arvTales

Sunday night. Contemplation night, except I can't. I'm too worried about how I'm going to work tomorrow. In theory I can take a $50 cab ride. In practice that's $100 for the day. No way I'm going to shell out that kinda dough. It's too late to inconvenience my co-workers for a ride. Imagine that conversation:

Me: Hey Ricky-boy! Yeah, I know it's 11 o'clock. Hey listen, have you seen the news lately? Yeah, TTC totally sucks. So the reason I called is to try and bum a ride from you. No? Come on, big daddy! I thought we were buds!

Nope, that Ain't Gonna Fly. I like Rick too much to inconvenience him. [Editor's note: Rick, I know you read this blog. No, I'm not trying to suck up. When have you ever known me to suck up? That's right, never. Hey, nice suit!]

So I have decided that I am not going to worry about it. Why not? 'Cause I can not do much about it. They either strike or they don't. I'm either screwed or I'm not.

Back to contemplation. Okay, that ain't working. Let me tell you about last night instead...

Last night I went to the Drake. It's a nice enough place for a meat market. Over-priced though.

Now let me be clear about this: I was there for Zeekid's birthday. He's a friend of a friend. I did not go there to hook up. On that note, I did get a couple of numbers, got invited to another party next week and to go out "some time" for salsa dancing. It's been forever since I've salsa'd. I loved salsa. Anyway, I'm not going to make fun of the celebrant's name because I'm nice like that. Also because this is the internet.

I met a couple of nice people. Found out that the only interesting chick there was crazy for some dude on the west coast. At first I thought, "why the hell should that stop me?" Then I remembered that if... and it's a big if 'cause I'm not that suave... if I manage to get her interested in me and break up with VancouverDude, what does that say about me? What does that say about her? I'll be That Guy and I'll forever be thinking that if she left VancouverDude for me, can't she leave me for some OtherDude? So, Elaine, I hope he's the one for you. And if you break up, call me. Why? 'Cause I'm in the same city.

Most of the other people there were... not very interesting. Trying to be nice here. Ah, forget it. They were boring. At least the girls I came and left with were funny. Very funny. We had a fantastic time before and after the party just on our own. And we weren't even high or nothing.

My actions define who I am to others, the outside world.

Who I believe myself to be and who I desire to be defines who I am to myself.

These two things--my actions and how I see myself--define me.

I can not put it simpler.

Today afforded an opportunity to ride.

It was a brief ride, not even seven kilometers, but with yesterday's eight I am happy with it.

I enjoyed getting lost in the physicality of it, the feel of the pavement under the wheels and under my butt. I am starting to think that a hardtail was not the best choice but I know I will get used to it.

Cycling, to me, is about the senses: The feel of the wind in your hair, the sound of the air whipping past your ears and the sensation of every bump of the road.

Bump, bump, whoosh, whoosh, bump.

I hardly notice the cars passing me by.

Today and yesterday were trial runs. The trails are calling and tomorrow I am going to answer.
---

On a separate note, I cooked steak for dinner. I burnt it. Fire consumed my creation. It was everywhere. I wasn't really scared until I realized I had no idea how to put it out. So I just pulled the tray out of the oven. The fired died.

As I told myself to relearn fire safety tips in the kitchen, sirens blared.

"They couldn't be for me," I thought. They sounded like fire trucks, but they couldn't be for me. They weren't.

Still, I must learn how to pput out a kitchen fire.