bricolagelife

friday::airplane

i rarely travel by airplane. i'm having difficulty even remembering the last time i was on a plane. i think it was a trip to nyc. years ago. but, i live in a flight path. this necessitates constant volume adjustments watching tv during warm weather months. and creates a daily awareness of air travel, sans participation. i look skyward. i wonder where the plane is headed, who is rushing toward adventure, or toward another business meeting. i harbor no fears of flying. i'm glad for that. i'll soar toward adventure again some day.

thursday::train

my dad worked for the railroad for most of his life, so trains have been a part of most of mine. once we traveled by train as a family in two sleeping cars, eastward by night. the beds that folded down from the wall, the tiny sink in the bathroom, the beat of the wheels along the tracks and the thrill of a meal in the dining car stick in my mind like all good memories. clear, precise slices of sights, sounds and smells. twice we traveled in passenger cars, curling up in our seats, covered in our coats, not really sleeping. on one of those trips, i wore my little kiddle locket and lost it. later, i rode trains to work and home again. my favorite is still the "el" now called the brown line. sitting, lost in thought, the treetops, rooftops and apartment windows roll by for viewing. i've been a passenger on amtrak since then. it's not as good as the independent lines were. i've travelled by train thru france and germany on older coaches that were beautifully maintained. the snack cart service alone is worth the trip. but none of my train travels ever lived up to the romantic images i grew up with. maybe the best thing about trains is that whistle they blow. when the wind is just right, we hear the long lonely blasts of the metra line now and then here at home. the dreamy sound stops me in my tracks and instantly transports me to moments in my past. and inevitably brings memories of my father.

wednesday::car

tomorrow's mode of transportation is the train. thanks for visiting!

(see more here and here)

*sorry for the odd cropping! click on the photo to see the entire sketch.

tuesday::bike

isn't she lovely? i inherited this burnt-orange, one speed schwinn bicycle from my mom. i share it with my husband, who rides without the gel seat pad and front basket i require. winding along the river between our apartment and my job is a paved bike path that allows me to get to work and home with minimal traffic interaction. riding a bike in traffic scares the crap out of me. i slip along the sidewalks on quiet side streets to the bike path thru the park, crossing only one really busy street en route to my destination. i walk the bike to cross that one. i'm old school.

pros and cons of this mode of transportation...

+ fast! takes only 10 minutes (tops).
+ eco-friendly. good for the earth.
+ good for my health.
+ easy on joints and back. my bones don't ache from riding.
+ cool. make my own breeze on hot days.
+ easy if i have a bag of stuff to carry to work. just pop it in the basket and go!

- some weather conditions (known as winter in chicago) prohibit bike riding. i'm not an extremist.
- arrive at work sweaty. it's just gross.
- danger. even with the wimpy way i do it, i need to be mentally alert and hyper aware of safety issues.
- dressing for work issues; most shoes are ok. no skirts, wide leg pants or good hair days.

in my mind i look as cool as this on my bike. and then, there's reality. i will never look that good on or off my bike. how do they do that? i am particularly in awe of some women's gift for wearing a skirt while riding a bike and looking gorgeous. i cannot keep the skirt from flapping up in the wind, and then crushing up in the back all day from the seat... it is so unfair.

tomorrow's mode of transportation is the car. thanks for visiting!

monday::feet (walking)

walking is my number one most utilized personal choice mode of transportation. feet get me around to many places i need to be. more often than anywhere, tho, they take me to work and back. i'm always unprepared for how surprised people are when i tell them i walk to work. i guess it's more unusual than i thought. i've been doing it for years and there are some plus and minus points i consider when choosing a walk to work. here are a few i've been thinking about:

+ good for heart, circulation, general health.
+ good for mental health, clears the head, gives time for contemplation and meditation.
+ provides time to observe nature.
+ zero carbon footprint. good for the environment.
+ feel like i've earned a night on the couch watching cable tv with my feet up and yoga toes on.

- where feet go, can thoughts of footwear be far behind? this mode of transportation requires i begin thinking about what i'm going to wear first thing in the morning. can i walk a mile or two in those shoes? if the answer is yes, i build an outfit from there. whatever i wear has to go with those walking shoes, and be weather appropriate as well. is it raining? snowing? icy? hot and humid? i wear jeans a lot. it's just easier.
- weather determines whether i will or will not walk. some conditions (lightening, high winds with rain, ice or hail) are too extreme for safe walking.
- often arrive at work sweaty.
- no good hair days. exposure to wind, heat or hats totally flattens my hair.
- takes twenty minutes to get to work. i have to be on top of my time management to get to work on time.
- pounding the pavement too often makes my bones ache.
- sometimes i have stuff to carry. lots of stuff.

most days i am just plain grateful that i am able to walk at all. physically able, and able because i live near enough to work, groceries, bank, post office, restaurants and parks to have the option. i try to take advantage of these benefits as long as i can!

to see more posts (and ways of thinking) on modes of transportation, visit sarah and gigi all week!

to play along, leave your name and web address in comments. thanks for visiting!

tuesday::bike
wednesday::car
thursday::train
friday::airplane