I went to my local library this weekend

To get some books on CDs for my long commute. I can't remember the last time borrowed something from the library. 

Been wanting to get some audiobook for my ride because my commute is getting very old, too long, too much crazy delays, just too much time in the car. And listening to the radio is cutting it these day, with all the political talk on npr and the same roundup on the "new" alternative station [although I'm happy it's back on the air but with my long commute it seems as if their playlist is very limited]

Got two book: Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad [which I started this morning on my ride into work] and The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim

 


These look like they will keep me busy till they are due back. Crazy for the Storm the author story of surviving a plane crash in the mountains. I do like non-fiction so hope this story keeps my interest for the next 4 days [my prediction on how long it will take to go through the 8 disks. Faster if we get a bunch of rainy/stormy days, brings out the slow drivers]. The Calligrapher's Daughter is a very long, [I think 32 disks]. Been on a roll with Asian historical fiction from the bunch of cd my sister past on to me. Thought I'd give this a try. I'll probably find out a lot about Korea that I didn't know. 

I hope this borrowing from the library works out for me. Next on my list to borrow: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I know I would never finish reading it [too slow reader/always falling a sleep while I'm reading/would have to re-read too much/my reading list is too long to add another book] but this might just work with my commute. Wish me luck on my new tactic to making my ride a more pleasant.

My morning walk

One of the road in my neighborhood has been close for about a week, meaning all the traffic (crazy commuter traffic) is being diverted up and around to my street. So instead of torturing my carpool mate (with the crazy commuter drivers) I decided to walk up to bus station to meet her. 

Just a quick 10 minute walk, past a river and a wooded area, I decided to take a pic of the fall colors on the side of the road, partially to distract me from the crazy lunatics drive up the hill trying to get to the bus station. I hope I distracted the lunatics enough to slow down for a second.

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Clouds

Quite often on my commute [too long], I see these crazy cloud formations from on coming bad weather that I just want to pull over and take a picture of. But I know better not to cause rush hour craziness by pulling over to take picture of the sky [rubbernecking :)].

But yesterday as I was leaving the restaurant, the clouds were in rare form and I got my picture. They almost looked photohop'ed. You could tell something big was coming, they were moving and changing shape so quickly.

My Summer Job

I was driving home one night in this past summer, listening to NPR when the summer jobs segment came on. It got me thinking about my summer jobs. I guess they were pretty typical: fast food place, summer camp, with the exception of pineapple cannery. 

I was a trimmer (big knife) on the last shift (overnight to 6 am). Took the job because it paid well and a group of friends were going to do it. On top of that, I still could work at the fast food place (If I only had that energy again).

A trimmer trimmed of the bits of skin still on the pineapple after it ran through the skinning and coring machine (the ginaca machine, cool name). You would sit at the conveyer belt as the pineapples would roll by. You picked one up by sticking your thumb in the core hole and trim the extra skin off the other end. Then you would flip the pineapple (remember you have a big knife in the other hand) to trim the other end. This flipping part took some time learn and after the first night, I had a terrible rash on my stomach from the pineapple juice because I was using my body to help me catch it. 


After a quick trip to the infirmary, because of nausea and my rash, the old timer suggested that we wear a garbage under our clothes to protect our skin. After a couple week, I could flip and catch those pineapples like a pro. 


I did have few "Lucy" moments. There were 6 of us per side, that meant, you need to pick up 1 of  every 6 pineapples that came down. The smaller the pineapples, the faster they would come. If you couldn't keep up, you would have just grab them and put them on the side. The supervisor would either come by and help you (annoyed, lots of sighing) with your pile or they would stop the line for you to catch up (more annoyed, more people sighing). The ladies from the first shift were always so nice, letting us go a little earlier. I think they did it because they just didn't like they way were doing it. 

I'm on a new schedule!

I get an 1/2 hour extra of sleep (if I want), get to exercise in the mornings (if I want), and now I have time to do things that I was too tired to do when I got back from work. 

But the best thing is I'm not sitting in as much traffic as I was trying to get to work by 8:30. And I was leaving close to 6 every night (if not later), that it made sense to change my schedule.

Now I only have inspire myself to get running in the morning. Stay tune.

On my road to 15 less

Yesterday was the first day to lose the 15 lbs that I’ve trying to get rid of for years. This time I’m doing the logging in what I eat and exercise. I hope it works.

Went for a walk/run for an hour yesterday in the rain. Wasn’t that bad but had big chinese dinner to celebrate a friends birthday that probably negated that exercise. Tonight’s exercise will be ab stuff and light weights and tomorrow I’m walking to the post office at lunch to pick up some flat rate boxes. (40 minutes total)

I think (I know) I to start exercise much more. I wish I could delete (or at least reduce) my stupid long commute. It is very hard to schedule exercise around it. Too bad, I can’t exercise while I drive home. How bad could it be--I could join the rest of the jackass on the road not paying any attention.

I also got an app to log my food and exercise. I was alway interested in my intake. I think I do a lot of boredom eating (stupid mini candies). Especially at work--wish it could be more consistent in busy-ness. A lot of hurry up and wait.

I’ll keep posting as I hope this will play a part in my weight lost.

blinkers

When I started the blog, I thought I would write about being hot, my horrible commute and all the stuff I've making. Well, overall, my horrible commute has gotten a lot better since (sad to say) the economy has gotten bad. I don't think as many people are commuting work as before so I don't get stuck in 2.5 hour commute several times a week.

So anyway, as I was driving to work today, I came up with a little topic for discussion. BLINKERS AND WHY WE HAVE THEM. According to much of the drivers on the road with me this morning they are not necessary because I can mind read when they will be cutting off. I wish there was another part to mind read that I could send messages to these people. Oh the joy of commuting to work.

Benefits of Public Transportation

Perry_Fetching
Originally uploaded by april_yurie

Look what I made this week. Fingerless gloves for Perry, just the thumb to go. This make my ride go so fast. More projects to come.

lowering my carbon footprint

I'm making my attempt to lower my footprint. But really, I wasn't trying to lower it, I'm just trying to make my commute a little more bearable. I'm carpooling and taking the train to work. To think, I just cursed the "green" wipeboard at work. It said to take a train to work-- who knew the wipeboard was a fortune teller.