The soul of a Gypsy

Someone has asked me how many places have I lived and where. Here they are in no particular order:
Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach, CA., Big Bear Lake CA. Sedona, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Austin TX, Houston, TX, Oxted, Surrey, UK, Sutton, Surrey, UK, Nerja, Spain (part time), Lincoln, NE and presently, Glen Ivy (Corona), CA. My childhood home was in Downey, CA, when it was orange groves and dairy farms. I remember taking my red wagon through the pastures to get half gallon milk bottles. They would clang against each other as I tugged the wagon home. Now that city is nothing but rooftops & concrete, absorbed into greater Los Angeles.

Committed to keeping Tucson on the go.

The National Geographic Adventure magazine has named Tucson one of the top 5 bike friendly cities in the US. But I remember that Tucson has been on many lists for being bike friendly. The Tucson department of Transportation's website says

"Our vision is to inspire people to get out of their cars and onto the street. "

The city has come a long way with "The City Cycle Bike-Sharing Program that offers City of Tucson employees an easy and healthy option for traveling to appointments. Three-speed KHS Manhattan Green bikes, helmets, locks and other safety equipment are available for use at designated check out locations. The bikes can also be used for wellness rides."

With valet parking for bike riders at special events, and 475 miles of striped bike lanes in Tucson Metropolitan Region, a down loadable bike & trail map, a city bike/pedestrian coordinator, sunny weather most of the year, Tucson remains on my list for a future re-location. I'm aware of the horrendous traffic problems at certain times, (Tucson has no cross town freeways), but I managed quite well walking and biking during my years living there.

Unfortunately I gave my chrome-moly Schwinn Supersport (30+yrs) away before coming back to California and I am itching for a new bike, most likely a folding bicycle;I'm on a personal campaign to down size and simplify my life.

Remembering Randy Pausch

"Randy Pausch, the professor at Carnegie Mellon University who inspired countless students in the classroom and others worldwide through his highly acclaimed last lecture, has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47." My deepest sympathies to Jai, and three children: Chloe, Dylan and Logan.

Read The Last Lecture by Randy or watch the video linked here.

What in the Woot!

I came across this site while checking my Paypal balance. This is a really funny website. "Woot's tagline is "One Day, One Deal". Generally, Woot offers one product per day until its stock of that item is sold out or the product is replaced at midnight Central Time with the next offering. If a product sells out during its run, the next item still does not appear until midnight, except during Woot-Offs. Products are never announced beforehand."
Full of humorous diatribe, sometimes they offer a "Bag O'Crap". or a Fukubukuro (mystery dollar store stuff) or Woot wine. What is Woot? answers all the questions. Click on title above for a better wiki explanation. And today's Woot is?

"Glowing Granite", batman.........

"His Geiger counter indicated that the granite was emitting radiation at levels 10 times higher than those he had measured elsewhere in the house."

This article from the NY Times, "What's Lurking in Your Countertop", should give most of my neighbors something to think about. I opted for Corian, but would have preferred stainless steel with soapstone sinks. Radon testing kits are about $17.00 at Lowes. Additional article.

Funny Video in German

or here with sound.(5/9/09), the sound on the original was taken off so I added this link.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008)

Although this is under my blog list to the right, I had to post here. I'm still smiling. Thanks Matt Harding.

Walt Disney once said..........

If you're going through hell, keep on going.