(no subject)

In my archival research, I regularly find parcels of real estate owned by "unknown." This is the first time I've noticed that some of them had taxes paid on them though! The imagined conversation makes me laugh.

"Who was that masked man who paid the taxes on those parcels in Judson's and Wright's?"
"It's better not to ask these questions. We just call him the tax fairy."

The Neverending Phone Call

I got a call on my cell phone from 402 391 5072. Googling showed that it was a survey company or some such thing. I ignored it and it kept ringing. And ringing, and ringing... Curious, I plugged my phone in so it wouldn't run out of power, then took a shower. It was still ringing when I got back. I figured out that pressing the volume down button would quite the ringing but not hang up. At this point, it's been going for about an hour and a quarter. I'm not sure why my voice mail never picked up, but I'm amused.

I think I'll finally hang up though, just in case a real person actually tries to call or text me.

Flat Tire

I got a flat tire at the best possible time today; on the way back from school for the day and two blocks from home! I had all the stuff with me to fix it, but I just walked the bike home instead, figuring I'd do it later. Originally, later was going to be tomorrow afternoon (It's nice having two bikes!), but as it turned out, later just happened.

The last time I had a rear flat was December of last year, amazingly enough. That was about 2400 miles ago on this bike. The good look I got at all the cracks and holes in the puncture-resistant strip that contacts the road suggests that it's time for a new one. That makes for around 2500 miles on this Bontrager Racelite Hardcase, which I'm pretty happy with. Sadly, the version I have is no longer made, so I'll have to decide on something else for the next 2500 miles.

Of course, when the snows come in a month or two, I'm going to be buying tires for my other bike too. This winter, I'm going to be on a bike with an internal drive train and carbide-studded tires.

And even though I had Tim Curry singing about getting stuck with a flat in my head as I walked back toward the house, I'd like you to know that I managed the fix entirely on my own and without the aid of any satanic mechanics.