The surreal life...

This is so strange, but I had to get it down before I forgot the details...Read on:

You know if you are reading this that my kids both left for school last week, and I am living alone for the first time in 20+ years. My only change in routine has been to make sure the doors are locked before going to bed- when the kids were home, the last one to bed was in charge of locking the doors.

This morning at about 3:30, I heard an interior door open and a young womans' voice speaking to someone. Since I have always told my daughter that if she finds herself in a situation where she and/or her friends are drinking, to be smart- don't drive, don't get into a car with someone who has been drinking, just come home and be safe. I called Jamies' name and rolled out of bed and walked into the living room.

A young woman was lying on the floor next to my leather chair, naked except for a bra, apparently intoxicated. An older man was standing a few feet away, fully dressed. I shouted at the man to "get out, get out!" and pointed to the door. He protested, "she said this was her house!" She mumbled something to the effect that it "was too, her house!" I reinterated that it definitely WAS NOT her house, and ran and opened and unlocked the front door so that they could leave or I could run for help. The man dashed out, but the girl was apparently too intoxicated to follow. She proceeded to wander around the house, looking for her clothes (which were not there).

At this point I grabbed my cell phone that was charging in the living room, and dialed 911. When the girl realized that I was calling the police, she took off out the open door, naked. I could see the man still lurking outside, and they headed down the street as I stayed on the line with Flagstaff PD dispatch.

Police arrived about 5 minutes later with the pair in custody, and asked me to identify them, which I did. They asked if I wanted to press charges against them. The officer proceeded to explain that the man (who was from Italy, go figure) and the woman had met in a bar and she invited him back to her house, which is apparently somewhere in Southside. He said that she would be charged with underage drinking no matter what, as she was just 19. The man was 32 (I had thought him more about 45). I replied that HE was certainly old enough to know better- they came in through a window that was painted shut, knocked over a shelf with paint and crafts stuff, knocked over several of my bikes, and he dropped an (apparently) used condom on the floor (ick!!!)

In the meantime, I had called my daughter Jamie to come home since I was pretty shook up. By the time she showed up, the girl was saying that "someone" who lived in the house said it was ok for them to be there. Jamie and I both denied knowing this girl, and stated that presently, no one but me lived in the house and Jamie never, ever told anyone that it was ok to break into her Moms' house!

The girl (who had produced an ID that said she was a 36 year old woman, and found some pants, btw) kept protesting her arrest to the police, saying that she hadn't threatened or hurt me (as if that makes breaking into my house in the middle of the night ok!) and should not be arrested. I told the police that if she was 36, I wanted some of what she was taking, because she looked great! And if she was 36, she DEFINITELY knew better, so maybe this would be a wake-up call for her.

In the meantime, another police officer arrived (bringing the total to 3 cops, 2 cop-cars. A Flagstaff crime-wave!) He then proceeded to take photos of everything- this is the funny part- after they left, and I was cleaning up the mess in the workroom, he called and asked if I had touched anything yet. Jamie said that I was in mid-cleanup, and he replied that there was no film in the camera (Flagstaffs' finest in action!). So no photos, just the police written accounts.

By now it was after 5, so Jamie and I laid down to try to sleep (no good). So after she left to go back to school, I got up and came to work. This experience gets more surreal, the more I think about it. Some observations:

1. If I had had a gun, I wouldn't have used it. Ditto for the baseball bat.

2. My dog is worthless- Pecos did not even wake up until the police came into the house, THEN he barked his head off!

3. People make some really bad choices sometimes. This was one of those times that these two probably will not forget.

4. I am a very sound sleeper.

5. That God is good, and he held me and got me through something that had the potential to be very bad.

6. That I can pray with compassion for those who have done me wrong.

7. That I have an awesome daughter, who will jump out of bed at 4 in the morning to come be with me when I need her (she rode her bike from campus)

8. That my chance of having another breakin while I am asleep have gone down tremendously.

9. That I need a better cell-phone, with longer battery life.

10. That can deal with fear, but not let it dictate how I live my life.

11. That I am definitely getting another Boxer... and maybe a roomate.

My last day...

at the Library. Very bitter-sweet. I am going to miss this place and all the people that I have known. Start my new job on Monday. Excited and terrified.

I've found my peeps!

Check out the logo to the right- the Slow Bike Movement. I am so there!

The best day of my life!

No, probably not the best, but one that will stand out for a long time in my mind. Gods' blessing have been showering down on me. What happened today?
1. Went to lunch with my daughter
2. Went to do a quick tour of my new jobsite, and was issued keys to the entire School of Forestry- and I don't start there for 2.5 weeks!
3. Got to choose my office, and got the keys for that.
4. They insisted on reimbursing me for the books I bought from Amazon (CSS and Joomla)
5. I was told to pick out a laptop, and they would order it for me asap.
6. Was told that staff were strongly encouraged to participate in field research- basically going camping with the ERI and doing cool stuff- and getting paid!
7. I get a student worker if I want one.
8. Went back to my office and found out I had won a new Bike Friday Tikit- how cool is that!
I really can't handle any more good things happening today, but if they do, I'll keep you posted!

My head is about to explode!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind! Holiday weekend, Luke graduating, visitors, etc. Somewhere in there I whipped off an application and sent my resume to the Ecological Research Institute here at NAU, applying for a Senior Systems Analyst position. Luckily I was checking my email while I was off for a few days- they wanted to interview me at 8:30am on Tuesday, June 3. At 8:15am on Wednesday, they called to get permission to check my references. At 5pm they called to get permission to contact my supervisor. Mike talked with them at 1:30pm on Thursday. They called me at 2:15 and offered me the job.
I slept on it and tried (unsuccessfully) to negotiate a better salary, but in the end I stepped out in faith and accepted their offer. I am now excited and terrified.

In the queue...

for a Bob Brown Custom. I can't wait to see what he comes up with. His stuff is amazing! Check this out, and this one, too. Here is his website gallery
Here is a link to a webpage that I put together to show Bob the kind of bike stuff I like. My own personal bike porn...

Taking the plunge...

...and ordering a custom, steel lugged bike by Bob Brown Cycles. My dream bike. 12-15 months to build, and more money than I ever spent for any vehicle, other than my Subaru. Eats up any money I may have saved during the same time frame from not owning a car. Oh well, better than spending that amount on a car. Its' an early birthday gift for my 50th (Dec. 2009).

That's just crazy!

Gas hitting $4 per gallon in US metro areas- how do people afford this? I am so glad I sold my car- I have saved hundreds of dollars in the past 2 months. The average driver drives 1000 miles per month in a car that averages less than 20mpg- That equals $200 per month just for gas! I can definitely justify $3000 for a custom bike, since I am saving a minimum of $500 per month (gas, insurance, maintenence)- and my car was paid for! Of course, it is pretty easy for me to go car free- its' just me. Much harder if you have a family with kids that need to be run around. But boy, moving into town and near my work was the best decision I ever made! No more 'burbs for me!

Unbelievable!

My passport arrived- 11 days after I applied for it! That has got to be some sort of record. I am totally excited that I can go ANYWHERE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. And I will. My nest will be officially empty at the end of the summer, so I need to plan my first international foray. I am thinking a bike tour to Holland...

I have so much stuff that needs to be disposed of- a garage sale is in order. Lighten my load and get rid of stuff that has limited usability. The trick is not to get rid of stuff and then aquire more stuff.

Karma

Tuesday evening when I got home from work, I noticed that my old Schwinn mountain bike (we call it the Dog Bike) was not parked in the yard. Since the kids often use this as a backup bike if they have a flat or something, I didn't think too much about it. When Luke got home, he was riding his own bike (affectionately called the Big Red Machine), and told me that he hadn't taken it, it was outside when he left that morning. I had talked to Jamie earlier, and knew that she hadn't taken it either. It made me sad to think that someone would risk going to jail over that POS bike. The bike was registered with the Flagstaff PD, but all the info was on my work PC, so I decided that I would report it stolen the next day after work, just in case the bike was recovered at some point.

The next day was Wednesday, the day I have lunch with my grouping sisters at my house. Rode my bike home, had lunch, then returned to the Library. As I was walking in the front doors, I glanced to my right, and noticed a Schwinn mountain bike like mine. A closer look reveled that IT WAS MY BIKE! Right in front of the Library, and not secured in any way! So I stole it right back...

I did stop by the Reference Desk and alert them to what I had done and to ask that if anyone had the nerve to ask them to call NAU PD because their bike was stolen from out front, that they call me- I wanted to have a word with them! But no one did. My hope is that someone made a bad decision on the spur of the moment- they were walking by the house and spotted my bike just sitting there (it was unlocked) and took it- and then it got stolen from them less than 24 hours after they stole it from me. And they learned a lesson about honesty and karma. I can hope.

Deliveries by bike

With the proper equipment, doing things by bike is pretty doable. This morning we made lunches at the Food Kitchen. I rode my bike, with my new Carry Freedom City trailer hooked up. It was super easy to lock my bike in the rack, then disconnect the trailer and take it inside with me. After making the lunches, I made two deliveries before heading into work. Nice way to start the day! I think this trailer is going to be really useful- it only weighs like 10 pounds, collapses easily, and is easy to pull along like a hand cart for shopping- plus, it can be pulled by any size bike and I can fold my Raleigh, Pixie, and strap it on top so that I can take it on the bus or the Amtrak.

After work, there is a planning meeting for Bike to Work Week. With all the attention that alternative transportation modes have been getting, I am hopeful that this year the turn out will be good. I love BTWW!

A campus riot...

April Fool! But my most lovely daughter informed me that she was caught up in a rally of about 80 bikes in front of the Union who were shouting "Bikes, not cars!" and other assorted slogans supporting limiting bikes on campus. Hooray for the students! I see a real possibility for change here.
Interestingly, there are people I know who think that I am a total idiot nut-job for giving up my car- I am sometimes one of them, I will admit. It is amazing how sometimes the fear strikes, when you think of doing without something. But I can already see the pluses- better health and physical condition, more money in my pocket, and I feel that I am actually "walking the walk" instead of being on the fence and thinking about it.
I will be glad when my friends get used to my being car-free and no longer feel uncomfortable when I decline their offer of a ride home or whatever- I am lucky that the car sold just at the end of winter when you really do enjoy being out in the air on a bike! Last night was brisk as I left my Bible study, but a few minutes riding (plus that hill on Soliere- it kicked my ass!) warmed me up quickly. I will be glad when I get back into some sort of shape, and it is not such an effort. I know that I am doing something good for myself health-wise.

Thoughts about being car-free...

Day 11:

Last week was interesting, it being Holy Week, and a lot going on at church (7 miles from my house)- but I found that the evening schedule for the bus got me to the Mall (1.5 miles from the church) in plenty of time for me to unload my bike and pedal to the church in time for a 7pm service. Trip home was a reverse, since it was late, dark and with the new construction I didn't want to find myself with no where to ride on a busy highway! Easter Sunday, Luke and I met up with Jamie at the bus stop, and we used all 3 racks for our bikes (note to self- if time is an issue, and all 3 of us need to get to the church, we should meet at the transfer center and get our bikes on the racks before the bus starts its' route).

So far, my natural laziness is working to my advantage- instead of making the rounds of shopping destinations this weekend, I stayed close to home. Worked on some projects, went on a bike ride, etc. Restful and uneventful.

I have been pondering how to park my bike at private homes- most people do not provide bike racks, and would not welcome my bike in their house. What is the ettiquette surrounding this? I probably need to get a cable lock, so that I can get creative. I am hoping with our new Administration group at work, we may actually see some indoor bike parking! That would rock!
Took my dog, Pecos, to the vet this morning. Transport via my bike panniers. Poo loves to go on a bike ride, so you just toss him in and off we go the 1 mile to the vets' office- easy-peasy!

Stopped at Safeway last night after work to pick up a few things. As I was leaving, a fellow about 55 rolled up on a fully loaded touring bike. Turns out, he was from Silver City, NM on his way to Seattle. The 400 miles he had covered so far had taken him 6 days of "easy" riding- my calc says an average of 65 miles per day! Wow! He admired my bike (Mariah) and asked if I rode her a lot? I told him that I had recently sold my car, and would be riding more than ever. He told me that he had gone car-free in 1991, and encouraged me to give it a full year to see how viable it was for me- that things that seem to be a challenge in the beginning would work themselves out over time.

That is just what I had been thinking- don't commit to "forever"- that is pretty scary! But a year is very doable, and then go from there. I know that circumstances are really very favorable for me to do this right now, and I need to make adjustments and choices about how to shop, transport, and recreate close to home.

Hooray for the DMV!

My daughter Jamie just returned from a spring break visit to my parents in California. She informed me that my step-dad, Norte, was going to have to go to the DMV and take a physical and a driving test. Because of his recent health issues, he isn't suspicious that anyone actually REQUESTED that he be called in and tested. This is good for keeping peace in the family, since I was the one who asked the DMV to intervene.
Norte still has a feeding tube in his stomache and a trachia tube in his neck (since late December). He cannot turn his head because of the trach. His hearing is terrible, and his vision and reflexes almost non-existant. He has some paperwork that his doctor has to fill out, so I hope she has a conversation with him around this issue. It is just too scary to think of him driving. So I am in a hope and pray mode around this.

Officially Car Free!

Wow, it has been awhile since I've posted! Life keeps me very busy, and work is insane. Time is flying, and spring is here! Current happenings:

I SOLD MY CAR!

Yep, I did it- I am officially "car-free" since last Sunday. Kinda scary, but a good excuse to splurge on a few upgrades for my bikes (like Brooks saddle, custom wood fenders, etc) and a new sweet bike trailer . To keep myself honest, I will start an online posting of my transportation costs, ie. what I spend on cabs, the bus, and treating friends to lunch/dinner/events in lieu of cash for gas, parking, etc.

My first expenditure was this morning- needed a cab to the Flagstaff Food Kitchen to make sandwiches. Since I have the keys, and the bus doesn't run early enough (and it is still cold here in the am) I called a cab to take Luke and I at 6:10am. Cost: $10 ($8 + tip). Since a delivery was made to Catholic Charities (1 block from our house), Luke and I caught a ride back and walked a block to our house. I then grabbed my bike and went to work. I plan on biking to the Kitchen with my trailer in the future, and doing the downtown deliveries by bike. Getting the logistics worked out :)

I am excited and scared too. I got my licence in June of 1976, and have pretty much owned a car continually ever since. The times that I didn't wasn't by choice! One more thing that I will pledge to do for the next year- not purchase any type of motor powered transportation (ie- a scooter, motorcycle, electric cart, etc.) Anything that has a motor requires that it be driven/stored/insured and that defeats the purpose of this experiment. I will, however, rent or borrow a vehicle from time to time and take public transit or ride my bike. Just no ownership.

To my friends who are providing moral support and rides- thank you! By helping someone go car-free, you are doing your part too! Not everyone can or should give up their cars- but some of us are lucky enough that we are at a point in our lives where we can at least try. I am lucky to be in that place right now.

What was I thinking???

I am closing the Library several times this semester- completely voluntary on my part. Last night was one of those times. Worked all day, went home for a few hours, and then back for the closing shift (midnight). I could do this at 18, or 28...but it is a real effort at 48! The enticement of working 1/2 day on Friday does not seem worth it. Live & learn. I will probably feel different on Friday afternoon as I reach Elden Lookout. And this is a good reminder of how low my energy is when I get out of shape!
Interestingly, this time of year is really busy for me personally- I am out every night this week. I am grateful that God provides me with friends and opportunities to pursue my interests, but this is crazy! I really value my "downtime". Oh, well.
I need to get Pecos, my Chihuahua, hooked up with the Shih Tzu across the street. He has never been an "only", so I need to get him some friends- I do not want another dog at this point. But he is just a horrible little dog- yappy and unfriendly to people and other dogs. But I love him, and don't want him to be lonely.

Adult children and the war...

It's official- I am now the mother of adult children. Luke turns 18 today. How did this happen? Just yesterday I had little kids, and now I have (semi) adults. The scariest thing to me is that Luke has to register with Selective Service- I pray that the Democrats win the national election (for just about every reason) but particularly because of the support for withdrawl of US military personel in areas of conflict. I don't want my kid, or anyone elses', to die in an oil war. And I don't think that winning a war is the way to persuade these countries to adopt a more democratic political system. I am sure that if McCain wins the presidency, he will increase our presence in this war. This completely weirds me out- how could someone who was a Vietnam POW for 5 years support another war that has no clear objective, other than retaliation and control of vast amounts of oil? Not to mention that he is just too old to be president...
The values that the majority of Americans uphold make it harder and harder to deal with living in modern society. And we are all so busy that we do not have the time to actually reflect on why we do the things we do, and the choices that we make. "An unexamined life is not worth living"- I am trying to be more deliberate and reflective around the way I want to live- "walk my talk", but it is hard to do when it seems like everyone else holds values that are the opposite of what I feel called to do, and the way I am trying to live.

My dog died...

My dog, Bubba Narcissus, went to the Bridge on Tuesday evening. And it really sucks...
For the story, go to my webpage

Friday

Yep, I'm glad it's Friday. I am also glad that I get to leave at 1pm (since I closed the Library on Tuesday). Lots of work to do, but what gets done, gets done. I need to do some weeding out of my stuff and take it to Goodwill and generally get stuff in order.

Pretty weird as I consider this Peace Corps thing- not sure if I could make it happen or, given my physical history, if I would be selected. But I do know that I can start making some changes that would be beneficial if I did try to do it.
1) Learn to speak Spanish- it would be useful to speak Spanish right here in AZ.
2) Learn to play my guitar- something I haven't done cuz its' hard and I don't practice.
3) Become a bicycle mechanic- useful for my own bikes, but I am sure that this is a skill people would appreciate in a developing country.
4) Go back to school

I was pretty amazed at the stuff I am learning about the Peace Corps. Although I believe that we need to take care of our people at home, learning more about the global issues surrounding poverty and conflict would help me to better understand culturally based problems and how they affect us at home. Interestingly, I may be able to take a leave of absence from my job to go (Federal employees can, so maybe State can too), which would be very cool.

NAU has a Peace Corps office and there is a Potluck with returning volunteers next week. I think I will go.

Two words...

Peace Corps. Thinking about it.

Still waiting...

...to get the car sold. Not one call from the newspaper ad. The asking price is Blue Book, so I am not asking too much. Need to get some pictures and post it on Cars.com...
A little mental fog today- I worked my regular 8-5 yesterday, then came back at 8:30 and closed the Library at 12. A long day. A lot harder to do at 48 than at 28. But it will be cool to take off at 1pm on Friday and get some stuff done. I really need to get out for a hike or something. I am hoping that my hiking pals and I get it together to do the Navajo Mountain/Rainbow Bridge backpack trip in March, so I need to be in some sort of shape! And I have GOT to unearth my treadmill and start using it, now that I have another bedroom!
I was looking forward to our church meeting with the Bishop and discussing the future, but Bishop Talmadges' wife, Barb, is going in for surgery (diverticulitis) so the meeting was cancelled. It feels like so many things are on hold right now...
Working on getting local organization reps to come to my workshop on Community Volunteerism on Feb 6- it is interesting that several people have contacted me wanting to be part of the workshop- some cool groups and others that I haven't ever heard of. Interesting what people think is a worthwhile use of their time and talent. While I enjoy the Celtic Festival, I don't really see them as a likely group for my workshop. Just having a 501(c)3 tax designation doesn't really mean that they are a community group, and raising money for scholarships that "promotes the knowledge of Celtic heritage and history" doesn't really benefit the community, as far as I can see. Anyway, MY workshop, so I get to pick!
Super cold and its' supposed to snow tomorrow- haven't had a flake in a couple of weeks, but there is still snow piled up on the sidewalks and roadside. It is very interesting trying to pick up dog poop when it is frozen to a snow bank! Poor Bubba needs some exercise in the worst way, but it is too cold for me right now. I suck.
Everything is back to normal with my folks, it seems. They are eager to completely ignore the crisis of the past month and go on as before. Unbelievable. They really live in their own little world- no wonder I am so screwed up.
I have been reading a bit about the Simplicity movement- no, not going off the grid, but slowing down and shifting my attention from things to relationships. I know that I am sick to death with filling my time and my soul with things that must be purchased, paid for and maintained. I know when I was a teenager, I saw how my family was enslaved to our "stuff" and I never aspired to that level of ..."stuff ownership"? Like the huge house, many cars, horses, etc. (OK, I have too many bicycles- I will get rid of at least 1 this year!). It is interesting to see that even with a much smaller scale life, I still have plenty of stuff that owns me.
So I am going to try to simplify and live life on a smaller scale- more entertaining at home, backpacking or hiking with friends, spending time on causes I support and doing other things that matter to me: praying, reading, thinking and trying to figure out what the rest of my life needs to be about. When I figure that out, I will post it here...

Hey baby, its' cold outside...

A brisk walk home for lunch confirmed it- it is cold out! Okay, not Minnesota cold but pretty darn chilly for Northern AZ. In the 20s, but the wind makes it feel a lot colder than that.
Given the outside temps, I was glad to hear that the plans for the Flagstaff Shelter will go forward. Soon maybe, there will be a warm place for folks to sleep. I can't get out of my mind the thought of people sleeping outdoors in this- my dogs don't even want to go outside. I pray that Flagstaff gets it together regarding its' public policy toward homelessness and poverty in general.
The weekend was somewhat eventful- we moved Jamie into her dorm room on Saturday. It is really quiet again in my house. Luke and I are very companionable, and tend to read a lot, whereas with Jamie there is a lot of talking and liveliness. I got used to her being home again, and now she is gone (sorta). We had dinner together last night in the Union, as I was working a late shift at the Reference Desk (6-9pm). So I got to see her new dorm room all set up, and experience the student eating situation. My kids joked about how all the NAU recruiters that came to their school (NPA) said that NAU had the best food. But they must be right, as everything was delish! The heck with the Freshman 15, bring on the Senior 60! It is hard to eat healthy when the healthy options are located right next to the brownies and pasta...
As usual, the first week of classes include lots of little glitches and non-problems that require attention- don't feel like I'm getting a lot done this week, but I will keep plugging away!
I put an ad in the paper to sell my car last week- listed it at Blue Book- and not one call yet. I am anxious to get underway with my debt reorganization, but can't start anything or enter into payment arrangements until I have some cash from selling the car- oh, well. In Gods' time.
Speaking of Him, I am praying that he soften my heart. I am so judgemental and carry a grudge, even though I know that that is not what pleases Him. And I am such a hypocrite (I can't spell it, but I are one ;) I make myself want to throw up. God help me to walk the talk...

From deaths' door to driving to the mall

Yep, the crisis appears to have passed and Pops drove to the mall to shop yesterday. Arrgh! I am very glad that I sent in the Request for Re-examination to the DMV. But I am glad that he is doing better, and is actually eating a little. I didn't really realize what a drama-queen my Mom can be. Or maybe she just needed someone that she could voice the worst-case scenarios to. I need to remember that in the future.
Drama with Jamie moving into the dorms- her roommate asked her to switch rooms so that her roommate from last semester can move back in (her best friend, who apparently was not going to return this semester but changed her mind at the last minute). I told Jamie that this happens all the time, but she needs to find out what the University procedure is about changing assisned roommates- she needs to do this right, since she wants to be a Resident Assistant in the fall. Also, she has a lot of apps out with that room as the address. This could be a valuable experience for her when she interviews, and a real opportunity to show maturity and empathy. We will see how this shakes out when we start to move her tomorrow.
The ad for my car appears today- I hope to get it sold by the end of the month, so that I can get on with my life. Going to run some errands and get a For Sale sign to stick in the window, too. Probably ought to drive it until it sells, so people can see it. My bike mechanic (and landlord) put studs in the tires of my little foldable bike, Pixie (now aka Spike) and I rode into work yesterday- riding in snow and ice is an acquired skill, but I felt pretty stable with the spikes. There are really just a few months where this is problamatic, and I am fortunate that simply walking to work is doable (no more than 20 minutes, when the sidewalks aren't cleared- about 12 door to door in good weather). I also had a blast the day I snow-shoed to work.
Lots to do today, so I better get on it!

Harsh!

Wow, that last post was harsh, even for me! But it does sort of put out there what all of us who are dealing with elderly parents feel. It hasn't been so long since my Grandma died, and my mom was so frustrated about that whole situation. And despite the joking that we are all becoming our mother, it seems like it is just not registering. Oh well. As Ghandi said "Let me be the change that I hope to see in the world". As Shanybu says "You're old, get used to it".
My ad to sell my car debuts in tomorrows' paper- feels like a crappy time to try to sell it. With the winter weather upon us, and the car being parked outside, it is impossible to keep it really clean either inside or out. But it costs me $200+ per month just to sit there, even not driving it (insurance, registration, and depreciation). I will be glad when Lotta (cuz she cost me a lotta money and took me a lotta places) finds her new home and I can quit having anxiety attacks about going car-free. As my landlord pointed out, 90% of the world does not have cars and they get by just fine. And it is not as though I live in BFE. 95% of the time, the places that I go and the things that I do are within a 2 mile radius of my home. Between bicycle, bus, cab and the Amtrak I can travel pretty independently. I just need to suck it up and quit worrying about it already!

The week before the semester begins...

Always turns out much busier than you plan for. My schedule has filled up with last-minute meetings, etc. I was looking forward to getting back to some real work- moving offices for myself and everyone else in the Library pretty much shot 12/17- 1/4. Oh well.
I have had the killer "creeping crud" since the weekend- enough to drown me, it would seem. A friend who is a nurse advocates not using decongestants and other symptom relievers, and letting the virus run it's course. This should lead to a quicker recovery since, theoretically, you are not prolonging the cold by repressing the symptoms. I must say, I think it is working. But if I hadn't had a compelling reason to want to recover quick, I would have gone the "repress the symptoms" route!
I have also been working hard, since it may be that I need to make a quick trip to CA. My step-dad was sent home from the hospital on Monday, and my Mom seems pretty overwhelmed with caring for him. They sent an almost 80 year old man home with a trachia and a feeding tube, with an inexperienced 70 year old caregiver. He is also malnourished (115 pounds- down from his usual 135), and cannot digest the liquid meals that he has to have, since he cannot eat or swallow. Basically, my mother says that it takes 3-4 hours for him to be able to digest 2 tablespoons of liquid, so that he can have some more. And no one showed her how to administer plastic coated capsule-type pills, so she got it clogged in the feeding tube (you are supposed to open these and drop the granuals down the tube, since the tube cannot dissolve the plastic). Major incident, requiring her to dig it out (don't ask me how) after an emergency call to the hospital. Also, no home-health care nurse, the bed that was delivered was awful, the wrong food was delivered, etc. Mom is pretty sure that she is going to do something that is gonna kill him.
Still, I have made up my mind that they need to struggle with this on their own for awhile, so that they can see the changes they need to make, regarding downsizing their home and possessions to something manageable, getting rid of stuff, and arranging for help (be that a visiting nurse, a support group, a cleaning lady, meals on wheels or whatever). I saw so often with my Grandma and Aunt Julia that family would fly to help them when there was a crisis, then everything would stabilize, and the old folks would just go back to their old situation and way of living, regardless of how much they agreed that they needed to move, or get some help, or whatever. I am not at all unsympathetic, but I can't enable this either. I don't have the time, the vacation, the money or the patience to coddle them along for the next 20 years. Insistence on continuing to live the way they always have, despite clear evidence that that is no longer possible is the height of selfishness and not caring about their partner or other people. And the good news is that the mass they biopsied was non-cancerous...
So, I am willing and available to help them move, sort and pack, etc. Help find assisted living or nursing facilities. Research how this can be paid for, or what Medicare and their insurance supplement will pay for. Come for a visit more often. But I will not be an unpaid nursing attendent and enable this to continue.

The blizzard and the counselor

Here in the Northern climes we got hit this weekend with a good dumping snow storm. It started with rain early Saturday, then turned to snow. Estimates are that we have received at least 10", with 10" more expected today. Everything shut down in Flag, except NAU. We kept up on our snow removal efforts around the house and made sure that the car was dug out before we went to bed last night, as I had a 7am appointment (my first) with the credit counselor.
When I awoke at 5:30am, the reflection from the snow through my window indicated that we had received a bunch more snow overnight. Trying to let the dog out to go potty, there was a good 8" piled on the back steps- no walkways were visible, etc. I went to rouse Luke to begin digging us out. He did a good job, and I was able to get out to the street for my trip across town.
The trip across town was an adventure, but the main drags were well plowed. I located the building I needed to go to, but had to wait for the snowplow to clear the lot so that I could park. I was amazed to see that the office was open and the lights were on- I had checked both my office and cell phone voicemail to see if the appointment was cancelled before leaving home, but I half expected that no one would be there due to the weather. I was heartened to see that I could at last get going on this.

Hooray for First Friday!

Here in Flagstaff, we have what is called the First Friday ArtWalk. Being a cool, hippie, artsy-fartsy sorta place, Flag has a monthly showing of offerings by local artists, writers, musicians, adventure athletes, etc. Local businesses and galleries "feature" a different artist and host an open viewing and reception with snacks, wine, home-brew etc. Free and open to the public. A great time to get out and mingle with friends. My house, being just a few blocks from downtown, is a great place to gather and head out as a group (or singly, if it is really cold and everyone poops out!) to check it out. Forecast is saying snow tonite, so we will see who is willing to brave the elements in the name of Art.
Our office move is almost complete- everyone is breathing a collective sigh of relief. Does anyone really enjoy moving? I love it when it is done, and I am doing the fun part- finding places for all my stuff. Right now, I have my PC set up on a work table, a half-empty bookcase and file cabinet, and no phone. My new space has no carpeting, nothing but bare walls and a few chairs. I will be glad when I can bring back all my "personal stuff" that I had to take home prior to the move...
News on the parent front: step-dad has had a feeding tube inserted in his stomach, and will be sent home with it- my Mom had to get instruction on how to feed him. This does not sound good to me. And a hospital bed will be delivered to their home the day he is released (some weird MediCare thing says that it cannot be delivered prior to his release- like someone would sleep in the thing if they didn't have to. Honestly!) Yesterday I went the California DMV site and downloaded the forn asking the DMV to call him in for a re-evaluation. After talking to my Mom last night, it looks like it is doubtful he is going to recover enough to make this an issue. But I will send in the form anyway. I can always say that I sent it in right after I returned home from Christmas. And if he does improve, I will at least have started the ball rolling to get him to stop driving.
I, like a binge-drinker on New Years Eve, have been driving everywhere as I anticipate being car-free (not car-less, car-free). I do laugh at myself. I am hoping that part of this endeavor will be to show people that it is not as difficult as they might imagine to scale down their driving, or only have one car per family. I also hope that with more people choosing not to drive, more mass-transit options become available. I do not want to "have" to drive when I am older (I'm 48). I am lucky to live somewhere that has transit and walkable communities. I also have lots of support from my middle-class friends, who probably relish having this hippie type friend (who actually lives "downtown"--gasp!) If you saw what passes for downtown Flagstaff you would laugh your ass off. But I digress.
Getting back on my bike will (hopefully) help with another problem I am having- fitting into my pants! This morning, I tried on 2 pair before I found one that (sorta) fit. I am about 30 pounds above my marathon weight of 19 months ago (see blog picture). If there weren't already a blog called Fat Cyclist (hey, Elden!) that would be the name of mine.

Back to the grind

Back to work after a brief holiday vacation. Lots going on in the office- everyone has been moving into new "group spaces"- basically forced out of private offices and into strange and random spaces that were never meant to be office space. Huh? I am not sure what this is supposed to accomplish, but am trying to keep an open mind, and thanking God that my co-habitors are longtime teammates and co-workers. Some folks are moving into spaces with people they don't like- that would suck!
Big news on the parent-front: as my folks were getting ready to leave for their annual couples New Years in Laughlin, NV (these folks are mostly in their late 70s!), my step-dad could not breathe so my Mom took him to the UCSD Medical Center. There, they performed a trachiotomy on him so that he could breathe. His vocal cords were inflamed, and there was a "weird, but we are pretty sure it isn't cancer" mass in his esophogus that the doctor sent out for biopsy- because of the holidays, results aren't expected back until the week of the 7th. So, Pops is in ICU at UCSD for now.
Getting things ready for going car-free: sent the kid up to the attic to locate the headrests and cargo shade for the car, I hit the bumper with touch-up paint (after washing) and will locate the pink-slip from a box of personal stuff I brought home from work. I also had my landlord (who owns a bike shop in back of my house) put studs in the tires of my foldable bike so that I can ride when it is icy (the little bike means I have less distance to the ground if I fall!). I need to sell my road bike and my mountain bike- I never ride them, and they were expensive so I might as well get my money out of them (plan to purchase an Xtracycle for my Breezer- that should address issues like big grocery shopping and lunch deliveries for the Food Kitchen).
Interesting reactions from people I have told about going car-free: either they rush to tell me why they can't do the same (I am the first to admit that only my present circumstances permit me to even consider it) or they offer to lend me their vehicle, or they try to throw situations in my face where I would HAVE TO HAVE A CAR! Funny, everyone thinks that once your car is paid for (like mine is) that the expenses stop or become really minimal. Here is how it breaks down for me:
Current vehicle value: $10,800 (2002 Subaru Legacy wagon, 57k miles)

Depreciation- $1000 (minimum)
Registration- $190
Insurance- $1000
Gas- $1636 (12k/per, 22mpg, $3gal)
Minimal maintenance- $300 (oil change, tune up, etc.)
Major maintenance- $1200 (60k overhaul- should hit 60k in 4-6 months)
New tires- $400 (would need these sometime in the next 12 months)

Cost to drive this vehicle for the next year- $5826 ($485.50 per month)

So, selling the car means:
$10,800 sale price ($7000 toward bills)
$5826 savings

As I've told my friends- I can rent alot of cars and take alot of cabs for close to $6000 bucks...