Random: Gettin' warm edition

1. This Sunday I rode my bike for the first time since a slightly too-cold-to-ride-day in January (it was in the low 40s then and I rode for about a half hour). Sunday I rode for around at a leisurely pace for an hour and a half, about eight miles all told, with a stop for thirty minutes to sit on a rock by the river in a park in the town of Riverside. I sat there listening to Sigur Ros and watching birds fly overhead. It was very peaceful. On the way back I saw the "Berwyn Parrots" -- there's a tree in a family's front yard that has a HUGE nest at the top. It's like the apartment complex version of a nest. I had heard that there were parrots living in the tree that had escaped from the Brookfield Zoo, but I didn't fully believe the story. I heard LOUD chirping (over my already loud iPod) unlike any song birds in the area so I stopped to see if I could spot what was making ruckus. I actually saw one of them. I have no idea if the Zoo story is true, but there are definitely parrots in that tree. I rode into Oak Park after work on Monday, too.

2. It's supposed to be 68 degrees (F) today! It was nice Sunday and Monday and today will be even nicer. We've been having several days of warmer, sunny weather. With the early time change, I have sunlight until around 6:30pm, too. So much better than darkness at 4:30pm.

3. I might start wearing mismatched argyle socks on purpose. I was thinking about things for no real reason -- like wear matching socks. Who cares if your socks don't match? I used to paint my fingernails blue a lot back in college and I liked doing that, but doing that now would interfere with my aspirations of having a job someday. The socks, not so much interference. I think it would be a good thing to mix it up in small ways, such as wearing a green argyle and a blue argyle at the same time. Sort of like how I wear frilly women's unmentionables instead of boxers everyday (but no one can see those).

4. I think I'm starting to put on weight again. I have been eating a lot more lately. I think I'll be able to cut about five pounds soon because I'll be outside more often now that the weather is changing.

5. I 'shopped a picture of me to see what I would look like bald. I think it turned out really well for something I did in about five minutes. I've been thinking about cutting my hair really short (not bald, though) and yesterday I read an article in the NY Times about products for bald guys or guys who shave their heads. It got me thinking about when my hair decides to fall out to the point where I can't pretend I just have a high hairline. I don't look half bad, either.As bly pointed out, I will definitely have to rock the goatee if I ever actually decide to do shave my head like that. I think I can pull off the mean biker look or the rebel professor look easily with no hair.

6. Is it me, or has 24 officially moved from sensationalist to ridiculous? Last night's episode didn't work for me. It was full of silliness. I still think that most of the Jack storyline is ok, but the other sub-plots are getting dumb. The Vice President is way too nuke-happy and how about the former First Lady?! They are trying way too hard. Past seasons I could suspend my disbelief enough, but last night's episode pushed the bounds of suspension (it's not the big events in 24 but the smaller, completely unecessary stuff; like why couldn't Bill just call the former First Lady?! Just so she could get all Stabby Mc Stabbinstein?!)

7. I need a new wallet -- I'm tired of carrying around the velcro surfer's wallet I have. It has a change compartment, though. Very useful. I need to find a non-velcro with a place for change.

8. Only a little over three months to go in Chicago. The other interns have started asking me for the count-down every so often. They think it's funny that I know how many days we have left (I only know because of my counter in the sidebar; I know how many days until my next visit home because I count those down myself). They are as ready as I am to be done. Two are pretty burned out and not happy and one has a post-doc already lined up so he's got the gradschool version of Senior-itis.

posted by Russell @ 9:31 AM Comments : 3