PolkaGrl

Biking Makes Me Strong!

2011-08-19T16:29:00.003-05:00

A little over a month ago, Crusty Bill and I embarked on a new adventure: the Tri-State Tour. Ride through 3 states (IN, IL and WI) in one day. We'd once done a metric century, or 62 miles - through hills! - so I was confident we could do this.

As the ride got closer, I started to calculate the mileage. Umm, this was going to be a little more than 62 miles. But it's flat. We'll be fine. The night before the ride, Crusty Bill brought up the mileage and that he thought it was over 62 miles... we agreed that yeah, we'd be fine.

The day of the ride turned out to be great weather for biking - not too hot, not too cool, a nice cloud layer so it wasn't too sunny. There were eventually a few brief sprinkles here and there but it stayed dry most of the day.

We started in Hammond, IN and rode up along Lake Michigan past Chicago. The ride was really well organized, with a stop roughly every 20 miles to fuel up on food, refill water, and use restrooms. We rode pretty much in the middle of the pack, usually above the expected speed by a bit with occasional "woooohoooo!" sprints. At the 3rd stop, I checked my computer: 58 miles. And one stop to go (although the last 2 were fairly close together). Yeah, this is more than 62 miles!

Then a funny thing happened: we both started talking about a century. There was a 20 mile optional loop at the end that brought the total mileage up to 80, and as we talked, we agreed that we probably could do it. We felt good. We felt strong.

And in the end, we did it! We rode 102 miles, from Hammond IN to Kenosha WI. It took 7.5 hours of riding (plus stops) but it was awesome. Yes, I had sores on the top of my thigh from my bike shorts rubbing (note to self, more butt'r next time!) and my hands had sore spots but I RODE 100+ MILES! And I felt good. And very hungry. And very strong, knowing I could do this thing that several years ago - several days ago! - I had thought I could not do.

Does biking make me strong, or does it help me realize my inner strength? I'm not really sure. But I am aware of my tough inner core as I zip alongside Chicago traffic or pedal through subfreezing air. Accomplishing a century made me realize how much I can really do, how far I can push myself. I don't feel invincible - that would be a mistake - but I do feel more conscious of an inner strength, and whether it came from the biking or my awareness came from the biking, I am grateful. I now know I am capable of more than I realize.

Bicyclist Peeves

2011-04-14T12:14:00.002-05:00

I've been compiling a mental list of pet peeves while biking to work and thought I'd jot them down. The overarching pet peeve is behaving unpredictably - whether a car, another cyclist, or pedestrian. Unpredictable actions too often lead to close calls! So, in that vein:

Motorists:

Please use turn signals so I know you are going to suddenly change lanes or turn.
This one sounds weird, but please don't try to "be nice" by stopping where there is no stop or slowing down for me - I'm paying attention to you, really! and planning ahead based on your rate of speed, stop signs etc. Your kindness doesn't always make my ride easier.
That being said, no need to purposely be an ass either.
Do you really think you can text and drive safely?!?! Or make that left turn in the busy intersection while chatting away on your phone?!? Answer: no, you cannot.
Don't cut off bicyclists. Ever. But especially in rain or snow - our brakes are less effective then, so really really don't cut us off.
Please obey traffic laws. Simple as that.

Bicyclists:

When passing another bicyclist, whistle, cough, say "on your left," yell "yahhoooey!" - anything. Just let them know you're there!
If you're a slower bicyclist, please stay to the right-ish and don't elbow your way to the front of the pack at the light just so everyone has to pass you. Again.
Don't ride the wrong way in the bike lane. I will play chicken with you - and win.
Please obey traffic laws.

Pedestrians:

Don't stand in the bike lane. Seriously. Some chick swore at me when I pointed out she was standing in the bike lane - would you stand in the middle of the street??? No???? Then don't stand in the bike lane.
If you're going to jaywalk, hustle your ass across the street, don't saunter. And try looking to the left, where the traffic is coming from. Why do half the pedestrians I see look right before stepping into the street? They can't all be from the UK/Australia/Japan/Hong Kong.
Don't start crossing the street when the countdown is on "4." You know you won't make it and that everyone is going to want to mow you down when the light turns green.
Don't walk into a bicyclist's path. Some of us do go fast. And it will hurt (both of us!) when we hit you.

I'm sure I have more... what it really comes down too is being aware of all of the other users of the road and respecting everyone. And that goes for bicyclists, too; this isn't a harangue against "cagers" (i.e. drivers). I see illegal, rude, and stupid behavior by every mode of transport every day. But if we are all more aware and more courteous, we can all be a lot safer out there.

Adieu 2010!

2010-12-30T21:14:00.002-06:00

Reflecting on the past year, I would have to say it was a good one. There were some challenges, professionally and personally, but overall I was fortunate to have a great deal of good in my life. I had the gift of continued good health which allowed me to indulge in my bicycling obsession (and bang up both knees!). I was able to travel to wonderful places, domestic and foreign, and spend time with dear friends and family, including celebrating my Busia's 90th birthday - something well worth celebrating!

Speaking of friends, 2010 was the year that I made the most connections - or should I say reconnections? - on Facebook. Whatever your opinion of the site, I enjoy having a way to connect with people from every stage of my life, many of whom had otherwise drifted off.

And damn I ate a lot of good meals this year!!! Most, if not all of which, were shared with family and/or friends.

I plan to end 2010 and enter 2011 on the same note - with friends, eating a good meal then taking in some great music. Hopefully it will be the perfect start to another good year.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and mindful year in 2011.

Whither Customer Service?????

2010-09-08T14:59:00.004-05:00

I was relating this week's tale of woe to a coworker and she asked, "Is customer service dead or what?" and I thought, it is definitely in its death throes. Once upon a time, if a company screwed up, the customer got an apology and some kind of compensation. These days an apology is all too rare, and compensation... what's that? Customer service is about maintaining a business relationship.

Companies figure they aren't going to lose your business so why bother trying to make things right. Or if they do lose your business, who cares, there's always another customer to take your place. Case in point: the airline industry. Ryanair boggles the mind with its fees and lack of customer service; complaints cannot be emailed but must be faxed. yet for every declaration I've seen or heard that "I'll never fly them again" there must be two passengers lining up to pay ultra-low fares to an airport near their destination. After all, as along as it's cheap, it must be a deal.

All in all it's rather depressing. I can complain about poor service all I want to a faceless phone agent who is filing her nails and reading People while occasionally saying "mmmhmm." It's not going to achieve anything 99% of the time and actually makes me MORE frustrated. The sad truth is that when a customer service representative expresses a little sympathy, I'm mollified. On the rare occasions when I get something to make up for poor service, I do a victory dance. My standards have taken a nosedive in order to match that of the business world today.

Hotel Deals

2010-02-18T10:23:00.002-06:00

Just read about HotelCashBack.com on View From the Wing - apparently, it's a new blog with hotel deals. I'll have to check them out as I'm always looking for inexpensive hotel rooms.... I'd rather spend my money on food, drink & shopping when I travel!

Doored!

2009-08-10T19:58:00.003-05:00

It was statistically inevitable, as much as I ride in Chicago, that I would be doored. (Careful, link may not be suitable for work due to language!) It happened this past Friday as I was riding home around 11:30 p.m. - some a$$hat flug open the taxi door into the bike lane, and I was skidding across the asphalt. I didn't hit my head or break anything, but I got scraped and banged up pretty good. That's the bruise on my left bicep; there's a matching one on my left thigh, and smaller ones scattered around my left arm & leg.

What really cheese me off is that the jerk excused himself for not looking first because it was "so late" and offered a measly $20 for a tuneup. Nobody thinks it's too late to look for a pedestrian or a car, but apparently bicyclists have a curfew I didn't know about. And $20 for a tuneup?!? A basic tuneup is $50 or more, which I told him and he dismissed, even though I threatened to call the cops and get him ticketed and mentioned that I'm a lawyer. I got so sick of his bull that I ended up walking away.

Well - now I'm mad at myself because I should have called the cops. I wasn't entirely confident I knew the ordinance, and the truth is it's much more stringent than I realized. Since he caused a bike crash, he should have gotten a hefty $500 ticket.

So listen up, Chicago: a copy of the ordinance is going into my bike bag. If I get doored again - which I hope I don't! - or see someone else doored, it's coming out, the police will be called, and a ticket will be issued. If you don't care about sending a bicyclist flying, maybe you'll care about the $500 fine.

Team Crusty Rides the Metric Century!

2008-10-22T21:42:00.002-05:00

Last month, Team Crusty participated in the Apple Cider Century. In a bold move, we decided to ride the Metric Century - otherwise known as 62 miles. The weather was gorgeous, lots of sunshine and comfortably warm. The "extra" 12 mile loop was at the beginning and had a lot of long hills, so we were pretty pooped by the first stop. But we actually did it! (With a lot of whining and groaning!)

The ACC was completely full this year with the maximum of 5,000 participants. We had numbers 4999 and 5000 - which drew a lot of attention during the ride! In fact, our numbers overshadowed the Team Crusty uniform touques. Maybe we need a flashier team uniform...

Lollapalooza '08

2008-08-09T12:48:00.006-05:00

August in Chicago - Lollapalooza time. This year I only bought a one-day ticket, for the first day. The only day of the weekend, it turned out, to be 90 degrees and exceptionally humid - just my luck!

As always, I ended up deviating from my plan. Manchester Orchestra didn't do much for me, so I ended up wandering around during their set. K'NAAN was playing when I got there, and I ended up staying for them, despite not having liked the preview clips.

The main reason I had chosen Friday was to see Duffy, and I managed to get right up in front of the stage for her. I read reviews afterward that she was, basically, bland and too clean-cut for Lollapalooza - which is silly; Amy Winehouse-like behavior isn't necessary to be a great singer. And Duffy's voice literally gave me goose bumps.

Friday ended up being sold out - depending on the source, there were 75,000 to 100,000 people there. And after Duffy's set, I could tell. Moving between the two ends of the festival became very difficult due to the crowds, and water fountains had a 30-45 minute wait. I stuck it out for Gogol Bordello, Bloc Party, and CSS, all of which were excellent. But after CSS, it was too much, and I bailed on Radiohead.

As I got my bike, I saw several couples on blankets in the park around the bike racks, listening to Radiohead... no crowds, great sound - the best seats in the house.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese!

2008-08-09T12:37:00.002-05:00

The American Cheese Society (that's American... Cheese Society, not American Cheese...Society) held their annual conference in Chicago at the end of July. On the Saturday of the conference, there was an event open to the public: the Festival of Cheese. Over 1,000 cheese would be available! I had to go.

Once there, I gazed in awe at the Chicago skyline carved out of cheese. I sampled cheese after cheese after cheese until it dawned on me - there is such a thing as too much cheese! They began to taste the same. I took a break, then headed back for some lighter fare, including a lavender honey goat cheese that I fell in love with.

The next day, the leftover cheese was sold to the public. I got there too late for any of the really unusual cheese, but a friend and I managed to buy some cheddars and monterey jacks - I think we ended up with about 30 pounds for $30. Our diets are very cheese-based now!

Toe-tal Misadventure

2008-07-01T21:10:00.012-05:00

Last week, I had a misadventure. While leaving the apartment building, I thought I would prop the front door open while opening my umbrella. This was a bad plan. The door caught my big toe under the nail. At first I thought it was just a stubbed toe; then I saw blood; then I felt lots of pain.

I cursed and gasped my way up the stairs to my apartment, took off my bloody shoe (this is not a British curse, the shoe had a pool of blood), and doused the toe in Bactine. Then I made two calls: one to work calling in sick, and one to Dr. Dad.

At first we thought it was okay to treat at home, but eventually it became clear from the amount of pain and the bizarre angle of the nail that professional treatment was necessary. In the end, the podiatrist had to remove the nail (providing a couple of blissfully numb hours from the local anesthesia!).

So, poor Mr. Toe is naked. Tomorrow I go back to the podiatrist for a checkup; hopefully, she will confirm that the nail will grow back - although this is a long process, and can take up to 12 months. At least the pain is less than it was the first few days.

The Adventures Continue

2008-04-21T21:16:00.003-05:00

This month's adventures took place in Colorado. First, we went to Karla & Jason's cabin near Fairplay. We went sledding on a former ski hill, which was a blast; I think the last time I went sledding was in college. Sadly, we only have a photo of G.Nome and I; nobody had a camera out when I accidentally steered toward a ski jump made of snow and achieved vertical lift. After an hour of Extreme Sledding, I was fortunate enough to walk away with only a minor thumb injury.

Next it was on to Rifle and Glenwood Springs. Chris and I took a cave tour, which was very cool, with lots of beautiful formations. My previous underground experience was in mines (copper, which I was too young to remember, and salt, which was beautiful), so this was something new. I've been promised a more hardcore cave excursion in the future - more horizontal touring than upright!

We also went on the Canyon Flyer, which was basically an alpine slide but on rails, like a one-person roller coaster. It was AMAZING. The first time down, I braked a little on the curves, where I felt I was going to fly off. The second time, I was a brakeless daredevil!!!

Hopefully I will go back to Colorado, especially Glenwood, for future adventures. There's a beautiful bike trail there I'd like to check out. And I'd love to see a more exotic wild animal than the geese and chipmunks I spotted on this trip!

In Memory of Dzia Dzia: 1914 - 2008

2008-03-11T17:16:00.015-05:00

Last week, Joseph J. Zalenski - my grandfather - passed away at age 93. And while it's sad for my grandmother, for me, and for the rest of the family, he had a long wonderful life.

Dzia Dzia's life began in a time when the world was industrializing, when cars and phones were fairly new and televisions were yet to come. He was one of the "Greatest Generation" and in so many ways, his values reflected that. His devotion to his family and pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren were unwavering.

He was a man of many names. The grandkids all called him Dzia Dzia (Polish for "grandfather"). His Army buddies knew him as Slim. My Busia (grandmother) and other people called him "Iggy." In recent years, I started calling him "Bonesy" - the nickname he gave me when was a teenager - because he became so thin.

Throughout his life, he had almost as many jobs as he had nicknames. He worked for a butcher; he played basketball - fantastically! - and worked for Great Lakes Steel; he was a cook in the Army in Europe during World War II; he was a police officer and detective with the Wyandotte Police; while at the police department, he was also a process server.

To me, though, the most important job he had was Dzia Dzia. And he was very good at it! I have so many memories of the time that I spent with him while growing up. Walking to St. Stan's to get the basket blessed on Easter Saturday. Watching t.v. and eating sunflower seeds at Busia & Dzia Dzia's when we spent the night. Dzia "fishing" (umm, napping!) at Kensington while Bill and I ran around like little "monsters." Eating the world's best pancakes - nobody but Dzia could make them so good. Going to polka festivals and watching Busia & Dzia Dzia dance and dance and dance. Taking a "short cut" on the way to serve papers.

The family always had our little jokes. Dzia Dzia would always moan that we were sending him to the poorhouse when Busia and I went shopping, and that he still wore the socks he got married in. So one Christmas, I gave him a pair of socks. Another Christmas, he got a football helmet to wear when he banged his head against the wall after hearing how much money was spent. It was that much more funny because he was always generous and willing to help out when someone, including me, needed to get past a rough spot.

I loved to hear his stories about his life. Especially in later years, he would talk about when he was in the Army. Some stories were funny, like when he stole the bike from the German. Others were sad, like knowing his baby son (my uncle) was sick and not knowing whether he was still alive. Every story told me about a different facet of him, about different experiences that he had lived through. Eventually, his stories inspired Bill and I (aka Team Crusty) to trace part of his tour of duty, to bring back to Dzia Dzia photos and video of the places he had never seen again due to his fear of flying. I'll never forget how amazed and touched Dzia was to see the video of the hospital he'd been in in Liege, and how happy it made me to be able to give that to him.

I'm going to miss Dzia Dzia terribly. He has given me, and others, so much. But - as trite as it may sound - I know that he will always be with me, in the stories he told and the memories I treasure. And for that I am grateful.

No Feats in February

2008-02-27T21:28:00.003-06:00

That's "feats," folks - I still have "feets."

What can I say, I dropped the ball again this month. I've had a lot going on, though, and to be honest just didn't have the energy left to dream up an adventure and carry it out.

Next month is good to go, though: I'll be hopping up on a horse for the first time in oh, about 20 years! Yikes. And I'll be spending my birthday in a gorgeous place with an eclectic group of fantastic people. It's gonna be great.

And after that - I'll keep looking for new and fun adventures. I'm sure I'll find them!

January Adventure

2008-02-03T22:18:00.000-06:00

So yes, I had an adventure in January. I'm not going to write about it here, because it is my secret adventure! No, it's not lurid or rated R or anything like that. Just private.

I did have a mini-adventure, too: the coldest bike ride yet! On a 24 degree day, I rode my bike to run errands. Bank robber mask and all. It was actually pretty awesome! I'm looking forward to more winter riding.

Cruzan Adventures

2007-12-16T15:23:00.000-06:00

To make up for the lack of November adventure, I recently had two adventures while in St. Croix.

The first adventure was going on a seaplane! My business trip to St. Croix involved going to St. Thomas for the day, so we took a Seaborne Airline flight between the islands. It was my first time on a seaplane, and I loved it! It was so cool bobbing along on the water, then taking off and landing on the water. And the flight was low enough that, when we were over land, you could see quite a bit of the landscape.

The second adventure came after the business part of my trip. Unfortunately, tropical storm Olga moved in to the area just as I had free time, and the weather turned windy and periodically rainy. The adventure I had planned - a day trip of snorkelling - was cancelled due to the winds. I had explored Christiansted pretty thoroughly, and in an effort to avoid boredom, rented a car.

Now, this would not be an adventure in most places. But in the Virgin Islands, they drive American cars - on the opposite side of the road! It's very disorienting, and requires a lot of concentration when turning, to make sure you go into the proper lane. I managed to avoid wandering into the wrong lane, though, and spent an afternoon driving around the island to see the various beaches, forests and Fredericksted.

So, that's it for 2007... now I am looking forward to the New Year and the adventures it brings!

I Am an Adventure Slacker

2007-11-19T16:06:00.000-06:00

I let October go by without having an actual adventure! Oh sure, I could count the $2 that I gambled (and lost) in Las Vegas, or the night I came very close to getting hit on my ride home (do not get me started on a rant about drivers!), or my trip to Denver (including a visit to the aquarium) - but that would be a desperate grab at adventure-dom.

No, the truth is, I let a month get by me.

And it looks like I may do it again (gasp!). November is 2/3 gone and I have yet to identify an adventurous activity for the month... hopefully I will be inspired soon!

High Trek Mis-Adventure

2007-10-15T16:54:00.000-05:00

Team Crusty has not had a great experience with High Trek Adventure. First, the day of the event did not go as well as we had hoped (see Woe is Team Crusty). Fine, fine, we could live with that.

But, to add insult to injury, we have not received our t-shirts yet. TWO MONTHS after the event. Yeah, they're just shirts, but we paid $80 for this event and that included shirts.

I've had a number of e-mail exchanges with Jason Hofsess, the organizer of High Trek Adventures, and he always makes some excuse about why we haven't gotten them and promises they are on the way. Obviously they're not on the way.

Just a bummer of an ending to the story.

Next year, Team Crusty is going with an event that is better organized and doesn't rip off participants.

Apple Cider Century a Team Crusty Success!

2007-10-09T16:44:00.000-05:00

Read all about it here.

Living with a Senior Cat-izen

2007-09-29T09:11:00.000-05:00

Dozy turned 14 just before her annual checkup in May. The vet has a chart on the wall converting cat years to human years - it's not the same as dogs - and Dozy is apparently 73. She's a very active and feisty 73 (as the vet and techs discovered during the exam!).

Despite her apparent good health, Dozy's blood tests came back with high-normal thyroid levels. Since she wasn't showing any other symptoms of hyperthyroidism, the vet recommended coming back for a recheck in 3-4 months.

So earlier this month we went back for another round of tests. Dozy's thyroid levels appeared to have dropped, but so had her weight - a full 8 oz. Which, for a cat who has been on a diet for years and only lost about 4 oz., was kind of a lot. So they ran a second set of tests, and they came back with elevated thyroid levels.

The vet recommended one of two treatment options: medical management (not a cure) or radioactive iodine (a cure). The radioactive iodine has to be done at a place in the 'burbs and requires a 3 day hospital stay, as well as a number of tests beforehand. The medical management involves pills, a check after 3-4 weeks, and checks every 6 months thereafter.

Dozy sez pills.

So, we'll be embarking on this new adventure once I return from next week's business trip. I've already scouted out the Pill Pockets and gotten the pill popper ready...

Boulevard Lakefront Tour

2007-09-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Team Crusty (PolkaGrl, Crusty Bill and Crusty Marcia) cruised the streets of Chicago on a gorgeous, sunny September day as participants in the Boulevard Lakefront Tour. This is a great ride for getting to know Chicago - the route follows, for the most part, the boulevard system and goes through a variety of neighborhoods, from Hyde Park to Logan Square and pretty much everything in between. And to make sure riders get the whole Chicago experience, the final leg followed the lakefront bike path - Lake Michigan looked so gorgeous and deep blue yesterday, it was tempting to jump in for a quick swim!!!

As a reward for completing the 35 mile ride, we received Goose Island-catered lunch, which was actually pretty tasty. Or maybe I was just starved. We were also able to purchase some fine brews from the caterers, which was nice.

Crusty Bill and PolkaGrl are now looking forward to their 50 mile ride through southwest Michigan in a few more weeks. Go Team Crusty!!!!

The Friendly Giant

2007-09-02T16:34:00.000-05:00

No, this entry is not about the television show. (Although I did like that show, along with Mr. Dressup. Canadian children's shows were so great!) Last month I bought a new bike - a Giant Cypress. I am really enjoying riding it!

Today I rode up to the North Branch Trail - unfortunately, the north end is under construction, so I didn't get up to the Botanical Garden. But I did get a nice 31.5 mile ride in. I spotted a lot of restaurants to try someday as I rode in the city.

Next weekend: the Boulevard Lakefront Tour!

Woe is Team Crusty!

2007-08-22T10:31:00.000-05:00

Team Crusty made a valiant attempt at the High Trek Adventure a couple of weeks ago, but got thoroughly stumped on one of the clues in the first set. Having headed to two incorrect locations and lost a great deal of time, we were unable to get to 5 of the 6 locations in the second set of clues.

We drowned our sorrow in a free beer (always good for drowning sorrows!) after the event. And amusement over the "Mouse Cake" on offer at the fine establishment serving as the base for the event.

You can see our great pictures here.

Next up for Team Crusty: the Boulevard Lakefront Tour (BLT) and the Apple Cider Century!

Lollapalooza 2007

2007-08-10T11:04:00.000-05:00

I actually attended 3 days of Lollapalooza and survived! Okay, so I went to bed at 9:30 pm on the third day, but hey - I squeezed a lot in before that! - despite the heat & humidity, which was so bad on Sunday that I was soaked the entire day.

The bands I saw:

The Fratellis
Soulive
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
The Polyphonic Spree
M.I.A.
Blonde Redhead
The Black Keys
Femi Kuti & the Positive Force
Daft Punk
Tokyo Police Club
Pete Yorn
Motion City Soundtrack
Matt & Kim
Regina Spektor
Heartless Bastards
Amy Winehouse
Blue October
Kings of Leon
!!!
Modest Mouse

Seeing all of these bands involved a lot of running from one end of Lolla to the other, as for some reason, no two successive bands I wanted to see were on the same end of the park.

Of all the acts I saw, these were the most amazing: the Fratellis were one of the first bands on the first day but still got a decent crowd and were a lot of fun; Daft Punk turned Grant Park into a huge nightclub; Pete Yorn - when you can sing along to almost every song, how can it be bad?; and Amy Winehouse, who is incredibly talented and whose voice just blew me away even more live than recorded.

I also caught bits of bands here and there - Stephen Marley, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Wailers. All good stuff. It was easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of music happening all around, but that's a great problem to have!

All in all, it was a great experience, and I can't wait for Lolla 2008!

What happened to July?

2007-08-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a lament about how quickly summer is passing (although it is speeding by!). This is an admission that I failed to have a grand adventure in July. (Unless you count thoroughly cleaning my apartment twice in two weeks. That's more a rarity than an adventure, though.)

As the month drew to a close I looked into a few things - trapeze classes, skydiving, a helicopter ride - but there just wasn't enough time. I was just too busy! Between guests and zipping up to Summerfest in Milwaukee and exploring the fun that is Chicago in the summer, I had a full schedule.

So I'm not feeling bad about the lack of a big adventure this month - I had enough little ones. And August is a biggie, with Lollapalooza and the High Trek Adventure!

Coming in August...

2007-07-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know, I'm skipping July's adventure for now. (I'm still trying to figure out what it will be!)

On August 11th, PolkaGrl will be racing with Crusty Bill as Team Crusty in the High Trek Adventure. We will once again be running around Chicago like nuts, looking for locations that match the clues we unravel. All travel must be on foot or via public transportation - guess we better start training!

Biking to Work

2007-06-14T10:17:00.001-05:00

This week is Bike to Work Week in Chicago. I signed up for the bicycle challenge - last year my workplace had the most people signed up for our category - and on Wednesday, biked in to work. It only took me 30 minutes, compared to the El which can take 45 - 60 (!). It was kind of fun to be part of a line of bicyclists cruising down the street; at stoplights, there would be 8 - 10 bicyclists and I felt like we were some kind of nerdy street gang.

Thursday morning there was a commuter stop on my route in to work - free coffee, water, snacks and goodie bags. A nice little break.

Friday was the Bike to Work Rally downtown - it was pretty cool. The breakfast was not that great, a banana or orange and a bagel (no cream cheese), but I did get a t-shirt and there were a lot of different booths to visit. The I-Go booth was giving out the Audio Emissions cd, which is a great compilation.

All in all, it was pretty cool to ride my bike to work. I can see myself doing it more often, and I'm glad that Bike to Work week gave me the kickstart I needed.

Locust Street Beer Run

2007-06-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

Team Crusty sucessfully completed the Locust Street Beer Run today, despite facing challenges that included a bum knee, sprinklers, and an extra beer stop (gasp!). It was a beautiful sunny day - perfect weather for a run. Especially a run with refreshments. PolkaGrl managed to complete the 1.8 mile course in a mere 35 minutes - woohoo! A half hour sounds like a reasonable goal for 2008. :-)

See Team Crusty's photos of the event here.

Running with Beer

2007-06-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

Team Crusty is gearing up and getting in shape for the annual Locust Street Beer Run. I would post pictures from our training routine, but it's top secret. Training for a 1.8 mile run, including 4 beer stops, requires dedication and determination - luckily, PolkaGrl, Crusty Bill and (new this year!) Crusty Marcia are up to the challenge.

Stay tuned for for the post-event report, which will cover highlights such as brand of beers served, whether Team Crusty donned costumes, and how close to last we finish!

PolkaGrl Hits the Road

2007-04-21T19:50:00.000-05:00

May's big adventure was a trip to Croatia, which you can read about here. This was an adventure for me in so many ways:

1) I decided to go 2 weeks before I actually went. This is the kind of thing that spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment people do -- not something that slightly OCD, hyper-planners like myself do.
2) I began to wonder if being impulsive was just not for me when I discovered, a week before the trip, that my booking was cancelled by the airline! After several calls and a sleepless night, a wonderful reservation agent got it straightened out for me - whew!
3) Since I had decided so last-minute to actually go, I went on my own. I've travelled solo before, but the last time was 3 years ago, so I was a bit nervous.
4) I ate octopus salad!!!!!!

All in all it was a great trip. I saw a lot of amazing historical sights and gorgeous secnery, met some nice people along the way, ate great food, and even found time to relax and enjoy the sun.

Baseball tailgating in the snow!

2007-04-21T19:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this month's Adventure is tame compared to the past three: A Cubs-Brewers game in Milwaukee on Easter weekend. The big adventure was supposed to be wearing bunny ears in a desperate ploy to get on t.v. Instead, the big adventure turned out to be tailgating in the SNOW! Yes, it was 30 degrees and snowing, and like fools we (and a LOT of other people) were out in the cold, grilling and eating our brats. And drinking that renowned cold-weather drink, BEER. Thank goodness Miller Park has a dome - it was nice and toasty inside!

And the Cubs won, so really, it was altogether a rare experience!

Thanks, Michael Feldman!

2007-03-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Crusty Bill, Marcia and I were in the audience for Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know? radio show in Madison, WI. Unbeknownst to me (well, apparently Crusty Bill let it slip but an early morning and insufficient caffeine prevented it from sinking in to my brain), Marcia submitted a question about my Adventures - and Michael Feldman read it!

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Mr. Feldman - well as much as one can when simultaneously squashing urges to hide under the chair and pummel one's sister-in-law! And as a fan of NPR and Whad'Ya Know, it was a lot of fun to be a participant in the show. I also loved seeing the show - listening to the broadcast is great, but there's an additional dynamic in the theater that really enhances the experience.

So a big thanks to Marcia, Whad'Ya Know and Michael Feldman for this month's Adventure (on my birthday weekend, no less!) - it was a blast!

p.s. You can hear the show and our conversation on the Whad'Ya Know website.

Another month, another adventure

2007-02-21T20:44:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for a long, long time. For a while, I liked the concept but couldn't think of a design I would want on my body for life. Then, about 4 or 5 years ago, it hit me - a Polish eagle. A beautiful design that had meaning for me; something I would not look at in a few, or ten, or twenty years and wonder, What was I thinking?! ? I kept mulling it over and came to the realization that this was what I truly wanted.

I finally quit thinking and did it a couple of weeks ago. That's not Photoshop magic in the picture - that is my incredibly wonderful tattoo. Crusty Bill located a drawing and worked on it for me so that it was something the tattoo artist could use. I went to Cut Throat Tattoo in Milwaukee (great place) and the artist did a fantastic job. Its gorgeous, and I love having this fierce-looking symbol of my ancestry a permanent part of me.

2007: A Year of Adventures!

2007-02-14T21:54:00.000-06:00

PolkaGrl has had a brainstorm: 2007 will be the Year of Adventures! Every month will have a new Adventure. It doesn't have to be death-defying, just new and maybe a little out of my comfort zone. I will not let year #39 pass quietly!!! And (hopefully) I will post them on my blog to share with, well, whoever stumbles across it.

So you may be asking, What have the Adventures been so far? So glad you asked. I'll start with January, when I went to Costa Rica for a friend's 40th birthday party. No, going to Costa Rica was not the adventure; neither was sleeping in the airport at Miami. The Adventure was the zip line canopy tour! I am not fond of heights, but this looked too cool to pass up - and I am so glad I did it!

Not only did I do the canopy tour, climbing up ladders to platforms high in the trees, but I actually did some of the zip lines with one of the guides! Picture this: flying through the air hanging backwards (picture a dip in ballroom dancing) off another person. Or, whooshing along parallel to the ground, arms stretched out like Superman. It was so much fun!

I only have this picture right now, but my friends captured some of the tandem trips on their cameras, so hopefully I can get one of those to post later.

Stay tuned for February's Adventure...

Costa Rica bound!

2007-01-15T20:39:00.000-06:00

Less than 24 hours before I head to Costa Rica... I'm so excited!!! For one thing, I really need a vacation right about now! (Thank you, Charlotte, for having your birthday this week!) And for another, I have never been to Central America, so this will be incredibly cool. Of course we are on a chi chi resort, so I don't know how much I will actually see, but maybe I'll get enough of a glimpse to want to go back.

I promise to take lots of pictures while there and share them when I get back!

Open Letter to a Selfish Jerk

2007-01-08T12:32:00.000-06:00

Dear Selfish Jerk (you know who you are):

Here are some tips for being less of a selfish jerk in the future when ending a relationship:

Do not call at 1:30 a.m. and wake the other person up
Do call during the day
Do not leave a message for the other person to call you back
When the other person does call you back, do not ask them to call back AGAIN so you can use the restroom
Do call on your own dime
Do not fall asleep in the middle of the conversation

If you have to be drunk to have the cajones to end it, that doesn't say much about you. Be a man and at least respect the other person.

p.s. And if you end it, END IT! Don't text!!!

Settling in to the new place

2006-10-31T21:03:00.000-06:00

I've been living in the new place for almost 2 months now, and it's beginning to look and feel like home. Most of the boxes are unpacked and things are pretty much organized. I'm working on getting all of the artwork up now - most of the bigger pieces are up, it's the tons of small ones that I've left for last.

There are always a lot of bicyclists around, and this past weekend I finally understood why - a lot of things (grocery store, etc.) are far enough way that walking can be a drag, but biking there is quick and easy. After runnning errands on bike, things seem a lot closer!

And there are some great places to eat. The Small Bar, of course, but also Johnny's Grill and Tropi Cuba, and so many more that I still have to try. Yum. And that's not even including the Polish places over on Milwaukee... good thing the bike is convenient, I'm going to need the exercise!

My (first) Lollapalooza experience

2006-08-07T14:22:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, I went to Lollapalooza - the first time I'd ever gone to a big music fest like that. I decided to buy a single day ticket for Saturday because I really wanted to see the Go!Team and Gnarls Barkley. After I bought the ticket, I looked at the schedule and read about the various bands and was surprised to find I had the whole day pretty much filled!

The reality went pretty much as planned. I got there around 11:30 a.m. and left about 10:00 p.m. In between, I managed to see (part or all of):

Tone Deff
Rainer Maria
Cold War Kids
Go! Team
Calexico
Gnarls Barkley
Smoking Popes
Common
Flaming Lips
Thievery Corporation
Kanye West

The whole day was pretty fantastic. I added new bands to my "must have" list; I heard older bands that I hadn't realized I like (!); I heard songs beyond the one "I know that one!" from a couple of bands. The best, though, was Gnarls Barkley - what a performance!!! Their hour on stage made the price of admission more than worth while, and I'm so happy I got to see them. (Note: dancing with a Camelbak on is 1) awkward and 2) possibly very odd looking)

I thought the whole festival was well done. Yeah, the food and drink was pricey, but reasonably so - no more than Taste or a local street festival and, in some cases, less. There were plenty of fountains for refilling water bottles. The crowd was fairly friendly and very orderly, which made for a very pleasant day.

The only sign that I may be a little old for Lollapalooza? (Other than the fact that 90% of the crowd was younger than me...) I was exhausted on Sunday and spent most of it lying on the couch and/or snoozing!

Will I go next year? Definitely. I'll just make sure I have a day to rest up afterward.

Views of the new apartment and neighborhood

2006-07-30T18:03:00.000-05:00

Bill, Marcia and I went to check out the new place... we had some time on our hands so took some video of the street, including the bar at the corner. I took some pictures of the apartment, but the current tenant is still in there (and a bit messy) so couldn't take many.

2006-07-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

I have to move.

I really hate moving. And I really love my current apartment - the location is perfect, and the apartment - while not perfect - is pretty awesome. So when I got my notice that the building is converting to condos (confirming a rumor I had heard), it was very upsetting.

As I looked for an apartment, it became quite clear that housing in Roscoe Village isn't really within my budget anymore, at least not if I insist on having as much space as I do. So many buildings have gone or are going condo that the few apartments left in the area command more rent.

So where's a girl to go??? After scouting out a couple neighborhoods, common sense prevailed: I need to be near the Blue Line, which goes to my office and the airport. Logan Square seemed to fit the bill, and I was fortunate enough to find a great apartment right off. It's big, the rent is reasonable, the neighbors up and down the block seem very friendly, and there is a very cool bar at the corner!

After a weekend of nail-biting, I found out that I got the apartment. What a relief to have that taken care of!

If only I had a transporter to move all of my stuff....!

Mmmm, cheese!

2006-05-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

As my family and friends know, I love cheese. After almost every trip to Europe, I've hauled home some cheese as part of my loot. Some of my less fortunate travel companions have had to deal with the odor (I say aroma) of my cheese wafting down from the overhead compartment halfway through the flight home. Despite the "stinky cheese" comments, I think they're simply envious that I get to enjoy my tasty souvenirs once I get home.

My cheese hunting has led me to some fantastic cheeses. Neal's Yard Dairy is now a regular stop in London. I got a delicious Gruyere during a long stopover in Amsterdam. Paris has been a treasure chest of cheese, including the notorious "stinky" Camembert. I got a savory little goat's milk cheese in Lisbon, and a gorgeous assortment of artisinal cheeses in Dublin.

On my most recent trip, I stopped at a fromagerie toward the end of our trip for the requisite purchase. I got an herb-encrusted Camembert (forgetting the "stinky" incident) and a lovely little Crottin de Chavignol. The Camembert is very good, but the Crottin de Chavignol is new to me and a great find. The one I bought is young, and has a wonderful mild, nutty flavor. I've been rationing it, as I know I'll be sad when it is gone!

Now, to plan the next cheese-buying trip...!

Car schmar

2006-03-09T15:47:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, a friend asked if I missed owning a car. It's nearly 4 months since I gave up the car and - although it's probably verboten for a girl from Dearborn to say this - I don't really miss it. Sure, it's been an adjustment, and there are little frustrations, but overall I'm happy with my decision.

The biggest frustration is the fact that my arms do not hold nearly as much as the trunk of a car. So, where I used to run errands going from one place to the next, I now have to go to a couple places, go home, and go out again. My cat likes this, because it gives her multiple opportunities to beg for treats in the hope that I've forgotten I gave her some earlier.

The other challenge is keeping myself adequately supplied with Diet Coke. There have been some traumatic mornings when I was too lazy to go out the night before to restock.

On the other hand, I don't have to keep an eye on the street cleaning signs, or pay the inevitable parking tickets when I miss the street cleaning signs. No insurance payments, no license plate fee, no city parking sticker. I am definitely enjoying the reduction in expenses.

I'm not ruling out the possibility of owning a car again someday - it can be very convenient to have one around. But for now, I'm fine with relying on the CTA and my own foot power. And the occasional mooched ride.

Heart Day

2006-02-15T13:28:00.000-06:00

Is there any "holiday" as stressful as Valentine's Day??? Oh yeah, you may have to deal with family issues over Thanksgiving and Christmas, but is either really filled with as much pressure as Valentine's Day?

The pressure starts in early grade school. At first, you have to give everyone in your class a valentine, even if they are smelly and you hate them. You can be a little clever and give the viler classmates the ugly valentines, but it's just not satisfying.

Later in grade school, by seceret decree or agreement, you are permitted to only give valentines to the people you like. But that means you only get valentines from the people who like you! Oh the anxiety of waiting to see how many valentines are in the crappy little construction paper heart hanging off the front of your desk.

In high school, we upped the ante from moronic little cards to carnations. The tension in the classroom would be palpable when the carnations were delivered - who would get one? Who would get a bouquet's worth? Who would get none? Who should get none, but got one that was sent as a cruel joke? As the flowers were handed out, your popularity ranking was laid bare for your classmates to see and admire or ridicule.

Even when in a relationship, Valentine's Day can be underwhelming. One of my boyfriends bought me the cute little stuffed bear I'd been coveting (without even knowing I wanted it!). Very romantic. He threw it to me from across the living room. Not so romantic.

The best Valentine's Day I ever had was when I was on my own. I was travelling in Sintra, Portugal, and had a wonderful day exploring the castles. On my way out of the first castle, a scantily clad Cupid pranced up to me and pretended to shoot me with his bow and arrow. I clutched my heart and blew him a kiss. In return, I received a rose and an escort out the gate! Silly, wackily romantic, and memorable.

These days, I prefer to spend the day in either my own company or the company of fellow singletons. It's a great excuse to eat chocolate and drink red wine, to skip the gym and watch Gilmore Girls. I'm saving the stress for Christmas.

2005-12-16T15:52:00.000-06:00

Well well well, I am no longer a blog virgin! I'm not really sure what I'm doing, but will sort it out as I go along. I look forward to sharing my thoughts on and interests in travel, politics, Chicago, and whatever else happens to pop into my head.