Finders...

So Ben leaves the house this morning and about 30 seconds later my phone rings. It's Ben, walking towards the el stop.

"There's a bike leaning up against our gate. No seat, not locked to anything, looks very left behind. It's a small old Schwinn."

I went outside to check it out; sure enough, there was a little bright blue Schwinn, in good shape except for some handlebar covering coming off and the lack of a seat. Leaning right against the front corner of our apartment building, inside near the gate. I stepped over it. It's a perfect fit. Ben and I thought it would be a good idea to bring it inside the gate, where it would still be visible and where anyone it might belong to in the front building could retrieve it.

At the end of the workday, it was still there.



Cute, right? It seemed like a stolen bike that got ditched. I posted this on the internet. I hope I can help someone get their stolen bike back.

ORRRR I hope nobody contacts me and I get to keep it and have a new free bike to tinker with and change into a single gear and have a better city bike instead of my fancy beautiful road bike to knock around and not worry so much about locking up outside. Ben recently bought a little old yellow Schwinn Caliente that some guy had converted to a single gear, and I'm very jealous of it. I've been itching to have new bike stuff.

Of course my mind races with the possibilities. I'd need a seat, but I could take the seat off of my Trek bike and then finally buy a better fitting saddle for long rides on that one. I could get clipless pedals and cycling shoes for the Trek too, since I wouldn't have to worry about wearing them if I was going to a bar or something cuz I'd take my other bike. I'd have to tune it up, get new handlebar tape, and figure out how to convert it to a single gear, maybe with a flip hub so I could have a fixie from time to time like a really badass bikey hipster. I could get a little Kryptonite lock that would fit in my back pocket to complete the look, since I wouldn't have quick release wheels and could just lock the frame. While I'm at the bike store I should probably buy a new messenger bag, since my plan for the summer is to get to work earlier so I have time to change out of bike-only clothes and into clean clothes, and stretch, instead of hopping off my bike and clocking right in and sitting in sweaty clothes until they dry. But I'll need room for the clothes and for a change of shoes now too in my bag. Also I could use a second pair of bike shorts. And more practical sunglasses that fit under my helmet.

Then I think, shit, I can't do that. My bike is already awesome and I have clothes and everything already. I can't afford all that!

But I am working a lot, a lot of extra hours as the summer reels in. Right now I'm Finnsitting, late. Jenna's booking me for birthday parties and school performances and festivals all over the place, and I'm subbing for 7 WW classes and quite possibly 4 kids guitar classes (!) in the coming month. It's awesome, and will give me some cash for summer fun (short trip to Nashville to visit Emily during her month-long stay?), but I also have to tuck some away for the unpaid 2-week break from classes at the end of August. Also I'm trying to buy myself some goddamned health insurance, so if that ends up going through I'm gonna have a new monthly bill to pay.

AND I saw these on Zappos and think about them like they're my new spring crush.

Not to mention this!!!

What can I say. My greed comes in bursts, it seems. Often with the change of season.

In other news, life is good and just full enough. Sang in a septet of woman I'm related to in Milwaukee last weekend, Baba M@nouche is working on booking studio time, I'm trying to finish some songs and prepare covers to play solo at a Ladies' Night open mic/cabaret thing that I was invited to perform at in a few weeks, Mom's coming to visit Monday to see my WW classes and so I can take her out for a birthday lunch, Ben and I are doing great but I'm jealous of and anxious about his late June trip to Italy, he made artichokes and grilled chicken Caesar salad for me and Mike last Sunday night while we watched Spiderman 2 in our living room, sitting for Finn is always full of challenges and surprises as the two of us get better and getting along, we're playing the new Wilco in my still-excellent guitar class, Monday afternoon yoga is consistently easier and simultaneously ass-kicking, Tuesday Emily brunch is good times, I'm still off caffeine in the mornings and it's totally liberating, gonna try to make it up to see the number one team in baseball with the rest of the overly-giddy fans, I've had great phone conversations with Janna, Meara and Brandon this week, the weather's been gorgeous.

The new intern at OTS also works at Sweet Mndy B's. I was talking with her today about that place, and it's still as fucked up and frustrating as ever, even with an almost-total staff turnover. I am amazed to remember how miserable I was only a few years ago, and deeply grateful for the place I find myself in now. Life is full of ups and downs, and when you find yourself on the upswing you've got to savor every second.