Baltimore is Smaltimore: Spotted bike.

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Holy smokes.  There was a cool used/vintage bike I saw online, as recently as last night.  I swore I saw the same one locked outside The Rotunda tonight.  I did.  Came and checked, and it’s sold.  SMALTIMORE!

(That tile’s from a public art/community art piece I saw in The Village last week.)

Randy in the morning.

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(That title sounds dirty.) You know that scene in A Christmas Story, when Randy was all bundled up?  Someone walked by him and knocked him over after he paused to yell, “Hey, guys, wait up!”  He chided, “Hey, kid.”

And then he couldn’t get up. “I can’t keep up!  I can’t get up!  Ralphie!”

After rolling around and not sleeping again until 3:30 am, I felt like Randy this morning.  But I’m taking three vacation days this week.  So, essentially, today is Friday for me.  Rest of the week:
Wednesday: New York City
Thursday: Ikea
Friday: MOVING
Saturday: Hon Fest Party

It could all be much, much worse.

Training up to Philly.


For training until Friday around dinner time.  I know that’s New York in the photo.  I didn’t go to Philly yet.  I was asleep on the train both times we passed through last week, too.  Turns out I didn’t have much time to format and post photos from our traveling last week.  I will, though my “year of service” starts the Monday after I get back (one week from today, that is) and though I really don’t fancy spending that weekend on the computer.

There’s an issue with my tickets, that being that they were delivered but disappeared, all while I was away, despite providing another address and despite the fact that said carrier was supposed to get my frikkin signature and obviously didn’t.  There’s another reservation for me, but I’m nervous that there will be crap about it.  So I’m getting to the train station with more time to kill than my trip will actually take.  I have a lot of good books to read and haven’t had time to read lately.  So I’m very Okay with this.

I was told by three people today that my hair has gotten too wild and needs to be cut.  I think this is funny.

I wonder what the reaction of my assigned roommate this week will be to the idea that I don’t use deodorant or toothpaste in the usual sense.  I wonder if he will want to try my peppermint soap or my baking soda.

I get to put some miles on my Klean Kanteen that someone who is very nice bought me two weeks ago.  I like to take tap water from one city to another.  I once had a canteen of grotto water that I kept for a year or two, taking sips of the sweet stuff from time to time.  I still have this canteen, though it’s plastic and has seen better days.  I like the water in Baltimore city.  It is a grotto in its own right.  The water fountain at Druid Hill Lake is my favorite in the world.  Right now.

I am tired and stressed out.  This VISTA thing requires a hell of a lot of paperwork, online paperwork and a lot of rules.  They make sense and all.  It’s just a lot to remember.  I will not convert anyone to my religion (whatever that is) or campaign.  Okay.  I can handle this.

I think the coffee I just drank is putting me to sleep.

Be back Friday, if there is no peep tomorrow before I leave.

Shipping up to Boston.


Tomorrow, I go to a few meetings that are work-related. Then a concert at Pier Six at night. Then a 3:55am train to Boston! We’ll be in Beantown Wednesday and Thursday. Of course, I’ll be making my pilgrimage to Walden Pond, but I don’t think I’ll have time to take the long B Train out to where I went to school. We’re staying at the Adams Inn in North Quincy, right near where I lived for two years in North Quincy, a block from the beach.

Then we are taking the Acela Express to New York early Friday Morning, staying at The New Yorker and returning home to Baltimore late Saturday night. Two days at home, and then I’m off to Philly from the 12th to the 15th for some training. Then I officially start my new job on the 18th.

Awesome all around, though it means most of two weeks away from my beloved bike.

To amuse yourself, check out the video to the awesome song by the Dropkick Murphys — who are from Quincy, where I actually lived.