Month: October 2008

Tomorrows Goal

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, ExerciseLeave a comment

Tomorrow morning I’m not going to wake up to an alarm clock telling me that I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to go bike riding.  Instead I’m just going to wake up when I wake up then I’m going to have something to eat, maybe a bowl of corn flakes, then wait a little while maybe an hour, they say to eat 1 hour before exercising.  I wouldn’t want to give myself a cramp.  Then I’m going to do some stretches for my legs and then get on my bike and go to Beach Park.  This time I have a goal to get there and then collapse onto the grass and rest while listening to my music for a bit, maybe call Darrin and tell him I made it.  Give my legs enough time to rest so I can make it all the way back home.

I think this is a good strategy.  See the reason I haven’t made it all the way there yet is because I kinda figured I’d get there then immediately go home without stopping and it was just too much for my legs.  But all I have to do is think about it in a different way and then I can do it.  I need to do this.  Then I can say hey I made it all the way to beach park and I collapsed on the grass and gave my legs enough time to rest before getting up, I looked at how pretty it is and I looked at the bike path but I will save the bike path for another time.  Yeah, that’s what I’ll say.

The one thing I need is encouragement to do it.  Well, on that note I think I shall go to bed and rest up for tomorrow.  This is good because it’s only 11:12pm and not 2am lol.

Getting Ready For Ride

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, ExerciseLeave a comment

Just a couple more hours before Sergio, my neighbor, comes a knocking on my door to go bike riding to Beach Park.  I’m positive that I can make it all that way but once I get there I have to stop and rest before going back home.  I’m actually looking forward to actually making it all that way.  I really don’t know why I always punk out when I do go on my bike ride.  I mean, it’s actually a very good idea to go all the way there, this way I can stop and lay down on the grass for a bit to give me the energy I need to go back home.

I bought a new pair of sunglasses at Walgreens this morning for $10.  They are the wrap around kind, the sports sunglasses.  I’ve had 2 other pair but both have broken and I’ve ended up having no choice but to throw them away.  It’s my own fault for breaking them though so this new pair I plan to keep with my helmet and only wear when bike riding.  This way I’m not  having to hold them while I’m at the store and accidentally break them lol.  That’s what happened to the last pair.  Oops.

I’ve been doing laundry last night and today so I have clean clothes to wear.  Normally when I go on my bike ride it’s in the morning and I don’t ride with anybody so I just put on sweat pants and my hoodie sweater along with thermal underwear because when I go by myself it’s usually when the sun is coming up.  But since it’s a little warmer in the daytime I had to wash and dry my shorts and since I can’t wear my hoodie then I need a nice clean shirt that isn’t too tight, isn’t too loose.

Going to have lunch now before I go.

Edit:  I waited until 3:15 because he said he would come to my door but never did so at 3:15 I went to his house and he said he just woke up and had to get in the shower because a friend called and is on his way so the bike was a no go hehe.

Scheduled Ride

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Tonight I tried out my new light by riding over to the neighbor’s house, it’s like 5 houses away so it allowed me to see the lights turn on without having to go too far.  He was outside on his porch so I stayed for a few minutes and chatted.  He told me that we should go on a bike ride tomorrow at 3pm over to Beach Park.  Well, all I can say is good luck to him and his goal hehe.  I’m not quite sure I can make it that far but we will see.  It’s actually not that far from the point that I usually just turn around and go home so here is to keeping a goal.  If it works out I will blog (uh, duh, I blog about everything lol).

Light Set for Bike

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

My light set finally came today.  I bought it exactly a week ago on Saturday and it came today which is a Saturday hehe.  That’s ok, I wasn’t too impatient… NOT!

I installed it immediately and almost right away I ran into a huge snag.  The headlight could be installed in 1 of 3 locations.  2 places on the handlebars, the screw on top that you use to adjust the handlebars but that screw doesn’t come out.  You unscrew it and it is connected to the bottom of the pipe to tighten the handlebars so when you adjust it to go up or down it tightens.  Then there is a screw in the middle of the handlebars in the front that you use to adjust the handlebars to tilt them up or down.  That screw comes out but it was too thick to go into the hole for the light bracket.

So my only alternative was the brakes.  As soon as I took the screws off the brakes I messed things up.  The diagram shows that you have to remove the brakes and put the light behind them so it’s all the way in the back which I was able to do no problem.  But when I went to replace the brakes and tightened the nuts the brakes wouldn’t work.  They were locked in place.  I didn’t put it back on right and the way the spring is on there you cannot put something behind it.  It’s just not done.  So I had to take the light off and figure out how to get the brakes back on right which I eventually did.  I got the manual out but couldn’t find it in there.  It then occurred to me to look at the back brakes to see how they are installed lol DUH.  Anyway, I got them back on and put the light in the very front of the brakes.  It’s all good now.

The generator got put in place and so did the back light.  It all works.  Although I can’t really tell in the daytime, I have to ride it when the sun goes down to see how well it all works.  From what I remember when I was a teenager and having this same light system the lights aren’t very bright when you are riding a normal speed which I guess is 10mph.  When you are going down hill the lights turn on bright because you picked up speed.  So it makes sense that when you go faster the lights go brighter.  And of course as soon as you stop the lights turn off.

I’m just glad to have it finally so I was able to check that off my wish list for the bike.

Proof of Ownership

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Ok.  You are going to laugh.  I went to Albertson’s on my bike and I have one of those locks that is like telephone cord that is curly and it has a 4 number combination that you can set the numbers for and when I got to the store I went to lock it and as I was pushing the lock together I felt and heard a clicking sound and as I was pushing it in I knew I messed up big time.  I immediately tried pulling it out and it wouldn’t budge.  I started freaking out.  I started trying different combinations because I thought that I turned the dial to set it then accidentally turned a number as I was pushing it in, which I have done before.  I had no luck.

I went into the store and told the lady at the information counter (she sells lottery tickets, cigarettes, electronics and does the photo stuff) and told her what happened and she called Jim to call her and told him what happened.  This other lady came up and I told her what happened and she said that she knows I come in here a lot but how do they know it’s my bike.  Luckily, I have the paper work with the serial number and the manual with the model of the bike on it as well as the receipt and I even took a picture of it.  WHEW!

So Jim finally came to the front with bolt cutters and I showed him my paper work which he didn’t actually look at because I think he figured if I took the time to get someone to bring it to me and I was showing it to him then he believed that it was indeed my bike.  So, he tried cutting it and it was really hard for him to cut it but eventually he did get it off.  It made me feel good that he couldn’t get it off because I knew I had a good lock.  But on the other hand…  I wanted my bike back lol.

He told me that if I didn’t have this proof of ownership then it would’ve sat there until someone tried to claim it and then eventually they would’ve had to call a company out to get it and auction it or something.  So I’m very glad I bought my bike at a store and not at a thrift store with no manual and no receipt.  And I’m especially glad that I took a picture of it too.

Here are some pictures of the lock.  The first one is where he tried to cut but it just wouldn’t cut then the 2nd one is where he finally got it cut.

Directory Assistance

On By Michel McDonaldIn ScamsLeave a comment

Do not call 411!  Get a phone book for crying out loud.  Are you that lazy?  There is also a free 411 that you can call that doesn’t cost you a dime, all you have to do is listen to an advertisement which is less than 30 seconds out of your day.  1-800-free-411.

Here are the facts about 411.  I just got my phone bill and it shows 3 411 calls billed at $1.50 each for a total of $4.50.  You are allowed 1 free 411 call now.  Before it used to be 3 free 411 calls but now it’s just 1.  But that’s not all.  They have also itemized it in Local Toll category with 661-411-0000 which brings that total up to $5.97 so for 3 411 calls it cost me total $10.47.  That’s $10 too much.  For 3 calls!  Get it?  Look below.  I pasted directly from my bill just in case you don’t believe me.

Directory Assistance
Local Directory Assistance
4 Call(s) placed
1 Call(s) allowed
1-04        3  Call(s) billed at $1.50  each                              4.50
Local Toll
Item
No. Date Time Place Called Number Code        Min Amount
Itemized Calls
1-05 9-14  1045A   NATL411SVC   661 411-0000 N             1           1.99
1-06 9-17   544A   NATL411SVC   661 411-0000 N             1           1.99
1-07 9-24   217P   NATL411SVC   661 411-0000 D             1           1.99
Total Itemized Calls                                                      5.97
KEY TO CALLING CODES
D Day                   N Night/Weekend
Total Local Toll                                                          5.97

Why is it so hard to just pick up a phone book? They waste so much paper and kill so many trees so that you may look up a phone number for free. You can also go on your computer and look it up at www.yellow.com or www.yellowpagesonline.com or whatever.  But for god sake, stop using 411!

No on Prop 8

On By Michel McDonaldIn Anti-Gay, Gay Rights, PoliticalLeave a comment

I need to ask for your help. There is an unfair ballot proposition that, if passed, will take away my fundamental rights. This is really important to me. Will you help me defeat Prop. 8?

Prop. 8 would eliminate the right to marry for same-sex couples. I trust you agree that eliminating fundamental rights – from anyone – is just wrong.

I hope you are already planning to vote NO. If you are, there are three things you can do below.

But just in case you’re unsure, I want you to know the real deal.

Virtually every major paper in California is against Prop 8. The L.A. Times says it is “a drastic step to strip people of rights.” La Opinión called Prop 8 “an unnecessary initiative”. The San Diego Union Tribune wrote that Prop 8 “offends many Californians’ sense of fairness.”

If that doesn’t convince you, I hope you’ll email me so we can talk about this.

If you plan to vote NO, there are a few easy things to help ensure it is defeated.

  1. Email everyone you know and care about and get them to help us defeat Prop 8.  Send them a message at  http://noonprop8.com/messages?r=friend.  You can quickly and easily send messages.
  2. Make a donation. The other side has raised over $10 million more than us.  They are using their war chest to spread lies and misinformation. Your donation will help us reach undecided voters who need to hear that Prop. 8 is wrong and unfair. http://noonprop8.com/donate?r=friend.
  3. Volunteer your time. Sign up to call undecided voters or help out in field offices across the state. http://noonprop8.com/volunteer?r=friend.

Thank you for doing all you can to defeat Prop. 8.

Here are some videos that I personally have not seen on TV and I really don’t know why.

It’s A Green Life

On By Michel McDonaldIn Diet, Exercise, Green, HealthLeave a comment

A few weeks ago we came home from San Diego after only being gone for a few days and discovered that someone had taken our garbage can.  The city wants to charge us $60 for a new one.  It hit me below the belt because it made me think that I do take it for granted.  Trash that is.  We normally just save soda cans and soda bottles and give them to the dumpster divers but we decided to start recycling them for ourselves.

I took it a step further though and instead of just soda bottles and cans I’d look at the back of every container we buy and those cans that food come in are recyclable too and so are milk containers.  Paper can also be recycled.  I set up 2 paper bags with the cans (1 bag for each type of can) and I’m going to set up another bag for shredded paper which I am now going to start shredding the mail along with junk mail and even bad ideas that I’ve printed.  I have so much paper just sitting around in notebooks that have absolutely no purpose anymore so those will be shredded straight away.

I’ve also become green when I shower.  When you live in a trailer or if go camping and have one of those hanging bags of water for showers you have to use the least you can use so you have enough water for yourself and others so you get wet, turn off the hose, lather your hair and body then turn the hose back on to rinse off.  Well, I’ve started doing that at home.  I don’t know exactly how many gallons of water I am saving but I bet you it’s a lot.

I started riding my bike for exercise, not to get anywhere in particular but so I can lose weight and so that’s good that I’m doing that but it really serves no green purpose for me.  But it’s at least a statement.

And we do have to drive our car to the recycling center just to recycle all this stuff.  I can’t carry bags of cans, bottles and tied up newspaper and bags of shredded paper on a bike so we have no other choice.  I feel I’m at least helping.

Below are pictures of my cans bags and a trash bag of bottles which is a new bag so it only has a couple of bottles but you get the idea.

Spam

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

I just love spam.  I much prefer it after I’ve fried it in the skillet so it’s a little greasy and it’s a little scorched.  Although it cooks good in a toaster oven as well.  Then I put mayo on 2 slices of bread and eat it like a sandwich.

The spam that I do hate is the ones that come with links and gibberish in the form of comments on my blog.  Although I do appreciate the fact that someone out there took the time to look at my blog, I think… or maybe it was a bot who found my blog site and started posting junk.  I don’t know.  All I know is I much prefer it in the form of a sammich.

Light System

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, DoctorLeave a comment

I checked the tracking today from USPS for my light system for my bike and it was brought there to the post office on Monday but they didn’t ship it out until today.  So basically they sat on it for 2 days.  That’s fine though because it did say 2 to 9 days and it is the post office and not UPS or something so I don’t expect it right away.

I am actually glad it isn’t going to be here tomorrow because we both have doctors appointments.  Darrin is going in to find out what the new tests for his diabetes will be.  I’m afraid that it might come while we aren’t there and they are going to leave it to get stolen.  So, hopefully I’ll get it Friday or Saturday instead.