Chalk Around the Common

I'll admit it. There are time when I am extremely busy and then there are times when I'm busy doing nothing. Today...before I decided to finally update the blog...was an example of the latter. It's amazing how I can *twitter* away my time and with my work schedule, I have a lot of daylight hours to do things! I should volunteer somewhere. (and my place should be spotless...but it's not)

I haven't done anything with them yet but I have signed up to volunteer with Oxfam. I received an email today to let me know about Chalk Around The Common. I wanted to share the email but thought the easiest way would be to copy and paste it here....

> PLEASE COME Take a Chalk around the Common
> Who: YOU and other Friends of Halifax Common
>
> What: EVENT promoting 350.org, International Day of Climate Action
>
> When: Friday October 23, 12 noon- 2 p.m.
>
> Less than 1/3 of the Halifax Common's original 235 acres is public
> open space.
>
> The disappearance of our Halifax Common is a metaphor for the
> degradation of our global Common- MOST URGENTLY our atmosphere &
> climate.
>
> We need you to help us draw a chalk line around the sidewalk
> perimeter of the entire original Halifax Common to illustrate its
> original size.
>
> You can be imaginative and draw sheep & cows or cabbage & corn or
> words to encourage governments to act on climate change!
>
> Meeting points for getting chalk and directions are:
> 1. Robie & Cunard
> 2. Robie & Jubilee
> 3. Robie & University
> 4. South Park & South
> 5. South Park & Spring Garden
> 6. Bell Road by Bengal Lancers
> 7. North Park & Cogswell
>
> For information on the Friends of the Halifax Common and a map see:
> http://halifaxcommon.ca/
> For information & events on October 24th International Day of Climate

> Action see: www.350.org
> Sign the Kyotoplus petition: http://kyotoplus.ca to push the
> government on climate policy in Canada
> Join www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148640510791
>
>

Inspired Poetry

I have been inspired...to write a poem, no less!! I read a wonderful poem written by Mark Campbell AKA @MrWordsWorth last night and today I sat down and started writing (not intentionally...I also felt bad about neglecting the blog and this is what I ended up with). The poem started in one direction but veered off as I remembered a conversation between @natniles and @R0gueWarri0r about a possible coffee shop encounter. I'm sure we've all been there. The world is getting smaller as 6 degrees of separation becomes 2 degrees of separation. (Especially in a city like Halifax)

So...here it is...I make no claims to be a poet...I tend to do well with puns (grew up watching the Canadian game show 'Definition'-the fun with the pun on television!) but that's about it.

Face To A Name

We may have met

In another life,

On the street..

You do look familiar

Are you a doppelganger

Confusing me with your likeness to someone I know?

But who?

The questions stream through my thoughts

As I think of another friend who never forgets a face.

I can’t put your face to a name;

If it were not too embarrassing I’d ask.

Maybe I should.

What would be the worst thing that could happen?

You look at me strangely…for we are strangers.

Or, you look at me in disbelief,

Questioning how I could forget how we met at my cousin’s husband’s mother’s funeral five years ago.

The chance eludes me.

You are out the door and heading down the street

Unaware that I have been wrestling with your ‘identity crisis’

And that it will haunt me for the remainder of the day.

If only I could Google a mental picture.

Perhaps that will be a application available in the future.

For now, I will try not to think about it.

I too have things to get done today.

At home I open my laptop to check in with

My virtual friends…some of whom I have met IRL

…and it hits me…it’s staring me right in the face…

Your face, or your avatar, that is!

I send you a tweet…

LOL..I saw you at the coffee shop 3 hours ago!!

Hope you enjoyed your coffee! ;-.)

*Carless* Day 8

It was a ride my bike to work morning. I packed extra clothes in my backpack last night and went to bed at 7pm. I was asleep before 8...but that also meant waking up around 12:30. Ugh!! You know you're accustomed to 5 hours of sleep when.... I did get back to sleep but was awake before my alarm went off. I was out the door at 3:15 am and arrived at work at 3:45. Not wearing a windbreaker (because the weather was great today) helped A LOT. The backpack and helmet made it a sweaty ride nonetheless.

It was hot going home. 25C plus the humidity made it feel like 31C. Heat, sun and cars...what a difference from the dark lonely ride in the morning. I walked just one of the hills in the middle of the ride home (the only hill I walk in the morning is the one going up to the parking lot at work), I didn't have any chain mishaps and my legs didn't feel like *jell-o*....as much! Oh...and the best part is...I made it home in under 25 minutes!!

I sat outside in the shade for a bit when I got home. I put the bike away and walked down to the corner store to get a root beer popsicle (internal air-conditioning on a stick). I hit the couch when I returned and passed out for about an hour...I think I'll still be OK to get to sleep at a decent time tonight. Glad I have a drive tomorrow!!

*Carless* Days 5,6,7

When I last wrote on Friday, I was up in the air about going to a friend's mother's birthday BBQ. I didn't go. I did go out on Friday night but that was because another friend called and offered to pick me up and treat me to dinner. That I did! (She picked me up and I drove.) We went to Phil's Seafood on Quinpool where I saw a HUGE number of bicycles turn off Quinpool onto Preston St. I have yet to discover what the ride was all about.

Saturday and Sunday were spent at home. I didn't have to go anywhere so I relaxed on Saturday (I was feeling a little under the weather) and Sunday did some work inside that I have been putting off for quite a while. I am pleased to say that the wall-unit in my room is working well and soon I will have everything in it's place. (next project...closets!!)

I got a drive to and from work today but tomorrow I will have to take the bike again. I'm hoping that the *jell-o legs* I experienced on the way home on Thursday don't make an appearance tomorrow. We'll all know in 24 hours or so. ;-.)

*Carless* - Day 4

Not much to report on this Friday. Got a drive to work and a drive back home. I did walk down to the local corner store for the first time...it's located past my place so I usually stopped at the Irving Station on my way home. Not that I hadn't stepped foot in the Needs store down the street before...I just usually drove to it (not from home but before going home)...actually I probably was driving to the chinese restaurant where they have a lunch special until 3pm. Ummm...I also picked up lunch today....ginger beef, fried rice and an egg roll for $5.50 +tax. ;-.)

Walking back from the restaurant and store (with a root beer popsicle melting as I ate it), I realized that I never really payed attention to my neighborhood. Home was where I relaxed and slept but I didn't stick around much otherwise. Will not having a car make me become more invested in my surroundings?? We'll see. Ahh..who am I kidding...probably not.

So, tonight I am invited to a BBQ. I probably won't be going because I have yet to check the bus routes/schedules and I'm not sure how late I want to be out. Staying home with a DVD and a beer sound pretty good and I do have leftover chinese food!!

*Carless* Day 3

Ok...I am officially exhausted. It is 2:36 pm and I have been up for 12 hours. I got up and left for work around 3:10 am. There was a bit of a false start because I realized at the top of the first incline after I left my parking lot that my bluetooth earpiece had fallen off! I backtracked and found it in the parking lot. It was a dark, foggy/misty ride but I had a headlight and a tail light, so I was pretty visible to the few cars that I did encounter.

As I predicted, it took half an hour to get to work. I used the extra 20 minutes before my 4 am start to change and cool down (my face was pretty red!). By lunch (9 am) I was feeling quite energetic....yay for exercise!!

Quitting time came at 1 pm. I got my stuff together and changed back into the workout pants I wore on the ride to work...in the process I misplaced my keys...panic ensued!! I searched my backpack, the washroom and one other room I stepped foot in...no keys. Ughh!! Panic sweats are setting in! After seaching everywhere three times...I found them...in my backpack where I looked but didn't see...PHEW!! Now...to ride home....

Riding home is a different experience. Yes, there is light...but there are CARS!! Love the bike lanes but not liking the road shoulders that are chewed up and storm drains are a different problem. Thank goodness I have a bike that can go off-road too...riding on the gravel wasn't much of a problem when it was necessary (and it was necessary at times). I had two chain malfunctions (my bike needs a tune-up) and there were a couple of hills that I opted to walk with my *jello legs* so it took longer than 30 minutes to get home....but I did get home before getting caught a a rainfall (I can hear it pouring outside right now) and headed straight for the shower.

I'm glad that I have a ride to work tomorrow. It means I get to sleep in another 45 minutes...and I have a feeling I will sleep well until I have to get up tomorrow! Zzzzzzzzzzzz.......

*Carless* - Day 2

In my haste to get outside before my friend, Tina, arrived to pick me up, I left my lunch bag on the floor beside the door. No big deal...I bought my lunch (although my packed lunch was much healthier than the sausage and fries which I ended up having). I should have taken a short lunch because I was rushed to get things done by 1 pm quitting time. If I had a car I would have stayed and gone over things a little more closely...BUT...I had to be ready for my ride home!! Alas, there were 2 glitches in my second day of being *carless*. I plan to go a month like this??

On the drive home I made of point of saying, "I must not fall asleep in the afternoon." After yesterday, I am tired but upon arrival I went straight to the storage room...dug out my 21 speed Jeep Comanche...pumped up the tires and went for a little test drive down the road.

It was HOT out and it took a while to stop dripping when I came back in. I almost fell asleep...so I ate the lunch that I had forgotten earlier (it was over 6 hours since lunch time at work!), popped in a DVD and hooked up the computer to

write this blog...and beer...I can't forget about the beer!

I had a conversation with my building's super outside earlier...she doesn't think I'll last a month without a car. Truth be told, I was rarely home...I always on the go. I've probably spent more time at home in the past month than the previous 6 months combined...this will be a challenge but I think I'm up for it. Hmmm....I must not forget to reset my alarm...I think I should leave by 3:15 am at the latest. (being early will be a plus so I can change clothes before I start work tomorrow...and catch my breath...that will be a necessity I'm sure!)