work/life balance

I've been wanting to write about this for awhile now (since Apr 2nd at least) and since I'm shooting for 10,000 pageviews, I want to get one more post in for April. So here goes, work/life balance...

I've had the [Illustration by Hallie Bateman for Pandodaily] stuck in my mind ever since I first saw it (pun intended).

woman-in-half

Then when an opportunity to speak with the filmmaker of "Lost in Living" at a screening on CMC campus, I knew I had to make time to go.  Also the event was being hosted by CMC Prof. Audrey Bilger and every single event she plans is good.  What an amazing role model.

I cried.  At the end.  I didn't want their stories to end.  I wonder if Mary Trunk felt that way, too.  I have to thank her and the artists who star in this reality-show glamazon escape film.  We see gorgeous artists in full bloom, soaring through the story while doubting themselves along the way.  It was so powerful to see friendships and generations evolve over the course of 2 hours.  Did I mention I love time-lapse photography?

Also, I got a copy of the DVD and I would be happy to have a screening.  Call me, maybe?  Our house is such a mess right now, I think dear husband is completely incapable of making progress towards helping with it. For me, I'm imagining what Henry Ford would have said: "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."

I'm not a mom, but I'm definitely a woman who struggles with the daily grind of balancing creative time and housework. I'm losing the battle on the home front, but potentially winning it on the outside. But maybe that's what all women feel like. When I read my cards, the image that I saw was King of Swords, an unstoppable force of nature. That's how other people see me, but I wouldn't even describe myself like that.

All the moms in the film judge themselves and their decisions, but all are creatively established to the point that they can handle rejection and even continue to work productively (and successfully) while raising children.  Nothing could have inspired me more to continue writing, even if I do not have a clear picture of my audience.  Let's continue this conversation...

CicLAvia

I can honestly say this is the most amazing event I have ever participated in.  If you don't know, there are two more chances in 2013: Sunday, June 23rd AND/OR Sunday, October 6th.  Please make plans to join us in Glendale.  We had a car-free day by taking the Metrolink into Union Station.  All together, we took alternative transportation to get to Venice Beach from our front door.  It was a cyclist's dream to cruise down closed streets, I was constantly pinching myself to be sure I hadn't fallen asleep and drempt it.

When we got out at Union Station, we were a bit disoriented, but it was somewhat easy to follow the crowd of people on bikes.  We parked (our bikes) in Olvera Street for some much-needed breakfast at Rodolfos.  We mounted up and gathered in the square with all the other cyclists.  When the church bells rang 10:00am everyone started howling and ringing their bells.  Slowly the crowd began to roll through a starting line of sorts, maybe there was a camera there.  This is Los Angeles, after all.

At every stoplight, my dear husband said "take a picture" this is a once-in-a-lifetime view, and it was!  Usually I don't let the photos speak for themselves, but I think this time it's warranted.  People along the way, and afterwards eating our recovery meal at Traxx kept asking us what we thought of the experience.  IMHO, the news organizations got it all wrong.  The way we felt about it was: by showing up and participating in this event, we are showing our support of all cyclists, no matter their level of experience and we are saying to our local government (HEY) we want more bike lanes.  The safer the streets are for people, the more people will come out and ride bikes.  The more people on bikes, the happier and healthier we will all be.

We stopped twice, both coming and going, at the mid-city hub.  The port-a-pottys were much appreciated.  The food trucks and merchandise tent as well.  And as usual, a DJ saved my life!  By dancing a little and drinking ice water, we found the strength to finish out the ride even though streets were beginning to be re-opened for autos.

I don't know why we made such an epic ride out of it, most other people did just some portion of the route.  We rocked the whole thing from end to end.  Problem was, we didn't stay at Venice Beach longer than 10 minutes and we had to turn around. Even starting at 10am sharp, we didn't get back to Union Station until 3:30pm (missing the afternoon train, and having to wait until 5:40pm for what was probably the last train of the night, but maybe not).  Anyway, KUDOS to Metrolink for getting us there and back.  On the way in, we just bearly made it in before the doors closed and they didn't complain that we didn't have our bikes strapped in to the bike zone, in fact, we were in a handicapped zone, but the bikes fit within the yellow tape and they let us stay.  On the way back, we were in a car stacked 4 bikes deep (normally they allow only 2 bikes per car) but since we were going only one stop, they let us stay on.  So SERIOUSLY THANKS to everyone who coordinated this dream-ride.  In total we traveled 53 miles round trip, including the train.  To the sea...and back.

Ceiling Tuesdays

FINALLY I did an awe-inspiring Tuesday ride.  I brushed the cobwebs off this beauty, which I am christening "The Iron Lady" in honor of our recently departed chemist-pioneering woman Margaret Thatcher (R.I.P.).

I've had this bike since I became a woman, in the biological sense.  I was reading something about how you know you are a woman, by when you hear men cat-calling you!  Well I did get one persistent cat-caller on this ride, but one in 34 miles isn't bad.  And I was wearing my tennis-ball boob bra (see VS) and this is an idea for a future blog post: I have names for all my bras that relate to their origin and our history together.  Despite the latest buzz about whether or not to wear a bra, sometimes I enjoy it.  Other times, like on the weekends, I like to go without.  Just like I enjoy a day without a car, I enjoy a day without a bra, too!

It's amazing for the first time I did lots of things. That's why I've been so exhausted! Sometimes you have to write to realize things about yourself. See also Why grad schools should require students to blog. I rode over to Pasadena City College to check it out. I also wanted to see if it would be possible to ride my bike there on a regular basis if I can get hired there.  I still also have to write about my amazing times in Marin county.  But first: the Pasadena City College ride...



Getting through Glendale isn't bad, if you are totally aware of your surroundings and hustle through streets like you are a car.  Verdugo has good bike signage, but you have to watch for shadows and parked cars.  Also there is a school zone.  Eagle Rock is always interesting.  York is colorful and smells delicious.  I'd hate to get a flat there though, the sidewalks are quite busy.  Arroyo is amazing, and I stopped at the park there twice to refill my water bottles and have a snack.  Climbing out of the canyon wasn't as bad as I imagined, but I had to get out of my saddle a few times.  Pasadena is achingly beautiful and I enjoyed the shade of its mature trees to take a phone call.

It was hard to find a way in to CalTech's campus.  Once in, I overheard guys giving each other a hard time about eating and not being "in lab."  All too familiar.  Once I crossed Hill St into PCC, the atmosphere was pretty different.  I dismounted my bike as I entered campus but rode through on "scooter mode" until I found a bicycle rack.  I thought I might find a place to sit and grade midterms, but instead I was starving so I walked over to Bittersweet Treats for some Banana and Strawberry ice cream and a "Trail Mix" cookie.  I stashed the cookie in my backpack and ate the ice cream as I walked back to my bike.

Writers have to find inspiration.  These types of rides are mind-numbing and mind-expanding at the same time.  It allows you to get the "lay of the land" both internally and externally.  Ride on!
Again: Too many labels to post: career, ceiling tuesdays, community, cycling, distance, education, fall, goals, green, love, Map My Ride, motivation, nutrition, pain, picnic, positive, riverside bicycle club, San Francisco, science, spandex, spring, vintage, weight loss, winning, winter, writing