Yearly Archives: 2014

Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne

I recently finished reading Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne. I first became aware of the book at a Barnes and Noble a few years ago. I thought about buying it then because I like bikes and I like Talking Heads but I decided not to. I was browsing at my library when I ran across it again and I thought it would be a good time to read it.

The book seems to based on the author’s view of different cities as he sees them from his bike. The title is very fitting. From what I understand he generally takes a bike when he travels – either on his tour bus or a folding bike in a suitcase. Some of the cities we learn about are Berlin, Manila, London and Sydney. The only populated continent not represented is Africa.

As I was reading I realized the book was a little older by the many references to the Bush (W) presidency. I am not left wondering which way the author leans politically. I think the book was written over a period of time and over many different places. It is interesting to get the view of the citizens of other nations and I think that is a really cool part of the book.

The real meat of the book, and the part that interested me, was the writing about biking. I got to vicariously ride throughout cities all over the world. Some cities are easy to bike, and some are difficult. Biking (or walking) gives a different perspective of a city than a car does. And in some cities it is faster than driving. The thoughts that come to the author while biking lead to many cool insights and tangents.

The idea of bringing a fold up bike traveling is an intriguing one. It can save quite a bit of cab or bus fare, and it allows you to see the city on your own terms.

In the back of the book the author has some sketches of bike racks he designed for New York City (his place of residence). They are meant for specific areas – for example a dollar sign for Wall Street. I think this is a good idea. It is public and functional art.

If you like travel books and semi-random musings this might be a book to consider reading. I enjoyed it. You can check it out at your local library or at the official site here.

“26th best small town in America”

Just off of Highway 30 in Iowa is the small town of Nevada. I had to read what they put on their sign twice. It says “26th best small town in America”. I can see if you were in the top 10 or something it might make sense but at what point do you say to yourself “We should probably find something else to put on our sign”.

I filled up in town and my Dad and I had lunch at Quirks. It was filling and good. The service was friendly and prompt. The bar level seemed really high, but the stools didn’t match the height. That was the only negative for me.

It seemed like they have a historic downtown. It was daytime but I didn’t see the neon lights usually associated with the other Nevada. According to the Wikipedia page the name is pronounced differently than the state.

Have you ever been to Nevada, IA? What is the strangest thing you have seen a town put on their welcome sign?

Highway Rest Stops

Highway rest stops are unique places.

Highway rest stops are not a destination. Nobody sets out to go picnic at a rest stop.

Highway rest stops are a stopping point. A harbor, a wayside on the road.They are a place to rest.

You are not required to buy anything to use the bathroom. You can stay as long as you like. Take a nap, walk the dog, stretch your legs.

The cars on the highway are whizzing by just a hundred feet away. But here it is calm. Things are slow. You move at a more natural pace.

Yes, you still have a ways to go, but, for now, you rest.

Wisconsin Rest Stop

Pile of Snow in Stevens Point

My girlfriend and I were heading downtown in Stevens Point in early April when I saw this. At first I thought it was a bunch of dirt from an excavation. Then it hit me – this was snow. The snow pile is like a beached iceberg. It is massive. I wonder how long it will take to melt?

About a week before Easter I was in Stevens Point. I saw an ad for the Stevens Point Riverfront Arts Center. They had a Peeps art exhibition in celebration of Easter. I thought it would be fun to see what there all was. Below is a small sampling.

The Last Supper made with Peeps

I thought it was all very creative. I only captured a few on camera but there was many more pieces. The bright colors are fun to look at.

: An Easter Basket made of Peeps

: Quidditch

: A field of Peeps

: Mount Peepmore. It even has the flags.

Have you ever made Peeps art or other art from food?

Devil’s Lake State Park

Early in April I stopped off at Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo, WI on the way to my family cabin. Usually when I go to Devil’s Lake it is extremely crowded. But that isn’t the case when the lake is still frozen, apparently.

Nobody on the beach at Devil’s Lake State Park

Devil’s Lake is a jewel in the state park system. It has very unique geography. The hiking is amazing and the views are superb. I have fond memories of visiting when I was a kid. It is just such a different geography. The fallen rocks are wonderful and very fun to scramble over.

Fallen Rocks at Devil’s Lake State Park

The lake is the focal point of the park. No motor boats are allowed. It is very calm, peaceful and serene. There are about 4 or 5 private houses on the lake but the rest of the shoreline is the part of the state park. I have never seen it frozen before.

View from the west bluff of Devil’s Lake in Early April, 2014

I hiked up the west hill. The weather was sunny and a little on the cool side. I huffed and puffed to the top, first taking off my jacket and then my sweatshirt. I had to take a few water breaks and catch my breath. The view was worth it, though.

Even though it was rather cool the park was teeming with life. I passed many people hiking and I saw a few groups rock climbing (with some pretty serious gear, too).

I bought a Wisconsin State Park pass. It was $25 and a day pass is $7. I have to stop at state parks 3 more times for this to pay off. I don’t see this being a problem; I am looking forward to getting outdoors more after a long, cold winter.

You can learn more about the park at the DNR site and on Wikipedia.

Stevens Point Curling Club

A few weeks ago (during the Olympics and before the Russian invasion of Crimea) I had a chance to try Curling at the Stevens Point Curling club. I had long related to curling as the one winter Olympic sport I could ever even try to attempt without breaking a leg or embarrassing myself.

The “house” at the Stevens Point Curling Club

The curling club was hosting an open night where you could try the sport and play an end or two. I got to throw some stones and do some sweeping. I wasn’t very good but I could see the appeal of the sport. It is team oriented and is exciting when you get into it.

Each team has 4 players. Each player throws 2 stones to the other end of the ice. The circled area is called the house*. You score points by being the closest to the center. It is a lot like shuffle board or bocce ball. A captain stands at the other end and helps call the shots for the team to maximize points. Games are often offensive and defensive. The term “chess on ice” is often used to describe the game.

If you ever get the chance I suggest you give it a try. It was a fun night out. You can visit the Stevens Point Curling Club online here.

*I am sure I am getting some of the terminology wrong so don’t take this as fact.

Reflecting on my Job

I had a moment at work today that caused me to reflect on my job. I was seeking advice from a coworker. He is knowledgeable, a sort of elder statesman around the office. The kind of guy most people go to when they need help or see something that throws them for a loop. When I was done picking his brain he asked me how things were going. I replied and asked him the same question. “Oh you know, too much to do like always.” His inbox full of emails and voice messages seemed to back this up.

As I walked back to my desk a few thoughts crossed my mind. Would he take a pay cut to be able to work less? Could he? Does he enjoy his work?

Then my thoughts turned to me: Would I take a pay cut to be able to work less? Could I? Do I enjoy my work?

Let’s start with the last question first: Continue reading →

Car Shopping in Madison

I recently decided it was time for me to get a car. I sold my last car in the spring of 2011 and in that time I have taken a lot of public transportation and bummed a lot of rides from people. I am at a position, financially, to afford a car. While shopping for a car here in Madison I have been looking for a few things – a decent price, good gas mileage and usefulness.

Price

I have been spending a lot of time on the Madison Craigslist looking at cars and boy are they more expensive than I remember. I routinely see cars with over 200,000 miles for $2,500+. I guess I just have to recalibrate my pricing.

I have bought a few cars over the years. I had a ’94 Chevy Cavalier that I bought for $250. I put tires and a muffler on it and it gave me no problems and about 24 mpg. I don’t think you can Continue reading →

Have you heard of the Pixar Theory?

I was wandering around the internet the other day when I stumbled across a blog post called “The Pixar Theory” penned by a guy named Jon Negroni. It was a fascinating read. His basic premise is that all the Pixar movies exist in the same universe and but generally at different times. Another site that does a good job of summarizing is pixartheory.com

If you have seen Pixar movies you probably know about some of the “Easter eggs” like the Toyota pizza delivery truck that seems to make it into every movie. For me I saw this as something fun but I didn’t take it much more than that. This post, by contrast, puts a lot of thought into tying all of the movies together. I daresay it may be borderline genius. Mr. Negroni suggests, convincingly so, that the Pixar universe is an alternate universe where cars and animals develop intelligence. If you like Pixar movies you should really give this a read.

I like the idea that there is a person or persons kind of setting an overall theme and storyline for a whole universe and movies are made from different times and places within that universe. It all feels kind of meta and gives a whole new depth to Pixar movies. I wonder if we will ever get confirmation of this.

I know it seems like a borderline conspiracy theory but read it and judge for yourself. It isn’t flawless but it is very intriguing; definitely food for thought. I will never see a Pixar movie in the same way again. If this were true it would be pretty amazing that this overall plan was in place since Toy Story in 1995. Do you think the Pixar Theory makes sense? Let me know what you think in the comments.

nednerb

Life in the Slow Lane