Miscellaneous Missives

68º NNE 5mph It's official.  I biked all thirty days of April and blogged a bit about it.  Today's weather and ride was the perfect way to end the month. Today was also National Poem in Your Pocket Day.  For the last several years our entire school has participated in this great day because the language arts PLC (professional learning community) has organized the event.  This year I brought it up at several meetings, but no one seemed to have any ambition to do anything about it.  Instead of giving up on the day completely, I celebrated with my students and asked staff to listen to poems if they were asked by students.  As usual, it was a great day.  The principal, who rarely stops by my room, even stopped in to read a poem.  Many teachers had poems and told me they shared them with the students.  Maybe next year we'll be able to do it school wide again.  The kids really do seem to enjoy it. Also today one of the deans stopped by...

Yep, the pictures horrible although the flowering tress are pretty.  I meant to take a picture of me parking my bike at Galactic Pizza for happy hour, but I took my gloves off and the wind blew them under a parked car.  By the time I crawled around and searched under the car, I forgot about taking the picture and my self esteem.  BTW, I don't understand this April showers thing.  Did they mean wind showers.  April has been WINDY.  It's difficult to believe that tomorrow is day 30 of #30daysofbiking.  I will say the majority of rides have been enjoyable to quite enjoyable.  Thanks #30daysofbiking for the motiviation.

64º NWN 10 mph Dear Weather.com, I depend on you each day as I plan my bike ride.  You help me plan my route and clothing for the days ride.  In reality, it's more than merely planning the route for the day.  Looking at the ten day forecast gives me an idea of what rides to do on which day.  If I were to guess, I look at your wonderful app at least six times a day, and I appreciate your help.  Unfortunately, you have features that I do not need.  The pollen index, for one, is not helpful.  Do you really think I need you to tell me that the tree pollen is high?  Let me help you with the answer, "No, my nose, throat, eyes, and sinuses do a find job of letting me know when tree pollen, or any other pollen, are high."  Maybe you could use this space for something more helpful.  Since I do love your help, this is a small complaint.  Thanks for helping me during #30daysofbiking. Sincerely, MM

67º  9mph NW Wow!  Today's bike ride was gorgeous!  I'm eating my smoothie and geeking on the internet.  Also, I've been thinking about adding whey protein powder to my smoothies, but the powder seems to have a lot of calories.  I could eat food with actual protein for the number of calories in the powder.  Am I thinking about this incorrectly?

57º E 5mph At the beginning of this week, I was asked if I'd lead a discussion about the movie Ingredients as one of the 11:00 classes at church.  Although I didn't have time to pick up and preview the DVD, I said I would facilitate the class.  The portion to watch had already been selected, and I watched along with approximately 15 other people as we thought about the food we eat and purchase.  Recently, I've started buying my produce from the coop because they seem more fresh than the produce I buy at Whole Foods.  Watching Ingredients let me know that I was, indeed, making the right choice.  Ingredients also has me looking into a CSA this summer.  Maybe I'll be a little more adventurous with the produce I eat.  Plus, May 2 is opening day at Midtown Farmers Market.

start 42º NE 14 mph   end 60º E 15mph After today's 60 mile ride, I was feeling good about the accomplishment especially since we ended in the wind.  Then, I looked at Facebook.  My friend Al rode a century ride from Atlanta to Jacksonville and is halfway on the century ride back.  Really?!  Oh well, I'm eating an entire burrito from Chipotle to make up for feeling inadequate.

47º ESE 16mph Today was the last day of testing.  I finished yet one more book while they were testing.  Instead of being tested about reading, I wish they could have merely sat and read as I did.  BTW- I liked the book and would give it 4 out of 5, but it didn't have chapters and this drove me crazy.  No chapters?!  This is absurd.