I'm an almost-daily bike commuter between Chicago neighborhoods Wicker Park and the Ravenswood area. From the intersection closest to my place, which can be busy and harrowing (crossing Division on Paulina) up Milwaukee Ave through Wicker Park with its panoply of cars, buses, pedestrians and - not to forget - all the other bikes, then through ( Read more... )

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Besides health care passing, it's "confirm things we already knew" in the news day:

Having thin conversations with more small talk and less personal meaning makes you less happy

and

Corn syrup makes you fatter, faster, than regular sugar. And it's very, very good at doing this.

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I got my stolen bike back? The one that got stolen back in November? Well it wasn't exactly stolen - more walked off with. (I FORGOT TO LOCK IT. Yeah, I couldn't believe it either.) Anyway, it was the bike from the TyK calendar photo shoot, a bike I originally picked up to replace a bike I loved so so much. It was just going to be an interim bike, ( Read more... )

Chiditarod is tomorrow. If you're in Chicago, come on out. I'll be bike marshalling in "Zone 2". Where "Zone 2" is is SECRET INFORMATION until tomorrow, but I am allowed to say it's somewhere between Lake St and North Ave on the north-south axis and California/Ashland on the east-west. Look for the tin-foil-covered bike helmets. I'll have my cell ( Read more... )

Florida was really nice. Coldest winter on record since the 1950s, but still a damn sight warmer than Chicago. I highly recommend visiting the Everglades if you've never been; it's really stunning. We did a long day of driving through and stopping a lot. You can cruise through in as little as three hours but we did it in ten. Saw an otter and a ( Read more... )

I started getting really sick over the weekend. This morning I dragged myself into a doctor's office (found a good one! in my neighborhood!) and it might be pneumonia. I haven't slept well in 3 days. Chest X-rays tomorrow. Everybody keep your fingers crossed for me, ok?

You can watch this video on www.livejournal.com

Alfe - Gone Cabin Carzy from BJ Rubin on Vimeo.
C got a "grade 3" calf strain while running across the street to dodge traffic about two weeks ago, he's still limping around. A muscle in my back started spasming Sunday, I think from wedging the phone between my ear and shoulder at work and doing a lot of leaning forward and looking down (chores) at ( Read more... )

CERN particle collider beam probably turns on Friday.
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