Biked into Center City today

I was so excited to bring my bike with me to Philly, but this feeling was dampened the other day when I finally tried to look up where the bike lanes are.  I came across a site where users could contribute location markers to a map to mark, for the most part, bad spots related to biking -- accident occurrences, nasty run-ins with drivers, intersections where cars tend to ignore you, and so on.  I was certainly scared off for a bit, but after gathering a bit more info (Google maps has an option to turn on a layer marking bike lanes, paths, and bike-friendly streets), I decided there was no other way to get started except to try it.

So while there was still enough light out this evening, I rode to Rittenhouse Square.  Taking Spruce and then Chestnut over the river provided bike lanes most of the way until about 22nd Street.  From there I moved onto the sidewalk.  Don't know if that's the appropriate thing to do (people on foot have the right of way, right?), but there seemed to be no space on the streets and I didn't want to be in the main car lane.

At the park I stopped to rest on a bench with no real plan of anything to do besides drink some water.  But soon a homeless(-looking) man shuffled over to my bench and sat on the far end.  He was muttering, and I couldn't really make out if he was saying anything sensible.  I kept thinking of that movie, with the homeless guy who's actually a fantastic musician...  So this guy had an old plastic drink container and I figured out he wanted some of my water.  I didn't know what else to do so I poured a bit in.  After that he headed off.

My unexpected encounters for the night were not over, though.  A guy came up to me -- I'd guess around my age -- and said hi, and then something like, "I have to tell you, you're really beautiful."  I was rather taken aback, and also wondered why he was so impressed when my hair was tied back and probably messy from biking, and certainly I wasn't dressed in anything special.  Either way, he introduced himself, and then we had at least a half hour conversation on the bench there.  He told me about Philly and how he loves skateboarding and biking and some mechanical stuff about cars that I didn't understand.  At least he was pretty nice, and friendly, and didn't do anything sketchy.  Eventually I said I was going to head home, and (again with some sidewalks though...) made it home before it was totally dark.

It was nice when I got back, because I felt like I accomplished something.  I figured out where some bike lanes were, made it to Center City and back.  And the sweat kind of felt good this time, since I accumulated it while actually doing some physical activity more than walking a couple of blocks.  So I decided I earned it.

...Seems like life in the city could be interesting.

Intro and Today

So I've kind of decided to start a blog. Often I've found myself thinking about things in life, and kind of wanting to record them because I reached an interesting conclusion (or maybe didn't reach one at all and am still trying to figure it out) and I wonder what other people might think. Also, a friend once told me he didn't really know much about who I really am because he could only describe me at the surface level - that I like to play Stepmania and Egyptian Ratscrew, specifically. So maybe, if I post my thoughts and observations about occurrences in my life or any other ideas I have, some people can get to really know me if they have interest. I (want to..?) think that my friends like me for who I really am, so if nothing else I shouldn't be afraid to share what's going on in my mind, and perhaps I can initiate closer connections with people :). (Ironically the song I was just listening to was "True Colors", haha...)

That's probably enough formality, so now I'll just dive right in...

Today has been a pretty good day so far. I spent the morning sleeping (haha) because for some reason I managed to stay up till after 6am due to laundry and trying to get somewhere on the 277 final project with Carlin... I planned to get up no later than 12, so at least I wouldn't lose too much of the day, but of course even by then I hadn't gotten enough sleep and I got back in bed after shutting off my alarms :P. I woke up again around 1pm when Grace called to ask if I wanted to get food, so I said "sure, if you don't mind waiting for me to get dressed..." lol. We went to brunch at Commons and talked, which was nice because we don't get to talk much these days (lunches don't coincide anymore). Then we headed downstairs to Starbucks where I worked on reading for Perception (got 1 chapter done) and Grace, of course, worked on drawing. I waited for a shorter line so I could get a mocha frappucino (newfound love, as of yesterday...so good!!) but every time I turned around, the line was still long, so I actually never got it, lol.

Tonight was nice too. I met Rebecca at Cosi where we had a nice dinner. My flatbread chicken caesar sandwich was amazing and so was the Oreo Arctic Mocha...filled me up though and I couldn't finish either one. Then we took the trolley to Center City, walked around for a little--I felt like such a tourist, looking around at everything because I hardly ever leave campus, so Philadelphia doesn't feel familiar at all. There were these plaque things in one sidewalk with a bunch of musicians' names, and I was excited to recognize some jazz musicians' names...so much that I took a picture of the ones for Daryl Hall and John Oates (I know "Hall and Oates" from listening to CD101.9 so much...thought they meant "Haulin' Oats" for the longest time though, hahaha.) Anyway, then we headed over to Chris's Jazz Cafe and it felt like first semester last year again for a moment, when I had to go there several times both for my Jazz Style and History class and my writing seminar on jazz. Rebecca knew the vocalist, Karrin Allyson, through her father and was really excited and said we had to go see her. I liked her within the first few songs. She sang some Brazilian pieces and some other songs that perhaps I should have known if I was a little bit more into "real" jazz (as opposed to "smooth jazz", with which I am, or maybe was?, very familiar with, from listening to 101.9 so much, back home). I liked her style; it was eclectic, and she was...spunky? That's not quite the right word, but whatever. I loved her guitarist and drummer too...

It was warm in the cafe, and I was tired, so I was semi-falling-asleep a few times. Maybe for those reasons, or because of some of the mellow songs she sang, I got into this kind of relaxed/happy/tired mood, and I half wonder if that's what I'd feel like after a few drinks...? I don't know, but I suppose someday maybe I'll find out... Anyway, it was nice. Some of her songs were about love, and I really liked them and got into the stories they were telling, but at the same time other thoughts were going through my head...those can wait for another post, though.

I really enjoyed the night out, and surprisingly I was able to forget about worrying about all my work, which definitely felt good. And usually I'm a dress-down, go-to-Commons or get-Chinese-takeout kind of person; I don't really do much out of an ordinary routine. So it was kind of nice to be served for dinner and dessert, to dress up a bit, to go into Center City, to enjoy jazz with a friend... It kind of seems high-class when I word it that way, but I don't mean it to sound stuck up-- I just enjoyed having a nice night out with someone :).

Interestingly, I just got back from spending some time in John's room after he asked if I'd walk with him to get some food. I just leaned back against the bed, stretched out my legs, listened to his music (really good...80s mix, I think), and drifted in and out of naps. Felt really "chill" or something (I put it in quotes because it doesn't sound like my kind of word, but I like it, for this context); very relaxing. Kind of reminds me of yoga in high school gym class, except this was less directed, more spontaneous...mmmmm. So nice to let go of some stress for awhile tonight. And that seems like a good way to end the post.