Four Minutes

I'm still alive with a little bit of kick
Seems all I wanna do is pedal and pick...

Its tough coming back from vacation - maybe this will help :)

What I Learned From Change

Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings tossed out a writing challenge for this month's "What I Learned From..." series. He's decided to change the world! Read about it here.

What are you waiting for? What am I waiting for?

Change anyplace and anytime is a slow process, it starts like any journey...with a first step. It begins with a single decision by a single person. Any change, planned or random, involves a few key elements among them questions, fear and risk. The statement - I'm going to change the world - evokes these feelings in monstrous proportion. At the same time - if you don't do something different, you keep doing the same thing. And how you gonna change the world THAT way ?

A decision - and a change - I made this year was to spend more time "in the saddle". I love riding my bike - her name is Stella Blue. Up until this spring, I'd been mostly riding on weekends. A way to ride more is cycling to and from work. Its a 30 mile round trip. Will I be late? Plan ahead. Will I be tired? Eat better, rest more. What if I get a flat tire? You gotta figure out how to change a flat someday :)

Here is the statistical breakdown of what I've saved:

• Driving alone miles reduced this year: 1,875.0
• Trips Reduced this Year: 125
• Carbon Monoxide(CO) Reduced this Year: 103 pounds
• Savings by not driving alone this Year: $1,068.75 * (some AAA study)

Here is what I've learned from this small change:

• It adds about an hour to my travel time. There are still 24 hours in the day.
• Its a more relaxing trip home in the open air than in the car. I dislike traffic these days.
• Its a good idea to carry rain gear.
• More deep breaths, in turn more oxygen, improves blood flow and better health.
• Cycling positively affects others. I've gained and deepened friendships through daily and weekend rides. Conversation flows freely and laughter abounds.

Here is what I've learned about change:

• Questions are part of living.
  
• Risk and fear never go away.
• A step in any direction starts the change.
  
• The world won't wait for being changed. We might about as well be part of it.

Tell me about that change you make today -

Have any ID?

Regional jokes usually run in the same vein. A resident of one state pokes fun at the neighboring state's residents. Washingtonians naturally make fun of Idahoans. A common joke goes like this:

A cop stops an Idahoan for speeding and asks, "Do you have any ID?" The speeder responds, "ID about what?"

I try not to generalize - too much anyway - but this story makes me think there might be some truth to the intelligence of those living in the state to the east of me.

Men accused of robbing woman for her own good