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09/19/2005: "Be Conscious And Ride A Girl's Bike"

Music: Jazzmusique (An Internet Radio Station)
Mood: conscious

The jobhunt continues. Sure I have a job at the cinema, but I did not get any hours this week. I sure needed them too. I'm supposed to hear from the library on Wednesday, man I need that job. In the meantime, I am continuing to apply to other jobs.

I am trying to stay positive. I have cut my expenses down to the bare minimum, and might just barely pay all my bills for this month. I guess you can say I am really finally learning what you really do need to be happy.

Yesterday I wanted to check out this marsh near my house. I thought about walking, then driving, but when I went outside, I saw Laura's bike chained up outside the door. I borrowed it and headed off to the marsh. I don't think I have been on a bike in the 21st century. As I started down the hill, I immediately started to feel better.

I checked out the marsh, then as I was biking back the long way, I saw a sign for the Mad River Boat Access so I started down that road. It led me deep into the Arcata Bottoms, the part of the city that is still real live farms. Save for the occasional car or other biker, the only things around were lonely farmhouses and cows. I stopped for a moment and looked at the cows, and they looked back at me. How long has it been since I have seen a cow close up? I made it to a pedestrian bridge that spans the Mad River before I turned back. All in all it was quite a glorious bike ride and I got my mind off of my finances and writer's block for a couple of hours. Just do me a favor and tell anyone I rode a girl's bike! ;-)

So here I am the day after. My legs aren't sore, but my perineum is from sitting on the bike seat. I have rediscovered a great (and absolutely free, since I didn't pay for the bike)form of exercise. I have a list of places to apply to that I am gonna hit just as soon as I finish shaving off my Frank Zappa mustache (hopefully I will appear to be a clean-cut go-getter to my possible employers) and take a shower.

I just finished reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, which I hope will inspire me to continue this life of frugality I have found myself living. When I got home from the bike ride, I started re-reading "Awareness Through Movement" by Moshe Feldenkrais. If I can change how I deal with money, then I can certainly go back and continue to change my posture. All it takes is being conscious and aware of what you're doing. It's quite disturbing to realize little you have been paying attention to everything when you are thinking too hard about something.