Big girl bike

I bought this bike from a co-worker of mine who got it because he figured no-one would want to steal it... (except me apparently) I can't even explain how so super excited I was to find out it was my *favorite* colour blue!

So, I rode to work the other day... all the way, all by myself! 

It took me 45 mins to get there... which isn't bad considering it's a single speed. The ride home though, felt like I was going WAY faster, and indeed I made it back in a mere 41 mins ;)

The best part of being down in the US though is that I biked 14.44 miles... not bad, but when you say it in Canadian... I biked 23.23 kilometers!! Doesn't it just sound way better that way!?!?!

-_-

I over-glucosinated my caffeinated beverage this morning... I'm pretty sure nothing good can come of this.

Breaking news

If there was every any doubt as to whether or not I have everything under control, this should confirm things once and for all...

I am the disruption.

Sitting in the corner cubical with the atomic hiccups, that can probably be heard by everyone on the floor, and felt by everyone in the building.

Don't worry though, I have successfully mitigated the situation by holding my breath and drinking a large volume of water.

Why this works, I have no idea... but there are some things you just shouldn't question.

Just let them work.

Judging your character by your actions... and the instrument you play

*sorting papers*

...and of course I'm missing the baritone saxophone piece...

me: Why, is that the one you need?

*disparaging sigh* No, that's just the one that's ALWAYS missing, because bari-saxophone players are bad kids, bad children, just BAD!

*pause*

...terrible, terrible children! They use their music, they never turn it back in, and because of them parts are always incomplete!

*mutters* bad bad children...

*more muttering* Alto saxophone players too, sometimes they don't turn in their music as well... and those percussionists.

*shuffles papers*

And that my friends, is why you should always turn your music back in when you're done with it... Lest you risk the wrath of a music teacher, taking your name in vain, along with everyone else who plays the same instrument ;)

The power of imagination

I'm afraid I don't have a picture for you, so we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way.  You're going to have to use your imagination.

Picture this... one of those old dark blue milk crates, securely fastened to the front of the handlebars on my "new" BMX bike, which is juuuuuust about the right size for a chihuahua.

Are you with me so far? No? Hmmmm...

Think back, waaaay back, remember E.T.? Yeah that's right *head nod* you got it, that's how awesome it looks in my head too *grins*

Anyways we went for a little bike ride today, and despite ending up on the wrong side of the road for like 30 seconds, during which we were passed by the Sheriffs police cruiser?!? *gulp* we managed not to get pulled over...

We did however garner many well deserved double-takes and other such looks... ranging from "Awwww" through "OMG there's a DOG in that basket!!!" and "WTF?!?" to the *huge reminiscent smiles* of "That. is. awesome." which totally made it all worth it.

I think today we did Kermit proud, and made people smile.

To tell if dinner is too hot for your mouth...

Test it with one of these!

Yep, it's still too hot.

--

The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com

Samantha Vincent about.me/samantha.vincent

Not to alarm anyone...

But my chai latte has a hint of hot-dog flavor... It is mildly disconcerting, however it did not prevent me from finishing said latte.

I think it's going to be a weird day...

Greening my thumbs and blackening my nails...

No, I didn't miss with the hammer... I'm attempting to grow things in my apartment window!

I got basil seeds for Easter, and they all sprouted :D and I got this poor plumeria as a house warming gift that has been sitting in plastic wrap for faaaar too long... and I finally got soil and planted/repotted them today!

Pardon me sir, but do you have a bucket for my brains?

I made it to the bike store, mostly before it closed the other day...

I was casually chatting with the guy working in the store and offhandedly commented that it was great they were open till 7, when he said "No it's not. It's 7:20!" and proceeded to show me.

Boy did I feel silly, I'm really not sure where that time went... sheepishly I stopped thinking about it and just bought the damn helmet.

guy: "You riding that little BMX bike out there?"

me: "Yes, I think it's a little small for me, but I got a good deal on it at the swap meet!"

He gives me a semi-non believing inquisitive look...

me: "$35"

guy: "Damn girl! No wonder you ridin' BMX, I would be too!"

While paying for my purchase we continued to chit-chat and hearing a story about a girl who had recently been hit and cracked her skull without a helmet, which likely would have been a much less severe concussion with a helmet, re-affirmed the necessity of protecting my own bwains.

I am now the proud owner of helmet that costs almost as much as my bike... but that's not really important, because the contents it will be protecting are priceless.

Hmmm overshot the bike shop?

So I decided to venture out and attempt to obtain a brain bucket... and somewhere in the chaos of shoulder checking, and successfully navigating intersections without getting forcibly ejected into the future I realized that it felt like I'd gone a lot further than I thought I should have to...

Then I started thinking that looking at things on Google maps can be deceiving because when you aren't zoomed in all the way it still only shows the major streets... so maybe it's the *next* the major intersection...

A couple intersections later, I decided I'd like to call a friend.

me: "Hello?" *intersection noise*

friend: "Dude, where are you?"

me: "Out... Are you uh, anywhere near a computer?"

friend: "My phone is *like* a computer, why?"

me: "Would you go to Google maps and tell me if Magliocco is before or *after* Hamilton if you're going *up* Winchester?"

friend: "Are you lost?"

me: "No, I know how to get home... I'm just not sure where the bike shop is!"

I gave up and went home sans helmet, with a five mile bike ride to show for it.  Of course this would be yet another reminder, as to why I normally put the name of the next "you've gone too far" street on my directions...

Time of death: 10:29am Friday May 9th, 2014...

Four years ago a wonderful friend of mine Shazam gave me a set of pens (red, green, blue and black) and a little black book with skulls all over it to document my sailing adventures with my father.

The green pen died today.

That's not to say that I didn't use the green pen as much as the other pens... it just lasted a really really REALLY long time... and somehow despite my trip and multiple moves since returning I managed not to lose it.

It's just a pen, but it's been there through a lot with me.

I've drawn and doodled with it, twirled it around my fingers, and kept it tucked close at hand for notes... but most importantly I've written about moments that changed my life, things I saw that touched me in some way.

Things I want to remember.

Thank you green pen, I hope you are content knowing you served your purpose to the utmost and will always be remembered fondly when I flip back through my own pages of memories.

This little piggy...

Just discovered that these seats on the bus recline... so not doing anything all the way home ;)

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

May the fourth be with you...

In honor of Star Wars day I bought a new t-shirt, and I'm rocking "the Luke" haircut... or lack thereof.

In fact I like my new shirt so much I wore it for "Revenge of the fifth" as well!

Pleasant surprise!

Since I was expecting a bill, this was so great to get in the mail.

Thanks California!

How hot was it today?

Stitch down! Stitch down!

The storm of the century!!!

At least that's what they were calling it. This post got a little lost, but it still makes me smile so I thought I would share it.

I mean seriously.

Yes, it's a decent storm... but if this is "The storm of the century", then we have at least one a year up in Canada *rolls eyes*

My favorite quote of the weekend was from the cashier at Target:

All friends online are all "Calm down California, it's just a little water..."

Yeeeeesss? Yessss!

The conversation went kind of like this...

So we're going to *grfmahrufle* (Fogo de Chao) are you interested?

me: Sure?

Have you never had Brazillian steakhouse grill before?

me: I don't think so...

It's a meat-fest.

me: I'm in.

What? Really?!? *laughs* You haven't even heard what it's about! 

me: No, but it's food, and I'll eat anything... so yeah, I'm still in.

Okay, I'll try to give you condensed rundown: So they have this really great salad bar, it's amazing, but don't eat *any* of that - it's filler, just a distraction.

Then, they give you this magic coaster. It's red on one side, and green on the other... my husband calls it (in a deep announcer voice) "The meat faucet".

When you flip it to green, guys come out of nowhere! They just appear and start putting meat on your plate! then you have to flip it to red to turn it off.

...

I can now verify first hand, that's exactly what it's like. In fact, I ate enough meat to turn cave man, followed by the full giggles I get after all you can eat sushi. 

It was fantastic.

Some days...

When I asked someone if he was having fun yet. He responded:

Well... it starts with “F. U.”… but it doesn’t end with “N!”

Bet you didn't know...

That this is what $650 worth of "Sign here" stickers looks like!

Ask me again after I've been audited, but currently I believe it's worth it. Especially considering the hours upon hours of tax treaties between Canada and the US I did not have to spend reading, across multiple revisions dating back to the early 80's, attempting to correctly interpret which category I fall into, and which rules apply to me... *inhales*

Now all that's left is the mailing of signed copies to the four corners of Rome ...and the blood of my first born *exhales* 

I think I've just about got this taken care of... *sigh* 

*mutters* stupid taxes.

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

Musical idea inspires retro clarinet lamp

Check out what we made!

My friend had this wicked awesome idea for a clarinet that would cost more to fix than is currently worth it... so after multiple trips to the hardware store, and taking it apart and putting it together more times than I can count... it's ready!

Ta DA!!!!

Note that in this version the clarinet has not been modified in any way, so if at anyone is so inclined it can be repaired and used again. In another version though I would like to make one that has the light switch be one of the keys.

If you're so inclined, the gory details of the learning process are included here for your entertainment:

We left the mouth piece, and the next top section off as this seemed to be a better height. The piece from the lamp kit fits nicely inside once you've whittled it down a fair amount.

Spray paint the gold pieces before you put it together three or four times...  We found that leaving the flat bit out let the whole fixture nestle nicely in the neck of the clarinet and just felt more sturdy than having it perched on top.

Drilling through the case... I stand corrected, the drill bit will try to roll in the cotton batting, like it's so excited it's never seen cotton batting before roll in it, and then it will eat it all up.

And finally, after you've taken it apart and put it together "a few" times, make sure the light bulb is snugged all the way in before you despair that you've broken it or mis-wired something.