Perfect Summary / Explanation

From BSNYC:

"[...T]he less you paid for your equipment, the more your placing is worth. If you cross the line on a $1,000 bike at the same time as a rider on a $6,000 bike, you essentially won, because you spent 5,000 fewer dollars in order to do it. Sure, $5,000 may buy you a fraction of a second here or there in the form of aerodynamics or lighter weight, but saving $5,000 is worth infinitely more in terms of bragging rights. And changing your perception of victory is way cheaper than changing your equipment.

No group has tapped into this wisdom more successfully than singlespeed mountain bikers. The singlespeed mountain biker revels in the fact that he’s accomplished the same thing as the geared rider, and he lives for that moment when someone is impressed by his ability to keep up while using a derailleur-less drivetrain. Of course, the truth is that on a lot of terrain a singlespeed mountain bike isn’t much of a handicap. In fact, often it’s an advantage. When confronted with a steep grade on a singlespeed mountain bike, you either have to stomp up it really fast, or you have to run it. Meanwhile, the geared rider will downshift eternally until he’s spinning a tiny gear so violently he simply falls over. It’s kind of like clothing. It might seem like you’re at a disadvantage if you’ve only got one pair of pants, but the fact is when it’s time to leave the house you just throw on your pants and leave. On the other hand, if you’ve got too many pants, you’ll need time to decide which ones to wear, then you’ll need to find a matching shirt, then you realize the shirt that goes with those pants is dirty, and you don't have any clean pants to match the clean shirt, and before you know it you’re 40 minutes late. Still, the singlespeed is perceived as a handicap, thus allowing the singlespeed mountain biker to stay up late doing bong hits, show up at the race the following morning, finish 15 minutes down on the guy riding the geared full-suspension bike who’s trained really hard, and still look like the toughest guy out there. (A notion that’s only reinforced after the race when he pulls on his one and only pair of grease-stained pants.)"

Awesome.

F3t1$h

So I listed my F3t1$h for $600 on Craigslist.

I got an email the next morning saying the guy really wanted the bike, but he didn't have $600 handy. He offered to pay $300 today, then let me hold onto the bike for a month, then pay me $300 next month and take it. Wow. Worst (or best) case scenario , the guy never gets back to me, I pocket $300, and sell it for $600 again in a month.

steak and potatoes and salad and grilled asparagus

yum

Scarborough Fair, on one harmonica

So this is Scarborough Fair. Played by one harmonica. With it's own droning accompaniment, like a bagpipe, performed with really clever tongue-blocking of holes.

Oh my science...

I was so wrong. Naomi just pointed out that it's not "shoe-in," it's "the other kinda shoe, like "[gesturing to scare away a bird] in." and she's right. "shoo in."

"Shoo in" was originally a racetrack term, and was applied to a horse expected to easily win a race, and, by extension, to any contestant expected to win an easy victory. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first use of the term in print dates back to 1928. A "shoo in" was originally a horse that was expected to win a race, not by virtue of its speed or endurance, but because the race was fixed. The sardonic "subtext" of the original usage, now lost, was that the designated horse would win even if it were so lackadaisical in its performance that it simply wandered somehow up to the finish line and had to be "shooed in" to victory. (phrases.org.uk).

STWAWBELLY!

Long overdue

So I realize I haven't been posting anything here in a long time. Once Naomi got here, things got really hectic. I've had alot of little things to do for research, we've been trying to get her medical school application proofread, tweaked, and finalized, we've been outta town, etc. And most of all, I haven't been quite as bored now that I don't live alone.

Anyway, things have been great. It's awesome to have Naomi here. We picked up right about where we left off. The cat hates her, but we're trying a new discipline regimen whenever she hisses at anyone, so hopefully that will help.

My peppers are doing great, but my tomatoes plants are worthless. Not quite sure why. Caleb's garden is vice versa.

I haven't been biking a lot, mostly cause Naomi's here, partly cause it's been tremendously hot and humid.

My research project is frustrating, as a lot of the info I need isn't digital, and it's really really hard to get things done when you're working with people who are much busier than you. However, I just had a meeting with Dr. M, and it really clarified what I should be doing, and let me know that what I have been doing so far is on track.

Another awesome development: Naomi has an authentic didgeridoo from Australia, that she hasn't played in years. I found it under her bed when we were down in TX for the 4th. It's sitting on the couch next to me here in KC now : ) It's so much fun to play. And my circular breathing is coming along wonderfully.

Also, I brought back a ton of vacuum packed and frozen smoked boar meat from the pig that I saw Mitch shoot and helped him skin, gut, etc. We're gonna grill some this weekend.

And Naomi is submitting her med school apps tonight. And Dr. Moncure says she should be a shoe-in for KUMC : )

Good summer so far : ) : )

my first produce : )

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TOMORROW

Naomi gets here tomorrow.
: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )

Sunday Funday

Today, we played with water balloons, rode bikes, ate pizza, and caught lightning bugs.

: )

Not tomorrow, nor the day after, but the day after that, Naomi gets here.

: ) : )

Naomi...

...is back : ) : ) : ) : ) : )

she got back to TX this evening, and will be here in KC in about 3 days.

i'm a happy, happy broo.

Also funny (not quite as)

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Funny

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Free bike-rack day! Second in awesomeness only to free bike day!

I just got one of these
for free. And it fits on the Acura. Awesome. (Thanks Caleb and Stephanie!)

Iowet

So Iowa is largely flooded. Luckily my extended family all pulled through without too horrible of a time.

The wedding was fun. Bryan and Stacie seem like they're a great couple. I caught the garter belt, despite my best efforts not to. That means I'm supposed to be the next one to get married. Don't know about that.