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On becoming a Portlander
June 14, 2008

I sold my car just over 2 months ago, and haven't looked back. Now I've sold (Hello) Kitty Cruisermy (now nearly useless) Kitty Cruiser (to a very deserving and extremely nice new mommy) and purchased a proper street/commuter bike. I'm planning on starting to commute to work by bike whenever possible. This morning I did a test run of the paths I had chosen, got a little lost, but all in all ended up at my destination downtown exactly 30 minutes from the time I left my living room. 5.5 miles separates me and my workplace, and without the lost-ness and stopping to afix my lock into a better position on my bike, I can probably get there in 25 (also with a bit less traffic at 6.30 in the morning). This is actually less time than it takes for me to get to work via MAX or by bus. The MAX is starting to get really packed in the morning, and though it gives me my most quiet time for reading (on the way to work, at least), biking to and from work pretty much negates the need for me to do the cardio stuff at the gym which I had been not doing anyhow. Thus, 3 birds with one stone shall be killed: faster commute to work, workout built-in (especially on the 70% uphill ride home), and better mobility for running errands. Oh yeah, and there's the no gas thing, too.

So today after the time trial, I took a trip up the Eastside esplanade Today's Rideand, following the bike paths, ended up in the Lloyd District, then Hollywood, and eventually home. The total round-trip was about 12 miles with a few pauses for sweat-mopping after some tough hillclimbs (hey, I haven't ridden like this in years). It was incredibly fun and I'm very much looking forward to the ride (back, mostly) getting easier before the weather turns too warm. I'm going to try to keep track of the different paths I take too and from work (along with any side trips) so I can track my progress. Many thanks go to Citybikes Workers' Cooperative for giving me an awesome deal on a bike and doing all the adjustments and the like.

Not to be taking this to the level of just complaining every post
June 12, 2008

But holy fuck, am I bored. I am so bored of people not listening, of having to repeat everything I say, of dealing with those who don't know how to do their jobs. There's an issue in this country with the unemployment of skilled workers, and I've found out why - because there are too many blathering idiots who are hired for positions far above their capacities. I know that I have to treat nearly every one I deal with like a thin-shelled little retarded egg, but this is getting ridiculous. I quite obviously shouldn't be in the position where I am. This is the same shit I was doing EIGHT fucking years ago. I didn't like it then, so I moved on, but due to economic issues and the fact that I didn't spend 4 years going to a state-run institution only to hand over the next 10 years of my indebted life for a piece of paper, I took a position that paid well for which I was ridiculously overqualified, and this is what happened. I always have this assumption that my qualities will be realized and that I may be lifted from my malaise and placed into a position where my skills might be utilized. Alas, that has not been done, and though I was fully screwed out of actually getting a raise this year, I was hoping to at least get up to the salary I was making in my last position, as cost of living has gone up, and I'm making what i made 5 years ago.

But above all, I am bored. So fucking bored. This feels like high school, and I barely made it out of there alive.