene Galindo Memorial Turkey Trot Cross is now ONE week away! That's right --- NEXT Sunday November 30th!

URGENT: I will be at the park on Saturday November 29th at 1:00 PM to build some bridges for the creek! If you can come and bring a hammer/screw gun and help it would be GREAT!!!! Please contact me directly if you can help on this critical task!!!!

I want to thank everyone who has volunteered to help (it takes a small army to put on a Cross race and PAA ALWAYS rises to the challenge). If you haven't --- we still need you! In fact, I could use a few extra detail oriented people at Registration and maybe one more on the waffle irons! Please e-mail me directly. Or, if you want to pound stakes and string tape or clean up at the end --- your help will NOT be turned down!

Following is some information on reporting times and what you'll need. Go to www.verdugocycling. com and you can find a link to the course map:

6:00 AM --- I should have the park open so setup crew and waffle crew should report to the Registration Area at around that time. Please bring a hammer if you are on setup crew! If you can also bring a rake --- that would be helpful!

7:00 AM --- Registration Crew should arrive by here!

8:30 AM --- The central roadway gates will be locked so we can open the course. Any dropoffs on the central road should be completed by this time!

Everything else will happen throughout the day so if you've signed up to help --- simply contact me throughout the day!!!

PRE-RIDE: If you want to pre-ride the course, please meet me at the park on Wednesday November 26th at 3:30 PM. We should be able to sneak in about an hour of riding prior to darkness. This is ESPECIALLY helpful if you're coming to set the course on Saturday!!!

(Thanks to djNeight for the info.)

St. Babs Confessional

2008-11-21T08:06:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I have to cry myself to sleep.

Good morning sunshine!

2008-11-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

Unrelated

2008-11-18T22:23:00.000-08:00

First off, Soil Saloon this past weekend was a religious experience.
Flicker photos here.

More later.

Secondly, have you seen this?

Thanks to OutsideAllDay.com.

Bombshell

2008-11-17T14:47:00.000-08:00

Carnage!

2008-11-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Bay Area Super Prestige #3 Sierra Point - start pile up from daten on Vimeo.
I hadn't gotten to the venue yet so I unfortunately missed out on the first person experience.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

2008-11-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

Crazy, crazy, crazy!
Soil Saloon.

Git sum.

Mixte Remix

2008-11-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

My only gripe? Wish it had canti brake bosses so I had the option of running biggity fat tires & fenders, but nonetheless, well done Soma, well done!

Got wood?

2008-11-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the Soma Buena Vista mixte frame blahblahblah, Cardiff has some classy new handlebar grips.

They are also doing some handlebar grips in leather, but leather's really not my scene what with the dead animal thing it's got going on. Still classy provided you can ignore the dead animal part.

It's kind of The Jam.

2008-11-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Shazam!.

Wanty, wanty, wanty!

2008-11-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

I wanted one of the Soma Buena Vista mixte frames back when I first saw the info on it about 6 months ago. Then the kids over at Soma dropped this into their flickr and now I wanty, wanty, wanty!:

Although, I'd definitely build it up with drop bars, gears, racks, fenders, & panniers so I could have a sexysexy mixte touring/townie bike.
Mixte touring bike?
Yes, yes, oh yes!

7am Discussion

2008-11-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

If it were a King sealed headset instead of a Cane Creek by Tange, I wouldn't have been having this 7am discussion now would I?
And even though I sweet talked the Cane Creek for a good deal of time this morn, I still think it's time to send it packing & replace it with a fresh one.
Semi-integrated headsets?
I'd rather have a King, please.

Retread.

2008-11-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

I've said it all before but I still think the fact that Barack Obama is NJS bears repeating.
So now it's been repeated.
Twice.

Oh noes!

2008-11-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

From Velo News:

Toyota-United rider Ivan Stevic is facing a lifetime ban by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) for use of a prohibited substance, possession of prohibited substances and illegal trafficking of prohibited substances dating back to 2004.

But I like Ivan Stevic. He's got, uhh, good form.