broken cable ; office food ; metro -> sick
Wed Oct 28 22:52:12 EDT 2015
Today was the first time I've taken the Metro to work since April 14. There was rain overnight, most of the day, and forecast through the evening. It wasn't raining when I came home though, and it would have been a nice bike ride - wet pavement, but I have fenders. Pleasant temperature.
Thursday 23:00
My bike's rear shifter cable broke today about a 1.25 miles (2km) from work. That probably explains why the shifting has been out of sorts the last couple of weeks. It might not have broken today if I hadn't tried to adjust it before I left for work today.
I was carrying a spare cable, but I couldn't figure out how to remove the broken cable. It didn't pull out easily, and it shouldn't be this difficult. The best I could do was just leave the deraileur in one position. The best I could do with the limit screws was the 3rd smallest (of 9) cogs, which is a fairly high gear - no fast starts, but rideable on level ground or up gentle hills. The front shifter still works, so I've got 3 speeds.
I took another look at it before I left work, but I still couldn't see what was making it so difficult. I tried to find a manual for the shifter (the lever) on line, but no luck. I do have a manual here at home somewhere. Of course, the problem may be at the other end of the cable, since that's where it wore out and broke. I'll have to give all this another try tomorrow morning.
There was a lot of food at work today. There was a information-support happy hour at one of the Union Station restaurants. What's the end of the day for most people is early in my work day, so I didn't stay long. We have people working in the evening to respond to possible problems in the evening, and we've also been patching servers this week. So I had a drink and a couple of sliders (little burgers) and fries. I knew very few people there.
Back in my office, someone brought in pastry. Surprisingly, this crew doesn't wolf stuff down. I had a few before I left this evening, but there were still a lot left. We'll see what's still there when I get in tomorrow afternoon....
anniemal's planning to go to the hippy farm this weekend for Samhain. She said it like I was supposed to know it already. It's sad that I look forward to weekends when she'll be away, and it's sad that she spends so much time around me drunk and sobers up when she's planning to be away. (Not that I think she's not drinking while she's gone....)
Friday 22:30
I replaced the rear shifter cable this morning. I pulled the old (broken) one out with a pair of pliers. The unraveling at the break must have been causing all the resistance. It turns out the spare cable I had with me yesterday was a front cable. It's exactly the same length as the broken rear cable, so it wouldn't have been any use - riding home with just the front shifter working was the expedient choice. (There were 3 hills I had to walk - the ramp out of the parking garage, the ramp from the C&O Towpath up to Chain Bridge, and 41st St up from Chain Bridge (which I always walk anyway).)
Do you know when it's OK to take someone else's food out of the office fridge? When it's the last Friday of the month, and everything's going to get thrown out. I've got chicken, fries, and biscuits from Popeye's. (And there was still one pastry left from yesterday. I don't understand my office.)
I took the Metro Wednesday. I have a scratchy throat today. I'm expecting the runny nose and congestion in the next few days. Another health bonus of bike commuting - reduced exposure to whatever new bug is in circulation. I don't drink wine much, but I'm having a 2nd glass of chardonnay tonight.
Coming through Georgetown tonight wasn't as strange as I expected, given that tomorrow is Halloween.
Going in today I saw someone with a mouse/rat helmet in Georgetown, and just past the White House a pink sea anemone carrying a plush Nemo. I give her(?) many points for creativity.
The ride home was chilly, 43°F/6°C. My ride in yesterday was 72°F/22°C.
And no, it's not rude for me (on a bicycle) to stare pedestrians down and make them wait if I have the green light. I waited through my red light; you can wait through yours.I stop for red lights.
You don't have the right of way
If my light is green.
Anniemal is gone for the weekend, I guess. ☺
The Planet Bike computer mounts arrived today; ordered Sunday evening.
Saturday 13:52
It's a sunny afternoon, and not really warm enough for sitting out on the deck, but that's what I'm doing.
There's a lot of people out riding bikes today.
Saturday 14:28
I've just heard X-mas music on the radio. It's still October, people.
Sunday 10:31
I'm getting the congestion from Friday's sore throat. (Still have the scratchy throat.)
Spring ahead; fall back - extra hour today; DST is over.
Sunday 14:20
Our next-door neighbors, Harry and Annette, left a phone message that they had something for us. I called back today. They're moving to Gulfport, Mississippi. They're getting old (I'm actually a year older than he is, but he looks way older than I; he looked a lot better than the last time I saw him), they never planned to live here forever, and winter does not make them happy. They're both very overweight and have had severe health problems. Their house is on the market, and the movers are coming Wednesday. They haven't spent much time in Mississippi, but they went down there for a week and decided they like it. They thought they'd bought a house too, but that fell through, so they'll be in a motel until they find a rental while they look for another house. Myself, I can't imagine feeling particularly "at home" in Mississippi, but Harry's more of a gold-ole' boy, and to me he seemed out of place here. Annette always seemed more normal (given what I consider normal).
So now we've got a gas snow blower, a couple of planters (large pots), and a propane tank.
I didn't know they had a snow blower. On a 1/4-acre lot, even a driveway to the back corner doesn't seem to be enough for a biggish snowblower. I've been (hand-)shoveling their (and 2 other neighbors') street sidewalks for 17 years. That's 5 houses' worth (our house is on the corner and counts double).
The propane would be useful at Pennsic, although as long as I'm going by myself in the car there isn't room to take it.
[I'm not going to use a gas snow blower. We don't have a gas lawnmower; it's electric. (I won't want to futz with a balky motor in freezing weather.) We don't have gas tools; just the cars.]
Annette had a bout of viral pneumonia - several weeks in the hospital, and 2 weeks out of work (visiting nursing) - and it looks like she's lost some weight.
The case (housing) of my 5-yr-old Acer laptop is failing. Little pieces of plastic have broken off now and then, and another apparently went last night. I haven't moved to my new Lenovo yet, but it may become necessary soon. I want to put a 1TB drive in it first and install Ubuntu.
It's warmer outside today than it was yesterday. Nice hammock-on-the-deck weather. ☺ Nice biking weather too, but I haven't seen as many bikes go by today as yesterday.
Monday 02:46
woot! has added a "holiday!" tab to their website. It's too early.... (And the items there today aren't even "holiday" items.)
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/776474.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]
Today was the first time I've taken the Metro to work since April 14. There was rain overnight, most of the day, and forecast through the evening. It wasn't raining when I came home though, and it would have been a nice bike ride - wet pavement, but I have fenders. Pleasant temperature.
Thursday 23:00
My bike's rear shifter cable broke today about a 1.25 miles (2km) from work. That probably explains why the shifting has been out of sorts the last couple of weeks. It might not have broken today if I hadn't tried to adjust it before I left for work today.
I was carrying a spare cable, but I couldn't figure out how to remove the broken cable. It didn't pull out easily, and it shouldn't be this difficult. The best I could do was just leave the deraileur in one position. The best I could do with the limit screws was the 3rd smallest (of 9) cogs, which is a fairly high gear - no fast starts, but rideable on level ground or up gentle hills. The front shifter still works, so I've got 3 speeds.
I took another look at it before I left work, but I still couldn't see what was making it so difficult. I tried to find a manual for the shifter (the lever) on line, but no luck. I do have a manual here at home somewhere. Of course, the problem may be at the other end of the cable, since that's where it wore out and broke. I'll have to give all this another try tomorrow morning.
There was a lot of food at work today. There was a information-support happy hour at one of the Union Station restaurants. What's the end of the day for most people is early in my work day, so I didn't stay long. We have people working in the evening to respond to possible problems in the evening, and we've also been patching servers this week. So I had a drink and a couple of sliders (little burgers) and fries. I knew very few people there.
Back in my office, someone brought in pastry. Surprisingly, this crew doesn't wolf stuff down. I had a few before I left this evening, but there were still a lot left. We'll see what's still there when I get in tomorrow afternoon....
anniemal's planning to go to the hippy farm this weekend for Samhain. She said it like I was supposed to know it already. It's sad that I look forward to weekends when she'll be away, and it's sad that she spends so much time around me drunk and sobers up when she's planning to be away. (Not that I think she's not drinking while she's gone....)
Friday 22:30
I replaced the rear shifter cable this morning. I pulled the old (broken) one out with a pair of pliers. The unraveling at the break must have been causing all the resistance. It turns out the spare cable I had with me yesterday was a front cable. It's exactly the same length as the broken rear cable, so it wouldn't have been any use - riding home with just the front shifter working was the expedient choice. (There were 3 hills I had to walk - the ramp out of the parking garage, the ramp from the C&O Towpath up to Chain Bridge, and 41st St up from Chain Bridge (which I always walk anyway).)
Do you know when it's OK to take someone else's food out of the office fridge? When it's the last Friday of the month, and everything's going to get thrown out. I've got chicken, fries, and biscuits from Popeye's. (And there was still one pastry left from yesterday. I don't understand my office.)
I took the Metro Wednesday. I have a scratchy throat today. I'm expecting the runny nose and congestion in the next few days. Another health bonus of bike commuting - reduced exposure to whatever new bug is in circulation. I don't drink wine much, but I'm having a 2nd glass of chardonnay tonight.
Coming through Georgetown tonight wasn't as strange as I expected, given that tomorrow is Halloween.
Going in today I saw someone with a mouse/rat helmet in Georgetown, and just past the White House a pink sea anemone carrying a plush Nemo. I give her(?) many points for creativity.
The ride home was chilly, 43°F/6°C. My ride in yesterday was 72°F/22°C.
And no, it's not rude for me (on a bicycle) to stare pedestrians down and make them wait if I have the green light. I waited through my red light; you can wait through yours.I stop for red lights.
You don't have the right of way
If my light is green.
Anniemal is gone for the weekend, I guess. ☺
The Planet Bike computer mounts arrived today; ordered Sunday evening.
Saturday 13:52
It's a sunny afternoon, and not really warm enough for sitting out on the deck, but that's what I'm doing.
There's a lot of people out riding bikes today.
Saturday 14:28
I've just heard X-mas music on the radio. It's still October, people.
Sunday 10:31
I'm getting the congestion from Friday's sore throat. (Still have the scratchy throat.)
Spring ahead; fall back - extra hour today; DST is over.
Sunday 14:20
Our next-door neighbors, Harry and Annette, left a phone message that they had something for us. I called back today. They're moving to Gulfport, Mississippi. They're getting old (I'm actually a year older than he is, but he looks way older than I; he looked a lot better than the last time I saw him), they never planned to live here forever, and winter does not make them happy. They're both very overweight and have had severe health problems. Their house is on the market, and the movers are coming Wednesday. They haven't spent much time in Mississippi, but they went down there for a week and decided they like it. They thought they'd bought a house too, but that fell through, so they'll be in a motel until they find a rental while they look for another house. Myself, I can't imagine feeling particularly "at home" in Mississippi, but Harry's more of a gold-ole' boy, and to me he seemed out of place here. Annette always seemed more normal (given what I consider normal).
So now we've got a gas snow blower, a couple of planters (large pots), and a propane tank.
I didn't know they had a snow blower. On a 1/4-acre lot, even a driveway to the back corner doesn't seem to be enough for a biggish snowblower. I've been (hand-)shoveling their (and 2 other neighbors') street sidewalks for 17 years. That's 5 houses' worth (our house is on the corner and counts double).
The propane would be useful at Pennsic, although as long as I'm going by myself in the car there isn't room to take it.
[I'm not going to use a gas snow blower. We don't have a gas lawnmower; it's electric. (I won't want to futz with a balky motor in freezing weather.) We don't have gas tools; just the cars.]
Annette had a bout of viral pneumonia - several weeks in the hospital, and 2 weeks out of work (visiting nursing) - and it looks like she's lost some weight.
The case (housing) of my 5-yr-old Acer laptop is failing. Little pieces of plastic have broken off now and then, and another apparently went last night. I haven't moved to my new Lenovo yet, but it may become necessary soon. I want to put a 1TB drive in it first and install Ubuntu.
It's warmer outside today than it was yesterday. Nice hammock-on-the-deck weather. ☺ Nice biking weather too, but I haven't seen as many bikes go by today as yesterday.
Monday 02:46
woot! has added a "holiday!" tab to their website. It's too early.... (And the items there today aren't even "holiday" items.)
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/776474.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]