Green is good

This year has been a green year. I have been looking for signs of green because everything that has been green has turned out to be a good thing for me. It all started when I moved in to my new apartment and someone gifted a pot set that they were getting rid of and it was all enameled green. It was so cute and suited me just fine. Since then all throughout the year I had met with green things for my kitchen all gifted. Then it applied to something totally unexpected when I was searching for internet service and I didn't want Verizon or AT&T/Comcast (you can't fool me) both of which I have sworn off years ago as being terrible companies on principle and customer service. I also don't believe in cable. It's a hoax! plus television isn't any good these days and robs us of our creativity. So I started searching for something like a start-up company with smarts. I thought in this day and age of ipods and innovation, dsl must be outdated and that's when I came across CLEAR. The website looked professional, had green everywhere and here they were offering 4G using WiMax technology! when last I heard Verizon only had 3G. It sounded like the future to me exactly the kind of innovation I knew was out there. To explain the 4G techno a little I borrowed the following explanation from Wikipedia:

"The nomenclature of the generations generally refers to a change in the fundamental nature of the service, non-backwards compatible transmission technology, higher spectral bandwidth and new frequency bands. New generations have appeared about every ten years since the first move from 1981 analog (1G) to digital (2G) transmission in 1992. This was followed, in 2001, by 3G multi-media support, spread spectrum transmission and at least 200 kbit/s, in 2011 expected to be followed by 4G, which refers to all-IP packet-switched networks, mobile ultra-broadband (gigabit speed) access and multi-carrier transmission."

WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) on the other hand well that simply allowed lifting the constraints of wires and cables. Bottom line - bigger and better.  Signing up was a breeze. I had the choice of purchasing my device or leasing it and they didnt have to call my preschool principal to verify that I was me and that I was honest about it. They simply posted at the interaction "because that's how we roll". I was thrilled. I purchased my device, signed up and when it came in the mail, I plugged it in usb and voila! I was on like corn. Thanks to Craig McCaw the Steve Jobs in telecommuinications.

The eternal denim Jacket

Is it really eternal? Is it out? Is it ever? Should the wearers be be told to stop? I have recently pondered these questions because lately pairing a denim jacket with a pair of jeans brings to mind eighties multicolored tube socks and one-sided pony-tails with bangs (although that's making a comeback too). I cringe at the sight of women 30 and up wearing the combination really. Which makes me think - when is it ok to wear a denim jacket? Is it that the design makes the difference? Does it belong to the young only? I can't imagine grandma wearing a denim jacket unless she's gardening or is the regular hippie. I've been reconsidering the popularity of jeans altogether and wondering if there is anything that might replace it as the most worn article of clothing ever. Well... what makes a pair of jeans the go to piece of clothing no matter the occasion? seems to be these days it's worn to restaurants, theatre, opera house, the Board room...just about any and everywhere. Think, durability-jeans last forever and if not forever a darn long time! blending ability - jeans go with every fashion dressed up or down and with any color, chameleon ability - it takes on many forms (hmmm jeans underwear anyone?)

Shoe Snob

I've become a shoe snob. At some point in my recent life I developed an aversion to shoe shopping. Don't get me wrong I love to admire shoes; I might go crazy over a new style or even design one in my head or dream of having a shoe company but that soon turns into a slow churning feeling of needing to expel my lunch. It gets worse when I go shopping for shoes. It has seriously baffled me as to what has occurred in my psyche. I have reasoned that it could be associated with the lack of comfortable shoes wherein shoe wearers these days always have to sacrifice comfort for style; or maybe it's my inability to withstand the stilt walking heights heels have gone to when I can't even bear to walk in 2 inches. But then again I have also developed malcontent and boredom of shopping even for clothing. It might have started when my shoe loving -bordering on hoarding that could soon enough warrant an episode of the program Hoarders on A&E- aunt Gloria (recall your favorite Gloria song here mine being by U2) offered me a look into her stash to pick out any I liked. I recall an ecstatic cry as I dove in like a contestant on Supermarket sweep then I picked so many that I eventually paused as my eyes dilated and inside me something changed. I dropped most of the ones I picked and chose a few rather simple ones turned my back on the rest and never looked back. I have since never feigned any excitement except for a mere appreciative comment on a particularly interesting design and color. Another issue I have with shoes is lack of arch cushioning because my arches seem to be high and the pressure places can shift your bones and cause bunion forming and bone pain. All in all I really would like to design shoes with both fashion sense and common sense but it may be a dreamscape.

Velox Pride

Summer was busy. I rode 155miles and raised over $1700 to support a cure for Multiple Slerosis both numbers more than I set out to accomplish but both worth it. It went down without a hitch but for a minor upset on my first day where somewhere around mile 40 something a woman drove up behind me overtaking and turning right in front of me while I was going down hill then she stopped suddenly right on the corner in front of me and all I could mutter before realizing how fast I had to brake and how sure my collision with her car was going to be was "Please drive, pleeeeease drive!" To no avail she just sat there panicky looking and glancing into her rearview mirror until my bike hit her bumper head on and I jumped onto the trunk and rebounded onto the street. It was surprising that I did this without seriously injuring myself and I got up a bit bruised and annoyed that she abbreviated a perfectly good descent after a climb. She came out of the car pleadingly for forgiveness, her son in the passenger seat seemed to be inquiring of her, what was she thinking! because she kept going back and forth explaining herself to him as he murmured questions. I had a sneaky feeling she was extremely nervous for another reason that I couldn't be bothered with, although the cops came and brushed everything off probably because the whole ride seemed like a bit of a nuisance to the town officials and those who didn't seem to care for the hoards of riders upsetting their weekend routine. I was eager to get back on the road and see that my twelve hundred dollar women specific Trek was not damaged except that of my white handlebar taping which now had a tear. All in all, the days were enjoyable and the Bourne bridge not as hard as I thought to ascend at 5 in the morning. I swore up and down Route 6 on my last leg of the whole ride on the second day only simply because the stretch was just torture being a long boring highway of cars and riders so distant. Although I thought doing the ride with a partner would be so much more encouraging I would do the ride again for the sheer exhilaration and to help others in the process. I learned that although it's a charity ride many of the riders are extremely competitive - the men especially (testosterone levels were up there alright). However keeping focused and seeing how dedicated the supporters along the way were was enough to keep my spirits high. I finished both days and partied my way back home on a ferry. After that I haven't gotten many major rides and like an addict I crave long bike rides. Now that it's getting colder I'll be back to cycling with Michael at the gym but non one would have to convince me next year to do the MS ride. If you're interested in riding with a good team check out Team Velox Rota. Michael is the team captain and although you might end up with a super crush, once that's past, you'll find a group of really enthusiastic true blue friendly folks who believe in making a difference and just pedaling.