Life returns!

[blamebrampton]

Have sent the magazine to the printer, I may once again sleep and think of things that are not food, craft, health and beauty! HURRAH!

I sat down to do some edits for a friend last night (onto page 10, you know who you are!) and then went to bed with a notebook for a spot of old-school writing, at which point I began not the one Christmas story I need, but two. The first was a continuation of an earlier H/D and fine, the second leapt out of nowhere and was a Minerva McGonagall in WWII tale that was writing itself until I realised that I may have been Jossed by the new biographical details in Pottermore. Sure enough, she was allegedly born in 1935, which put paid to that one. JKR giveth, and she taketh away.

I was going to work on another Australian politics post, but the whole situation is so depressingly stupid that I am going to pretend it is not happening for a little while longer. In my fantasy world, Kevin Rudd, Malcolm Turnbull and Carmel Tebbutt form a breakaway party of slightly workaholic over-achievers who generally believe in reasonable things and sweep all before them.

Instead, today I continued my month-long mission to find the perfect bike, only to end up back where I started. Nothing has made me feel love like the Velorbis models, and now it's only down to choosing between the Victoria Classic (black) and the Dannebrog (red). I suspect the black one will be less likely to be stolen. They're a bit exxy, but I do not drive and usually walk everywhere, so they're much, much cheaper than a car. Both have a lovely upright frame and are far more visible bikes than my mountain bike, so I am less likely to die, even in vile Sydney traffic. Took the Victoria Classic for a test ride today and it was astonishingly delightful. So much nicer to be riding out in the world than on a stationary bike in the gym.

Though I have cracked the gym biking trick: never look at the TVs, because they slow you down, only look at your readouts and calculate performance splits (if you are a competitive type, otherwise the TV is fine) or close your eyes and ride with the imaginary cycling partner of your choice. It's been Richard Armitage the last two weeks, he is immensely supportive and encouraging, and has long legs, so I have to work hard to keep up. I'm thinking it might be Robert Downey Junior next week, he can make wise cracks and point out that despite the sweat and occasional stitch, my foot has been about four times better than at any time in the last eight years since I started gyming, which bodes well for continued non-surgically assisted walking. I tried Imaginary Virginia Woolf, but she was only fun when talking about Orlando and Vita, and otherwise I found myself riding away from her at speed.

And I can lift boy-level weights with my legs again! Let us not discuss my arms, it's embarrassing.

Finally, HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY for the_gubette and dragonfly_lily, I hope that you both had utterly fabulous ones! Sorry about the tardiness, life has been happening to other people of late.

Comments

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

Oooo! You ought to bike with Imaginary Conan O'Brien. His legs are about four feet long. *nods* Plus, he's very funny, snarky, and can sing you a song when you get bored.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Here the black would get stolen. I can*t believe the price though, and I know how expensive "sports gear" is.

[emmacmf.livejournal.com]

Get the red bike, it's amazing!

And carry on with the Minerva story, who cares about little things like birth dates?

[the-gubette.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I choose to celebrate my birthday the entire month, so you're well within the window of opportunity. :)

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

There's no reason you can't write the Minerva story - this is a magical universe we've got here! Of course there's a reason she had to use a Time Turner, and she did her best to avoid her child self.

Ah, my dear.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

You lead such an exciting life. Far more than mine.

I live it through you, vicariously.

[vertelemming.livejournal.com]

I've been pretending Australian politics doesn't exist since about a month after we finally formed a government, when it became clear that it was going to be Business As Bloody Usual.

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

i love these sort of vintage bikes that are becoming popular again.

[blindmouse.livejournal.com]

Sure enough, she was allegedly born in 1935, which put paid to that one.

There's always Rolanda Hooch? She was allegedly in her late thirties when WII broke out. (Ahaha, things I researched while trying to find imaginary contemporaries for the Mitfords that one time.)

[girlthatsaidno.livejournal.com]

Get the red one! Life is short and all that. :) I used to walk or use public transportation all the time when I lived in Istanbul, but as I am currently being forced to live in USA suburbs, I have no choice but to drive. :( Seriously, they don't even have sidewalks on some streets here. No wonder obesity is becoming a problem!

[mayela-delarue.livejournal.com]

Ooohohh... I might have to come and pick your bike research brain. I'd like something a bit like that but going to the bike shops has been proving hard to get them to show me bikes I actually want.

Oh and on the breakaway party, I'd be happy to support that party as long as Carmel leaves that dufus of a husband, Anthony Albanese. That man makes my skin crawl.

[nenne.livejournal.com]

You should get the red one! It's so bright and cheerful.

[raitala.livejournal.com]

Congrats on getting the mag to bed! My conference went well and I managed quite a lot of meeting with friends, shopping and work in the time I had, so I'm pleased with myself. Amazing how much you can get done when you aren't drinking (I tend to be a bit in holiday mode when I am here).

Difficult choice on the bike front. How about turning a negative into a positive. It will get stolen, so firstly, get insurance for it, and secondly, get the black because you can have it now, then the red when it gets stolen, then the black when that gets stolen ... ;)

well, if it were a car, I would say don't get the red

[hmufson.livejournal.com]

Because, allegedly, it's harder to pick out the brake lights against the red of the car. ALLEGEDLY. So if you're going to put one of those blinky lights on it, that might be something to think about.

I got a $100 schwinn upright boy's bike and ride it defiantly through the suburbs of Detroit. In heels. The odder you look, the more people will avoid hitting you. So +1 for the yarnbomb! idea.

[ladyjaneva.livejournal.com]

Your paragraph about gym-cycling partners sounds slightly psycho, but that makes me like you :-)

[ladyjaneva.livejournal.com]

bike: I wouldn't take anthing like the Victorian Classic, it looks unpractical. Over the years of riding my bike daily, both work trips, grocery shopping, transporting books and simply going for a day long ride in the country, what it comes down to is: is it comfy, can it be repaired quickly and cheaply, and can you put lots of added bags onto it. If you have stairs to carry it up(down, also: how heavy is it.
(I got the Klickfix system for my handlebar for Christmas last year and am happy with it: http://www.klickfix.de/ )

And those prices!!!! ARHG!!! Over here you can get a decent, new bike for 400 €, and Germany is not known for being cheap. Do invest in a good insurance...