I managed to ride four times for a total of about 20 miles in my first week of having a stationary trainer for my bicycle. I had hoped to ride Friday and Saturday but events conspired against me. And today, after the completion of String Fling I was entirely too tired to make myself go to it. We did shovel snow of the neighbor’s driveway however, so I got some exercise.
Starting tomorrow I have ever intention of upping the time I spend on my daily “ride.” I rearrange the garage so that I have a shelf in front of the bicycle, complete with a power outlet, so I’ll be able to take a laptop and DVD with me to provide some diversion while I pedal to nowhere.
I haven’t been too good about limiting my colorie intake this week, so my weight hasn’t dropped at all. While I may or may not lose weight as a result of training rides, I will certainly improve my aerobic conditioning and stamina. And my ability to withstand incredibly boring activities.
A year ago this weekend I played in my first ever orchestra as a part of the 2010 String Fling hosted at KSU. String Fling is open to all 5th through 9th grade string players in Kansas and attracts 600+ students from around the state. The kids are grouped into orchestras based on grade and rehearse all day Saturday plus an hour Sunday morning, before performing for their family and friends.
My teacher, David, has been organizing this event for years and asked me if I’d like to try it. As I had only been playing for a few weeks when last year’s event took place, he put me in one of the 5th grade orchestras. I enjoyed myself enough that I have been looking forward to this year’s String Fling.
With almost 14 months of playing experience under my belt, David promoted me to one of the 7th grade ensembles. This may have been a bit too much for me. He’s using what I would call a modified Suzuki method to teach me to play. I don’t memorize and play solely from listening to the music the way the method was intended. I use the finger numbers and learn the pieces through repetition. Not being able to sight read music made last years participation some what stressful as I had to hurriedly write in finger numbers to be able to keep up with the conductor.
When presented with the music for this year’s orchestra I once again was confronted with a need to sight read and no skill at that particular part of music. Much of the day was frustrating for me as I struggled to read my finger numbers and keep track of the rhythm and watch the conductor and try to hear myself over all the other players.
By the end of today’s rehearsal I was nearly ready to bow out of tomorrow’s rehearsal and performance. I felt very under prepared and the idea of being on stage in that state was not appealing. This evening I re-wrote my fingerings on the music, making so much needed corrections, and I practiced the pieces on my own, which allowed me to hear the melodies. Knowing what the piece sounds like is a huge benefit to me, and I feel much better about tomorrow’s event as a result.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep pace with the conductor tomorrow or not, but I’ll be there, in the back row, gamely trying.
It is rare these days that I find new music, from a new artist (new to me, any way) that I like enough to purchase. In the last decade I’ve only added four new artists to my listening rotation: Nanci Griffith, Evanescence, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Loreena McKennitt. A quick follow of those links will reveal that these artists cover a broad spectrum from contemporary country to Celtic-inspire folk, and from gothic rock to percussive guitar.
Today I added a fifth new artist and a new genre to my collection. Zoë Keating is an avant-cellist. She utilizes an acoustic cello, some pickups and microphones, some looping software on a MacBook Pro, and a foot pedal arrangement that allows her to interact with the software while she is playing. She explains her approach to music in this Wired video article.
The result is a sonic landscape that is layered and full of textures. You have never heard a cello played like this before. It is the most intoxicating music I’ve heard in a long, long time. The only thing that comes close is Rodrigo y Gabriela, whose percussive style is also unique in the guitar world.
There are any number of YouTube videos of Ms. Keating, but I highly recommend the Wired performance of Escape Artist to start.
I’ve worked with computers for years. At present there are five in my office (hooked up to a total of eight displays). I carry several with me nearly everywhere I go. I am a computer nerd.
However I notice a distinction between myself and the some of the nerds I work with: some of them treat their laptops and other devices with a casual indifference that I don’t feel. Not that they are mistreating or misusing their equipment, just that they, from outward appearance, view their computers as tools whereas I view my computers as parts of my digital self, part of my digital persona.
I name my computers, I even name my iPods and USB drives. Not functional names but fun, (hopefully) inventive names. For a while I was on a Winne-ther-Pooh binge and consequently I have machines named Eeyore and Tigger, an iPod called Heffalump, and a USB key called Piglet. Tolkien’s universe has influenced some names, like Palantir and Orthanc. My newest laptop is called BlackPerl and a twisted homage to the Pirate movie ("… more like guide lines …").
These things are bits of me, contain bits of my thoughts, images, ideas, and creations. As a consequence I tend to approach them the same way I would like to be approached, with care and consideration. I think a part of me will be diminished should I ever get to the point where my collection of computers and devices is just the current interchangeable part and not some manifestation of myself.
Five years ago I got my first iPod, a 30 GB model, which has lasted me until now. It’s primary function is to live in the arm rest of our Honda Insight where it is hooked, via USB cable, to the car’s radio. This works fairly well, with my only real objection being the lack of a full set of controls on the car’s dash.
Honda did put a wheel on the radio that you can use to emulate the scroll wheel of the iPod. However, each turn of Honda’s wheel only advances the list you are scrolling about 3 entries. Plus it has no inertia, and there’s no going backward past the start of the alphabet. If you want to get to ZZ Top from Abba, you have to go through every intervening letter of the alphabet first, you can’t go backwards and get there.
Unfortunately the iPod’s battery has given up the ghost. Even though it charges from the car, all the device will display now is “Low battery.”
So I splurged and got a new 8 GB iPod Nano. It’s tiny. It’s minuscule. It’s fantastic.
I suspect that leaving the original iPod in the car, regardless of heat or cold, may have hastened its demise, so I am uncoupling the Nano and sticking it in my pocket when ever I park the car. A minor annoyance but one I hope will extend the life of the thing.
Since it is in the arm rest while I’m using it, I don’t get to see or interact with its touch display. However, one aspect of the new iPod is much appreciated - smart playlists now work the way I expected them to 5 years ago. My first iPod wouldn’t ever refresh my complicated shuffle playlist. I had to plug it into the computer in order for that to occur. The Nano refreshes as soon as I leave the playlist for another and then come back. Very nice. Overall it is a wonderful little machine.
Yesterday I experimented briefly with a new theme for my site. Unfortunately it clobbered my sidebar, and when I restored my usual theme most of the widgets there were destroyed.
I’ve managed to resurrect the ones that were most important to me, but caching issues may cause your sidebar to look wonky for a while. Depending on your browser you may or may not have a keystroke combination available to you to force-reload my site and ignore any bits left in your cache. All browsers (I believe) provide a menu option to clear browsing data, which is more drastic, but would clear your cache.
As for the theme, it’s been deleted from my server, never to return again.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with computer bags. Well, perhaps like/dislike is a more accurate phrase. I like which ever new bag I’ve just heard about, until I acquire one and then I start to dislike it.
My most recent bag is a BBP Hybrid Hampton, and while it’s a fine piece of computer luggage I’m afraid it just isn’t for me.
The BBP is convertible though a unique strap arrangement that allows you to wear it as either a backpack or as a messenger style bag. I tend to keep mine in backpack mode even though the conversion process is relative quick and easy. In backpack mode the straps aren’t long enough to fit comfortably - I find that they bind a bit under my arms. And, with reduced mobility in my right arm, I find it difficult to get the bag off, especially when I’m wearing a winter coat.
The strap isn’t the biggest issue for me however, getting to any compartment that isn’t the laptop is. The laptop sleeve is the only compartment that is accessible without undoing two large snap buckles and then flipping up the cover/flap. The cover/flap has three smallish pockets, one of which is open to the top allowing it to conveniently empty itself whenever you flip the cover over to access any of the interior pockets.
The sleeve itself is only just big enough for my laptop. I have the medium size bag and a 15" MacBook Pro. If the zipper is even one tooth from being fully open I can’t get the laptop into or out of the sleeve. With the recent acquisition of an iPad through work I now have two devices to carry each day, and this bag just isn’t right for the job. I can fit the iPad in it’s Apple sleeve in the same pocket as my laptop, but I fear both are squeezed a bit as a result.
The bag I had previous to the BBP was a Targus backpack that worked well enough, but as it aged it tended to sag and fall over when set down. The BBP also can’t stand on its own, always falling toward its front necessitating that I lean it against a wall or desk when I put it on the floor.
In lieu of getting yet another bag, I’ve decided to resurrect and older messenger style bag I’ve got, a Contour one from Kensington. The original shoulder strap on it separated, but I’ve got a “spare” strap from a still older messenger style bag that will suffice. My walking commute is only a few dozen paces so carrying the bag at my side isn’t a burden. The Kensington has more, large, externally accessible pockets than the BBP, and plenty of room inside for both the MacBook Pro and the iPad.
If I were to spend some money on yet another computer bag, I think it would be one of the newer, sleek backpack style ones - something as small as possible that could still carry both devices. Time to do some research.
Many, many years ago, when I was serious about bicycling and rode year round, I rarely had trouble with my inquinal nerve getting pinched. Today, however, during my trainer ride in the garage I experienced numbness in my groin. It’s an odd sensation, not one I really recommend, and I hope that minor adjustments to my bicycle’s geometry can address it.
What is counter-intuitive about the adjustments is raising the nose of the saddle to force the “sitz” bones back onto the wider part of the seat. The setup on my road bike hasn’t changed in years, I’m afraid it’s the rider whose geometry has, ah, shifted. If I’m not able to eliminate the numbness on my own, I may return to the bike store and see what adjustments they would recommend. There are some in the medical field who report that prolonged interference with either the nerves or blood vessels involved may cause medical issues - I’d rather skip that if at all possible.
Prior to getting the trainer I was curious how my elbow would react to the stresses of stationary riding. Turns out it handles that far better than it does riding on the road. On the road it acts as a shock absorber, constantly flexing and relaxing as I and the bicycle move. On the trainer it only has to support my weight, and then just when I lean forward. Hopefully it’ll become strengthened by the stationary riding making on-the-road riding less painful this summer.
Finally, I hope that short daily trainer sessions will toughen up my seat so that riding isn’t something to be endured. I know this will happen, I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.
This morning, after taking my bicycle to the local independent bike shop to try out of couple of their trainers, I purchased a Giant Auto II magnetic trainer. I found it to be a tad quieter than the comparable CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer, and perhaps a tad easier to pedal. Although the pedaling resistance could have the roller being too tight against the rear wheel.
The trainer is dirt-simple to set up: You take it out of the box and unfold it. Getting the bike onto the trainer is only slightly more difficult; after some trial fittings and adjusting the spindle clamps, you are all set.
Once the bike is on the trainer the rear wheel is about three inches in the air, which means you “ride” downhill or at least at an uncomfortable angle, until you prop up the front wheel. All the trainer manufacturers make a nifty molded plastic wheel chock, but I opted to use four old boards for now. Since the bike is rigidly held into place the front wheel doesn’t move at all, so the boards will suffice.
After several minutes remember how to reset the odometer on my anging Cateye cycle computer (while not losing the all important wheel size), I was all set for my first training ride.
Five minutes later I was ready to stop. For now.
Not only am I out of aerobic shape, I have no real muscle tone, and most importantly, no callus for the hard little leather saddle on my road bike. I really used to ride a 100 miles on that thing? Seriously?
The trick now will be to gradually build up my endurance and overall conditioning. I don’t want to hurt myself or burn out so that I don’t keep this up. My self imposed goal is only 120 days away now, and I have 27 pounds yet to shed.
In his seminal 1970 book, Up The Organization, Robert Townsend outlined many good ideas for how to better run a corporation. One that always stuck with me was his idea of calling yourself at work to see what barriers had been erected to prevent people from getting through.
In today’s Internet-driven economy new barriers exist that are every bit as difficult to surmount as an overly-protective secretary or administrative assistant was 40 years ago.
For example, as I am taking a class in the spring semester here, I need to pay my student fees. As a University employee I am eligible for tuition reimbursement so all that’s left for me to pay is $131.50.
For several months now I have been using Google Chrome exclusively as my browser, so when I see a blurb on the sign-in page about Safari users I ignore it. Once signed in the Student System I access the Student Center and then the outstanding payments section. It helpfully shows me an accounting of last semesters bill and payments. Clicking on the payments tab I finally see the $131.50 I owe.
Clicking the make payment button I am led to a page that lists the fee twice, so I click on the first one and get an option to add it to a shopping cart. I do that and next I click on checkout which results in an error page saying I am not authorized.
Huh?
Try all of that again with the same result.
Call the Help Desk and learn that neither Safari or Google Chrome work with this particular application. In 2011. Great. It’s not like the Internet is brand new, you’d think a major provider of student systems like PeopleSoft would know better.
The help desk solution is to, “Use Firefox or IE.” Not real happy about that as a solution, but okay. Download Firefox and access the Student System. Click randomly a few hundred times until I get past the checkout button and see a notice that payments cannot be made via Debit card, only Credit card or electronic check. Are you kidding me with this sh*t? Kill the browser in disgust.
Via instant message chat I ask my wife, Sibylle, if she’ll hunt up a check book and give me the magic numbers from the bottom of a check so I can give the University money. In the meantime we have a nice chat about Bootstrap the cat and his favorite play toy, sunshine in the mornings, and how wonderful life is.
Happen to notice the Safari users notice again, and actually read it this time, before signing into the mess that is iSIS a second or third time today. It says that while you can’t directly access the payment section of the system, you can go to CashNet via this nifty link here. Why that wasn’t offered along with the “you aren’t authorized” error earlier I have no idea.
Using Google Chrome and the nifty CashNet link I set off to pay my bill. Hmm, I need to know my not-a-Social-Security-number identifier, called a WID (Wildcat ID). Fortunately I have this written down as it’s 9-digits and I don’t know it by heart. That and my last name get me it to the payment system. Of course this system doesn’t know what my bill is, so I have to manually enter the amount. And then the Routing number (twice) and the account number (just once) and my name, and my great-grand-aunt’s maiden name spelled backwards. Okay, maybe not that last bit.
Finally I press pay now and my bill has been paid.
I realize that people put up with this because they have to pay their tuition and fees, but that’s no excuse for the incredibly cumbersome process implemented here.
Limiting people to specific browsers was a bad idea in the 1990s, doing it now is just stupid.
Not accepting a perfectly reasonable method of payment is also stupid. What if I don’t have a checking account or credit card? It is possible in this day and age to have your employer pay you via what amounts to a debit card - how do those people take classes?
Using a third-party site to actually collect the funds is fine, but throw some branding on there to assure me that I am send money to the University and not some guy in Kenya.
Get off my lawn.