Ok, as the title states; I consider myself to be rather intellectual. I am by no means one of those people who can read something, learn it instantly, and keep it on hand forever (wouldn't that be nice). But, I am in grad school and doing rather well, thank you very much! Ok, just keep that in mind as you are reading this. Sometimes I think that my neurons are so overworked with school related business, that they just "take a break" on me.
I live in the Seattle area and it is oddly hot here right now. Like most Seattle-lites we don't have air in our house. I tried yesterday to work on my dissertation, but sitting with a laptop on me just got to be too much after a few hours. So, I figured I would go to the local library (which was wonderfully air conditioned) to do some work today. Ok, that was the "good idea" portion of my day.
Side note:
I recently bought a new bike and I really love it. A little Crystal FYI: I have had rheumatoid arthritis in my knees since I was 2, in and out of remission. So, I haven't been able to ride a bike for quite a while. I finally figured out though that (while I am in remission anyways) I can ride a simple bike on simple roads or paths. So...I bought an awesome old Schwinn Cruiser, it is adorable! (I will post pictures later) But, it is a single speed and has push back breaks, not exactly an off-road or even hill friendly bike.
Ok, on to the "bad idea" portion of my day. I decided that in this 95+ degree muggy Seattle weather, I would ride my bike to the library! I took the flat and straight route there, turns out it was a sidewalk that was about 2 feet wide, constantly scattered with mailboxes, and along a busy road...fun! Alas, I made it to the library; soaked in sweat and stinky. It was a good thing that I had a private study room reserved or I would have been a spectacle!
Stupid idea #2: I decided that in order to avert from the "sidewalk of doom" I would go up a few blocks and take a road that I figured would be less rush hour-ish! (I know, not a good day for grammar either) This road turned out to be practically a roller coaster! I had to get off my little 1 speed bike about 5 times and walk up hills in 95+ degree weather! Oh, did I mention that I had a backpack with my computer in it on my dripping wet back?! Finally I came across a paved trail that I could veer off onto which I decided to do, not really knowing where it would take me. Anything sounded better than the very large hill looming ahead of me at that point.
If you are thinking that my oh-so-lovely journey is over at this point, you are sadly mistaken. The trail just so happened to end at the busiest lake/park in the area! This means that there were cars parked along every road, people everywhere, and absolutely no place for me to ride my poor little bike. So, I walked in a ditch (that's right, in an effin ditch!) around half the perimeter of the park because otherwise I would have been hit by a car. (Although this prospect didn't sound too bad at the time, ERs are air conditioned after all!)
I finally made it back to the "sidewalk of doom" that I had went through all of this in order to avoid. Over an hour and a half later I made it home from what should have been a 30 min bike ride. I was practically dripping with sweat, starving, and in a pretty sour mood.
What am I doing now? Sitting on my couch sopping wet because I sat in the sprinkler. I have the fan pointed directly on me and am eating a popsicle! Ahh, summer.....
2 comments:
LOL wow- that sounds like a typical "Crystal experience"... what would have been worse- that sweaty bike experience, or braving the air conditioned IKEA without me? ;)
LOL! You poor thing! I can see this happening to myself, though.
I think you guys have our weather, and we have yours here in Minneapolis. It's been cool - in the 60-70s - when we are usually in the 90s. Perhaps we could both meet in the middles & have some nice 80 degree days??
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