Totally don't believe in tenure for teachers. I think it's bad for kids, professional development, and society in general.
Still, it's a pretty cool thing to have!
:)
28 October 2006
17 October 2006
Bicycling a Marathon
Wow! Didn't even realize it's been a month since I blogged. Too busy doing stuff that's not that interesting.... here goes.
You can hear about Michael's marathon woes at his site. Mine are different.
After two weeks of constant nagging from Tricia, I signed up to ride the Long Beach marathon. This entails arriving by the 6 am start and bicycling the 26.2 mile course ahead of the runners. Admittedly, bicycling is much easier than running, although it is challenging to navigate through thousands of cyclists who have no idea what they're doing.
I didn't find Tricia and her friends at the start. After a mostly cut-off phone call, I decided they must be in front of me. I spent the first 18 miles spinning at about 18 mph, pretty good for me. Then I decided I was never going to catch up and slowed down a bit. Once I made that decision, I came around a corner and there was Tricia waiting for me. We rode the last few miles and chatted. She gave me a half-eaten granola bar when I wanted to stop and eat, and I managed to finish in just under 2 hours. Not terrible, when you consider I had to brake for:
1) The 5 mile marker in the middle of the bike path.
2) A guy on a mountain bike weaving in front of me as I was going under a low-hanging tree branch.
3) The beach cruiser chick who said "on my left? There's only sand on my left."
4) 3 guys on weird stand-up trike things. Definately not 'bicycles.'
5) A couple on a Trek tandem who had to stop and walk around a wide corner that my captain could have made easily.
Tricia looked cute at the finish. Here's her picture. I have a medal just like hers, but it wouldn't fit over my helmet, and it seemed silly to take a picture without it!
Afterward, I entertained myself by talking to the AIDS Life Cycle folks (Tricia will hit you up for donations soon.), figuring out where Michael had left the car, watching the people stagger into the race festival, and hanging out at mile 26 for an hour waiting for Michael.
I was very nervous waiting for Michael. I knew he wasn't feeling great, and when he didn't come in as he usually does like clockwork at 4 hours, I started to wonder about all the awful things that might have happened to him somewhere on the course. Luckily, he survived, and was only a little sick on the 90-minute wait to get out of Long Beach. I can't wait for the next, nice, local OC Marathon, where I get to drop him off and enjoy the next 4 hours doing other stuff!
You can hear about Michael's marathon woes at his site. Mine are different.
After two weeks of constant nagging from Tricia, I signed up to ride the Long Beach marathon. This entails arriving by the 6 am start and bicycling the 26.2 mile course ahead of the runners. Admittedly, bicycling is much easier than running, although it is challenging to navigate through thousands of cyclists who have no idea what they're doing.
I didn't find Tricia and her friends at the start. After a mostly cut-off phone call, I decided they must be in front of me. I spent the first 18 miles spinning at about 18 mph, pretty good for me. Then I decided I was never going to catch up and slowed down a bit. Once I made that decision, I came around a corner and there was Tricia waiting for me. We rode the last few miles and chatted. She gave me a half-eaten granola bar when I wanted to stop and eat, and I managed to finish in just under 2 hours. Not terrible, when you consider I had to brake for:
1) The 5 mile marker in the middle of the bike path.
2) A guy on a mountain bike weaving in front of me as I was going under a low-hanging tree branch.
3) The beach cruiser chick who said "on my left? There's only sand on my left."
4) 3 guys on weird stand-up trike things. Definately not 'bicycles.'
5) A couple on a Trek tandem who had to stop and walk around a wide corner that my captain could have made easily.
Tricia looked cute at the finish. Here's her picture. I have a medal just like hers, but it wouldn't fit over my helmet, and it seemed silly to take a picture without it!
Afterward, I entertained myself by talking to the AIDS Life Cycle folks (Tricia will hit you up for donations soon.), figuring out where Michael had left the car, watching the people stagger into the race festival, and hanging out at mile 26 for an hour waiting for Michael.
I was very nervous waiting for Michael. I knew he wasn't feeling great, and when he didn't come in as he usually does like clockwork at 4 hours, I started to wonder about all the awful things that might have happened to him somewhere on the course. Luckily, he survived, and was only a little sick on the 90-minute wait to get out of Long Beach. I can't wait for the next, nice, local OC Marathon, where I get to drop him off and enjoy the next 4 hours doing other stuff!
10 September 2006
Labor Day Acrostic
Micheal, Jessica, Ben and I biked to San Diego last weekend. Michael and I also biked back. Here's a picture of Jessica. She's smiling despite the giant hill she can see approaching.Last Tuesday, my class wrote acrostic poems about what they did on Labor Day weekend.
Here was mine (pretty much; I'm not sure I remember it accurately):
Bicycling to San Diego and back
Is a truly Laborious weekend.
Cherry-red nose under the blistering sun.
Yearning for fish tacos.
Coasting gratefully down Torrey Pines.
Lunging painfully up the inclines.
"It's not about the bike"
Ninety-one miles times two.
Greatness is in overcoming the agony.
26 August 2006
My Day Was Worse Than Yours
First of all, a mileage update:
Tandem Mileage on Wednesday night: Approximately 21 miles. Our light interferes with our computer.
Yesterday, one of the teachers at our site went to have a conference with our principal. In the course of the conference, said teacher quit. As in, she went home and isn't planning to come back. Shock. Didn't sleep last night.
The other teacher and I decided not to tell the kids until Monday, by which time we hope to know what's going to happen to their class, etc. Plan derailed. The teacher who quit called one of her students and told the student she was fired. Not true. The teacher thought she was going to be fired, so she quit on the spot.
Our wonderful Assistant Principal talked to the class, but they are in complete denial. They don't believe she would, in their words, "abandon" them like that. They are convinced everyone else is lying to them. When I told my own class, their first question was "Is it because of us, Nicole?" Ouch. I didn't cry, but I came close.
These kids already have abandonment issues, and this is the third teacher to leave the site this year. Of course, the other two gave notice and made leaving as positive experience as they could.
I feel like I'm in mourning. I don't know if I believe in the five stages of grief, but if they exist, I'm still in the anger phase. Her students deserved better.
Tandem Mileage on Wednesday night: Approximately 21 miles. Our light interferes with our computer.
Yesterday, one of the teachers at our site went to have a conference with our principal. In the course of the conference, said teacher quit. As in, she went home and isn't planning to come back. Shock. Didn't sleep last night.
The other teacher and I decided not to tell the kids until Monday, by which time we hope to know what's going to happen to their class, etc. Plan derailed. The teacher who quit called one of her students and told the student she was fired. Not true. The teacher thought she was going to be fired, so she quit on the spot.
Our wonderful Assistant Principal talked to the class, but they are in complete denial. They don't believe she would, in their words, "abandon" them like that. They are convinced everyone else is lying to them. When I told my own class, their first question was "Is it because of us, Nicole?" Ouch. I didn't cry, but I came close.
These kids already have abandonment issues, and this is the third teacher to leave the site this year. Of course, the other two gave notice and made leaving as positive experience as they could.
I feel like I'm in mourning. I don't know if I believe in the five stages of grief, but if they exist, I'm still in the anger phase. Her students deserved better.
23 August 2006
Mileage Update
I rode alongside Michael as he ran today. I don't know if the mileage really counts, since I was going pretty slowly, but I did put it in my lowest gear and spun as much as possible.
Felt Mileage: 10 mi
Total bike miles this week: 30.1 miles
Felt Mileage: 10 mi
Total bike miles this week: 30.1 miles
22 August 2006
Yet Another Way to be Injured on a Bike
Last night, Michael and I went for a spin with Jessica, who just bought a new bike. At first, we were going really slow into the wind... about 6 mph... so as not to lose Jessica. On the way back, with a tailwind, we started moving at a more respectable speed... 16 to 20 mph.
Suddenly, I feel a rock hit my cheeckbone! Jessica screamed behind me, and I thought she was hit, too! It turned out she saw me hit by some kind of rubber ball, probably from a group who were hitting balls with bats nearby on the beach. My eye is still swollen, but not bruised, which is good. Explaining a black eye to the juvenille delinquents is not easy. (Don't ask me how I know.)
On the way back, we were taunted by a couple on beach cruisers, who were very fast. The chick was probably going 20 on her cruiser. So Mike and I had to kick it up, leaving Jessica in our dust. She didn't see a corner on the beach path, and drove into the sand. Her knee was very bloody, and she's now worried abou scars and future marriage prospects. Crazy, huh? Everyone knows guys dig girls with nice... umm... figures. Bicycling = Fit = Jessica. :)
Anyway, Michael told me for the first time to "just relax, don't pedal." It's hard not to pedal, so that didn't last long. But my eyes were teary all the way home.
Sunday tandem mileage: 20.1 mi
Suddenly, I feel a rock hit my cheeckbone! Jessica screamed behind me, and I thought she was hit, too! It turned out she saw me hit by some kind of rubber ball, probably from a group who were hitting balls with bats nearby on the beach. My eye is still swollen, but not bruised, which is good. Explaining a black eye to the juvenille delinquents is not easy. (Don't ask me how I know.)
On the way back, we were taunted by a couple on beach cruisers, who were very fast. The chick was probably going 20 on her cruiser. So Mike and I had to kick it up, leaving Jessica in our dust. She didn't see a corner on the beach path, and drove into the sand. Her knee was very bloody, and she's now worried abou scars and future marriage prospects. Crazy, huh? Everyone knows guys dig girls with nice... umm... figures. Bicycling = Fit = Jessica. :)
Anyway, Michael told me for the first time to "just relax, don't pedal." It's hard not to pedal, so that didn't last long. But my eyes were teary all the way home.
Sunday tandem mileage: 20.1 mi
15 August 2006
My hair is real!
On Saturday, a lady in Jamba Juice asked me if my hair was "all mine, or if they weaved stuff into it." I was wearing it in braids... can you braid a weave? Who knows. Then she kept pointing it out to people while we were waiting for our smoothies.
Yesterday: Performance Bike in Aliso Viejo via Irvine. Home via Laguna.
Tandem mileage: 45 miles.
Yesterday: Performance Bike in Aliso Viejo via Irvine. Home via Laguna.
Tandem mileage: 45 miles.
12 August 2006
10 August 2006
French and Swiss Food Delights!
By fan demand, I must publish something about my recent food adventures.
Over the weekend, I attempted tart flambe for the first time. This was the best food in France! It came out pretty well. This is basically pizza with a very thin crust and pricy French cheese. I burnt it around the edges a little... used to making regular pizzas. Thanks to Bristol Farms for actually carrying both fromage blanc and creme.... oh, yeah, creme fraiche. That, of course, is fake bacon.
On Tuesday, our fondue pot arrived in the mail. Immediately, I rushed out to buy the proper cheeses, and invited Tricia and Jessica over for the evening. This recipe's pretty close to what I made, and was almost as good as the fondue in Switzerland. I didn't use mustard, though. Sorry, no pics... I forgot to take them during all the fondue excitement. I finished the "meal" with peaches flambe over ice cream. Lighting things on fire is never a bad thing. :)
We played poker. Tricia won. It took a long time.
Spontaneous food and drink is fun. I should get more friends.
Over the weekend, I attempted tart flambe for the first time. This was the best food in France! It came out pretty well. This is basically pizza with a very thin crust and pricy French cheese. I burnt it around the edges a little... used to making regular pizzas. Thanks to Bristol Farms for actually carrying both fromage blanc and creme.... oh, yeah, creme fraiche. That, of course, is fake bacon.On Tuesday, our fondue pot arrived in the mail. Immediately, I rushed out to buy the proper cheeses, and invited Tricia and Jessica over for the evening. This recipe's pretty close to what I made, and was almost as good as the fondue in Switzerland. I didn't use mustard, though. Sorry, no pics... I forgot to take them during all the fondue excitement. I finished the "meal" with peaches flambe over ice cream. Lighting things on fire is never a bad thing. :)
We played poker. Tricia won. It took a long time.
Spontaneous food and drink is fun. I should get more friends.
06 August 2006
Mileage Log
Tandem mileage today: 53.43 miles
Went with the Bike Club of Irvine this morning. We biked there and did the medium ride. We're a little fast for the medium group, but the long rides are usually all hills. Decided today, though, that flat is sort of boring. Lots of pedaling with no reward. Maybe next week we'll try the long.
Went with the Bike Club of Irvine this morning. We biked there and did the medium ride. We're a little fast for the medium group, but the long rides are usually all hills. Decided today, though, that flat is sort of boring. Lots of pedaling with no reward. Maybe next week we'll try the long.
05 August 2006
Overcommitted?
Assuming I don't blow the interview, I'm going to be my area's Character Based Literacy Fellow this coming year. This involves a lot of hand-holding and keeping track of books. I have Chandi to blame for leaving me.
And then my AP calls yesterday to ask if I can be the math person for my site. More hand-holding and being all positive and happy about teaching math instead of telling kids to learn it on their own.
Between the two, I'll make an extra $2350 next year. Woo hoo!
I'm waiting for a job I'm actually qualified for... perhaps something in history?
And then my AP calls yesterday to ask if I can be the math person for my site. More hand-holding and being all positive and happy about teaching math instead of telling kids to learn it on their own.
Between the two, I'll make an extra $2350 next year. Woo hoo!
I'm waiting for a job I'm actually qualified for... perhaps something in history?
01 August 2006
As Promised... a Picture of my Dragon
One of my favorite people in the whole world, my fellow teacher Chandi, is leaving our school and moving up to Santa Cruz. As happy as I am for her, I'm as devastated as our students, and will miss her greatly.
I did ride to work today. Headwinds both ways, due to the typical OC windshift. It made the ride back about 1/3 slower than the ride there. And if you ride the Santa Ana River Bike Trail, you should know that it's blocked by construction at Warner... you have to take a street detour.
Today's mileage: 29.437
July's: 69.437 in Orange County
About 250? in Germany and France (At some point, I'll add up the routesheets.
My Felt's odometer: 138.41.. how sad is that?
One of the things Chandi has done for me is taken many pictures of the gorgeous stuff I do in my room. My kids say it looks like an elementary school room, but secretly they like my "artwork." Since Chandi's leaving, I have to start taking pictures myself. My word wall, which is simply a
giant wall of vocabulary words, is my favorite ongoing project. We're about to start the book Dragonwings, so this month's word wall will be a giant Chinese dragon. Each word is a scale, so by the end of the book, he will be very large. Here's his beginning, with the theme of the novel "Integrity Requires Wholeness" as the first three words.
giant wall of vocabulary words, is my favorite ongoing project. We're about to start the book Dragonwings, so this month's word wall will be a giant Chinese dragon. Each word is a scale, so by the end of the book, he will be very large. Here's his beginning, with the theme of the novel "Integrity Requires Wholeness" as the first three words. "Dragon" in butcher paper and oil pastel
I did ride to work today. Headwinds both ways, due to the typical OC windshift. It made the ride back about 1/3 slower than the ride there. And if you ride the Santa Ana River Bike Trail, you should know that it's blocked by construction at Warner... you have to take a street detour.
Today's mileage: 29.437
July's: 69.437 in Orange County
About 250? in Germany and France (At some point, I'll add up the routesheets.
My Felt's odometer: 138.41.. how sad is that?
31 July 2006
Back to bicycling...
It only took us about 3 hours to put the bike together today. Not a great time, but it's really clean.
We biked to Dana Point... that's about 40 miles round trip. In Europe, people do not drive Escalades. That was a nice thing. An Escalade on PCH in Laguna Beach is not a pretty sight from 18 inches away.
Mileage this week: 40 miles
I'm all packed for commuting tomorrow.
Also tomorrow: a picture of my Word Wall dragon.
We biked to Dana Point... that's about 40 miles round trip. In Europe, people do not drive Escalades. That was a nice thing. An Escalade on PCH in Laguna Beach is not a pretty sight from 18 inches away.
Mileage this week: 40 miles
I'm all packed for commuting tomorrow.
Also tomorrow: a picture of my Word Wall dragon.
29 July 2006
Zurich, Lucern, the Black Forest, and Alsace!
Late Monday night, we returned from an incredible experience with Santana Tandems in Europe.
We flew into Zurich, traveled to Lucerne, which is possibly my favorite city, and then went to the highest point in the Black Forest, where we put our bike together and started our cycling adventure.
My heartfelt thanks to Bill and Jan McCready from Santana, who put together these amazing trips. Here's a picture... Bill doesn't always look that wacky.
You can see all of our photos from the trip, along with Michael's comments, at Snapfish.
Two other people who made the trip fabulous were Tate and Sarah. We bonded as two of the younger couples. Tate had the most interesting title in the "face book" that Jan put together to help us get to know each other:thing namer. He actually runs his own branding company, which sounds much more impressive, but not as funny. Sarah has a fascinating job working for the government. I'm not being facetious. I do think it's fascinating. I already miss Sarah and Tate. Here is one of our many pictures of them. Happy Birthday, Sarah!
As Tate pointed out, I live my life "pratfall to pratfall." I had only two on this trip. First, I somehow contracted pinkeye. (Lovely thought, huh?) Luckily, there was an opthamologist on the trip who travels with a bag of drugs, so it didn't ruin my trip! Thanks, Ken (seen here with his lovely wife, Susan)!
On the second day of cycling, we had dinner in a 500-year-old barn. After much dancing and weird-hat-wearing, I fell down the stairs. I suffered through the rest of the trip with a very ugly bruise on my posterior. No, there will be no picture. Another doctor on the trip was able to assure I wouldn't die from the scary bruise, and it didn't interfere with bicycling, so the riding went on! Dr. Patricia is on the right with her fellow bridge players! Thanks, Patricia!
Finally... here's a picture of Michael and I at the Maginot Line, on an incredibly hot day in France. Gotta love those bike clothes!
You can visit Michael's site for other observations... I'll write more when I've had time to get my thoughts together.
We flew into Zurich, traveled to Lucerne, which is possibly my favorite city, and then went to the highest point in the Black Forest, where we put our bike together and started our cycling adventure.
My heartfelt thanks to Bill and Jan McCready from Santana, who put together these amazing trips. Here's a picture... Bill doesn't always look that wacky.
You can see all of our photos from the trip, along with Michael's comments, at Snapfish.
Two other people who made the trip fabulous were Tate and Sarah. We bonded as two of the younger couples. Tate had the most interesting title in the "face book" that Jan put together to help us get to know each other:thing namer. He actually runs his own branding company, which sounds much more impressive, but not as funny. Sarah has a fascinating job working for the government. I'm not being facetious. I do think it's fascinating. I already miss Sarah and Tate. Here is one of our many pictures of them. Happy Birthday, Sarah!As Tate pointed out, I live my life "pratfall to pratfall." I had only two on this trip. First, I somehow contracted pinkeye. (Lovely thought, huh?) Luckily, there was an opthamologist on the trip who travels with a bag of drugs, so it didn't ruin my trip! Thanks, Ken (seen here with his lovely wife, Susan)!
On the second day of cycling, we had dinner in a 500-year-old barn. After much dancing and weird-hat-wearing, I fell down the stairs. I suffered through the rest of the trip with a very ugly bruise on my posterior. No, there will be no picture. Another doctor on the trip was able to assure I wouldn't die from the scary bruise, and it didn't interfere with bicycling, so the riding went on! Dr. Patricia is on the right with her fellow bridge players! Thanks, Patricia!
Finally... here's a picture of Michael and I at the Maginot Line, on an incredibly hot day in France. Gotta love those bike clothes!You can visit Michael's site for other observations... I'll write more when I've had time to get my thoughts together.
24 June 2006
The Site That Changed My Life
I know... I'm in big trouble! Since I've been threatened with an unauthorized update, I figured I'd better post.
Much has happened, but you can visit Michael's site to find all of that out. This is report card weekend for me, so I don't have much time to blog, but I'll let you know the basics.
First of all, ACCESS report cards are not like regular report cards. First, you have to determine which classes each individual student has earned credits in, and how many credits in each. For example, Johnny may have completed 5 credits of English, 2 of World History, 3 of math, 2.5 of science, 7 of PE and 1 of health. This takes a long time. Then you have to complete a course contract for each class. Then you have to do the actual report card. Then you have to create new course contracts for the next quarter. Finally, you have to sign everything, calculate his current number of credits, and make a bejillion copies. This takes about 1/2 hour per student (if I'm on a roll). I only have 17 more students to go!
We went on a lovely vacation. There was much bicycling and visiting. I learned that my nephew Yali is obsessed by Thomas the train engine. Here's a picture of him knocking down the tower he insisted I build so he could knock it down with a cable car. I'm behind the flash. We bought him a cable car after riding the cable cars quite a bit in San Francisco. Here's me hanging from one.
About a month ago, my sister-in-law Stephanie sent m
e some links to house cleaning sites. At first I thought that was weird, but her email changed my life! Really! It is amazing how much happier a clean house can make you! See how happy Steph and Clive are?
If you are ever frustrated, annoyed, or depressed by your home, you must visit the FlyLady. At first, it all seems really hokey, but beneath the sappy platitudes is a system that works. Michael can attest to this, even though I've fallen off the wagon this week. Report cards and all. But the house looks good again, and it only took me about an hour!
We are having a party on the First of July to celebrate the Fourth of July. It's a wine tasting party, but we're also having mucho food. If you haven't been invited, it's because you're underage or pregnant and/or have a newborn and live really far away. Or I just don't like you all that much. If you want an evite, let me know. If I like you I'll send you one.
OK... back to house cleaning. I have to spend my whole Saturday doing report cards, so the house must be clean today. Someday, hopefully next week, I'll be back on the bike. I twisted my ankle on Wednesday night, so couldn't ride today as planned. Mileage reports soon.
Much has happened, but you can visit Michael's site to find all of that out. This is report card weekend for me, so I don't have much time to blog, but I'll let you know the basics.
First of all, ACCESS report cards are not like regular report cards. First, you have to determine which classes each individual student has earned credits in, and how many credits in each. For example, Johnny may have completed 5 credits of English, 2 of World History, 3 of math, 2.5 of science, 7 of PE and 1 of health. This takes a long time. Then you have to complete a course contract for each class. Then you have to do the actual report card. Then you have to create new course contracts for the next quarter. Finally, you have to sign everything, calculate his current number of credits, and make a bejillion copies. This takes about 1/2 hour per student (if I'm on a roll). I only have 17 more students to go!
We went on a lovely vacation. There was much bicycling and visiting. I learned that my nephew Yali is obsessed by Thomas the train engine. Here's a picture of him knocking down the tower he insisted I build so he could knock it down with a cable car. I'm behind the flash. We bought him a cable car after riding the cable cars quite a bit in San Francisco. Here's me hanging from one.
About a month ago, my sister-in-law Stephanie sent m
e some links to house cleaning sites. At first I thought that was weird, but her email changed my life! Really! It is amazing how much happier a clean house can make you! See how happy Steph and Clive are?If you are ever frustrated, annoyed, or depressed by your home, you must visit the FlyLady. At first, it all seems really hokey, but beneath the sappy platitudes is a system that works. Michael can attest to this, even though I've fallen off the wagon this week. Report cards and all. But the house looks good again, and it only took me about an hour!
We are having a party on the First of July to celebrate the Fourth of July. It's a wine tasting party, but we're also having mucho food. If you haven't been invited, it's because you're underage or pregnant and/or have a newborn and live really far away. Or I just don't like you all that much. If you want an evite, let me know. If I like you I'll send you one.
OK... back to house cleaning. I have to spend my whole Saturday doing report cards, so the house must be clean today. Someday, hopefully next week, I'll be back on the bike. I twisted my ankle on Wednesday night, so couldn't ride today as planned. Mileage reports soon.
06 April 2006
Not Shirking... Really!
I know... no update recently. But I have reasons!
So, next week, after a couple of days out of town, I'll be back on the bike. That's important, because I'm riding in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes on May 20, and definately need to get ready. If you haven't already contributed, please visit my Tour de Cure page. See my inagural post for a picture from last year's ride.
However, I've kept busy. Last weekend, Michael and I cleaned up our beaches. I've adopted a section near 45th St. that I'm supposed to clean up once a month. Isn't this a great sign?
Usually people offer us drinks or money public accolades for cleaning up the beach, but this time, the minute I step on the beach, I hear:
Old Lady in a beach house with drink in hand: "Excuse me, miss! I called about that seal two days ago!"
Me (having no idea there were seals in Southern CA): "I'm a volunteer, ma'am."
Old Lady: "Well, can't you do something?"
Me: "I can call animal control."
Old Lady: "Is there someone else you can call?"
Me: "Yes, but they won't be there on a Sunday."
Old Lady: "It's been there for two days."
Me: "I'll certainly call animal control when I get home."
Old Lady: "Hmph."
I did call animal control, who already knew and said they'd take care of it on Monday. The poor sea lion was definately dead for a long time.
Funny responses Michael and I came up with after the fact: "It won't fit in my bucket." "The proper response when someone is picking up trash in front of your house is 'thank you.'"
Finally, if you're in Garden Grove on Friday evening between 4 and 7, drop by Century Day School for our very first ever Open House. The kids voted to serve buffalo wings, cookies, and popcorn, so it should be interesting.
- After my fall, I was out of comission for a few days. My knee is still purple!
- Lots of rain the past 2 weeks... I'm not THAT dedicated!
- Parent-teacher conferences all this week. It really isn't safe to bike the Santa Ana riverbed after dark.
So, next week, after a couple of days out of town, I'll be back on the bike. That's important, because I'm riding in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes on May 20, and definately need to get ready. If you haven't already contributed, please visit my Tour de Cure page. See my inagural post for a picture from last year's ride.
However, I've kept busy. Last weekend, Michael and I cleaned up our beaches. I've adopted a section near 45th St. that I'm supposed to clean up once a month. Isn't this a great sign?
Usually people offer us drinks or money public accolades for cleaning up the beach, but this time, the minute I step on the beach, I hear:
Old Lady in a beach house with drink in hand: "Excuse me, miss! I called about that seal two days ago!"
Me (having no idea there were seals in Southern CA): "I'm a volunteer, ma'am."
Old Lady: "Well, can't you do something?"
Me: "I can call animal control."
Old Lady: "Is there someone else you can call?"
Me: "Yes, but they won't be there on a Sunday."
Old Lady: "It's been there for two days."
Me: "I'll certainly call animal control when I get home."
Old Lady: "Hmph."
I did call animal control, who already knew and said they'd take care of it on Monday. The poor sea lion was definately dead for a long time.
Funny responses Michael and I came up with after the fact: "It won't fit in my bucket." "The proper response when someone is picking up trash in front of your house is 'thank you.'"
Finally, if you're in Garden Grove on Friday evening between 4 and 7, drop by Century Day School for our very first ever Open House. The kids voted to serve buffalo wings, cookies, and popcorn, so it should be interesting.
23 March 2006
The second most embarrassing place to fall over...
So today I bike 26.210 miles, and fall over across the street from my house, trying to push that stupid bike cross button. I hate those buttons. *sigh*
The most embarrassing place would be in front of school, with kids watching. That would be way worse. I haven't done that yet, at least.
Today's Stats
26.213 mi
2:15 hrs
This Week
52.952 mi
4:47:35 hrs
March
78.887 mi
7:32:35 hrs
The most embarrassing place would be in front of school, with kids watching. That would be way worse. I haven't done that yet, at least.
Today's Stats
26.213 mi
2:15 hrs
This Week
52.952 mi
4:47:35 hrs
March
78.887 mi
7:32:35 hrs
21 March 2006
This is my blog
If you don't know already, I like to bicycle. I have many bicycles. My favorite is our Santana Noventa. That's my husband Michael and I riding it at the Tour de Cure for diabetes.
All the cool people in Newport Beach have beach cruisers. I used to have a gorgeous blue Nirve Sunflower, but it was stolen. I replaced it with a beautiful Island Flower. Mine has a hand-painted yellow basket, that everyone admires.
After many months of talking about how I wanted to commute to work, I finally took my husband Michael's new Schwinn. This was fun, except the short13.38 mile ride killed my butt, shoulders, neck, and hips. Knowing it would take me hours to get there on my beach cruiser, and that I'd look silly alone on a tandem, I started shopping for a bike of my very own.
So, last weekend, after much shopping and consideration, I bought my very adorable Felt SR 91. It's black and yellow, as pictured. And BIG. I have very long legs... a 34 inch inseam, actually. This bike is a 56; way too big for anyone else to ride. But that's OK; I love it anyway.
Which brings me to the purpose of my blog. Since I now have the goal of riding to work 3 times a week, I figured I should have some kind of public record to keep me from shirking. So here goes.
Monday 3/13/06: 25.935 mi Odometer 25.935 mi 2:45 pedaling time
Monday 3/20/06: 26.739 mi Odometer 52.674 mi 2:28:34 pedaling time
Of course, the blog won't just be bicycling, but that's what it is today.
All the cool people in Newport Beach have beach cruisers. I used to have a gorgeous blue Nirve Sunflower, but it was stolen. I replaced it with a beautiful Island Flower. Mine has a hand-painted yellow basket, that everyone admires.
After many months of talking about how I wanted to commute to work, I finally took my husband Michael's new Schwinn. This was fun, except the short13.38 mile ride killed my butt, shoulders, neck, and hips. Knowing it would take me hours to get there on my beach cruiser, and that I'd look silly alone on a tandem, I started shopping for a bike of my very own.
So, last weekend, after much shopping and consideration, I bought my very adorable Felt SR 91. It's black and yellow, as pictured. And BIG. I have very long legs... a 34 inch inseam, actually. This bike is a 56; way too big for anyone else to ride. But that's OK; I love it anyway.
Which brings me to the purpose of my blog. Since I now have the goal of riding to work 3 times a week, I figured I should have some kind of public record to keep me from shirking. So here goes.
Monday 3/13/06: 25.935 mi Odometer 25.935 mi 2:45 pedaling time
Monday 3/20/06: 26.739 mi Odometer 52.674 mi 2:28:34 pedaling time
Of course, the blog won't just be bicycling, but that's what it is today.
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