"It's hip to be rectangular..."

I realize as I write this that it's hip to celebrate things from a long since by gone era (the 80's)...so shut up already, but goddammit! I really miss the complex simplicity of the classic mixtape. I miss being able to so easily (and inexpensively) pass music on to friends. The ability to compile a moment in time forever...or at least until the player goobled it up, and spit out a heap of wrinkled tape. When yer young and you think that you got it all figured out musically. If yer lucky enough to hang on to them, you can get a good chuckle...you can get a bit nostalgic...or you can be downright embarrassed. In my time I have made many a mixtape. For friends, or girlfriends. One of my favorite people to make tapes for was my buddy Glenn. You see, he had transfered to my high school in, I believe, my ninth grade year. We had a couple of classes together. He was a lanky fellow...kinda squirrely...I was a chubby dork with long hair. I'm sure he was probably wearing one of his classic "Helloween" shirts...when we started talking about bands we liked. We hit it off instantly and became the sort of friends that are attached at the hip. My musical taste was constantly evolving...making it the perfect time to document these awkward years in mixtape form. Glenn and I continued our friendship well after school and are still friends today (though we don't get together enough). I think the last tapes I made for him where during his brief stint with army basic training...It was on a road trip last year that he pulled out a dusty old mixtape that I had completely forgotten about. He told me that he still had most of the tapes I had made...we had some good laughs listenening to what I thought was important 15+ years ago. 

Discovering a site called Muxtape.com a while back is what got me to thinking. It was a pretty cool site where you could register (for free) and you got like 12 songs you could upload for who ever happened to stumble across it...it was an interesting idea. I stumbled on it today to find it gone. You can read all the reasons why in a lengthy letter on the site. Then I found this and wondered how it's any more legal?!?! I also saw recently that they are marketing mixtape USB drives. It's a cool idea, but at $16...not so easy to part with. Sure there's always the mix cd, but it somehow seems so cold and impersonal. don't get me wrong...I'm enthralled with all the awesomeness of digital music. It's so much easier to carry an I-pod rather that a bulky walkman and all the music. I don't know. I guess I'm entering my crotchety old man phase. "Get off my lawn!!!!"

"Nostalgic for nothing..."

Call it the pre-winter blahs or maybe it's just that I'm not getting any younger, but I've been downright nostalgic about dumb shit lately...digging out old records (alright cds...I broke my turntable last time I moved)...looking at, but being to nervous to listen to, old mixtapes & Getting waaaay too excited about how much fun big wheels were. I ran across some old crap I had from my days as a bike messenger, and that got me extra nostalgic. It's made me want to be more serious about commuting this winter. It's too easy at this point to take the bus, or just walk. I'm hoping everytime I consider those options my bike will give me a sign that I don't want to be a lazy piece of shit this winter. Some things recently that invigorated me and put a smile on my face...Bombing down some twisty roads in schenley with a kid in the trailer...taking late night spins through the quiet city after work while the air has that early fall crispness...and the even later rides home while the air is just downright cold after having some beers with old friends. Thats some silly sappy shit, but It's good to stop and smell the roses once in a while (even if they are all dead and whatnot).

"(insert clever title here)"

Ever get the feeling that yer  just living the same day over and over? My life is beginning to feel like one endless day...a struggle to even remember what day it is, not that it's all that important. We better get moving if we're gonna stay ahead of the storm...

"right away chef!"

Read a good quote on Ruhlman's blog.."if for nothing else every cook in his kitchen respected the chef because they knew that that chef at any moment could walk onto their station and cook better and faster than they could"...That's definitly something that I think rings true with most every cook I know. It drives you to want to get better and be able to rock every station, because not only do you not want someone to have to jump on yer station and bail you out...you also want to be the guy (or gal) who can put out fires when some else is in the shits.That led me to this post. These are the things I read because just when I think maybe I've made a terrible decision...maybe I should have just enjoyed cooking at home and found another line of work, I remember what drew me to this industry. It wasn't tv, or magazines. There was no glitz and glamour...only grease and sweat. I knew I wanted to do this the first time...the very first kitchen where I made it through a rush. I was dehydrated, disoriented, and disheveled, but I had done it...and I wanted to do it again! I like all the hard work of cooking. I like to learn and to teach. So if yer seeking fame and fortune, yer in it for the wrong reasons. I'm not saying I don't want some cash in my pocket...but you can't lose sight of what matters most. Satisfying yer soul...just cook good food, and cook it well.

"The important issues..."

At a time when the sport of cycling is plagued by drug scandals, it's nice to get back to more important issues. 

   

p.s. Dave Z's always had the cooler mustache.

"Where'd that kid come from?!"

Attention uptight whiteys & the elderly:

You can save yer gawking, looks of terror, shock, concern...no need to honk and point. You see, I'm well aware that there is in fact a small child in a trailer attached to the back of my bike. I, in fact, put her there. I ride assertively...well aware of my surroundings and just how much space I need. I've been on a bike navigating the streets of this fair city for many years...I know whats up. A couple of years ago my good friend Glenn was kind enough to pass on the bike trailer that his son had outgrown. It'

s proven to be more useful than I ever could have imagined. Hazel and I take rides every weekend, if only to the park to chill in the grass and chase pigeons. I take her to school in it. She has fun going for rides, and I get to sneak a little more time on the bike...we both win. Lately though, I've noticed that more and more folks feel the need to get involved and let me know that "theres a child in there", I need to "take care of my daughter"...sound advice. Guess what...I FUCKING KNOW!!!! Her safety is the paramount thought on my mind the entire time. I would throw myself in front of a train if it meant keeping her safe. So the next time you see me, or someone else out on the road with a trailer or tag-a-long...Do us all a favor, just watch the damn road!