And as scary/discouraging as it can be - to me, it’s better than sitting in a cubicle for 8 hours. I’m going to take my “morning break” and go for a run in the beautiful park across the street.
I’ve officially been car-less for nearly two weeks. When I tossed around (and around, and around) the idea of selling my car and biking the city, I was a little nervous…but the other day I realized I haven’t missed my car even once. Instead:
- I enjoy the awesome city views as I’m biking to Conjunctured and my favorite
coffee shops. Last night, I successfully made it 5 miles north - also, the furthest I’ve gone since I moved here…
- I’ve learned how easy it is to ride with traffic. Some streets are still a little nerve-wracking, but I like being able to weave through cars when everyone
else is stopped in traffic. (Don’t worry Mom, I’m safe…)
- Discovered Alice.com (Thanks, Tim) It’s a really cool site that has everything
you could need for an apartment - like laundry detergent and TP - and they ship
it right to your door for FREE. Guess this means I won’t need a super cool
basket on my bike…
- Also, it’s awesome cross training for my upcoming marathon. It’s getting easier
every time I go out - and I don’t have to take a chunk out of my day for a workout.
But don’t worry, ya’ll…the Shel4Cy plates are now proudly displayed on my bulletin board.
- Photo via jusme65
My new ride? After looking at and testing (well, sitting on) a few models, I’ve found my choice in mopeds is somewhat slim. Turns out my small size is an issue in more than carnival rides, basketball playing and reaching those oh-so-important items on the top shelf.
So, it really all comes down to this:
Which causes more laughter - a Shel4Cy license plate or a pink flowery moped?
Tonight I made mini pizzas using breaded eggplant slices as the crust. NOMNOMNOM
Sarah, please come be my personal chef. Thanks, bye.
This is a good one - worth five minutes of your time.
I promised updates on my Austin adventures, but I spent the whole first week exploring the city. There’s so much to do, it’s interfered with my catching-up-on-emails time (oops!).
I’ve…
- Checked out some really great restaurants and coffee shops in my neighborhood. Austin has awesome vegetarian-friendly places. Some favorites: Kerbey Lane, South Magnolia Cafe, and The Lift.
- Joined a coworking space with some really cool people.
- Biked all over the place - I’m debating whether to keep my car or just bike it everywhere…I’m quickly overcoming my fear of riding around the city. It’s so bike friendly, I fit right in.
- Checked out Chuck Close at the Austin Museum of Art. Sad to say, I hadn’t been to an art museum before now, but I loved it.
Thanks for doing the dirty work, Matt. For a look at what I’ve been up to…
So I’m falling for Austin pretty hard right now, its got SO much to do and see I think I’m gonna love it here. Here’s a recap of my first weekend in Austin, I’ve been living with my friend Shel (really just squatting) and having a blast.
Friday: We rolled into Austin about 10:30 p.m. but still wanted to go out so we hit up Uncle Billy’s down the street. Shel and I called it a night after some tasty microbrew while Kien and Tim headed downtown doing God knows what.
Saturday: Breakfast at Kerbey Lane Cafe (delicious!) then moved Shel into her apartment for the rest of the day. Biked to a bar called The 04 which was a dive but had a cool vibe and tried my first (of many) Lone Star beer. Then we got ridiculously huge slices of pizza for $3 from Homeslice Pizza on the way back after last call (actually 2 a.m. unlike IC).
Sunday: Rode a total of around 16 miles exploring downtown and UT campus. We stopped at a couple coffee shops (The Lift and Spider House) but I only drank 1 glass of water so when we finally got back to Shel’s I got really bad leg cramps and fell off my bike. I passed out for about 3 hours then we went to see the bats come out from under the Congress Bridge at dusk. Dinner at Magnolia Cafe with some new friends then drinks at Doc’s. I called it an early night considering my severe dehydration earlier in the day. Tim, Kien, and Shel went to Ego’s, a karaoke bar.
Monday: Slept in until 11 then hit up Austin Java to look for apartments and jobs. Probably drinks via bicycle again tonight!
I do miss Iowa already thanks to everyones texts and pics on facebook. keep following my blog for more of what I’m up to in the Deep South!
