Posts Tagged ‘chicago’
present day thinking »
Monday, May 7th, 2012
Most days, I ride a bike over a hundred potholes, through half a dozen poorly designed intersections, and under a few thousand feet of raised track that looks as if it could fail at any moment. It’s sort of great but also sort of sad.
It’s clear our transit system is a disaster. But not because we cater to cars, don’t plan complete streets, or even that our maintenance lags desperately behind deterioration.
When we connected the cross-country rail lines, creating incredibly oppressive monopolies, trains were a big deal many couldn’t afford. When we created a nation-wide network of paved roads, displacing millions of poor people, cars were all the rage, if you could afford one. Both projects created Rome-in-a-day social and economic gains after substantial upfront costs. (more…)
did you hear there was a quake? »
Friday, August 26th, 2011
I heard it first from a close friend (and friend of Chasm) out in DC that there was an earthquake. This isn’t common, so that was noteworthy. (Most of our conversation is fantastic, but not necessarily noteworthy.)
Then Lovely Wife sent a message that a friend of hers (ours, really) in town felt it.
I assume it was all over the news. I know that New York stole it. I know this happened. This literally happened. That’s enough for me. I’m as excited about The End Times as anyone, but does shifting of the Earth’s plates in rapid fashion really need this much coverage? (more…)
my interesting day on a bike »
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Saturday, I was tasked with going into work for testing of our new release.* Having spent the winter on trains and holed up in our apartment, I’ve been trying to get back to regular cycling. Conditions were good, so I gave it a go.
First, there were the crowds. According to some research after the fact, I ran smack into Ragnar. I swerved my way gently and attentively through the crowd. It was a total mess.
Organizers failed to mask off any area for other path users. Sure, it’s nine in the morning on a Saturday and who can be bothered to recreation at such an hour, but still. Not two feet for a bike, a jogger, or two? (more…)
moving on up / to the east… »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
You may or may not know of the move in our very near future. The T.C. staff is off to the northern end of the Windy City. It’s a big change. (Mainly because CHI is considered a city even outside of the regional area.)
The relocation is only part of it.
Girlfriend and I are reducing our television consumption to three hours per week for the summer. What better time to start than after a one-way trip with a sixteen-foot truck?
I’ve gotten into bicycling-as-transportation. (Stifle your applause, hippies; I still shower often.) CHI has more on-street lanes and paths. We’ll also have nearly all of our staples (including ice cream) within two miles.
We’re moving to a residential neighborhood. There won’t be any drunks yelling after midnight. There won’t be the seventeen roaring past every fifteen minutes (or planes every hour, for that matter). I won’t sleep well for a bit.
Tired of all the gradients on this site? Want a splash of one other color? (Do you even read it here?) You’re in luck, because T.C. is getting an overhaul in the near future. (S’bout time, right? ‘Get in your car’ was the 800th post!)
Most importantly, Girlfriend and I will live in a place people actually want to visit. My sunny disposition is adequate but that’s with friends only threatening visits every two years or so.
It’s been awhile since there has been so much flux. I’m excited.
Photo courtesy Mikeyexists on Flickr
friday free for all »
Friday, January 29th, 2010
… As of yesterday, I’ve been working as a contractor for seven weeks. By Monday afternoon, I will have moved into three different cubes; spent about fifty hours on-bus; worked past 8p twice, on three different computers and three sites; and haven’t been paid. (You read that correctly.)
After a particularly long (cou*12 hour*gh) day, I received a pitch about the many benefits and great things about signing up full-time. I was not impressed and, as my newfound stability isn’t all that stable, am still unimpressed. (I’m scheduled for a check on the 15th, as their accounting system defaults to a 60 day wait.)
… (Speaking of unimpressed.) The Apple i[Tab] (what an incredibly terrible name) was introduced Wednesday and will ship in two months. Some people will find a use for it but until I can justify paying for books instead of the library (on top of some UX choices), I’m out. My next Mac will be the Mini that runs my television after the move.
… Yesterday was my sister’s twenty-second birthday. We went to the restaurant she suggested and had a pretty great time. Afterward, Girlfriend, two friend and I went to a show. After a drink or two and waiting in line for about fifteen minutes, the power went out.
About a half-hour later someone told us they were getting information for refunds; thirty seconds after that the lights went back on. Roma di Luna‘s (if you’re not listening to them, you should be) set was cut short for time and we left before the headlining act. I’m fully exhausted today.
… and finally:
This is the first FFFA since a month and a half after I was unceremoniously and involuntarily removed from my former place of employment. Since has been a whirlwind. I very much enjoyed my summer but didn’t enjoy the finance-related stress.
I’m now actively looking for work in Chicago and if any of the threes of you dear readers know of anyone that could help, please let me know. I’d love to find a local job board or hear about some specific places looking to hire.
Thanks in advance. You’re all glorious beacons of light in this dark, dark world. Well, most of you.