Margaret & Jeff

Heron: A Lesson In Communication

2012-01-27T06:34:00.001-06:00

I've definitely had days like this, both as the speller and the moderator.

Amazing!

2012-01-21T09:08:00.001-06:00

Strange Day On The Bike

2011-10-22T18:52:00.003-05:00

I headed up to Wisco today with Scott Mclaughlin of SRAM fame to do a bit of the 'ol 'cross racing. The day started off well enough. Hung out with Margaret for a bit in the morning, good breakfast and ease into the day. We left Chicago at about 11:15 and sailed on up to Milwaukee. Got there with plenty of time to see the course (very fast with some technical sections and hills) and get a good warm-up.

My plan for the day was to start slow and just ease into the race. Everything was going according to plan. I settled in with the second group on the course. We were moving fast and smooth until I misjudged a turn and slid out. The guy behind me was right on my wheel and he just ran me over. I thought we'd get up and continue, but something was wrong with my bike. A quick inspection revealed my derailleur hanger bent into my spokes. OK. Bend it back. Wheel still won't move. What the heck?!!

Needless to say, my race was over. I could have run to the pit and gotten a spare wheel, but I didn't want to risk more damage to the bike with a bent derailleur hangar. So I got changed up and watched Scott grind his way to 3rd, just behind Brian Matter and some other guy. His prize for the day? A check and the world's smallest cupcake! Awesome!

Strange day for sure. Now I'm in the market for some 'cross carbon tubulars.

Is It Real?!

2011-09-10T16:32:00.007-05:00

Kinda cool; kinda dumb.

Read a bit more after the jump.

+++++

Holy Balls! There's more!

More info.

+++++

Help fight Parkinson's Disease.

The Smiths Documentary

2011-08-24T10:50:00.004-05:00

Matt Smith has probably never heard of them...

This link came to me via a co-worker. Not quite sure why she thought I was a Smiths fan, but I am. Mini-Documentary and Box Set.

Update: The Box Set. $400+ in the US and limited to 3,000 copies. Count me out.

Gillian Welch - Elvis Presley Blues

2011-07-29T11:48:00.001-05:00

My favorite artist right now.

Margaret is 30!

2011-07-03T13:52:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Margaret!

Book-A-Week Is Done!

2011-07-03T13:32:00.003-05:00

So really, the project ended up being to read 52 books in a year. Thinking about it that way, it doesn't sound like a huge accomplishment, but it was a pretty big deal to me. For the most part, I didn't read anything that would qualify as a "quick read." I discovered a number of different topics that were incredibly interesting throughout the project and sometimes got caught up reading multiple books on the same subject. It was all quite fascinating. There were a few books that I could have done without reading or they didn't really offer anything new. There was only one book that a struggled through because it just wasn't interesting. And there was only one book I started and absolutely had to toss it and pick up something else because it was so dumb.

This is the list of 52 books:

The 80/20 Principle
Rework
The Wisdom of Crowds
In Defense Of Food
The Know-It-All
A Walk In The Woods
Gang Leader For A Day
Being Wrong
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Through The Looking Glass
The Essential Drucker
When Genius Failed
Managing The Nonprofit Organization
Kitchen Confidential
The Effective Executive
Ah-Choo!
Crum
Half Empty
Born To Kvetch
The Talent Code
The Parents We Mean To Be
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat
How Proust Can Change Your Life
Proust Was A Neuroscientist
Born To Run
Growing Up Laughing
Thomas Paine And The Promise Of America
Common Sense
The Prosperous Few And The Restless Many
Switch
Bringing Down The House
The Dead Beat
Super Crunchers
The Trial
Connected
The Sociopath Next Door
Making Ideas Happen
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Myth of the Paperless Office
Filipino Women In Detroit
Media Control
The Pearl
The Almighty Black P Stone Nation
Julius Caesar
10 Lessons To Transform Your Marriage
Bossypants
Moneyball
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
The Nazi Officer's Wife
Operation Family Secrets
The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States of America

This is the Google Spreadsheet I kept over the past year. There are hyperlinks to the books on Amazon, including how long it took me to read, etc.

Progress on the House

2011-06-29T19:55:00.030-05:00

I am posting some before and after photos, partly to show Jeff I really do like the house and partly because I am feeling really excited about the progress we have made in only 3 months. Unfortunately we do not have photos of the repainted living and dining rooms yet. Those will be forthcoming.

Front Windows Before:

Front Windows After:

Upstairs Hallway and Upstairs Bathroom Windows Before:

Upstairs Hallway and Upstairs Bathroom Windows After:

Soffits Before:

Soffits After:

Downspout and Rot Before:

Downspout and Rot After:

The backyard in April after all the plants were removed, and again this morning:

The backyard this evening after the tree had been trimmed and flowers planted:

And, just for fun, I am including a few others.

Front of House (don't judge, we're getting to it):

Back of the House:

Front Porch:

Our raised flower bed built by Jeff and rain barrel courtesy of the City of Chicago:

Baby Robin living on the front porch:

Mechanix Gloves: The Original vs Fake

2011-04-20T22:49:00.007-05:00

Lately, I've come to realize that I really like gloves. I especially appreciate a glove that fits well and can be used for just about anything. Gloves that keep your hands warm in the winter are nice too. But really, I like a utility glove that offers good dexterity.

Introducing the The Original glove by Mechanix Wear. I don't know why they have a registered trademark on "The Original", but they do. Lucky them.

As with all good things, somebody's gonna copy it and do a terrible job while they're at it. I was duped on Ebay (I pulled the trigger before I realized the gloves were shipping from China; I don't have anything against Chinese made products, but these fucking things are terrible!) a few days ago and I have these shitty fake gloves to show for it.

Some things of note:

Poor fit
Poorly copied accents
Different material all around
Poor quality elastic

Weird post, but whatever. These guys know about fake Mechanix gloves too. We'll see if the Ebay seller will refund my money. If not, maybe Paypal will.

Update: The seller refunded my money and claims he did not know they were fakes.

Calling All Plumbers...

2011-04-16T23:44:00.005-05:00

I have plumbing questions. Drop me a line.

The House Almost Won This Weekend...

2011-04-11T22:47:00.005-05:00

When we bought the house, it came with a few appliances. We've thrown away the microwave and have replaced the refrigerator. We decided to keep the washer and dryer. The dryer is gas heated and up until last night, was not heating up.

Enter the DIY homeowner who thinks he can tackle just about anything. I Googled and Youtubed a few things and found this great video. Needless to say, I bought a voltage meter and disassembled the entire dryer. I chased down a part by calling some repair-guys and asked them if they'd sell me the small part I needed; big box stores don't sell small parts and small-part stores aren't open on Sundays.

I replaced the gas valve coils like the video suggested and ran the dryer thinking, "this is it!" Nope! It took all day to get to this point and I had almost resigned myself to calling a repair guy in the morning. Then I found some other "repair" video that suggested running the dryer for at least 30 minutes to ensure the gas valves warm up before they kick in. Gave that a shot and Bam! Ignition! We have a dryer.

So thanks to Terri for looking over the wiring diagram to try to walk me through everything.

Things I learned:

Whirlpool makes a lot of different branded dryers
You can determine if your dryer is a Whirlpool if the lint trap is on the top of the unit
this video will walk you through every step for troubleshooting your dryer except that little detail about warming up the gas valve coils
If you have a Whirlpool gas dryer and are having heating problems, I might be the guy to call

Would You Rather...

2011-04-05T22:22:00.001-05:00

Make coffee by the computers or have your refrigerator in the dining room?

One More Night Of Apartment Living

2011-04-03T08:28:00.009-05:00

Margaret will say she's sad and she's going to miss this apartment and neighborhood; I can't say the same. This neighborhood is great and we're comfortable here, but there are so many other factors that I just can't wait to be done with it all.

If you don't already know, we just closed on a house in Albany Park and are currently getting ready to move in. We're packing now, getting rid of stuff and the movers show up on Monday morning at 9:00AM.

Time-Line Leading Up To Buying A House:

Winter 2009 - Decide our apartment at the time is too cold and our landlord attempted to screw us into paying to have the windows fixed.
April 2009 - Move into a totally rehabbed apartment right across the street from our old apartment.
April 2009 - Introduce ourselves to the neighbors right away. We've never had neighbors we liked; maybe they'll be different.
Spring 2009 - Hear the neighbors fight one night and think not too much of it.
Summer 2009 - Realize we can hear everything that goes on downstairs and they can probably hear everything we do. We are as quiet as possible. No thumping when we walk, no yelling, etc.
August 2009 (?) - Colburn Family stays with us for a few days and the neighbor bangs on the ceiling to let us know he can hear the boys and he's getting irritated. That's fine. Sorry about that. He later knocks on the door and says he's tired of the noise. Sorry again. They were leaving anyway.
August 2009 - November 2010 - More of the same. They yell at one another, we hear it. We're convinced they hate one another but are too weak-willed to break up.
November 2010 - Colburns visit again with Sue and the neighbor loses his mind and starts slamming things, yelling out the door to "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" It was 8:00PM and we were gone most of the day.
November 2010 - I've had enough and declare that I'm moving out; Margaret is slow to accept and we start looking at new apartments and decide we'll break our lease.
December 2010 - Apartments are too expensive to rent and we discuss buying.
January 2011 - The house-hunting starts and our closing date is March 30th.
February 2011 - Things aren't looking so good but then something comes up.
Mid February 2011 - We find a house, make an offer and they accept without counter offers.
Late February 2011 - We negotiate our loan and get a 30 year fixed, lender paid PMI and 5% down.
March 30th 2011 - Close on the house (OMG! There is so much to sign and lawyers will talk about anything).
March 30th - April 4th 2011 - We sweep and mop OUR NEW HOUSE and clean the bathrooms. We're in the process of packing up the apartment and the movers show up at 9:00AM on April 4th.

We'll be able to say farewell to our fucked up neighbors and begin to feel sorry for the suckers who move in. It's too bad the neighbors will "win" (why should they get to do anything they want and people put up with it or just avoid them altogether (I'm sure that happens in their lives outside of this apartment as well)?).

Whatever! We're out.

We were lucky to have an agent that we trusted, (thank you, Christopher McFarland), and who pointed us in the direction of other good people. Thank you also to everyone who offered advice on our loan and inspection findings and for offering advice on buying a house, in general. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who listened to us bitch non-stop about our neighbors and every opportunity. We were those people that just couldn't move on. Sorry.

The next few months will be total therapy as we recover from PTSD due to living in this stressful environment.

"Real" Ride #1 For The Season

2011-02-12T11:46:00.003-06:00

The plan was to do Judson with a couple of teammates. I missed the ride by 9 minutes. I could have done a couple of extra things last night to ensure I left the house on time like get dressed and have breakfast, but so it goes.

The morning wasn't a total waste. I rode up to Highland Park by myself and realized along the way that I'd probably have gotten dropped from Judson pretty quick. I might need to do a few more solo rides before I try for a big group ride again.

In other bike related news, if you haven't already seen on the other social networks out there, the Burnham Racing Spring Super Criterium registration opened up yesterday. Check it out! Get Registered!

Thunder Snow: Everyone Is Talking About It

2011-02-02T17:23:00.006-06:00

We had the best middle of the week ever. Blizzards are awesome, especially when accompanied by thunder and eventually leading to work place closures. Jeff gets two snow days, I will have to be happy with my one. Even my return to work will not stop my fantasy of how awesome it will be to tell our jackass neighbors, when they are desperate for help and compassion, that "No, I'm sorry, you cannot borrow our snow shovel. It just isn't possible."

There are a lot more photos on our Flickr page, too.

Update: My boss called while I was writing this post. Our agency is closed tomorrow. Look out Chicago, the Waugh-Wats have another snow day on the books!

Ride #2, 2011

2011-01-06T20:29:00.003-06:00

I think it was colder by the lake. I was glad to be out, but even more glad to be home.

I saw that McDonalds now serves oatmeal. I wonder if their oatmeal is served between two pancakes all covered in syrup? Why so cynical? Fine. Maybe their oatmeal tastes as good as their fries.

Wu-Tang is playing at the Congress Theatre on Saturday.

More Updates

2011-01-03T22:03:00.003-06:00

I was talking with Andy today and he said our blog is never updated. So I'm going to make more of an effort to write updates; Maybe Margaret will too.

First ride of the year and first real ride since Montrose.

Andy gave me a great idea and I am going to start running to work. Most likely, these runs will take place on days when I plan to go to the gym. The run is about 3.3 miles and will be quicker than riding the bus. Gym tomorrow.

Hawaii 2010

2011-01-02T14:36:00.015-06:00

Hawaii, 2010. We headed out on Friday, December 17th and returned on Tuesday the 30th. It was a good trip. We had a few days of some serious rain, but other than that we had fun with the family. Click the thumbnail for the set of that day.

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3

Day 4	Day 5	Day 6

Day 7	Day 8	Day 9

Day 10

Cyclocross 2010: Done And Done!

2010-12-06T21:09:00.008-06:00

It's all over and my feelings about the whole thing are a bit mixed. On the one hand I'm a bit sad it's all over. I remember saying to Knauff before the official start to the season that 12 races wasn't quite enough. On the other hand, being completely obsessed with racing and training for about 4-5 months straight through can take a toll on one's mind and body. So my other hand is quite glad to be done with it

The last race was a blast but didn't end with quite the bang that I was hoping for. Everyone with a real shot wants to walk away from the State Championship weekend wearing a new jersey. It wasn't to be. With a few inches of fresh snow on the ground and sub-freezing temperatures, I knew off the bat that the guy with the best bike handling skills or the ability to run the whole race was going to have the best day.

That prophecy materialized in the form of Mike Seguin and his MTB skills when he crossed the line with a clean set of wheels. But his win didn't come without a fight. The lead group came down to Seguin, Kurtz, Whipple then myself with Luke Seeman in hot pursuit about 15-20 seconds back (we finished in that order). It was nice that the final race came down to this group as we've all been battling it out for the last half of the season. I love and hate each of them equally : ).

At the end of it all, I came out of the season with 1 1st, 5 2nds and a 3rd with a handful of top 10s thrown in there for good measure. I snagged the one win I've been hunting for the past 2 seasons, so I'm not complaining. I also got my upgrade to Cat 2 this morning and the mental preparation for next year has already begun.

Special thanks needs to be given to Jason Knauff, my teammate and friend, who pulls it all together and for turning cyclocross into something quite special for everyone involved in the region. My appreciation also goes out to all of the sponsors and promoters, without whom there would be no racing and nothing fun to do on a Sunday afternoon. And of course, thanks goes out to all of the racers who show up week in and week out, putting up with the horrible pain of 'cross racing and even worse, the heckling involved with being on your bike on race-day.

Photo courtesy of Eric Goodwin.

John Whipple recaps his race.
Randy Warren's video of the 3's start.
Teammate Eric Goodwin's photos from the day.
Teammate Matt O'Keefe's photos from the day.

Yellowstone, Summer, 2010

2010-12-01T21:53:00.003-06:00

I finally got around to uploading all the photos from the trip. Enjoy!

Yellowstone, Summer, 2010

Craftsmanship

2010-10-25T21:56:00.008-05:00

When Knauff asked me to borrow my table saw, I was immediately intrigued. What could he be making, I thought? "It's a little surprise for the 'Cross Cup. I want to have podiums this year." Fantastic!

It was an incredibly hot and humid September afternoon. He and Mrinal stopped by shortly after 6PM or so. Due to all the rain we received in late August, the mosquitoes had a bit of a revival and they were out in full force. I'm not sure what pissed Jason off more; the humidity or the mosquitoes. Either way, he was cranky and wouldn't even accept a Highlife. What?! Mrinal was grateful for the La Croix I offered and stood back to watch her husband hard at work.

After a few test cuts to get comfortable, the man started ripping through the wood. I had barely begun drinking my can of champagne when he declared his work was done. Although I didn't get to see the finished products, I knew they would be a sight to behold. From that point, I made it my mission to one day stand on the tallest of his creations.

It took almost 2 months and 8 races to finally earn the privilege of climbing that top step. But it was worth the wait, for his handiwork was grand. Jason Knauff, master woodworker.

By the way, I won the Chicago Cyclocross Cup - Sunrise Park, 2010 Cat 3 race.

Photo by Brenda Feehery.

Cycling Humor

2010-09-04T11:04:00.002-05:00

Him: "Nice, pull man."
Me: "It's Wat; not Pulman."

. . .

crickets...

Thieves!

2010-08-06T22:02:00.004-05:00

A few days ago, Margaret noticed some strange marks and a dent on the roof of our car. Since we had taken it to the dealer recently, we thought maybe their service guys did some damage and neglected to report it to us. We were wrong!

We went for a walk this evening and stopped to get some dinner. About 2 hours later, we returned to our apartment and I noticed a gray Corolla in front of our apartment. "Is that our car?" I said. "Yeah! And someone stole our bike rack!" was Margaret's reply. Fuckers!! Mother fucking fuckers!

The sad part is, I'm not sure if I registered our Yakima keys so we're out however much it'll cost to fix the car and replace the rack. Maybe I won't replace the rack. Fuckers!

Book A Week Starts Today

2010-06-25T21:59:00.005-05:00

The book-a-week project starts today. Margaret has also decided to join the fun. We'll see if we can get through it all. Obviously there is no penalty if we can't. Also, Margaret's list is different; there's no way she would read the books I read and vice versa.

I'm starting with the 80/20 Principle, mainly because I borrowed it from the library. I'm guessing it'll be interesting...

See my list.

Quadruple Done

2010-06-13T13:41:00.001-05:00

My hat was floppy; I kept it.

Done and Done!

2010-06-08T17:45:00.002-05:00

As of 5:45 PM, Tuesday, June 8, 2010, I am officially done with school.

High-Five Drive By

2010-04-09T19:17:00.004-05:00

I guess it was more like a high-five ride by. You've all thought about it; today, I executed. He was standing on the edge of the bike lane, arm up to hail a cab, girlfriend by his side. Made my day, really. I think the lady let out a "Heh!" I didn't look back to see his reaction. I'm so proud of myself! Dork.

Fixedsters + Rain = No Dice

2010-04-05T22:27:00.001-05:00

I guess I've been there...

Judson - 4.4.10

2010-04-04T13:52:00.002-05:00

I have not been riding much lately due to some burdensome tendinitis in my right Achilles. I figured out the problem and corrected my cleat position. I got back on the bike on Wednesday and rode for a few consecutive days without problem.

I decided to give Judson a crack today and get some good miles in. Went off without a hitch; it was hard during the really windy sections. But, once again, the Judson Gremlins got me and I flatted shortly after the turnaround at the cemetery. I don't think I've made it through an entire Judson ride this Spring without flatting.

Fixed the flat and headed home via the bike path and what our team calls the "Elston" route, due to the fact that the ride normally starts on Elston. I also proceeded to bonk hard and couldn't get the food in my body quick enough once I got home.

What's the point of this story? Thanks for reading.

Book-A-Week

2010-02-18T23:04:00.007-06:00

In theory, I will complete my Master's Degree in June of this year. I have already begun thinking about some goals I'd like to begin working toward once I am done with school. The project that I've come up with is to attempt to read one book per week for a full year; that means 52 books in one year.

This isn't an incredibly ambitious goal, but one I think I can achieve and a goal I'll enjoy working toward. I'll need some help coming up with a complete list of books before I begin so that I have something to look forward to and don't waste time searching for a good book to read next. So leave your suggestions in the comments. BUT...there are rules.

The book must be:

Nonfiction - There is one exception to this rule on the list.
Less than ~~300~~ 400 pages in length - This is a realistic number of pages I think I can get through in a week.
Something you would read or plan on reading soon - Don't suggest crap.

Updated: Book Lists (Google Doc). The first sheet is a list of books I've read in the last year, give or take a few months. The second sheet is a work-in-progress list of the 52 books to be read.

Choices

2010-02-15T08:59:00.005-06:00

Sometimes, many people would say all the time, I have a hard time choosing between a few options. So this bit of wisdom makes sense to me. I guess I'll always have to carry around a quarter...

From minimalism in things.

RAWR!

2010-02-04T06:43:00.003-06:00

If you haven't already heard, Burnham Racing is once again putting on the Spring Super Criterium! This is also the season opener here in Illinois and everyone should do their best to make it for some great racing on a closed course. This race is Saturday, March 27, 2010.

Bonus: This race will be held in conjunction with a Sunday race put on by the South Chicago Wheelmen. The series will be called C.O.U.G.A.R. (Chicagoland Omnium Using Great Area Racetracks) and participants will earn points on both days for an overall prize.

Rawr! See you there!

Some Recent Creations...

2010-01-03T13:28:00.004-06:00

...this is mainly so my mom can see what I've been up to.

Of coures, some of this stuff is for sale on Etsy (shameless self promotion).

These Did Not Disappoint!

2009-12-27T21:57:00.006-06:00

Despite not getting anyone anything for Christmas, Margaret and I received some nice gifts from our respective families. One particular gift of note was a pair of electric toothbrushes.

I've been talking about purchasing an electric toothbrush for about a year now, but put off buying one because it seemed like such a frivolous thing to spend money on. Enter Christmas and gift cards to Target (thanks Terry).

Immediately after receiving the cards, my head started swirling with possibilities and instantly landed on the toothbrushes. The criteria: within the price of the gift card or maybe a bit over, good peer reviews on the internet, 2 minute timer and available at Target. Tada! Philips Sonicare 5300.

This is the highest rated electric toothbrush found on Amazon and was at the top of most lists for best electric toothbrush of 2009. Fun fact: the reason you're supposed to brush your teeth for 2-minutes and why most electric toothbrushes have a built-in 2-minute timer is because the fluoride in toothpaste requires 2 minutes of contact to be effective.

Margaret and I were both shocked at how quickly we got used to the new devices and how quickly we loved them. "These did not disappoint!" was Margaret's response. I haven't been to the dentist in probably 2 years, but my teeth felt just as clean as if I had just left the dentist and my face felt the same tingly sensation. A winner for sure!

This Isn't Political..

2009-12-11T13:14:00.001-06:00

...it's just good comedy!

Margaret's favorite one is at the end.

Buy My Stuff!

2009-12-07T13:30:00.004-06:00

The Holidays are here and you need presents for your significant others. Buy my stuff! I'll list more things in the upcoming days...

The money I make goes toward supporting this habit.

Facebook Shmacebook; Vote For Christopher House

2009-11-28T20:31:00.003-06:00

So I said I'd never get a Facebook account...I was wrong. I signed up because Chase Community Giving is donating $25,000 to select charitable organizations through this contest. Please vote for Christopher House today.

Now that I have this Facebook account, I'm not quite sure if I want to make full use of it. From what I've seen, it's a time-sucker.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-11-24T19:58:00.003-06:00

It was my birthday a couple of months ago. Had a great birthday celebration. Margaret took me out for Ethiopian food (it's one of the only types of food I crave) at a restaurant called Demera. The food was great, but the present I received was even better! I received a handmade, pop-up card along with two tickets to see Neko Case at the Canopy Club in Urbana, IL.

What's funny about the present was, I had found out Neko Case was playing in Urbana, IL a day or two before my birthday. I suggested we go, but was only half-way serious. So when I asked again, on my birthday, Margaret played it cool, said she couldn't go and suggested I go with someone else. I immediately broke out my phone and texted Andy. "Do you like country music?" He didn't respond right away and it wasn't until after dinner that I heard back. Needless to say, Margaret's act was a ruse and she could in fact go. Sorry Andy.

The show was on November 6th and it was awesome! I've never been to a show where the performance sounded as good live as it did on a record. The feeling at the show was awesome and it was great to see a performer that I actually like (read: am obsessed with). We stayed the night at a La Quinta and had a nice leisurely drive home the next morning. We messed around with riddles to stave off sleepiness and boredom.

The last show I went to was about 3 years ago. It was Built to Spill. The show before that probably another 2 years and then it was Jonathan Richman. This show topped both of those by huge margins. Thank you Neko Case and thank you Margaret for such a wonderful birthday present.

Please Attend

2009-09-29T12:05:00.001-05:00

Join Between Friends and YPG on Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Webster Wine Bar, 1480 West Webster Avenue, Chicago, Illinois for an evening of art and wine! Admire artwork from local artists including photography, paintings and jewelry while sipping wines from around the world! The event includes a silent auction and appetizers. Purchase tickets at www.betweenfriendschicago.org or contact Amanda Espitia at aespitia@betweenfriendschicago.org or 773.274.5232 ext. 16. Tickets are $45.00 if purchased prior to October 29th, $50.00 before November 4th, or $55.00 the day of the event.

Ugly Tattoo?

2009-09-22T22:26:00.002-05:00

This website is so painful to look at, for so many reasons.

http://ugliesttattoos.com

Just About The Worst Waiting Experience Evar!

2009-09-16T12:07:00.006-05:00

Got myself a BlackBerry today. I've wanted one for quite some time; several years actually. But I always kept myself from getting one because I didn't want to pay the extra money for the data plan and I generally hate phones. I caved on the idea yesterday because I was tired of having a phone where the ringer didn't work and I like the idea of being able to look stuff up on le Internet while I'm out and about.

So I thought I'd beat the rush and head in to the Sprint store right when they opened. I arrived right at 10am, but there was already a line. OK. I thought, "I'll put my name in the queue and be out of here, pronto!" I knew what phone I wanted and what plan Margaret and I needed to make it all work (I called Sprint yesterday in anticipation). Nope. Not so simple.

I could see they were short on staff, but thought the small staff size was specific to this particular store. In any case, after being checked in, I sat down and waited for someone to help me. I also watched as another customer who arrived after me squirmed in his seat as customers arrived after him. Due to the fact that they waited at the counter and he decided to take a seat, I could tell he was worried that they'd be helped before he was. They were.

Flash forward 30 minutes when another employee showed up and decided to try and help me. I looked at his name-tag. I can't remember what his name was, but what I do remember was reading "Trainee" just beneath his name. Fuck! He fiddled with his computer, asked me a bunch of questions and gave me all kinds of wrong answers. He repeatedly asked his manager, who was incredibly busy with another customer and was apparently the only person in the store who knew anything, for help and still managed to screw things up.

Flash forward another 30 minutes and I'm still being helped by the trainee who couldn't even remember what phone number on which he was working, all the while a line of customers had formed practically out the door. There were also 2 techs in the room, but they were "techs" and didn't know how to do anything else. Really?!! Fucking train your staff or hide them from the customers; They can't do anything anyway.

Flash forward another 30 minutes (Yup! I was there for 1.5 hours) and the one guy who knew how to do everything was finally freed-up and completed my transaction in 5 minutes. Seriously!

The moral of the story is, dealing with a phone company has always been a hassle and I'm sure other people dread going into a Sprint or Verizon or other provider's store just as much as I do. The customer service process for Sprint stores needs to be revamped and I already have a bunch of ideas. Needless to say, someone at the top needs to take a serious look at the way they deal with customers.

This Is Amazing Stuff!

2009-09-15T11:43:00.004-05:00

I saw a link to this artist's website on a blog or some site. Amazing stuff! Very desperate, lonely and nostalgic, all at the same time.

Thomas Doyle

A New Addiction: Sewing!

2009-09-01T10:17:00.005-05:00

I've been keeping myself busy and our apartment in constant disarray the past few weeks. Fabric keeps showing up and there are little threads all over the floor. At least they manage to find one another and ball themselves up for company and easy cleanup. Either way, the apartment is a mess and I keep coming up with new ideas and projects.

Here are a couple of projects I've recently completed. The first is one of many baby bibs that I'll be making. Burnham Racing got together (not literally) last summer and decided they all wanted to make babies. So the new team members are all slowly joining the clan. I'm making the bibs to keep their necks dry and faces clean. I'll leave it up to their parents to ruin their lives with bike racing and various other obsessions.

The second image is of a bag I made for Margaret. I got the "pattern" from Bend-The-Rules-Sewing and completed the project in a couple of days. She loves the bag and so do her friends. We got the fabric from The Needle Shop in Bucktown. The staff there were really helpful and got me everything I needed to finish the project.

My next project is already on the cutting mat and making a few to sell on Etsy is the goal. I'm ready to quit everything and just make stuff. It's just too much fun!

Best Day On The Bike Since June

2009-08-21T11:01:00.008-05:00

Since late June, I've been pretty "blah" about riding my bike. I continued to train hard, but the motivation just wasn't there. Yesterday reinvigorated my interest in riding bikes. Know why? It was the first day on the 'Cross bike!

Just like last year, Jason, Andy and I, along with Ted from Get A Grip trotted out to Humboldt Park to do some "'cross practice" and reintroduce ourselves to our bikes. Jason, Andy and I all got new bikes; Jason a Ridley, me a Scattante and Andy re-bought a Scattante after his was stolen last winter.

It was a pretty short day in the park, but was seriously the most fun I've had riding a bike since late June. No pressure, just fun. We rode a small loop and worked out mounts/dismounts over some barriers and did a wee bit of turning. I'm quicker over the barriers than last year but there's always room for improvement.

Damn! That was fun! So much fun!

iProducts Galore

2009-08-14T09:24:00.003-05:00

I found another iPhone on the street today. That makes this the 3rd iProduct I've found in Chicago. Because I ride a bike around the city, it's not unusual that I would see lost items on the road where they would otherwise be overlooked by drivers. But still, I think it's strange that so many people are losing these items, considering the cost to acquire them. I hate my phone, but I at least put it in a place where the likelihood of it dropping to the ground are slim to none.

Nevertheless, I returned this phone to its rightful owner shortly after his co-worker called it to see if someone had found it. The last time I returned an iPhone, the owner was gracious enough to exchange it for a $100 bill; I was not so fortunate this time. I just kept the last iPod I found before that (there was no way to get in touch with the owner).

Whatever! Whatever! I still hate my own phone and it only rings sometimes. Oddly enough, it only rings when Margaret is within earshot.

At Least I'll Get To Wear The Jersey

2009-07-22T08:56:00.003-05:00

It seems I won't get my Cat 2 upgrade this season. I currently have 12 points, but I'm not racing enough to really accumulate the 25 points necessary to upgrade. I have some pretty good results from 2008 and 2009, but ABR races don't count (I knew that) and points turn in to pumpkins, I'm guessing on 12.31 at 12:59PM. Suck!

I'll have to select my races carefully next season to really have a chance at moving up. I enjoy racing for myself, but I really enjoy racing with a team and getting team results.

Meh. The season is long. There's still hope...Everyone will just have to deal with me for a bit longer.

3rd Anniversary

2009-07-22T08:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was our third wedding anniversary. We went out a lot this past weekend and are going on vacation next week, so Jeff and I thought it would be best to hang out at home. We finally purchased a grill, sat in the backyard with wine, and made chicken and veggie kabobs. It was relaxing and pure and nice. I enjoyed it. What was not romantic, however, was the neighbor's dogs barking, the 4 or 5 kids doing circuits on their bikes who passed by us through the alley several times, or the woman two houses down who kept telling her child to "shut up and sit down" and threatening violence. Aside from that, however, is was absolutely lovely. To top the evening off we hung up most of our art work. After nearly 3 months of living in our new apartment it is wonderful to have some decoration.

Fleet Feet Women's 10k

2009-07-20T08:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Eve and I did 5k and 10k races respectively. It was funny because leading up to the race Eve really downplayed her speed and fitness level. Then during the race she was much faster than me. I caught up with her at an early point in the race to tell her she was doing great but lost her after that. Our races eventually split off and I did not see her again until she was excitedly cheering for me at the finish line. More than supporting me I think Eve was attempting to convince me of the positive impacts of cheering so that I will begin to cheer at Jeff's races, which has been a long standing discussion between the two of us. Eve running well and me not quite meeting my time were both very motivating. I do not know many runners in Chicago, so having Eve be both a friend and a better runner than me is very encouraging. The feeling is not jealousy or disappointment, but just a positive reason that will push me to improve and focus on training. I like and am happy about that.

The race itself was pretty lame. I enjoyed the running, beautiful weather, and Eve, but it was otherwise disastrous. I chose it because it was recommended to me and because I thought it would be cool to race with only women. I do not know exactly what I expected but I do know I did not get it. The energy I felt at the handful of other races I have done over the last year was not present. Eve and I both thought the overall feeling was kind of blah. Then there was an announcer screeching from 6:30 AM, an hour before the race even began, until well after both of us had finished the race. Constant talk about sponsors, individual runners, and a never ending assortment of other ridiculous and altogether useless comments. That was awful. The worst thing for me was the regular reference to "beautiful runners." Seriously. That is how they started the race. My problem is that beauty has nothing to do with running. Would an all male or coed race ever begin with that kind of comment? It is such a backward and insulting way to treat a group of runners that happen to be all women. Oh, one suggestion: never, ever say to anyone "if you don't squeeze your glutes no one else will want to."

I do want to end this posting on a positive note, because I had a great morning overall. Brunch at Victory's Banner was especially lovely. So, during the race, I was feeling quite frustrated with my time (almost 30 seconds per mile off my goal pace, which is a lot and quite reflective of my sucky commitment to training) and I had convinced myself that at mile 5 I would just walk for a bit. The rationalization was that I had already blown the possibility of achieving the fantasy time I had been aiming for so walking would not matter. I had thought about doing this at mile 4 too but decided it would be better to wait until mile 5. Right when I passed mile 5, and just before I was going to slow down to a walk, one of the women I had been running near for quite some time looked over at me and said, "One more mile. That's all. We are going to do it." She seemed so calm and happy, just smiling away as if she was on a Sunday stroll. Of course I could not walk after she said that to me! I am so glad she said that and prevented me from giving into my frustration. It was just what I needed at that moment and the comment ultimately prevented me from giving into my bad attitude and laziness. I wish I knew who she was or how she ended up. Maybe I should do a missed connection? Or is that only for potential romances? Nah, I like the memory of her better than what she could really be anyway. Done and done.

I Guess I'm Going To Omaha!

2009-06-29T10:53:00.012-05:00

Leading up to this weekend, I told Margaret I'd head back to Omaha, NE with her over the 4th of July weekend (she goes back every year) if I won the Cat 3 State Championship Criterium on Sunday (yesterday). I won! So I guess I'm going back to Omaha.

Yesterday's race was an unbelievable team effort! The team was confident that either Nate or I could pull off the win so everyone threw their cards in the hat and did what they needed to to keep the race together. The win wouldn't have happened without the team and I am indebted. Julian wrote up a great report and you can read it here. I'm going to recap my thoughts leading up to yesterday and how I felt afterward.

I've been thinking about this race off and on for about a year now, but the thought of winning really started to consume me about 2-3 weeks ago. My coach, Patrick McNally of Cycleanalyze, put the bug in my ear that I could win and he got me ready. I'm not going to lie; I thought about winning and my strategy every time I was on the bike. I thought about it while I ate, worked, talked with Margaret about strategy, chatted with friends, teammates, etc. I put so much pressure on myself, it's quite a relief that it worked out well and I can now relax.

My plan was always about the same. The race needed to come down to a bunch sprint and I needed to get clear of the field before the last turn with enough juice left to continue my sprint to the line. The wind was gusting heavily toward the finish-line and I predicted that whoever exited the last turn first was going to win. I tried to refrain from letting on how badly I wanted to win so as to lessen the pressure on myself.

Again, every member of the team was integral for what happened at the end of the race. Nate got me up to the front of the pack with about 3 to go and Julian, Eric, Tim, Nick and Andreas kept the field in check and forced riders to chase and keep things relatively fast.

With 1 to Go, bell lap, Nick was off the front with a nice gap. Nate and I found ourselves at the front of the field and sat up a bit so that Nick could get as far as he could. On the back stretch of the race into the headwind, he started to fade fast and I knew it was time to go. I pushed my way out of a box and jumped hard just before turn 7. I passed Nick before turn 8 and exited the turn with a small gap and kept on going. Nate and Andreas slowed things just a hair and the field was unable to catch me.

Victory!

I'm incredibly relieved that this weekend is now behind me and it worked out almost to perfection. I can't thank my teammates enough and am very proud to be a member of such a great group of guys. Next up: Cat 3 State Cyclocross Championships!

Update: Chicago Athlete, Web Edition. Thanks Eric!

Photos: Nikki Cyp, Matt Smith, Mark Keller

Photos by Matt Smith, Video by Seth Meyer

Minor Monday Irritations

2009-06-25T11:46:00.004-05:00

I have a special disdain for fuck-tards that go through the trouble of picking up trash and then throwing it on the street because they think the street-cleaner will get it. There is a special place in hell reserved for Streets And Sanitation workers who also dump trash on to the street from their State-Owned vehicle while stopped at a red light.
Let's not forget about people who creep forward while waiting in any kind of line. In particular, I'd like to single out people who get irritated with you for not stepping forward just because the person in front of you has. And that same special place in hell is also reserved for the nut-job who steps around you because they think you're not "serious" about this line when you don't inch forward.
I really dislike having to clean dead bugs from my bike after driving around with it strapped to the roof of le car.

I'll be back with a wrap-up of Sunday.

A Blast From My Childhood Past

2009-06-22T16:16:00.004-05:00

This isn't a complete list, but these are some of the intros to shows I watched as a kid, in no particular order.

Minor Monday Irritations

2009-06-22T12:31:00.007-05:00

Banning books? Nonsense. Learn to be a good parent! And while you're at it, talk to your kid about sex. I'd also recommend The Perks of Being A Wallflower, A Clockwork Orange and The Catcher in the Rye. I'm sure there are tons of other great books for teens with somewhat controversial subject matter and language. Leave your recommendations in the comments.
Why do tabloid celebrities make it to the real news?
Proactive: good or bad addition to the English language? Thanx Eve.
Vile and irrelevant comments left on news websites. Thanx Luke.
Using "snarky" incorrectly for as long as I can remember.

Boring Video Installment #3

2009-06-17T14:06:00.003-05:00

I've seen several video clips and links to uses for furoshiki in the past few days. Needless to say, I'm obsessed. I'm learning to use my sewing machine that I got for my birthday back in October and this was my first project. Yesterday, I made Margaret a purse and today I made one for carrying wine.

Because the furoshiki is basically a large fabric square folded origami style, all I really needed to do was sew the edges. For that I bought myself a hemmer foot for rolled hems ($35.00) and started sewing.

I get a lot of my craftiness from my mom. She'd be proud!

Minor Monday Irritations

2009-06-15T12:51:00.003-05:00

Stop calling him a "rapper!"

A sad display of "athletic ability."

Abuse of power.

Who Said They Never Ride For Fun?

2009-06-15T10:39:00.002-05:00

I guess I did! Last weekend, Tammie and Carlos were in town and we got to talking about riding for fun. I said I rarely did that. I enjoy riding my bike, but I rarely ride just for fun or just to enjoy myself, willy-nilly without a goal. I can't even remember the last time I did that.

But yesterday, I sorta just went for a ride. Granted, I had a workout planned, albeit an easy one, but I enjoyed myself and just kinda rode. I took a trip up the famous Andy Daley Elston route (he's the one that showed me the route) and stopped at the Northbrook Velodrome to watch a bit of the Junior Track State Championship races. I got to see John Tomlinson of xXx Racing-AthletiCo mess about on his way to winning one of his 17-18yo races. He came in 2nd but won his age group. Good race!

Then I just kinda moseyed home. It was a nice morning and was glad I got to just chill on the bike.

It's Breadcrumb Season

2009-05-29T23:12:00.003-05:00

About this time every year, swarms of gnats start to emerge from wherever it is they hide all year. I notice them because they are quite the nuisance on the lakefront path which I regularly use for training. The gnats congregate in small clumps and hover over the asphalt (I'm guess because the air is warmer there) and smack you in the face as you roll through. What is particularly irritating is when they stick to your body, drowning in your sweat. Suddenly, your body has become the front end of a car and you're splattered with dead bugs.

I made a joke a while back that it's like someone is standing on the side of the road throwing breadcrumbs at me. Margaret thought that was funny. Welcome to breadcrumb season.

I Love A Good Sprint Finish: Kentucky Derby 2009

2009-05-18T14:40:00.004-05:00

The move that the horse and jockey make at the end is awesome, especially when you get the overhead view. The jockey is kinda funny lookin' but knows how to ride his horse.

When I read about betting predictions for horse racing, it's always talk about the odds on the horse. Does anyone take into account the jockey who is going to be riding the horse in the race in question? I've never seen any evidence of that.

Internets!

2009-05-11T14:57:00.005-05:00

Since moving in to our new apartment, we've been without an Internet connection of our own. That's not to say we weren't stealing it from a neighbor. But that got to be a pain as it was only available in one corner of the apartment and for some reason, Margaret's computer couldn't connect to the access point, despite my best efforts.

So we sucked it up and splurged on the only service available on our side of the block, Comcast. Interesting story, the installer who came out offered us a reduced rate for service.

This was the pitch after setting everything up: "Whew! That's fast! But man that's expensive. You have an introductory rate, but $40/month is still a lot. And it'll go up." My response: "Well, do you know of a cheaper rate?" He left his name and number. But this is just between him and me (*wink*).

Whee! Internet!

I'm Eating Breakfast!

2009-05-07T10:07:00.002-05:00

Yup! That's me eating breakfast!

Someone donated this awesome webcam to work yesterday, so I thought I'd mess about with it. Then Margaret had the brilliant idea of spicing up our blog with really boring videos of us doing mundane things.

Here's the first installment...

Enjoy!

One Of Many Peeves

2009-04-29T11:59:00.003-05:00

I'm tired of writers personifying inanimate objects in journalistic articles. The car did not try to run you off the road. A driver may have used a vehicle to try and run you off the road, but the car most certainly did not start itself up and veer into you. This isn't Stephen King's world and I wouldn't live in it even if it were.

Peak 1 Second Power

2009-04-28T11:51:00.004-05:00

I know, "1 second power doesn't mean anything, blah, blah, blah!" It was still nice to see this number on my ride the other day. I've been trying to beat my previous best for about a year; that number was 1310. On this particular day, I beat that number 3 times. That was nice. I currently weigh 151 lbs, a little more than I did this time last year. But I think I'm leaner or more muscle-y.

Beefcake!

A Horrible Night

2009-04-21T12:07:00.007-05:00

I had no idea that my subconscious mind had so much power of my behavior, particularly when I'm asleep. If you don't already know, Margaret and I are ending our current lease early and moving into a new apartment. The new place is essentially across the street from our current apartment. We have the keys and have been slowly packing things up and taking boxes over.

Last night, after class, we decided it would be a good idea to move a few things. When we were done, Margaret put the dolly in the garage and came back up stairs. Because she came back up the way I had and I remembered that I had left some doors unlocked on the other side of the building thinking one of us would come back up that way and lock them later but didn't, I worried that some of the doors were still unlocked. Instead of going back down the stairs and checking the doors, I just went to bed.

Well, my subconscious worrying about the doors plus some rattling windows (one of the reasons we're moving out of this apartment) got the best of me in the middle of the night. While half awake, I heard the rattling windows and thought someone was in the apartment. I shot up and yelled "What the fuck!" and scared Margaret wide awake in the process. I got up and checked out the apartment. Nothing. Got a drink of water and went back to bed.

Throughout the night, the constant noise from the windows fed my dreams with visions of people in our apartment. At one point, I think I mumbled to Margaret that they were under the bed. I didn't sleep well. I also don't think this is the first time this has happened to me, dreaming about burglars that is.

This incident reminds me of our wedding night when I experienced for the first time, Margaret's behavior of waking up in the middle of the night and thinking I'm someone else, screaming and kicking at me. Yup! That shit happens. Who's nuttier? Me for thinking there's burglars or her for thinking some stranger is sleeping next to her? You be the judge.

The Geek Side Of My Sense Of Humor

2009-04-05T22:09:00.006-05:00

I was pointed to this comic strip a few years ago when reading The Best Software Writing I: Selected and Introduced by Joel Spolsky. At the time, I was mostly aware of the insanity that the strip intended to convey. But now, after working for so long with people of varying degrees of computer-literacy, a new light has been cast upon the genius of the cartoon.

The dialog is so spot-on and many of you may have encountered such lunacy verbatim in a team meeting (hopefully, you understand the underlying argument and you aren't one of the characters). When someone is clueless. Fine. I can help. But it's exasperating when smart people know, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they have a solution to a problem, yet have no clue what they are talking about and go to extreme lengths to execute some wild and well-thought-out plan. That, I have no patience for. Also, the drawings are hilarious, particularly as the strip moves along and the crazy-eyes come out!

Anyway...Ha! Ha! Story of my life.

Found It!

2009-04-03T23:44:00.003-05:00

This is a link to our new apartment. Enjoy it while you can, as the link probably won't work much longer. By "our new apartment" I really mean an apartment I looked at tonight and fell in love with immediately. To become "ours" the application I plan to fax tomorrow needs to be approved and some logistical problems need to be worked out, but I am hopeful. The pictures do not do it justice. It has everything we are looking for in a new place. And, it is less than one block away! It is actually right across the street and a few houses down! Funny. That should really keep moving costs low. U-Haul will not get me with that mileage fee this time.

Jeff is out of town. I had dinner at Friendship Chinese Restaurant with friends and am now going to watch movies until I fall asleep. Awesome.

Dr. Pepper

2009-04-01T22:30:00.012-05:00

Today it was pretty warm and I ran my required mileage in less time than anticipated. This was followed by Jeff and I having a tasty dinner (though comprised of different food, like always) while watching an episode of "Dexter" from season three. The story really began earlier today when Jeff uncharacteristically agreed to take a mid-day break from work to look at an apartment that I was certain was going to be perfect. The missing screens, broken doorknobs and the distinct smell of pee in the hallway convinced me otherwise. Stopping for ice cream on the way back to Jeff's work certainly helped me get over what was, disappointingly, not our awesome new apartment. By the time I got back to work I was inpatient with traffic, my slow computer, and being forced to use an impossibly dirty public restroom. A medium Dr. Pepper from a nearby Wendy's might have actually saved my life. And, who knows, maybe the oversized, rumored-to-contain-prune-juice soda was why I was able to run faster than normal just a few hours after drinking it. Perhaps I should drink more Dr. Pepper......

Did anyone else have a "be a pepper" shirt as a kid? I loved mine.

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-03-18T10:06:00.004-05:00

New Movie. Spike Jonez. Exciting? I think so.

A Picasso In The Bathroom

2009-03-12T09:37:00.004-05:00

I just finished Outliers. I highly recommend the book. If you don't "have time" to read the whole thing, you could watch the following interview and understand the argument that Gladwell attempts to make throughout the book. The interview is an hour and 42 minutes long. If you don't "have time" for that either, I can't help you. Just give up on life!

Books that I will read after reading this book:
Triangle: The Fire That Changed America
Work Hard. Be Nice.: How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America

Malcolm Gladwell mentions both books in Outliers. The first was a book I had planned on reading anyway. It came in to work as a donation and sounded interesting. It's a brief history of the garment industry of New York in the early 1900s and a fire that killed a bunch of laborers in a specific factory. The second is about the two teachers/founders of the KIPP program in American schools.

Read on!

Cranky Pants

2009-03-12T08:54:00.002-05:00

I have been super crabby since Monday morning. Yesterday I actually stayed home from work (because I didn't have any clients anyway) because I was so crabby. Right now I am sitting on the couch wishing I had no responsibilities and could spend the day on a warm, sunny beach. I think Miami ruined Chicago for me.

Doored At 1MPH...

2009-03-06T08:30:00.004-06:00

...by the passenger! That's right! That just happened! It wasn't bad and the woman was very apologetic. Really, it was more irritating and embarrassing than anything. But why am I embarrassed? She was the idiot! It's probably because I actually fell on the ground and there were lots of people around.

To all you non-cyclists out there, check your mirrors and look over your shoulder before getting out of either side of your car. Helpful.

Random Stuff For 3.4.2009

2009-03-04T14:50:00.007-06:00

Seems Twitter has reached a tipping point. Eff that noise! I hope it goes away. I don't have time to read about what you're doing right now; even if it is only 140 characters.

I've known about TED for a while now, but just found out today that you can download MP3s of all of their presentations. Super dice!

This American Life is also a golden goose of entertaining stories and information.

This American Life, Episode 365: Another Frightening Show About the Economy

2009-03-03T13:09:00.003-06:00

I just listened to most of the show per Julian's recommendation (Margaret may have mentioned it too). Good stuff. The scariest bit was certainly the info regarding unregulated "credit default swaps."

Craziness!

"Everything I know, I heard on NPR." -Margaret Waugh. Usually I take credit for this line, but Margaret has mentioned otherwise.

Questions For The Ages

2009-02-22T22:44:00.002-06:00

Why do people stop walking when they get on an escalator? And why do they stop, leaving no room for others to get by?

Words Of Wisdom

2009-02-22T22:43:00.002-06:00

"There are a lot of irritating people in this world and I'm probably one of them."
- Jeffrey Wat

Feel free to use that one.

Update About Black Swan

2009-02-20T15:34:00.005-06:00

The other day, while I was leaving class, a guy noticed that I was reading Black Swan. His comment, "I met the author once. I haven't read his book, but..." and then proceeded to tell me, a guy who is reading the book, what the book is about. The nerve of some people! I know what the book is about. I'm reading it! I don't need your dumb-ass telling me his uneducated opinion about something he knows nothing about. Maybe he was just making small talk. Whatever. I don't need your mental masturbation; I'm getting enough of the author's from reading the book.

Questions For The Ages...

2009-02-13T14:48:00.001-06:00

Why do old ladies have short-curly-purple hair on top of their heads?

Books Books And More Books

2009-01-29T15:30:00.019-06:00

My fascination with reading and books has reached an almost obsessive level. If you didn't read the "Learn to read faster" article in The First Post Of 2009, please check it out. It will change your life!

The Chicago Public Library and its website are such valuable resources. I check MyCPL daily, if not hourly. It's quite an awesome site and the CPL catalog is quite impressive. Very few books for which I've searched have not been found. You can then put the book on hold and/or have it sent to any library in the CPL system. You can even call the library and have the book pulled off the shelf and placed on hold if you want to go to the library to pick the book up. The website also allows you to renew books. Very nice!

Books I've read since November (and slightly before):

Strengths Finder 2.0
Getting Things Done
The Myth Of Multitasking
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (finished; I started this several years ago)
The 4-Hour Workweek
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Bait and Switch : The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream
Cut To The Chase
First, Break All The Rules
Now, discover your strengths
Team Of Rivals (in progress)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
12: The Elements of Great Managing
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (audiobook)
The tipping point : how little things can make a big difference

If I've missed any and they come to mind, I'll be sure to include it. Mostly business, management and productivity books. I'm a bit obsessed about those as well. Add it to the list...

On the shelf; In the queue:

Making it all work : winning at the game of work and the business of life
The power of less : the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential-- in business and in life
The black swan : the impact of the highly improbable (just picked up today)
Strengths-based leadership : great leaders, teams, and why people follow
Whatever it takes : Geoffrey Canada's quest to change Harlem and America (Margaret just finished it and said it was amazing!)
Good to great why some companies make the leap- and others don't
Outliers : the story of success
How Would You Move Mount Fuji? Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle - How the World's Smartest Company Selects the Most Creative Thinkers
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Margaret has accused me of reading too much and not living. Maybe...

A number of books on both lists were retrieved from this list. Have suggestions for books I should read, leave a comment.

The First Update Of 2009

2009-01-08T22:10:00.006-06:00

Learn to read faster; it's changing my life! The techniques here were also mentioned in The 4-Hour Work Week and it really does work.
Cut To The Chase. It's good. I read it in about an hour.
We just joined Paperback Swap. "Free" books.
I guess we're not the only one's making use of our Public Libraries. Just this past weekend, Margaret and I started a weekend library tour where we visit a new neighborhood library each week. Now that I read more, this actually makes sense. Also, it's free and interesting.
Classes started on Tuesday. I think I want to be a professor.
A Gopher is a small animal.

You're Kidding!

2008-12-22T21:54:00.001-06:00

Brocabulary: The New Man-i-festo of Dude Talk

Final Grades: 3.85 GPA; WTF?!

2008-12-17T09:36:00.005-06:00

There goes my 4.0! I suspected there might be a possibility of this, but seriously? I hate the +/- system. It just fucks everything up!

I'm not going to lie; I messed up the beginning of the semester, but thought I had it under control by the end. In all seriousness, I did. I got A's in both classes. I guess my A's weren't good enough. That's bullshit!

Happy Snow Day!

2008-12-16T20:04:00.002-06:00

It's days like today that make me never want to leave the snowy regions of the United States. The first REAL snow day. It's great!

Riding home was a challenge. Beneath the thick layer of snow that had fallen all day was a nice layer of ice leftover from the past two days of temperatures in the teens.

Another "What If..." Moment

2008-12-07T18:21:00.019-06:00

December 7, 2008, Montrose Harbor, Illinois Cyclocross State Championships, Category 3. I almost missed the start because I was busy warming up and only realized my race lining up as I was about to start another interval. I stripped off my jacket, lobster mitts and shoe covers (it was about 20 degrees), put on my racin' gloves and rushed over to the start line. Got my call up for my 9th-place-overall and heard all my teammates cheering for me and Jason. Awesome!

Got a great clip in and hit the hole-shot. Quickly settled in 3rd wheel for the first few turns and got comfortable. The legs felt great and my breathing was under control. Today was supposed to be teammate Jason K's day and about halfway through the first lap I hadn't seen him; he's usually in front of me. I yelled at someone on the sidelines, "Where's Knauff?!" Their response was to worry about myself. "He's not here. Race your bike!" I kept going. I traded places for 2nd wheel after about a lap and a half and stayed calm, not getting ahead of myself.

With about 2 to go, I got a flat. I had no idea where the wheel-pit was (my lovely wife, Margaret, put my wheels in the pit), but oddly enough, I brought spare wheels today (I've never brought spare wheels to a cross race). I yelled at the officials as I passed the start/finish line "Where's the pit?!" I'm not going to lie, I was in a panic. I was 2nd and riders were quickly approaching. I kept riding and saw Margaret. "Where's my wheels?! I have a flat." She told me the pit was around the next turn and I hopped off the bike and ran with it. By the time I had changed my wheel, it was too late. A bunch of guys passed me and the bell rang the next time past the start/finish.

I had a series of handling problems with the new wheel and slipped more than a few times as the temp dropped and the ground started to get more slick. I wasn't able to catch anyone and had to settle for 6th. What if? That's all I can think and it still hurts to think I could have gotten a much better placing.

I found out after the race that Jason broke his bike within the first 10 seconds of the race when he hit a pot-hole covered by snow (his frame is destroyed - See left). I think jK summed it up when he said "what's worse, being on great form and not winning because the other guy was stronger... or never even having a chance because you broke your bike in the first 10 seconds of the race? Guess I'll never know." He definitely got the shorter end of the stick, but I'll still be left knowing that I could have done better, all because of something that was beyond my control.

On a positive note, my fitness was right there. Coach had me preparing and tapering for this event and it worked; I felt great! Also, I'm very happy with my top-ten overall in my first season of cross racing. This race will be a target next year and I'll hopefully have a new bike for the season. Am I hooked on cross? No Doubt! Jason K. finished up 14th on the day and sealed the deal on his 1st-place Overall. He is the series Champion!

Photos courtesy of Eric Goodwin and Mr. iPhone.

Catching Up With Random Stuff

2008-12-07T18:08:00.005-06:00

I just found the best deal for "dress" socks. Clarks of England guarantees their socks for life. If they develop holes or wear out, just take them in to any store and they'll replace them. I bought 6 pairs.
Speaking of Clarks, I love their shoes. I now own three pair. The newest addition.
Margaret has an ongoing feud with the people in our building over laundry. Seriously, every time she tries to do several loads of laundry, someone in the building will jump in between her loads and occupy the washer/dryer for the rest of the night, despite her waiting loads next to the washer. I've never had a problem.
I'm a slow reader; I'm a subvocalizer. I'm trying out some new reading techniques and I'm getting faster and I don't fall asleep while reading either. Score!
My first semester of grad school ended just before Thanksgiving. Just got my grades. Two A's!

Amazing

2008-11-06T21:19:00.006-06:00

It is cold outside but I am still as content as I am when it is the middle of July. That is how happy I am about recent events. Everything is different, everything is better.

Jeff and I went to the rally on Tuesday night. We stood for over 5 hours, but it was OK. Lots of tall people blocked my view, and wimpy women crowded me when they took up more than their fair share of space by sitting down, but it was OK. Jeff thinks I am being dramatic when I say that Tuesday night was the best night of my life so far. Dramatic or no, it truly was the most meaningful event I have ever been a part of, albeit passively.

I know that so many people are using emotion-inducing words to describe Obama's win, and I realize the whole thing is on the verge of being a cliche. Especially irritating is when people like me take to our blogs and attempt to utilize our mediocre writing abilities to describe how we have been permanently, profoundly altered by the said event. I get it, I get it, I am part of the problem. Just like Jeff and I are contributing to the gentrification and eventual homogenization of Logan Square, I am now watering down the significance of Obama's election with my incompetent drone of a blog entry.

This point is worth reemphasizing, though: it is cold outside and I am still in a good mood. That is how meaningful all of this is to me, how much of an impact Obama becoming the president-elect has had on me.

Oh, I applied for a job in the Obama administration. I do not think that my sweet therapist job at a Chicago non-profit will woo them all that much, but what the hell. So far (and sadly, as far as it will go) this generic response is all I have to show for my application.

Holy Shit! Today Is The Day!

2008-11-04T09:04:00.002-06:00

Update: We voted!

Update: We received "wait list" tickets to the event in Grant Park. We're getting ready to head down. Gates open at 8:30PM.

More Random October Happenings

2008-10-30T21:38:00.005-05:00

I was unintentionally entered into the Great Bicycle-Commuter Race Of 10.30.08 down Milwaukee Ave. on my way home tonight. I thought messengers were nuts; regular commuters are crazy! I saw one guy almost plow head-on into an oncoming SUV when he blindly entered a 6-way intersection. I witnessed another "racer" use the "I'm going to rest here at the top of the overpass" bit to fool everyone waiting at the light at the bottom of the hill. He timed his descent to perfection to coincide with the greening of the light and flew past everyone. The finish line must have been the 6-points in Wicker Park because there was no one left but me the rest of the way home.
I finished looking through all the photos in the Fountain Pens Pool on flickr. There are a lot of pens I'm lusting after. Also, why are there ball-point pens in the Fountain Pens pool?
I started Getting Things Done (GTD) a few weeks ago and quickly joined the "cult." Finished the book tonight. I also gave it to three people, promised to get it for one and heard it mentioned twice today at work. The craze is spreading!

No Taxation Without Representation

2008-10-30T19:38:00.007-05:00

No Taxation Without Representation!

Maybe some of you Constitutional Lawyers out there can explain this in stupid-people terms: I have a friend who is a Permanent Resident. He pays taxes but can't vote.

You can also get deported for registering to vote if you are not a citizen. I guess ignorance is no excuse.

Also, if a person born outside the US can be President, why can't non-citizens vote? I'm just asking for a little consistency if you're going to bend the rules.

Deep Thoughts...

2008-10-17T10:00:00.007-05:00

Sometimes I think about stuff:

Google Talk is a time-sucker. Uninstalled!
At this time of year, it's warmer by The Lake.
School is not REAL yet as evidenced by my lackluster performance on my first test.
My back hurts.
I love books about management techniques.
del.icio.us
I'd rather have an intelligent president and vice-president who most people can't relate to than a maverick and a hockey mom who are your joe-beer-drinkin' buddies. Do I really want the guy who runs the local tavern to be running the country?
I like winning contests!
Pineapple, when eaten first, ruins the taste of everything after it.
Traffic between 6:00AM and 8:00AM gets progressively worse as the week goes on.
Impulse purchases get the best of me.
Certainly there's more to think about...

BurnhamRacing On Youtube

2008-10-05T09:35:00.002-05:00

Eric put this together while he watched some baseball. No idea what is going on with the teams in our city. What can I say? I don't watch sports.

A Niche In The Niche Of Niches

2008-10-03T17:56:00.007-05:00

I introduce you to: The Pen Addict. I'm not going to lie; I love what I've seen so far! I'm kind of a pen snob myself and it's nice to know that there are others out there who are even worse than me. It makes me feel good about myself and it's nice to know that I'm in good company. He also has a flickr album.

Handwriting Meme

2008-09-30T21:12:00.014-05:00

I found the pool on flickr and then found the blog. I've sent the project to Matt, Julian, Luke, Jason K. and Padfield (they all use flickr and I'm assuming they all know how to write). As they complete the project, I'll post the pictures.

Update: No one responded. Eff those guys; my feelings aren't hurt.

New Update: Matt wins! Although, he's a loser.

Update to the "New Update": Julian is a champ!

Crossin' It Up

2008-09-21T17:12:00.010-05:00

I have not posted any blogs in quite some time. I guess I haven't been particularly excited about anything to say it on the Interwebs. Although, Margaret completing her half-marathon was pretty exciting. I guess I posted info about that race in the flickr notes.

But now let's move on to me and my exciting race. First, some background info: I've been pretty burnt out on road racing for a few weeks; I was just counting the days until my last race so that I could hang up the Madone, if not for a few weeks then at least not have to think about it. So Gateway Cup, a series of 4 fun yet grueling races, came and went and I was ready to be off the road bike.

I didn't really ride for a few days and spent my time relaxing and setting up my Cyclocross bike. The plan was to re-condition an old bike for its intended purpose, instead of the one which it had been relegated to, which was winter commuter. It's not "complete" but complete enough on which to ride, practice and race.

Andy, Jason "King Of The Dirt" Knauff and I did some structured cross practice in Humboldt Park a few days a week for about 2 weeks leading up to today. I must say, Jason is an excellent coach and showed us, 1 on 1, exactly what to expect and how things play out. We learned critical skills and were corrected when we weren't quite up-to-snuff. I'm not going to lie. I crashed more than a few times that first week.

On to today, which was Jackson Park, the first race of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. I won't bore you with every detail of the race (Cat 3. I was cajoled into upgrading without ever racing 'cross and I'm glad I did) but I was expecting a lot and got exactly that. I started the race strong and hit it hard with the lead group pretty good. Of course it strung out and there were riders all over the course. I was gapped from the really good guys but managed to pass the few who started out too hot and faded. I wasn't passed by anyone but really wanted Andy Daley to catch me so he could pace us back up to the lead group (he's faster than I am!), but he got caught behind a crash* with 1 to go and ended up 17th. The guy I rode with the last few laps rode away from me about half-way through the last lap and I held off the chasers, coming in 7th. Not bad for a first-timer.

Jason K. won!

All in all, I had a good first experience with 'cross and can't thank Jason K. enough for being such a great coach. I hope my next race is as successful.

*Updated By Andy Daley: "Andy got greedy in a 180 trying to catch up to [me] and washed out his front wheel in some mud. Thankfully, no surly Cat 3's from Texas were hung up by Andy's crash."

The Half Marathon and Other Stuff

2008-09-16T20:52:00.005-05:00

I ran the Chicago Half Marathon this past Sunday. I am too shy to post the photos here, but there are some on our Flickr site. The non-stop rain did not ruin the race at all. There were so many people and it was so exciting that I had fun anyway. I think the rain may have even helped, as I did not get overheated. I do not have much to say about it except that I ran just shy of my dream time, loved how supportive Jeff was, and plan to do another. My best friend, Seth, said he will run the Miami half marathon with me if I travel down there to do it in January. As of today, that is my next goal.

A few other things to minimize yesterday's grumpiness: 1) I love The New Yorker. Why was I not reading it before today? 2) When the Metra is not hitting people I really enjoy taking it to work. 3) Iced chai = best coffee shop drink ever. 4) Jokes about too many adjectives are funny to me but not to coffee shop employees. 5) "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" is surprisingly good. 6) Chicken tacos are far superior to beef tacos. 7) Sprint grandfathered our cheap family plan from several years ago, what suckers. 8) Chicago may be big but it's size does not prevent random run-ins with casual acquaintances on the train. 9) In one hour of work, Albert the plumber freed us from the smell of backed up water in our basement that has been terrorizing us for weeks. 10) Walking downtown with business people can make even a lowly social worker feel wealthy.

Is Everyone an Idiot?

2008-09-15T18:50:00.006-05:00

I know it has become disgustingly commonplace to rave either for or against Sarah Palin, so I will keep it short: she is the complete and total opposite of anything or anyone that any current or future citizen of the US will ever need for any reason.

Jeff sent me this article that finished it all for me. Read it, know it. After the interview with Charles Gibson I continued to dislike all of her policies, but I mostly just felt sorry for her. Now I am back to disliking her to a perhaps unhealthy level. Poor John McCain. I was not going to vote for him anyway but at least I respected him. Now he is dead to me.

By the way, what is up with the Dow losing 504.48 points? Maybe we are all wasting time thinking about the November 4th election when our country is imploding.

Finally, I am becoming more and more convinced that 401k and 403b retirement options are a scam. I blindly contribute a considerable chunk of my income on something that seemed like a good idea to a bunch of chumps trying to impress cheap CEOs with their forethought. There is a lot wrong with that scenario. Lately I am thinking their bright plan has condemned most of us to poverty, or at least shallow pockets, in our retirement. Dramatic? Perhaps.

Man, I am a downer today. I guess I am a good match for Sad Clown Wat. I think the cold weather is already getting to me. It is going to be a looooooong winter.

Tragedy on the Metra Electric Line

2008-08-26T21:22:00.009-05:00

I finally have a work schedule that allows me to take public transportation every day, provided I am on time. Today I was not on time, which is not terribly unusual. I was 1 minute late for the 11:30 Metra from downtown to Harvey and beyond, just in time to see it pull out of Millennium Station. I patiently waited for the 12:30 while alternately being entertained by the magazine I was reading and annoyed by the woman eating Funyuns next to me.

I was lucky enough to nab an excellent seat on the train and settled in for the 30 minute ride I was expecting. Five to ten minutes into the ride there was a thump, thump, thump and the train came to a halt. One of the conductors (aka ticket taker) spewed profanities as he ran towards the back of the train. I was not sure what happened, but I am not usually one to panic (especially when I am among only strangers) so I just waited for more information. It was a long, slow process with many alarmists around me foolishly yelling out theories based on no facts whatsoever. I will save you the suspense - a young, African American teenage girl was hit and killed by the train. Awful, truly awful.

For two hours the train remained stopped and none of the passengers were allowed to get off. Firefighters arrived first. I saw the flashing of the truck just before the first ladder peeked over the wall that separated homes from the Metra tracks. Firefighter after firefighter laboriously climbed up and over the ladders in all of their gear. I was greatly amused by the fact that as the firefighters were doing so, the police just drove up next to the tracks. Do the firefighters have substandard GPS or do they just enjoy using their ladders? Eventually the police and firefighters were joined by a few guys with cameras, a woman with "police line" tape, and what seemed like an hour later the detectives arrived.

The whole thing was awful and surreal. I am not going to get into all of that, but I am definitely going to write about how stupid some of the passengers on the train acted. Even more awful than a young girl being killed by the train, accidentally or purposefully, was the ugliness the accident exposed in the passengers. Some were quiet, but most expressed inconvenience for the death. Statements like "why couldn't she pick another train to step in front of?" and "I know they have to investigate but I still have some place I need to be" were abound. People completely freaked out about the two hours we had to sit on the train. They clamored around the conductor in an absolutely panicked state each time he walked through our car. Lots of cell phone calls whining about how awful it was for them were made, refunds for the $3 fare were demanded, and so much time was spent hyping each other up into frenzied anger about how inept Metra was in their performance. I mean, passengers were stuck in a train for a whopping two hours. That is DEFINITELY comparable to the loss of a young girls' life and the pain her family will likely endure.

To do my job, or perhaps because of it, I largely believe that people are good and decent. I think they will do the right thing in most instances if they are at all capable of doing so. But days like today, and situations like the horrible Metra accident, challenge my outlook. When people complain of the $3 they had to pay for a "late" train and make no mention of how horrible it is that a girl died, I really wonder how any of us are going to be OK. If that is how the average person behaves in the face of a tragedy, I truly do not see how we are going to make it. It is beyond disturbing, and well beyond my ability to articulate.

UPDATE: Apparently an adult, not a teenager. Still awful.

Education Fail

2008-08-25T10:26:00.002-05:00

Graduate School: I'm A Grad-Student!

2008-08-21T11:51:00.003-05:00

I applied to Depaul University's College Of Computing And Digital Media last week some time. In addition, I signed up for their Accelerated Admissions and got accepted in about 5 minutes, plus $25.00 for the application fee. Fun! I start classes (online) on September 10th.

Olympic Fever

2008-08-13T22:00:00.006-05:00

I adore the Olympics. In fact, I purchased a TV just so I could watch them. I plan to return it to Target as soon as the Olympics end. I have grown to cherish our TV-less apartment and will be happy to return to the peace and quiet, and especially the lack of temptation to fill all of my free time with worthless sitcoms and trashy, teenage dramas.

Sadly, the Olympic announcers constantly spew ridiculousness throughout their narration of the games. I just heard my favorite line, as said at the beginning of the men's individual gymnastic finals. "An individual gymnast is like the Chinese panda: harder and harder to find, and something to be cherished." I may not have the quote exactly right, but it is pretty damn close. As embarrassing as their announcing is, I secretly (or not so secretly, as I'm now posting it) hope the announcers top the Panda line. I think they can do it.

Double sad is the manly voiced woman who has "cultural" pieces about China near the beginning of the prime time Olympic coverage. Today she made fun of Chinese food. I think she should be fired for her one-sided presentation that made a mockery of food that is, god forbid, not resemblant of American food. We cannot all construct diets consisting only processed, fried, and corn syrup filled foods that are void of most nutritional content. How "weird" and "funny" that the Chinese do not eat Taco Bell and drink 72 ounces of soda for each meal. I mean, why don't they have a food source that relies on a completely unsustainable amount of energy for growth and production? (OK, maybe they do have the same sustainability problems as the US, but I thought it sounded good.)

Lastly, I am as enamored with and thrilled by Michael Phelps as the next person, but why doesn't anyone talk about his 2004 DUI? Suspicious.

This Is Lightning. This Is Lightning In Slow Motion

2008-08-08T09:20:00.002-05:00

Watch the video.

Margaret & Jeff

Heron: A Lesson In Communication

Amazing!

Strange Day On The Bike

Is It Real?!

The Smiths Documentary

Gillian Welch - Elvis Presley Blues

Margaret is 30!

Book-A-Week Is Done!

Progress on the House

Mechanix Gloves: The Original vs Fake

Calling All Plumbers...

The House Almost Won This Weekend...

Would You Rather...

One More Night Of Apartment Living

"Real" Ride #1 For The Season

Thunder Snow: Everyone Is Talking About It

Ride #2, 2011

More Updates

Hawaii 2010

Cyclocross 2010: Done And Done!

Yellowstone, Summer, 2010

Craftsmanship

Cycling Humor

Thieves!

Book A Week Starts Today

Quadruple Done

Done and Done!

High-Five Drive By

Fixedsters + Rain = No Dice

Judson - 4.4.10

Book-A-Week

Choices

RAWR!

Some Recent Creations...

These Did Not Disappoint!

This Isn't Political..

Buy My Stuff!

Facebook Shmacebook; Vote For Christopher House

Happy Birthday To Me!

Please Attend

Ugly Tattoo?

Just About The Worst Waiting Experience Evar!

This Is Amazing Stuff!

A New Addiction: Sewing!

Best Day On The Bike Since June

iProducts Galore

At Least I'll Get To Wear The Jersey

3rd Anniversary

Fleet Feet Women's 10k

I Guess I'm Going To Omaha!

Minor Monday Irritations

A Blast From My Childhood Past

Minor Monday Irritations

Boring Video Installment #3

Minor Monday Irritations

Who Said They Never Ride For Fun?

It's Breadcrumb Season

I Love A Good Sprint Finish: Kentucky Derby 2009

Internets!

I'm Eating Breakfast!

One Of Many Peeves

Peak 1 Second Power

A Horrible Night

The Geek Side Of My Sense Of Humor

Found It!

Dr. Pepper

Where The Wild Things Are

A Picasso In The Bathroom

Cranky Pants

Doored At 1MPH...

Random Stuff For 3.4.2009

This American Life, Episode 365: Another Frightening Show About the Economy

Questions For The Ages

Words Of Wisdom

Update About Black Swan

More Reading

Questions For The Ages...

Books Books And More Books

The First Update Of 2009