Stranger Sightings

Last night I set out from my apartment, on foot, around 5:15 p.m., headed to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch a showing of Toy Story 4. As I walked in the crosswalk taking me from one side of the I-35 service road to the other, I passed a person walking in the opposite direction. The person "stood out" with their dreadlocks, tight green shorts, white shirt, and multiple tattoos. As I often do when passing strangers, I wondered where he was walking to.

I continued on my way down sixth street, saw the movie, then meandered around downtown Austin before finally heading back home around 9 p.m. As I made my way to fourth street to cross under the interstate, I enjoyed the pleasant evening air. I walked in the crosswalk taking me from one side of the I-35 service road to another. And as I walked under the interstate, I passed the same guy I had passed earlier in the evening! I wanted to say hi to him, to some way mark the small connection of our lives, but didn't want to be a creeper under the bridge.

So I let him pass, and thought about what he had done with his night on the east side of I-35 while I was on the west side of I-35. Where was he headed to?

A Tank of Gas

I had to put gas in my car tonight to make the drive out to Prosper for my monthly Bunco group. This isn't really a momentous occassion worth noting (or blogging about), except that the last time I got gas it was 2015. December 3 to be exact. Six weeks on one tank of gas.

In the time between gas fill-ups, I made three tips out to Prosper (Bunco, New Year's Eve, and a baby shower). It's forty-four miles roundtrip from my house to the Clements'. Those were my longest trips. The rest were trips to the grocery store or the rec center or to UNT or to the movie theater.

Do you know why I was able to go six weeks on one tank of gas? I live close to where I work and walk there every day. I live close to food if I want to eat out and to the grocery store, so I can either walk or ride my bike to either. And if I do drive, it's about a mile. I was able to take the train to the airport when I went home for Christmas, saving myself seventy or so miles. I can walk to a nearby trail. I'm also a bit of a homebody, so that help, too. :)

My point is that I have transportation options. And I love it. And I want everyone to have options so the single-occupancy-vehicle isn't the only option.

Talking To Strangers

Tonight I needed to follow up on some things for work. Those things involved checking on some sidewalk issues downtown. I live downtown, so it's rather convenient for me to check stuff out. And since the last time I went out it was 3pm and I nearly melted, I welcomed the opportunity to wait until the sun was going down to walk around downtown.

So there I was, walking around downtown with my clipboard, stopping at intersections and the middle of the sidewalk to make a note. I'm sure people thought I was a weirdo (or maybe not; who knows what strangers think).

I also take random photos of things that I think would be useful to have. Like when bike racks are being used. Tonight I was doing that when the owners of the bikes I was taking a photo of appeared. It was a bit awkward. I explained that I work for the City and like to have photos of the bike racks being used, since I am working on installing more bike racks. They looked a little dubious, so I had to assure them that there was nothing wrong with their bikes being parked there. We then talked for a bit about their routes to the Square and such.

I was finishing up my tour when I stopped to make a note on my clipboard. A gentleman passing by stopped to ask if I needed help. I assured him I was fine. Then he started asking me all these questions: What are you doing, where's your id, stuff like that? I tried to stay calm - I really do work for the City! He then laughed, saying he was just teasing me because I looked like a nice person. Then I actually said, "I am a nice person." He offered to buy me a drink and sit with him and his daughter. I declined because, even though it's been less hot than last week, I was still fairly sweaty from my walking.

Denton is just full of such nice people. I love that my job allows me to interact with them. Most of the time... :)

By My Own Two Feet

Yesterday I had a training/meeting that was in a building downtown. The weather was nice (for March; it was a little cold in the morning but it had warmed up to high 40s by the time 5 o'clock rolled around). I decided to walk, since I live downtown and it was just five blocks down from me. I loved the feeling of my own two feet getting me somewhere. I loved seeing the City and the shops and the people on the street.

When I lived in New York I walked all the time. Obviously. I didn't have a car and the subway was super convenient. The walk from my apartment to the 1 train on 137th St was a measly .21 miles. I made this walk whenever I wanted to get anywhere in the city. More walking was usually required when I got to the end of the line, as well, to make it to my final destination. I did it in the rain, heat, snow, wind. There was no other option.

Now I have a car. I live very close to both my jobs. In fact I mapped it on GoogleEarth--0.34 miles to Topeka Metro and .64 miles to the City. Measly, right?! But I never walk or ride my bike! How lame is that. Today though, after my pleasant and awesome walk the day before, I decided to walk to work. I can literally stand at the alley-way between Kansas and Jackson and see where I work.

The walk was awesome. I'm going to try to make this a weekly habit. At least on the days I don't have to go somewhere on my lunch or right after work. And probably not on the days it is snowing or raining. Luckily, though, we're supposed to have excellent weather this week.

Race For the Cure

Yesterday I got my tired butt out of bed early to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with my work and our running group, the BracPack. Calling it a 'race' is a bit of a misnomer, though, as it's more of a 3.2 mile stroll with 16,000 people down and up 300 and 400 West. I spent the time chilling with my boss and co-worker, shooting the breeze and pretending we were tuckered out. So even though I had no post-race elation and that feeling of accomplishment from giving it your best, me and my new running shoes did feel good about the good cause we were supporting.

I Found It!

That would be this, the last image from the Itty Bitty Scavenger Hunt that I had yet to find on this, the last day of the Hunt.

I was afraid that I wouldn't find it and my hard work of scavenging twenty blocks of downtown for twenty various images would be for naught. And then, after searching for about ten minutes from the car I randomly looked over while at a stop light, I found it! The sign on the window of Perry's Barber Shop on State Street and 400 South.

All my sweat from searching in the sun, all my blisters from walking around in endless circles, and all my frustrations from walking right by some images numerous times paid off. And it was all worth it to see parts of beautiful downtown Salt Lake that I'd never paid much attention to. It was also fun seeing other people on the streets with paper in hand and, getting desperate on the last Saturday of searching, trading clues for images the other had not found.

This is the 17th year of the Itty Bitty Scavenger Hunt and I recommend doing it. It's quite exhilirating when you find that first clue, then another, then another. And not only that, but you really are treated to the amazing early archticture of Salt Lake City. It also made me look at things differently and really look at the things around me. So I'm ready to do it again next year, and if anyone wants to participate....

Walk to the Movie

I get a bit stir-crazy during the day. I don't have a job (yet) and I don't have a car. Today I decided to not let either bother me and head out to the dollar theater. I chose to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and even though the movie was less than stellar (thank goodness I waited to see it when I only had to shell out a dollar) the real joy came from my mode of transportation: walking. It's something I used to do on a daily basis in New York but now I rarely do (unless you count walking to the car, which I don't). And I realized that I really miss walking.

The dollar theater I went to is really close to where my sister lives. I'd guess it's as far away as my apartment was from the nearest subway stop, maybe a titch farther. Here's the map; it's .9 miles but is actually less because I short-cutted through the back going left when the map goes right to 1470 West.


View Larger Map

Not only do I miss walking, but I miss New York--the City. One of my favorite things to do in the City was going to the movie theater at 68th and Broadway--the Lincoln Center AMC Theater--and exiting to the wonders of the city. On more than one occasion I'd walk out and be hit with, "Wow! I live in New York City!" I still have moments of incredulity when I think, "Wow! I lived in New York City!" So as I walked out of the movie theater today, and instead of skyscrapers and taxis was bombarded with mountains and endless sky (and cars), I thought how nice it is to be able to have experienced both. I love New York and will forever be grateful and amazed that I lived there.

Chinatown

Yesterday I ventured down to Chinatown. I'm trying to experience all parts of the city before I leave. I've been in the vicinity of Chinatown before, but never realized how far it spreads. The map above shows it being just those parts in brown, but that's very misleading. It extends all the way from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan Bridge in my opinion. When I was walking around in the area all the signs were in Chinese characters, the food was Chinese, the people were Chinese. It was really quite cool, to feel like I was in a different place and yet I was still in New York. And that is why New York is awesome.

I also went to Little Italy, and when compared to Chinatown is kind of a let down. It's basically a street full of Ristorante Italianos and gelato carts. Which isn't bad, because I sure love me some gelato and cannollis, but it's not quite the immersion experience as Chinatown is. You sort of get the feeling that Little Italy is just there for the tourists, whereas Chinatown is an area where people actually live and work and socialize (although they still have many touristy shop places along Canal Street).

Here's a few pics from the day:

I love the juxtaposition of the Chinese lettering next to the very American Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins sign.

Everything had signs in English and Chinese. Very cool.

If you're looking for jewelery, or cheap souvenirs, Chinatown is definitely the place to go.

P.S. I wore my pedometer yesterday--I walked 8.43 miles around Chinatown, Little Italy, Tribeca, and the Lower East Side!

Just Walkin' in the Rain (because I really shouldn't sing in public)

As I've slowly been building my New York wardrobe I came to appreciate the extreme usefulness and loveliness of my wellies (rain boots) and two bubble umbrellas today. It wasn't raining when I left for my eight in the morning Crew meeting that lasted three hours (at least I was sitting on a comfortable chair next to Stefanie and able to make snide comments), I knew it was going to rain later in the day and so wore my navy-with-dalmations wellies that I bought at the Crew for ten dollars and my blue-and-yellow-daisy bubble umbrella. When I left the meeting and it was raining it actually made me smile!

And since I was so well-outfitted for the rainy weather (besides a suitable rain slicker/jacket, because even though it's generally not cold when it rains in the city you still don't want to get all wet) and because Mark and I had just had a Lumberjack breakfast at the Hollywood Diner, I decided to forgo the subway stop across the street and walk for a little while. I walked up seventh avenue from 16th street up to 28th street. And with my wellies on I could purposely walk thru puddles instead of avoiding them. It really is a great sensation to splash thru a puddle.

I'm pretty sure I've documented my distaste for rain in the city, and I feel I've been a little unfair. All you need is the right footwear and head protection and it can be quite lovely.

My wellies that I used to kinda hate but now think are really fabulous.