Sadness

When it begins creeping in. When you can feel the slow leak into your heart; that small piercing icy tingle, gently spreading into the marrow of your bones, you must run. You must fight it off with brooms, rolled newspaper, the fork in your fist. Find your place and plant your roots deeply. Do not move from that place that grounds you. Cling to shiny objects and other souls that carry purpose. Do not let it overwhelm you, but tuck it into bed with a glass of warm milk laced with cyanide. For there is no place in you for sadness, you must press on, move forward and onward. Forever.

love

I have been spending a great deal of time focusing on the things that I love lately.  I have been crocheting, drawing, baking, riding my bicycle, building things, painting, gardening, spending most of my free time outdoors, reading; I could go on and on.  So instead, I made a diagram of the things I love. If it is on this chart I have probably been doing it.

 

bicycle wizardry

Today I not only repaired my bicycle, but I made it magical. That’s right, magic was involved. My old tires were completely dry-rotted and parts were flaking off. I have been riding my bike like this for over three years, but I had no idea what kind of effect it was having. After changing the tires today and taking it for a ride I gained over a mile per every five minutes in speed without any additional effort. The ride felt smoother and so much better; magic I tell you! 

Now I have changed a bicycle tire before, but never without assistance.  This time I was completely on my own, and while it is a relatively simple task, the act of removing the rear tire and reconfiguring the brakes and gear shifts is not. I had to tweak, and re-tweak several times. At one point the tire even came loose as I tried to ride the bike. I also fixed my three gears.  For years they have been randomly shifting at will.  I have never been able to get the bike to shift properly; but today I was able to take the whole thing apart, and put it back together in working fashion. I now have THREE gears on my bicycle that work! In the end I was able to get it all worked out and had an amazing 10 mile ride around the city.  

I also acquired a new bike rack and pannier to carry all of my work documents and a change of clothes. It was so nice to be able to have my body free of the heavy bag so I could enjoy the breeze as I rode. I will also be picking up a new wooden front rack tomorrow for additional carrying space. Tomorrow is ride your bike to work day as well, and I am feeling pretty damn prepared to ride my bicycle to work.   

easy rider

Today I rode my bicycle to and from work, and I loved it! It is exactly 4.89 miles from my door to my office.  I am going to make this a regular thing, weather permitting. I love seeing the city from a different perspective in the morning. Instead of sitting in my car and watching the road ahead I am able to look around at the people and places I pass.  I am also saving myself the frustration of getting stuck in slow rush hour traffic.  I found myself in a much better mood all day and looked forward to the ride home.

My only complaint is the heavy messenger bag I carried on my back.  It was awkward and the weight was unevenly distributed.  I think it is time to invest in some proper equipment for my bike. I would like to find a rack for the back of my bike and some bins or saddle bags very soon. I figure the money I will be saving on gas will pay for it in a short amount of time. 

a library lunch hour

I love libraries.  I especially love the Central Library in Downtown Indianapolis.  I am lucky enough to work only two blocks away from that very library; I also get an hour for lunch.  Today I took the entire hour to wander the library and browse the local fiction section.  

 

When I left the library I returned to my office with a large stack of 9 books.  I selected five books about nutrition and fitness, as well as four of Kurt Vonnegut’s classic novels. I couldn’t resist grabbing a copy of Satan, I’m Taking Back my Health by Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu. Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds.  After perusing a few pages I couldn’t contain my laughter at the accusation that ‘Satan is the reason people get fat’.  I cannot wait to continue reading this one. 

 I have already read most of the Vonnegut books, but after walking past the giant mural of Kurt Vonnegut on Massachusetts Avenue daily, I felt it was only appropriate I reacquaint myself with some of his work.  

I am especially excited to begin reading all of the fitness books.  For the last several months my health and weight have become a priority; this should have been the case long ago.  Over the course of the last three months I have lost close to thirty pounds and have been running six days a week.  It feels amazing.  I have so much more energy and I feel happier. I have not lost any weight for a few weeks and am ready to begin a regular workout routine; hopefully I will be able to use these books to develop a thorough and efficient plan for myself.  

I have a feeling that I will be done with all of these books in a very short amount of time, which is good because I am already itching to go back and explore again, and I don’t think I can leave a library without a pile of books in my arms.

buy a motorcycle

A few weeks ago I was finally able to purchase the motorcycle I have been dreaming about since I was a teenager.  As far as aesthetics I knew I wanted an older bike with a round headlight; I really wanted a brown bike, but those are nearly impossible to find.  It also had to be affordable. After a few months of considering my options I decided on a Honda Rebel.  After that decision it took me another month to find the right one. 

In mid April I brought home my 1986 Honda CMX 450 Rebel. This is a pretty rare bike, as Honda only made the Rebel with 450 cc’s in 1986 and 1987. All other Rebels are 250 cc’s (except for a UK version which came in a 125 cc engine size).  The bike has barely over 4,000 miles and runs beautifully.  It does need a little cleaning and a good waxing, but is really in close to perfect condition. 

I have been diligently studying my Motorcycle Operator Manual on a daily basis and will be taking my permit test tomorrow. I am also taking an ABATE class later this summer, and should have my Motorcycle Endorsement by the end of the summer.  This means I will be getting out on the road as often as possible and exploring to my heart’s content.

and so it begins...

I have spent a great deal of my life living in fear. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of making the wrong decisions and being stuck with them.  The path that fear has taken me down has not exactly been an easy one.  I will say that I do not regret a single decision I have made, as I have a life full of wonderful people and experiences that I might have missed out on if I had chosen differently.  That said I have resolved to expunge the fear and commence living with more purpose.  I intend to begin pursuing life instead of just letting life happen.

This blog will be the medium in which I record and share my adventures and experiences.  I will write about my life, the city I live in, the people that surround me, and my own methods of expression.

I have decided to begin with a list; a list of thirty things I intend to have accomplished or experienced by my thirtieth birthday.  I have approximately three years and four months until my thirtieth birthday. As I work my way through the list I will write about each new adventure.  I hope to meet new people, learn as much as possible, and find beauty in new places as I begin pursuing a more beautiful life.  

1.       start a blog

2.       complete my undergraduate degree

3.       buy a motorcycle

4.       learn to ride a motorcycle

5.       go on a motorcycle road trip

6.       run a marathon

7.       bungee jump

8.       embark on a month long road trip

9.       vacation alone

10.   ride my bicycle 50+ miles in a day

11.   learn to play poker

12.   participate in a craft fair

13.   take a dance class

14.   spend 24 hours in complete solitude

15.   tour a vineyard/ winery

16.   crochet an entire blanket

17.   obtain a passport

18.   ride in a hot air balloon

19.   travel to Europe

20.   travel to Australia

21.   visit a butterfly garden

22.   milk a cow

23.   visit Dinosaur World

24.   take a photography class

25.   see Rock City & Fairyland Caverns- in Lookout Mountain, Georgia

26.   get something that I have written published

27.   visit New York City

28.   take a carpentry course

29.   visit and photograph all of the murals in Indianapolis

30.   create a “bucket list”