Thinking about winter

[pegkerr]

I had planned to ride my bike to work until at least the end of October. Hey, it was doable, I thought.

Now I'm rethinking.

I've noticed that I really have lost my zest for the ride for the past couple weeks. It's been harder to drag myself out of bed in the mornings, and I have been taking the bike on the train more often. And I've started to actually dread the ride home more. Why would that be when I've enjoyed biking for the most part this past summer?

I realized, upon thinking it over, that the change in going from karate schedules for two people to karate schedules for three was rather a bigger deal that I had thought. Plus, now that school has started, we're going to be adding in confirmation and girl scout meetings. I'm having more days like this one, and while originally the spirit was willing tho' the flesh is weak, lately the spirit has been less and less willing.

Plus, this is a transitional school year for both Fiona and Delia (Fiona to high school and Delia to middle school), and I would like to check in with both of them at the end of the day, go over homework assignments, etc. Delia really has expressed a wish for that, and while Fiona has not, the way she got in over her head on homework last year makes me think that she needs it. I get home a half an hour later when I bike, which gives me no time to go over the school day with them and/or get dinner started before it's time for someone to go to karate.

I'm just tired. I felt a little guilty at first when I thought about ending biking earlier than I first intended, maybe the end of September, but then I thought, hey, cut yourself some slack, lady. You are the only breadwinner in your home right now. You have a damn busy schedule, and some of it, like karate, takes an awful lot of energy. How many other Americans have been willing to drastically change their lifestyle and give up driving their car to work for six months?

*Sigh* Now I just have to find the money to go back to paying gasoline and parking fees. My budget is getting squeezed until it whimpers. This sucks.

I WANT HIM TO FIND A GODDAMN JOB.

Comments

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

Butt of steel from biking = butt of steel from karate

All my love, sweetheart.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Thus was coined the Transitive Property of Steel Butts.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

When I was bike commuting, this time of year was my favorite because I didn't get all sweaty on the way to and from work. I, of course, had nothing like your schedule with karate and kids in school and all. Most mornings (I was working third shift at the time) all I had to do was get home and collapse into sleep. I hope Rob finds a job that suits him soon. In the meantime, do not feel guilty about driving if it'll save you some time and help your family besides.

[ironymaiden]

everything in the "transitional school year..." paragraph seems like stuff that Rob could be doing right now if you really *want* to keep biking. i have very fond memories of recapping the day, etc. with my dad since he worked from home and mom didn't.

[sraun]

How would it work to just take the light rail to and from work?

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

That certainly wouldn't help the budget any. The idea that taking public transit to work will save you money is a canard. It's actually quite expensive. The only way it saves you money is 1) if you can give up having a car entirely or 2) if your commute is really long. I would happily take the train to work if I could, but I think it would actually be more expensive than driving.

Bike commuting actually does save money - until it's time to fix your bike. Then you discover that on a per-mile basis it's actually more expensive to maintain a bike than a car. It's a lot more fun, though.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

I think that you may not be figuring in having to pay for parking as Peg and I would have to do downtown. I know that parking at one ramp reasonably convenient to my old job recently had its monthly rate reduced to a mere $150/month. I don't expect that's typical but even at half that the $40 or so per month I spent on the bus pass was cheaper even before counting regular car expenses like gas, insurance, maintenance.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, that's true. I've never worked anywhere where I had to pay for parking, so I typically don't consider it. When I used to work downtown I always took the bus. However, pretty much every job I've had since 1976 has been in the suburbs *sigh*.

I'm always trying to find other ways to get to work so I don't have to drive, but none of them have actually saved me any money.

[avengangle.livejournal.com]

I found that when gas gets over $3 a gallon, it's cheaper for me to take the bus, with my old job . . . but I didn't pay for parking. For other people it would be a lower price, since I drove a very small car that got a lot of miles per gallon.

So yeah, even if you don't pay to park, there comes a point at which public transportation was still cheaper.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Why don't you compromise: ride to work just 2 or 3 times a week? That's what I do. As I recall from last year, October is a pretty chancy time of year to be biking. It can be absolutely gorgeous one day, then 45 degrees and raining the next. If you just ride on the nice days, it will be a treat instead of an obligation.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Well, it wouldn't save me any money, which is one of my chief preoccupations, if I buy the monthly parking pass.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Not to say that you should try to extend riding, but can Rob take the girls to karate? Doesn't he drive?

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Yes, he does. In fact, he took the girls to karate today, and then I went myself after dinner. The thing is, we have a LOT of karate classes between the three of us. Each of us are going four times a week, at different times.

Ah --

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Even good days require advanced planning. Four times a week times three, all different, is a lot of classes. And are you two still cleaning the dojo? That adds to the time sink, no matter how rewarding.

Once through this period of your lives, you will look back in awe of how well you managed all this....

[naomikritzer]

Regarding public transit, I don't suppose your employer is one of the ones that is heavily subsidizing transit passes to encourage transit use with the bridge out?

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

We can pay either parking or bus/rail with pre-tax dollars.

[vass]

How is Rob's job-hunt going?

This sounds like such a stressful time for you.

[buttonlass.livejournal.com]

I know I don't comment here often but I wanted to pipe up a little.

You do more in half a day than many people do in the entire thing. Please take a moment and acknowledge that you deserve a break sometimes too. If all you need to get through this stressful time is the extra half hour on either side of your work day more power to you. I, personally would have started drinking months ago.:)

And as an aside we, your loyal readers :), rarely hear what Rob is doing to help which leads to comments like those seen above. If he's not doing that much than maybe he could help with the girls a little more.

Being you sounds hard and I'm about to be working, in school, and have a eight month old. Maybe you should go to Surdyk's on a weekend and sample your way through the store. It's cheap and fun.:)

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

And as an aside we, your loyal readers :), rarely hear what Rob is doing to help which leads to comments like those seen above. You're right, and I should acknowledge that more. Like yesterday, he stayed up all night troubleshooting the printer so that Fiona could print her paper for school. He is doing all the dojo cleaning right now, and he is doing some of the girls' karate runs so I can fix dinner before taking my karate classes. He's been there, too, on the painting project.

I fume about the job situation because it's such a big deal, but it's not as if he isn't doing anything. And I'll be sure to give him credit for it.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

And a weekend's sampling at Surdyk sounds like an excellent idea. As long as I have someone else to drive me away afterwards!

[dustybinx.livejournal.com]

Since you mentioned confirmation and you live in Minnesota, I thought the following announcement would be appropriate:


WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE LUTHERAN VIKING AIR IS NOW OPERATING IN MINNYSOTA. ALSO SERVING VISCONSIN, NORT AND SOUT DAKOTA.

If you are travelin soon, consider Lutran (Lutheran) Viking Air, da no-frills airline. You're all in da same boat on Lutran Air, where flyin is a upliftin experience.

Dere is no First Class on any Lutran Viking Air flight. Meals are potluck. Rows 1-6, bring rolls; 7-15, bring a salad;16-21, a main dish, and 22-30, a dessert. Basses and tenors please sit in da rear of da aircraft.

Everyone is responsible for his or her own baggage. All fares are by free will offering and da plane will not land 'til da budget is met. Pay attention to your flight attendant, who will acquaint you wit da safety system aboard dis Lutran Viking Air 599.

Okay den, listen up. I'm only gonna say dis vonce. In da event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, I am frankly going to be real surprised and so vill Captain Olson, because we fly right around two tousand feet, so loss of cabin pressure would probably mean da Second Coming or someting of dat nature, and I wouldn't bodar with doze liddle masks on da rubber tubes. You're gonna have bigger tings to worry about den dat. Just stuff doze back up in dair little holes. Probably da masks fell out because of turbulence which, to be honest wit you, we're going to have quite a bit of at two tousand feet, sort a like driving across a plowed field, but after a while yo u get used to it.

In da event of a water landing, I'd say forget it. Start saying da Lord's Prayer and just hope you get to da part about forgive us our sins as we forgive doze who sin against us, which some people say "trespass against us," which ain't right, but what can you do?

Da use of cell phones on da plane is strictly forbidden, not because day may confuse da plane's navigation system, which is seat of da pants all da way. No, it's because cell phones are a pain in da wazoo, and if God meant you to use a cell phone, He would have put your mout on da side of your head.

We start lunch right about noon and it's buffet style wit da coffee pot up front. Den we'll have da hymn sing; hymnals are in da seat pocket in front of you. Don't take yours wit you when you go or I am going to be real upset and I am not kiddin!

Right now I'll say Grace: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let deze gifts to us be blessed. Fadar, Son, and Holy Ghost, may we land in Dulut or pretty close."

Happy Landin wit da Lutran Viking Airline

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

From my experience as a female commuter cyclist:

One advantage of cycling is that it allows you to get rid of frustrations, just in the steady push push of your commute. And regular cardio exercise is good for you mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Maybe try cycling only a couple days a week in October, on days when your daughters need you least? You're absolutely right that you've added extra activities and need to balance out your life, But tapering off cycling for the fall might be more enjoyable than just dropping it.

And don't be ashamed of being tired. You're doing a lot. Maybe someone else needs to do some of it.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I think the checking with Fiona at day's end is really important, especially considering the previous problems with homework. The IB program is quite demanding at Southwest. (We've been very glad that R didn't get into it!)