aren't you gonna hold your hands up to the light

I've gotta say, I'm having a pretty good time these days. The business is picking up at the restaurant, which is a constant challenge. The food is on an amazing level, although I don't know if I can keep it up the way it is. The menu has been big, and occasionally somewhat elaborate, so it's a big machine to keep running. In the summer, it'll be hectic... I'm just speaking this way because I'm sleepy right now. It's really as easy as it's ever been, and I'm not working such rough hours these days.

Mom drove in from Cleveland to visit and eat at the restaurant Saturday night. It was nice to show her what it was all about, in the sense that I'm sort of a grown-up with a job and apartment and everything. My parents are so seperated from my life these days that I have a great desire to get them to experience some of the things I do in Pittsburgh. We started with Pamela's.

Pretty soon it'll be time to get plants going for my garden. My neighbor, who used the backyard last summer is moving out, so it looks like I get to go nuts with it. I'm definitely going to start a lot more seeds indoors this year, that's where I had the most success in Squirrel Hill. And I'm just going to buy the tomato plants again. This year I'll actually have ample sunlight for some fun things.

I'm also still having fun with home improvement. I put up a shelf recently. I missed the stud in th wall the first time, the mounting bracket was torn out, and I had to move it over. So there's a nice shelf on the wall with two big holes underneath it. A lesson in stud finding: just buy the fucking electronic thing for ten bucks.

Also, I met a girl. Her name is Alayna, she's completely beautiful, and I like her. I built her up a bike and we've been riding together. I cook us dinner and she gives me music to listen to. I'm pretty happy with the arrangement. She's my hip hop career counselor.

I love music, so much. I've been listening to the best stuff recently. Stars, Rufus Wainwright, The Kooks, Pedro the Lion, Badly Drawn Boy, Neutral Milk Hotel, Rodrigo y Gabriella.

Which Existentialist Philosopher Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Albert Camus You are Albert Camus, so you are one sweet absurdist. He built largely upon the framework of existentialists before him, but introduced the concept that life is absurd, but that we should continue living anyway. You have strong liberal leanings, although you annoy the Communists. You are susceptible to driving fast, and possibly crashing into a tree. Albert Camus 61% Not An Existentialist 57% Jean-Paul Sartre 39% Martin Heidegger 29% Soren Kierkegaard 25% Friedrich Nietzsche 18%

current events <3

brooks b.17 champion special

ouch

My legs are pretty much numb right now. Gunning it on Liberty Ave. plus all the other riding I did yesterday has taken its toll. As nice as it is to chill out on the roads, sometimes it's more fun to just fuckin' fly.

Speaking of riding, I ordered a Brooks. It should be here Friday, and it's pretty much going to pimp my ride. Also, my butt will feel better after long trips.

And also on the subject, I'm planning to begin buying old steel frames, restoring and converting them, and selling them. My toolbox is pretty complete now when it comes to bike maintenance; with the exception of being able to (easily) install and remove headset cups and crown races I can essentially remove any part of a bicycle, clean it up and repack it with grease and reinstall it. I did the Schwinn's bottom bracket the other day, which I'm pretty sure hasn't been serviced in its 30-year lifespan. Gross.

Holy crap, I need another day off. I am just not yet fully regenerated. At least next Sunday and Monday are all mine...

man

That was a long week. Worked on Sunday due to a special dinner. I am exhausted. Also, I just climbed up Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield on my fixie, which is always a chore. When I was descending the hill on the other side, some jackass in a Jeep peeled out from the parking lane and tried to make a U-turn right in front of me. It's moments like that I'm thankful for reflexes and fairly steep frame geometry.

I was going to write a lot, but now all I want to say is that I'm so happy right now.

ohio pyle/seven springs/i'm still fucking drunk

The trail. Really beautiful in the winter.

And now, for a shot to send to fixedgeargallery...

Snow tubing.

Carnage Carl, in his natural habitat.