And now for something positive.

I am off today to the National Zoo with Charlotte, for her first trip to a zoo.  We have one in Baltimore, and it’s not even far away.  But I keep forgetting about it because it’s easy to take one so close to where I live for granted.  You know how it is.

I haven’t been to the National Zoo since second grade (that would be, ahem, 25 years ago), and I am as stoked to see the giant pandas now as I was then.  Only tomorrow I get to show them to my daughter and also spoil her a little with fries, ice-cream and a stuffed toy or two to boot.

In the course of my internet meanderings, I came a cross a cool site called LunchDoodle (one word?) that you should totally go and check out.  It makes me wish I doodled more.  I especially like this one, after my eleven days (and counting) without coffee.

And my Field Notes calendar came yesterday.  Excellent.

Weezer’s Raditude.

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Weezer’s latest offering is playing on my computer right now: Raditude. My youngest brother hated it. I am really digging it, and I haven’t been wild about the stuff Weezer’s been putting out lately. This is the end of a long weekend, so I don’t have the energy or the desire for any in-depth review. Or anything.

I’m tired from running around and thinking about little else but Baby G. I bought Baby two giraffe toys at the Smithsonian last week. This kid is going to be spoiled. Mommy finished a very fine hand-knitted hat for Baby (and one for Daddy and one for Mommy also).

Met dissertation director in Washington.

For breakfast, coffee and a chilly walk to the Capital. A nice way to spend the first part of Friday, to be sure. I had to tell him about what happened Thursday in Texas though, since he’d been traveling. Not the kind of news you want to tell a person you like.

An Underground Wanderlust.

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I love where I live. I love Baltimore. I love my job, the places I get coffee during the day, my bike ride to work. I love my friends and family and social networks in Baltimore. I love my apartment and relaxing and reading here.

But I feel deeply infected with some kind of restlessness. Maybe it’s because it’s summer and I work in higher education. Maybe it’s the whole trying to have a baby thing but of course not knowing when/if it’s worked. Or it could even be that I haven’t been able to get away from my normal life for more than a day or two at a time for too long. Even that the stupid person who ran my foot over prevented me from going on my favorite camping trip of the year over Memorial Day.

I can’t tell where this wanderlust is coming from or what will slake it. Extended travel is out of the question for at least the next year, save a trip to Illinois for dissertation defenses. We might be able to get away for a day or even a long weekend, but that’s it. I don’t think I’m going to get to go camping until October, and then I have to help run a large camping trip — so it will be more work than relaxing.

I know — who gets to travel as much as they want to? I should feel lucky that I get to travel the little bit I do.

Washington was awesome, but now I’m sick!

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I will certainly get to posting photos/etc. from my short trip weekend.  But now I’m tied to hankies, tea and athletic shorts. I’m ignoring all warnings about the bad flu, but remind me I said that.

You might think someone who’s “into” cycling would have a lot of those tight pants.  Nope.  None.  The only ones I have a loose and light.  What’s funny is that all the athletic type shorts I own are gifts and also from the universities/college I attended.  My undergrad ones are missing and, frankly, illegible.  My MA pair, well, I can’t wear them outside.  They cling, uh, the wrong way.  It’s not decent.  No.  Not at all..  I’m wearing my Doc pair tonight.  You can kinda read them.  I got them for my 24th birthday.  Six M-F-in years ago.

What the hell do I need all these nylon shorts and degrees for?

My brain is a little fevered.  Excuse me.

The Machine.

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For Photo Friday: The Machine.

This is, of course, very tongue in cheek. I just thought, you know, it might be more interesting than a photo of my bike. I’m not going to join some sort of revolutionary force to overthrow the government. Totally not. Honest. Come on, it’s funny. Right? Not me — I’m gentle and fuzzy. Huggy, too. Half of my family works for the Gubbmint. Don’t call the fuzz please.

One of my favorite shirts has long since rotted off of my shoulders from being worn so much. It was a Rage Against The Machine shirt in white, with a photo of nuns with guns. It was awesome. I never got enough compliments on it. I had a The Clash shirt on last year at Wholefoods, and a middle-aged guy who probably went to see them in person when I was a wee lad gave me a nice compliment. I was stoked. Compliments are good.