The most unfortunate quote regarding the shootings this week, from Buddy Peaster, MTSU's campus police chief:
From an interview on WPLN.“It’s necessary to look at notification of people on campus as needing a shotgun approach, and what I mean by that is a variety of ways. Email is great, but it’s not the only thing we try to employ.”
There is a really good article in today's NYTMagazine about dog shelters.
With the help of a broad array of specialists, including human and dog psychologists, animal behaviorists and ethologists, local veterinarians and dog trainers, even dog-minded architects, shelters like Town Lake are now rethinking the whole phenomenon of abandoned pets: from the behavioral dysfunctions (human and animal) that lead to dog relinquishment; to the experience and expectations of potential adopters; to developing new design features in shelters that reduce the stress and depression of the animals there and, in turn, lure more people to come and consider them for adoption. The animal shelter, a place long consigned to being a lost pet’s last, is fast becoming among the most likely places to find a lasting pet.
Brittney: don't read this.
Not as good as Drivin' and Cryin'. My allergies have been hideous. I've been pretty miserable lately, spending very little time outside, even overdosing on Wal-itin. And now, just in time for zombie-jesus day and the celebration of spring and already four weeks into mowing season, it is 37 mother effing degrees outside so that when I go outside, my eyes water from the pollen and then they freeze. So, of course, I bought a bike:
I won it on ebay with a last second bid this morning. I arranged to meet the guy and swap cash for wheels and he told me to meet him at the Taco Bell on Gallatin. I didn't think he meant the one right near my house, since that's far from where he lives. I tried looking on the Internet to see if there were more than one Taco Bell on Gallatin, and sho'nuf, there are three. So I went to the one nearest where he lives, since that's what I'd offered. I got there after stopping at the ATM, and then waited for him to show up. He didn't show, so I called him. Turns out he was at the FOURTH Taco Bell on Gallatin Road, so we met at the Waffle House in between.
I got it home, put pedals on it, pumped up the tires, and rode it for about 30 feet under the canopy of hickory trees and icicles before my eyes were swollen and frozen shut. I will ride that bike one day. Not today. Or tomorrow.
As soon as the pollen dies down, I'm going to start biking again, and eventually ride to work. The mountain bike I bought in 1993 is officially too old. One of the shifters is broken, the brakes need replacing, the thing has been hit by two trucks, and I think it is a little bit too small. Also, it and the $50 Nishiki (also too small and old) have been in the rain ever since the shed was turned wrong side out in that windstorm.
I had my eye on a K2 on craigslist for about two weeks. When I finally made up my mind and contacted the seller, he had sold it one hour prior. ONE HOUR.
So now I am deciding between three bikes, two of which I don't even know the price of, as they are on ebay (but close enough to just go pick them up instead of shipping them):
- A vintage De Rosa, which was $2100 15 years ago
- A sweet TREK 2200 with nice wheels and a hard shipping case (to be sold) which was $1500 4 years ago
- An almost new midgrade Specialized Allez Sport that was $850 3 years ago
One auction ends thursday, and one on saturday. I hate ebay and auctions. I'm afraid to bid on both and end up winning both. I don't know strategy for bidding, but I've been bidding them up closer to my upper limit, hoping that if someone is going to outbid me, they'll go ahead and get it over with so I can cross that one off of my list.
