Have to Think Quick

On 8 of October I wrote that the day previous I had ridden my bike to the station after work. I stopped in the park and contemplated my day. The train took me to 16th easily. I heard from my friend about bike party and noted I would have to think quick.

I rode to the Argentinian place and then went to the apartment.  My friend went running then and I took over. Later she returned and we took turns. When things had settled I heated dinner and then I left.

I had texted Eugene and Kevin. I stopped at the corner store and then rode to Grant Street and Portsmouth Square. I took a lot of chances.  I saw the regulars as we rode to Washington and Stockton. Then we went past Citizen Chain where I spoke to some lady - she had a can in her hand.

We went to the Embarcadero and zigzagged past Pier 7 - we had gone too far.  When we got back to Pier 7 I hung out with my riding partner and his wife while talking to an East Bay Bike Partier and a new guy.  Also, one of the organizers and I spoke for a while.

A coworker showed up then and we rode with the group down Embarcadero to Showplace Triangle where we hung out with old school partiers. My coworker and I rode to 15th then and we said bye.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Pancakes with Blueberries

On 2 October I wrote that we were nearly ready to go to the light industrial lab when we realized that I had to go to the specialty bike shop. I got my friend outside and got her walking to the lab before I headed to the to the F line.  The bike wasn't ready so instead of getting my new bag there I went over to their competitor across the street. Upon my return the bike was ready but they had some confusion over the bill.

I took BART to 16th and got 3 V batteries before going to the lab. I spoke to an acquaintance and then went upstairs to talk to the host and look at the shop. Back downstairs I had a Torani cocktail and my friend gave me a plate. I helped the hosts at the end of the party.

When we were done my friend and I made our way to the 48 bus. We barely made it and the driver was really rude. Dad kept texting to see when he would pick us up.  We managed to get better seats and at West Portal we waited and caught the next L before walking to the house. We managed to turn the situation around before going up stairs.

My older sister and her husband had just arrived and when we established that they would help us out we returned to the room. My friend left me alone and as I got my things together I could hear my nibblings in the backyard.  When my younger sister arrived we all sat to eat and take photos. The kids offered to manage the noise and did a great job.  When dinner was done my friend and I hung out downstairs until it was time for tea.  When my younger sister’s family was ready to go it was clear that we were not going to play scrabble.  When we were done saying bye I tried to hang out with my brother in law before I brought my friend some tea in the garage.

I woke up around 730 and made a lot of noise in the living room.  That woke everyone up. I made pancakes with blueberries and did the dishes before I sat down to eat. I burnt the bacon. I finished the kitchen after we were done eating.

After a brief discussion we went to with my friend. I took the trike and my brother-in-law took the mountainbike.  My friend and my sister were along too.  Unfortunately, it rained a bit and we had to run home.  My older sister left just as the younger one came to drive us to the apartment. There was a street fair was in the way so we we had to go around.

When we arrived we unwound in the living room and when the sister left we made dinner.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

He Didn't Have Tickets

I woke up around nine on Saturday at mom and dad’s place in the Sunset.  I found my friend in the living room upstairs. I took care of things when she went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Mom had had a class to attend so we have the house to ourselves.

Dad came back from dropping mom off and we were in the living room. I made an arrangement with dad then and put a lot of stuff in the car. The roommate had sent a text message about the mail and the phone company.

Dad drove me to the bike shop and I spent the whole drive explaining to him my financial situation. He later met me at the apartment when I arrived with my bike. I unloaded the car and carried everything up the stairs. The roommate was there. We talked about the Internet and upcoming service call. There were boxes that had deliveries. I found one had been broken. I left a bit of a mess and returned to see dad.

We drove to California Street to find mom. I tried the whole time to convince him that he needed to convince his community that they needed more housing (mixed use) and less parking.

On the ride to the house I sat in the back.  As we rode Fulton Mom made comments about the new accessory dwelling unit in the house on the corner from her house. It produced a quandary for me. I was trying to figure out how less parking was bad – I think it's good?

Dad and I sat in the living room trying to keep the noise level down because people were napping. Later my friend and I set up in the garage. Dad had gone to the school but they told him he didn't have tickets for the event so he had to return.

About 530 my friend and I rode bikes to Golden Gate Park and went to the Chalet where we sat at the bar before getting a table for dinner. When we were done we looked at the sunset and then rode to the Irish bar.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Complained About the Landlords

On the twenty-second of September I wrote that I was really late to the train - barely making it.  I rode to the apartment from 16th but had to go to the bike shop and stopped at the bar on the way back.

My friend was headed to a restaurant she knew that was going out of buisness so I threw on a jacket and left with her.  The roommate was outside telling her that she had been hired.  She and I discussed this as we walked to 18th and Harrison since we had been discussing how she might need to move out.  One person complained about the landlords.

My friend’s old coworkers were all sitting outside and we settled in with them.  A mutual acquaintance showed up then which was a surprise and when he found out we all knew each other he sent a message to his wife to tell her about it.

When most of the others we through dinner.  One of the owners was mostly a creep but the other was not.  I had to step outside because of the noise two times and got a mess on my shirt.  Twenty minutes later we took a walk after saying bye to the rest of the people

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Transit Riders Union Crawl

On 17 September I wrote that I had shut down my computer – ready to leave – but the boss. So I had missed my train even before I rode my bike alone to the nearby high school and caught my breath. I then went to a gas station and filled my tires. The bike shop had called me but I felt late so hung up on them twice. The train came a moment after I arrived at the station.

On the ride my friend told me to have fun at night and I considered how I could attend the Divisadero San Francisco Transit Riders Union Crawl. I didn't turn on Valencia but continued at Clinton and onto Page.  There the group was waiting. The transportation cognoscenti were there but only a few others were familiar.  I recognized a western neighborhoods activist but not many otherwise.

I had a couple of drinks and got on the 24 with the group. There was plenty of room for my bike. At Castro I went to Marcella’s.  Later I went across the street to Twin Peaks Tavern. Ordering was really easy because a local politician I knew was standing at the bar. I got to know him better then and talked to the activist. I got to know a random person then and learned he knew some local people I knew and we got to know a third person in the process.

We caught the bus again and took the bus to The Peaks near 24th and Castro. I didn't stay long but got to know a few of the others. I sent some tweets to people and they gave me two beer glasses. The bus driver on the way back wasn't very friendly but I made the apartment just fine.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Ready for Gatsby Picnic

On 11 September I wrote that I got up around 6 o'clock but I didn't get out of bed until 830. Initially I tried to figure out what to do about my outfit but instead I just threw on what I had and started bringing things over to a neighbor’s house - bags and chairs - to get ready for Gatsby picnic. After that I went to Whole Foods for coffee and treats before returning to the apartment. My friend and I spent a couple of hours prepping. Then she and I went to the neighbors and I put her in the car.

I then got into a long conversation at the apartment with a local historian about where we would meet for the picnic until I was ready - dressed in my outfit. I took a few photos and then went down Market Street and bought some beverages.  At Civic Center and I checked in with everybody. My family had already arrived, my friend and her sister were on their way and other acquaintances had found the group.  I was scheduled to meet the historian at San Leandro BART.

When I got to San Leandro I went outside and saw the bartender from Moderne Bar.   I shook his hand and learned he was on his way to the picnic.  We looked very sophisticated in our outfits and waiting there with him made me feel like a gentleman.  Eventually his car came and I went to Safeway to get some coffee.  Little bit later the historian and I rode our bikes from BART through Victoria Square.  His was rather old looking.

At the venue I had no trouble getting my ticket but I did have trouble with my non-contemporary bike.  The historian left me then to ride around the venue but I hung out with my people. Mutual acquaintances and I got to know each other and I introduced my riding partner to everyone. My friend was there with a bunch of people.  They went for a walk and I sat with my niece.

Later I stood around with the guys drinking sparkling wine and whisky cocktails posing for pictures. We saw a lot of new people too.  I hung out with the historian for quite a while and ate a meal or two. Some of our companions were a delight to interact with. Many many people came by looking for my friend.

I was really surprised when her cousins cousins showed up randomly with their friends from high school – they were also twins. We took a whole bunch of photos with them. We also took a lot of photos with a few other people too.

My friend told me that she had to go at this point so I stood around until she was ready and then I walked her and her sister to the car. When I returned everyone except the historian and a group from Sacramento. I learned from those who had left via text messages that my whiskey was with mom.

I hung out with those people  for the rest of the event. We had a few cocktails and we looked at the model T. When they had packed I rode with the historian to San Leandro Bart. I left him at Fruitvale. I rode to get some stuff from the neighbor as I rode back from Civic Center.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Middle of The Pack

On the tenth of September I wrote that I was apprehensive about leaving an hour early. However I knew that I would hear about it on Monday. I rode so fast I had to catch my breath at the station. At the apartment I saw my friend for a bit and then left her alone. Later we ate and then I rode to Civic Center.

I noted that the trains are all screwed up so I opted to get off at Rockridge. The ride had gone when I got to Berkeley Civic Center but I was moving fast at that point. There were plenty of stragglers. I noted as I went north on MLK that some people were lost and others had flat tires.

I caught the ride at Gilman and quickly made the middle of the pack. I passed a trike as we headed up fourth. The guy said he was fine with driving me around. I was joking. He had built the trike himself for Burning Man from where he had just arrived.

We rode past the lot where we had hung out on fourth many rides before. Later I saw a well known municipal project manager and a transportation planner I knew riding together. She was clearly trying to learn from him.  Coincidentally the ride ended up at the same park that I had seen him and his gang at years before.  I ended up across from my riding partner as his wife came through with chocolate.  I walked through the tennis courts. Some butter lappers and my buddy’s friend came by a little while later.

Later I found the kids - some I hadn’t seen in years - and we talked about caviar. The ride left a bit later and when I got to Martin Luther King I gave up and got on Ashby BART.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.