Biking Everywhere

Woke up tired as usual. I didn't leave any time to eat breakfast and instead rushed out to work. Inside everything looked dark as night and I lamented the time change for making me bike to work in the dark. But when I opened the garage door to leave it was actually just ending the blue hour. So, besides being pretty bracing, it was nice.

And really, even the cold wasn't so bad as I was wearing the peruvian scarf/hat/gloves set I graciously accepted from Rali. There's also a pancho which rocks hard but doesn't quite provide enough warmth to wear while biking. At least in theory, as I've never actually tried, thinking a pancho is not quite suited in shape to be biking in either. Instead I wore a cozy but large hoodie.

Getting to work was fine. Work was fine. Although I had to help other stations open a few times so I was a bit slower setting up. I brew a few different pots of coffee and put the out for rapid consumption; within an hour, at least. I make two backup pots of the two most popular blends: regular and hazelnut. Then I fill up those little milk pitchers for your coffee and put them out. Oh, I also put the soaking nozzles back on the soda machine and turn it on. And brew two different pots of iced tea to put out. Nobody drinks it at 7:45 AM so I can put them out awhile after we open, if I need.

I also fill up the cold drink wells that are in front of the registers with the ice and put juice, milk, and water out. This always proves to be the one I slack on doing. I'm usually doing it as we open. Oh, I put out butter and lemns somewhere in there too. Then I try to run out orders while being preoccupied with making and portioning lemonade, cutting more lemons for the condiment station, and keeping up with the coffee drinkers.

Anyway, today was busy but only during one short rush. I went home early, but only by an hour. Home was for changing, then I went to the post office, secretly wishing there was a W.A.S.T.E. box nearby instead. And when I got back home I played a bunch of guitar noise. Wailing pretty loud on that amp. It helps me sing louder, I noticed. Like when I was driving I would have to sing loud enough to hear myself over the music. The afternoon, right before dusk, is pretty much the only time I have to play it. It is just a very loud amp.

Rali eventually called me but hung up before I could pick up meaning she was bus and so I planted a seed of maybe coming up early. When I was biking out to see her I passed a rather pristine looking daisy that I just had to stop and grab, thinking it would be a lovely present for Rali, but upon further investigation it was lamely plastic. Plastic flowers are no good so I ditched the idea.

And now I'm here writing, getting warmed by chamomile tea, and helping Rali think of a tasty place for us to eat. It seems futile. Even if we think of somewhere it's bound to be closed after 9:00 PM and that is the only time we have. And then I do need enough sleep to wake up at 5:45 AM again and get ready for work.

On my mind

One of my coworkers found out on Sunday that her aunt was stabbed to death. They suspect her cousin. Cousin: maybe that means the aunt's son? It happened up the road from us. Not close though, on the other side of the valley.
So murder, family, relationships between family, and security are all on my mind.

After playing all that guitar noise, music is very strongly on my mind. I want to have a recording set-up so I can play with the sound more. I wish I wrote more. I'm finding that a lot of my old songs were written with too low of a melody for me now that I feel more confidant and want to sing with more power. I wish Rali had a bass or something to play on so we could do that together; I think it would be really great.

And our decision to bike mostly whenever it's more appropriate is on my mind. I really want this Threadless shirt because it does a great job of sending the message we want to about cars vs. biking.