Monthly Archives: January 2009
Plus One
Previous post +1… Besides casually planning a backpacking trip, there isn’t too much new happening around me. I filed my taxes two nights ago – I made a total of $7000 last year. Quite a low number when it’s on paper. But, considering I was a student for half of last year, I guess it’s reasonable. I have no urge to needlessly accumulate money, obviously.
A good friend of mine is driving into Austin from upstate New York on Monday, and I’m very excited about that. We rode together during our Texas 4000 summer, and I haven’t seen him since his wedding in May. It should be a good week. Unfortunately I’m working the entire week, although my hours are flexible. Work has been good, so I can’t really complain.
I like the weekend coffee shop better than the weekday version. In the morning, like this one, a few young and progressive parents bring their kids along, and they’re always wide-eyed, observant, and entertained. It brings back a handful of memories from my childhood, when I used to go places in Anchorage with my dad. Our’s were in a little less urban context though.
We used to walk through the backwoods Elmendorf Air Force Base/Fort Richardson in Anchorage. The area is speckled with WWII relics, and we would explore old army pillboxes. It was quite the hands-on history lesson. I also remembering visiting Independence Mine, an old gold mining operation preserved by the state. We ventured outside of the advised visitor area, climbing up exceptionally dangerous mine tailings (the gravel that runs down the side of a mountain when the mine is drilled out). The tailings were littered with old broken tools, and if you were lucky, pieces of gold.
I’m pretty sure that’s where my fear of heights originated from. The tailings were quite steep, and the gravel made for very unstable footing. At the bottom of the slope, were jagged boulders – the larger ones expelled from the mine. A fall would be quite painful. My early childhood was speckled with a lot of challenges against gravity now that I think about it… But despite it’s dangers or long-term psychological impact, I’m glad I got to experience the world with my eyes, ears and hands. Whether it’s a coffeeshop on a Saturday morning or surrounded by mountains in Alaska, kids need a constant flow of new and stimulating experiences.
Gear List
I have plans for mid-March. A few of my co-workers and I will be heading to the Ozarks to do some backpacking, about a week’s worth of it, on the Ozark Highlands Trail. I wrote about this trail a bit after hiking there last December, and I’m pretty excited to be heading back. It’s definitely one of my favorite places to wander through.
Accordingly, I’ve updated my growingly popular gear list, adding in some new acquisitions and removing a few items as well. A couple more items will be changing before the trip (I’d like to add some lightweight down to replace the fleecy bits for the upper body), but it’s mostly complete.
It’ll be nice to escape for a little while, just walking through the woods with friends.
I had a long day at work today… That, and I haven’t consumed any caffeine all day, which I think is rubbing me in adverse ways. Seeing how I’m breaking the cycle by writing this evening, I think I’ll save the rest of this one for tomorrow morning. And it’s coffee.
Wifi Workers
It’s foggy, rainy, and dewey outside today. And chilly. Just nasty weather all-around. This time of year in Texas reminds me so much of my [Texas] high school experience; the most memorable part of each day was my afternoons on the soccer fields. Soccer being a spring sport, the bulk of our work started in late December, in the outrageously foul weather of North Texas. The practices I remember most were cold, rainy, and miserable. Coach Metcalf would be bundled up on the sideline while we’d be running in shorts and long-sleeved cotton shirts. We had some good days.
It seems like here in Austin we were teased with beautiful weather all week, then turned just as the weekend hit. I ended up working most of Saturday, so it didn’t matter too much to me then, but yesterday was a little different.
I went riding with Kyler and some newer UT Cycling folks – six of us total. The goal was 4-5 slowish hours, just long and easy miles. It was windy, cloudy, and chilly as we pedaled out east. On roads not marked on my maps yet. but south-east, east, and north-east of Manor, then up towards Hutto and back. We finished the day right at 70 miles, but, with an unexpectedly elevated pace, after only 3.5 hours of riding. I felt good throughout the ride. I keep surprising myself with how good of shape I’m in right now – climbing well, and keeping the pace on the flats.
Work starts at noon today, and goes until the early evening. I’ve had a really nice schedule lately – still getting plenty of hours, but leaving my mornings and evenings relatively free.
I read an article yesterday about office politics being transplanted to the coffee-shop, as the latter becomes a hub for “wifi workers”. I had a realization that I fall into that category – I’m a “regular” at two coffee-shops, and frequent a few more on occasion. The article talked about the subtle, and not so subtle fight for electricity outlets, and the efforts business owners make to turnover loitering customers. The places I go don’t really have this problem – they’re not “corporate” coffee joints, over-populated, or attractive to suit-wearing folks who would cause a fuss over an outlet. I love working at coffee-shops, since the beginnings of my college career it’s been the focal point of the balance between working and observing, the balance that elevates my productivity.
It’s about that time for me to transition from wifi worker to regular worker…
Educational Philosophy
I spent nearly all day yesterday working on an especially extensive job application. I’m not exactly sure what the job would be, but the position would be in my brother’s school district. He works for IDEA schools in the Rio Grande Valley, a group of charter schools providing schooling to kids in the area from lower socio-economic backgrounds. They’re undergoing rapid expansion in the district, and are always looking for young talent.
So, I was asked to turn in an application. I’m not sure why I decided to give it a shot. I don’t like that area of the world, to the extent that I would be near miserable living down there. It simply doesn’t mesh with my lifestyle.
I ripped through the entire application, composing thoughtful answers and crafting a package that really represented me and my way of thinking. Then I got to the last box, right below where I uploaded my resume, asking me to upload a “philosophy of education” statement. I thought “that’s new… lets google it.” A philosophy of education is basically a concise summary regarding your opinion of how students learn best, the role of the teacher in the learning process, how classrooms should be run/organized, and/or what you hope to achieve as a teacher. Some can get incredibly cliche/Miss America-esque. “I believe that every child is unique and deserves an equal chance…blah blah blah.” But some are also quite direct, challenging and confronting traditional ideas of westernised schooling and proposing fairly radical approaches in their place.
While I’m definitely a newcomer on the side of first-hand experience, I’m not quite a stranger when it comes to educational philosophy. Most of my influences come from slightly alternative ways of thinking – Paulo Freire, Marshall Rosenberg, Bell Hooks – people who challenge the traditional student/teacher dichotomy, and domination/submission roles displayed in schools. I believe in a slightly more organic approach to finding and developing knowledge, one that harnesses the power of community and collective thinking. I see teachers more as a guide to finding knowledge, rather than the source of knowledge.
I studied rhetoric for too long to begin writing this statement without first getting an impression of what my audience is like, so I paged through the school’s website to get a better idea. I’m still not sure I liked what was presented. It’s a school where “student achievement is the bottom line”, and appears to focus primarily on the product over the process. The parent testimonies talk of their children worrying about their grades. Students wear uniforms and are expected to follow a fairly strict set of rules governing appearance and behavior. It’s placing kids into a mold of American society I’m not quite sure I agree with.
That’s just not me. That’s not how I think kids learn best, or become the building blocks to shape a healthy and functional world. I might still submit an application, but I think the best move would be to talk to someone or drop by the school to get a better idea. I’m a bit too careful with my future to haphazardly jump into something… At least the whole process got me thinking again. I revisited a few authors on my bookshelf, and really pondered over things quite deeply. We’ll see what it leads to.
Maps
I haven’t done much walking lately, but I have been on my bicycle quite a bit. Recently, I’ve started adding some intensity to my workouts, building the leg speed and muscle strength that, along with endurance, makes a cyclist a cyclist. Yesterday I ventured out to Manor, getting in a few 20 minute fast intervals, with the rest of the ride at/near tempo. The legs felt good, the bike felt good, and the body felt good. That, and the weather was absolutely beautiful – sunny with temperatures in the low 70s and just a slight breeze.
View Larger Map
I’m on a bit of a Google Maps spree right now… My current project is to chronicle all my favorite Austin bike routes. Right now, I just have a few routes out east outlined, but soon I’ll be expanding it to my favorite routes out west of the city too. And south. (Hutto is as far north as I go, so not too much up there.) I think it will help to add a more complete picture to my posts here. For example, yesterday’s ride followed the blue, green, and red paths.
When mapping these routes out, it’s odd how familiar I am with these roads. Years and years of memories and images stacked up in my mind, all organized as little snapshots of each inch of pavement. I can tell you exactly what the road looks like for any point on this map. In traditional terms, most would say I have a “photographic memory”, but I don’t like to think of it that way, because I don’t like the way that distinction tends to set people apart from one another. I just remember things. Despite knowing every crack and every turn, I still don’t really know the road names for any of these routes. One exception is Susquehanna Lane… Zach Martin, a guy I used to ride with a few years ago, would call it “Susie-Q-hanna”, and the name has stuck with me since.
As you probably know, today is MLK day. I don’t work for/in a state institution anymore, like I have for the last four years, so I have to work today. I’m kind of bummed, but I do get paid extra. Seeing how my electricity bill for this month was only $10, I don’t really need extra money, but I won’t complain.
Walking
View Larger Map
I left my place this morning on foot, going on a little tour of my East Austin neighborhood. I’ve outlined my approximate route on the map above… There wasn’t any particular purpose for the excursion. I kind of wanted to go to the park, and Rosewood Park is the nearest and most attractive in my area. I also wanted to do some house shopping, to get a little better idea of what’s in my market.
Without getting too heavy into anthropological speak, East Austin is a remarkably good example of gentrification in work. In simple terms, gentrification is the social process in which previously segregated, poor, and/or undesirable areas become newly attractive to a higher social class. The attractiveness can be a result of a number of factors, for East Austin it’s all about proximity to downtown and the University, with vague undertones of cultural authenticity. As this new class of individuals move in, renovate and build, property values increase dramatically, and the original inhabitants are pushed out. It’s a social transformation of urban space.
Walking through my neighborhood, you’ll see these completely dilapidated single-family homes, with old cars on cinder-blocks in the over-grown front yard and the exterior paint flaking off. Next door, a similar sized house will be perfectly painted, with a neatly kept lawn, Buddhist prayer flags hanging above the front entrance, and a sky-blue Vespa scooter in the driveway. And then, further down the street, a new house will be going up; an architectural masterpiece with lots of glass, lots of steel, built on a foundation of compressed $100 bills. The change this area is undergoing is staggering.
There’s good things going on over here despite the unchecked gentrification. Just south of Rosewood Park is the Rosewood Zaragosa Community Health Center, which provides healthcare for those with low incomes and/or lacking health insurance. Near the Austin Housing Authority on Chicon, Goodwill has a career assistance office giving help to those who need it. The Sustainable Food Center supports eight community gardens on the eastside, each within a few blocks of my walking path outlined above.
I’m thinking about buying a house if I decide to stay in Austin for too much longer. I have a lot of decisions to iron out in the next month or two or three…
Inventory
Last night, the REI inventory crew (which included me) counted everything in the store. Every piece of clothing, every tent stake, every PowerBar. Everything. It took us about five hours, an hour less than predicted, believe it or not. In a couple of days, our work will be plugged into our out-of-date computer system, giving us relatively accurate inventory data for when we need to find things for customers, monitor theft, and replenish our stock from the REI distribution center. It’s all pretty cool stuff, learning how a big retail company goes about it’s business. I tend to ask a lot of questions about all this stuff, not for any reason beyond me being a naturally curious individual.
So that was last night. I came home around 12:30am. We have a couch surfer staying at our place for a night or two, and we chatted a bit before I went to bed. And now I’m back at where I started yesterday evening, drinking my americano (two espresso, water, and a dash of sugar) and filling some time before heading back to the j-o-b.
After today, I have three days off work that I intend to take full advantage of. I’ve been working a lot recently, and it’ll be nice to have a good block of time away. As of now, I’d like to go camping for a day or two, to try out the tent and interface with nature a bit. I’d like to bring the road bike and get in some riding too – maybe out at Pace Bend State Park or somewhere similar. We’ll see. I also need to accelerate the job search once again, and could definitely get that accomplished in three days.
It’s sunny and cool outside right now, and I’m going to soak up some of it in my last few uncommitted minutes. More to come soon.
Work in a Toy Store
I bought some new toys at work yesterday… First, I gave into temptation and picked up a REI Kilo Flash +40 sleeping bag. With 750 fill power down filling, it weighs in right at one pound, packs down to the size of a grapefruit, and should be the perfect summertime bag. I almost bought it two weeks ago, when it went on clearance for $60, and when it went down to $30 yesterday I would have been crazy to pass it up.
Next, I happened to find a MSR Hubba tent marked down to $80 as a result of our super clearance sale. That’s like $170 off the retail price for those of you not familiar with these things… It’s a one person, double wall, 3.5 season tent – tipping the scale at 3lbs. I set it up in my living room when I got home from work last night, and was reminded why I like MSR products – the build quality couldn’t be better. I’ve never seen the Hubba (one person) in the flesh before (all we’re stocked with at the store is the two person Hubba Hubba), but it definitely met my expectations.
So, as soon as I buy another sleeping pad to replace my old Thermarest Prolite 3 – the casualty of an unfortunate careless moment near a campfire – I’ll be fully operational for backpacking once again. And, with all of my own gear this time. I could probably use a new water purifier soon; my eyes have been on the MSR MIOX, but they’re having difficulty meeting retail demands, not to mention my personal prodeal demands.
–That’s my outdoor gear fetish summarized in a few short paragraphs–
In other news, my roommate sold her TV yesterday evening, so my apartment is once again without a television. The absence makes me happy. I don’t watch TV much at all, but like everyone, my attention will slowly gravitate it’s direction if it’s on. Even if it’s turned off, a TV set seems to have certain capabilities for distraction… Besides, the small amount of programs I do like are on Hulu anyways, and I rather watch The Office late at night, in bed, on my laptop, than during an early Thursday evening when I could be doing much better things. Tomorrow I’ll find something to do with all the extra space.
A woman called me at work a few mornings ago, convinced I bailed her son out of jail the night before. It was strange – she knew to call REI, and knew to ask for Daniel – in any other situation, I’d say that after knowing my name and where I work, I’m probably the person you’re looking for. But I wasn’t drinking that night (at least not enough to erase my memory), I don’t know where the police station is, and I definitely don’t have the cash to be bailing anyone out of jail. Wrong guy; case closed.
Boris Johnson
The shaggy-haired man you’re seeing in this picture is Boris Johnson. He’s the mayor of London – the big one, not London, Arkansas; London, Kentucky; or London, Texas. He’s an interesting character, and despite being a political conservative (which in Europe is still liberally moderate compared to our “conservatives”), he has a few likable characteristics.
- He’s a cyclist, and would like to “plant decoy bicycles throughout Islington and send Navy Seals in through the windows of thieves.“
- He wants to start a program to train London’s unemployed as green building consultants, fighting against the economic recession and creating a greener city.
- Epic, non-politician hairstyle.
- Lasted one week as a management consultant. “Try as I might, I could not look at an overhead projection of a growth profit matrix, and stay conscious.“
That’s it for today – more to come soon.
New Year
Been away from the blog for a while; forgive me for my absence. I’ve had a pretty fulfilling week since my last update, and can report that 2009 has had a good start. A decent amount of old friends had ventured back to Austin for the New Year, and I did my best to see everyone while they were here. I was fairly successful.
New Year’s eve was a happy night, ringing in 2009 with Lily, Paul, Kate, Boone, Bobby and Vanessa – an assortment of friends from my college years. We had a few drinks downtown at Fado, and popped a few bottles of champagne at midnight. It was a nice, fairly low-key evening, and I was home relatively early, without inflicting too much bodily harm. I had sort of made plans earlier that afternoon to meet Kyler – an old UT Cycling friend for a few years now – at the Bicycle Sport Resolution/Hangover Ride the next morning, and intended to follow through.
So New Year’s day I woke up earlier than I should have, forced down oatmeal and water, and headed out the door. I snagged a fancy Garmin GPS cycling computer from our employee use equipment pool at work to test, and to record my numbers for the day. A surprisingly large number of people turned out for the ride, maybe 80 folks altogether, about half legit racer types and half recreational riders. We rolled east out of town nice and easy, and I got a chance to chat with some more old acquaintances. I was happy to see Ian Dille; I gave him some equipment advice for his latest Bicycle Magazine feature, and was anxious to hear how it all turned out. Keep an eye out for it in the next few months.
Once we got out of town, the pace picked up substantially. I wanted to stretch my legs, and led the pack up a series of short hills with a decent acceleration. I think it was the spark that got everyone’s hungover legs reved up, and from that point on we didn’t get much of a break. The Super Squadra guys got on the front, and we averaged almost 25mph for the next 40 miles to Manor. It was a little fast for January, and a little fast for my champagne legs, so I broke off from the group there and headed back towards Austin on my own. It was a good indicator of my winter fitness.
Since then, I’ve been cycling a lot, working a little bit, and playing with a few friends. Friday night a few of us watched the Big Lebowski and made white russians, and last night I bounced around the Red River music scene with Mike and John P to see some free shows. I’m drinking some coffee right now, and waiting to see if it’ll warm up a little bit outside. If and when it does, I think I’ll jump on the bike for a few more hours.
Happy 2009 everyone – I hope this next year brings you good things.
