Captain Baron von Awesome's Awesome Blog! http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/ Stupendous, Stupifying, Stultifying, and Stunningly Mexcellent en Copyright 2009 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:07:12 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2ysb5-20051201 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Homemade Gyros
I recalled a few folks from here commenting on the lines at Niko Niko's being a detractor to going there. I feel the same way, and I realized the irony of trying to avoid that situation by hitting up Phoenicia on a Sunday. Still, it was an authentic experience. The concept of personal space is a very fluid one, and it was with a detached mixture of both horror and delight that I watched the old woman behind me step directly in front of me to start unloading her items onto the conveyor belt. Were I North Korea, this would have been an act of war, but I am only Chris Watkins, so I nodded at the woman's granddaughter smiling apologetically at me, then squeezed myself more tightly into the line and thought about puppies.

Eventually, I made it back to Fort Awesome with only a quick stop for tomatoes en route (the ones at Phoenicia were very sad looking) and started the prep work. For reference, I used the Alton Brown recipe here: http://www.foodnetw ork.com/recipes/ alton-brown/ gyro-meat- with-tzatziki- sauce-recipe/ index.html

It's a simple recipe, and should you decide to do this at home, here are a few notes: 1) Squeezing the liquid out of the onions is important. 2) Processing the meat mixture until it is a gummy paste is important. Other than that, it is pretty straightforward. I went the route of getting things ready for my rotisserie, my imagination filled with images of a cone of meat rotating to deliciousness while pushy old women lurked in the background, waiting to cut in line. I have a vivid imagination.

As I feared, the meat fell off the skewer about five minutes into the process. Undeterred, I just finished the meat on the grill. Perhaps a tighter roll of the meat would have worked; I don't know, but if I do this again, I'll probably just either do a mix of direct and indirect heat with a loaf, or press into flat slabs and grill with direct heat only. No, this will not look like what you get at the gyro place, but read on.

After the meat was done, I cut off some pieces, wrapped them in a pita with tomatoes and onions, put on a few dollops of tzatziki (there's recipe in the link above if you haven't made it before), and went to Chow Town. The flavor is good - we're talking about hot seasoned lamb, of course. It is not the same flavor as what you'll get at a restaurant, nor is the texture quite the same. It's tasty and I'll make it again, but I think expectations should be correctly set. I suspect this is along the same lines of being unable to duplicate Velveeta - there is enough processing going on to stymie the home cook. If you want additional browning, sautéing pieces in olive oil will accomplish this nicely. Either way, I think this would be a fun thing to make and eat at an informal dinner.]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/10/homemade_gyros.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/10/homemade_gyros.html Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:07:12 -0600 The Case of the Triste Leches
"Dude," sighed a slightly beleaguered Chris, "I'm telling you - every crime fighting duo needs theme music. In fact, duos, trios, solo - anyone who fights crime needs theme music. I'm almost done."

"Okay, but you said you'd be done a few hours ago," retorted Jonathan. "You've probably been tweeting all day, writing silly short stories, and not actually working."

"Au contraire, mon frere," was the response. Chris fiddled a bit more with his laptop, and the haunting tone of a didgeridoo wafted through the air. "There we go!" He smiled triumphantly.

Jonathan looked dubiously at Chris. "Seriously? You've worked on this for, what? Days? And the best thing you can come up with is the B side of a Men at Work album?"

"One, it's distinctive and to the point, and lets the bad guys know what's going down. Two, Men at Work was a great band," answered Chris, smiling impishly.

Jonathan waved his hand dismissively and started to respond, but a flashing yellow light and klaxon interrupted him. He looked serious and snapped, "Trouble! To the Inner Sanctum!"

The pair arose from their booth at Beaver's and headed to the walk-in. Jonathan slapped his hand on the back panel and it rumbled open, revealing a fireman's pole leading down to murky darkness. They each jumped on it and slid down, movements only slightly constricted by a lunch of CFS and the best mac in Houston.

The darkness of the Inner Sanctum was suddenly awash in the green glow of the Beavatron 2000, Jonathan's communications monitoring system that put ECHELON to shame. Jonathan sat in front of the main screen and peered at a flashing alert. "I just got a red flag in the vicinity of midtown. The system picked up some chatter about desserts." He typed in some commands and his face took on a somber aspect. "They're bagging on tres leches, man. Fuckers."

"Level Omega Intervention?" asked Chris.

Jonathan concentrated for a few moments and answered, "No.... too much. Remember what happened during the Felix Queso incident?"

Chris made a moue at the thought of the viscous concoction and shuddered.

"Nah," continued Jonathan, "I think we'll best be served with an insertion and demo. Um... that's 'demo' as in 'demonstration', not 'demolition'. I don't want a repeat of the Okrapolypse."

Chris shrugged and utterly failed to look innocent. "Fine, then. Let's get geared up and head out."

"I've got some tres leches that I whipped up last night," said Jonathan, walking over to a large hovertank, patting the side with his hand. "I"ll stash it in the Dam Buster and be ready in five. Want a lift?"

"Nah, I'm going to fly there," was the response.

Jonathan stopped. "You can fly? What the hell, man? I thought me having a hovertank was cool, but what's this shit about you being able to fly? What else can you do? Do I have any special powers?" He looked pissed.

"Um," stalled Chris. "Yeah, you see, you have all of this really cool technology to help you out, but I'm magical. It's a good balance between us that will highlight our different approaches to fighting crime. I mean, I don't have exploding French fries and homing missiles that lock on to bacon like you do. I don't have a robot butler with an English accent and napalm spray. I can just fly, teleport, and shoot lasers from my fingers. Trust me, you got the good end of the stick here." He gestured placatingly.

Jonathan's eyes narrowed. "Lasers? Lasers aren't magic. This is bullshit."

"No, my lasers are magic. They taste like cherries and burn like a thousand volcanos. Anyway, it's not important. Let's get this tres leches situation under control! After you, boss!" Chris leapt into the air and hovered there.

Jonathan grimaced, muttered something about "fucking cherry flavored lasers, my ass," and went to get the cake.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of "The Case of the Triste Leches!"

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/09/the_case_of_the_triste_leches.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/09/the_case_of_the_triste_leches.html Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:59:28 -0600 Tales of the Improbable Volume 1
He'd bought it earlier at General Li's Curio Emporium and Budget Mysteries in old Chinatown on a strange whim. Sure, he'd walked by the store many times without a second glance, but an unbidden thought crept into his head today and made him walk inside, stopping in front of the box.

"Ancient! Very special! On sale for five dollars!" beckoned the old man behind the counter. He cackled unsettlingly and smiled at Giancarlo, who immediately grabbed the box, plopped down the money on the counter, and began to walk out.

"Wait!" cried the propietor. "Very important! You must-"

"Yeah, I know. Don't feed it after midnight," interrupted Giancarlo, and walked out the door.

And now he was seated in front of it, intensely curious about the contents inside. He looked around his bedroom, took a breath, and removed the top.

He wasn't sure what he expected to see inside, but a blue gilded kazoo was certainly far down on that list. Nonetheless, there it was, resting on moth-eaten scarlet velvet.

He looked at it, nonplussed for a few moments, then picked it up. He held it close to his face, his eyes going over the designs etched on its surface. Some unknown script spiraled its way down the length of the instrument, pod-like symbols dancing around the margins. Scrolled around the turret was a treble clef staff containing six notes.

Putting the kazoo to his mouth, he hummed the written tune. It sounded suspiciously like the outro to "The Three Stooges".

He wasn't surprised when nothing happened. He was surprised, and then drastically alarmed, when after a few moments of nothing happening, Something began to make its presence known by a rumbling that shook the whole room. The lights dimmed and then took on a quality that made everything seem a split second slow. The floor began suppurating a nacreous, viscous ooze that started to ripple outwards as if being hammered from below. A keening wail grew louder and deeper, emanating from the center of disturbances, and a large green trunk rose from the floor, tapering near the end. The sound and shaking subsided, and two large eyes near the top of the newcomer blinked.

Giancarlo could only gawk, mouth agape, then started when he recognized what was in front of him. "Holy fuck! A giant anthropomorphic-"

"Okron..." boomed the large okra in stentorian tones. "Okron the Destroyer. Why did you summon me with the Kazoo of Malfeasance?" He waved stubby arms in what Giancarlo supposed was meant to be a menacing manner.

Giancarlo looked on silently, unable to make a move at this latest revelation. He'd definitely have a chat with General Li after this was done.

Okron sighed. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you? You're completely at a loss for words here."

Giancarlo nodded, but couldn't suppress a small giggle at the thought of a giant demonic okra.

"I'd not be so quick to laugh were I you," grumbled Okron. "You've obviously never read the Okranomicon, the ancient tome that foretells my destruction of this world."

"Um, that's a bit ambitious for an okra, even one as large and obviously evil as you, isn't it?" responded Giancarlo. "I mean, how to do you plan to do any destroying? Do you have death rays, armies of angry wombats, supernatural vortexes, anything like that?"

"I slime people," answered Okron.

"You 'slime' people? That doesn't sound particularly threatening," countered Giancarlo.

"Oh, trust me, it's highly unpleasant. That, and the ensuing suffocation usually proves fatal. All in all, it's quite destructive. I think you'd be surprised, if only for the short time you had before dying." Okron delivered this last line with a palpable threat in his voice. "And when that doesn't work, we use our submachine guns, or 'Oozies', to finish the job." He closed his large eyes and tilted his head back as if in thought. "Now.... now is not the right time. It is too soon."

"What do you mean?" asked Giancarlo. The thought of being suffocated by a large okra, even one that could talk, seemed less and less appealing each moment.

"My army of minions is too few. We have spread far and wide, but our numbers are being cut down, particularly in Cajun and Indian areas," elaborated Okron. "Without them, I cannot make my move." He eyed Giancarlo balefully. "But I'll be back, and you will meet a slippery end. I'll see to it, myself."

With that, he shut his eyes and took on an almost serene countenance. The air around him bowed and contracted, and he vanished into a pinhole that snapped shut with a quiet pop. A puddle of ooze on the floor was the only trace of his visit. That, and Giancarlo's unshakeable resolve to eat as much okra as possible in order to prevent the destruction of the world.

Dear Reader, will you join Giancarlo in the salvation of humanity by eating okra at all occasions, or at least when convenient and in the mood? Or will you turn your back on your fellows and doom us all to a slick doom? Verily, the choice is yours.

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/08/tales_of_the_improbable_volume.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2009/08/tales_of_the_improbable_volume.html Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:31:15 -0600 Too Much Coffee I've had far too much French pressed coffee today

An indulgence in caffeine, and now I must pay

The third cup was really too much for my need

Now my left leg is tapping "Bolero" on speed

 

If I could just sit still and get work done - but no

I'm restless and just want to pace to and fro

The outside is calling, a heady distraction

Like i need another productivity infraction

 

So I sit here and focus - or try to, at least

While my system is ridden by the brewed Java beast

In a few hours I'm sure I'll be tired as a dog

In the meantime, bad poems appear on my blog

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/10/too_much_coffee.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/10/too_much_coffee.html Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:12:30 -0600 thoughts I couldn't help but notice the beautiful sunset tonight. It reminds me that I need to go camping as soon as the weather cools down. Chartering a boat would be another option. I just need a change of scene.

The last month or so, and the last week especially, has been really hard. I'm in the middle of a lot of turbulent and conflicting feelings, and it's leaving me ragged. I suppose a more correct way of putting things is that I'm allowing myself to feel ragged. 

I bought two books on Bushido tonight; hopefully, they will help me to clarify my thoughts and focus my energy on positive endeavors. As it is, I'm awash in a lot of negativity these days. I'm back to old thoughts about whether or not to keep a clinical detachment to people and things from now on. I got into Buddhism for the same reason years ago.

I wonder if it's possible to be detached, yet engaged and fulfilled. Is it sustainable? Part of me says that part of the joy of life is the innate uncertainty, and that everything is more precious and meant to be savored because it's all temporary. I think that's wise. I also think that it really sucks when things go south, and that maybe keeping it all at an arm's distance is preferable in the end. There is nothing original about this conflict. Still, I just don't know any more. Maybe it's been at arm's distance for a long while now.

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/09/thoughts.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/09/thoughts.html Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:47:58 -0600 Good times After weeks of not riding, I made the choice to get back in the saddle this weekend. I had great parties both night, but refrained from any booze and left before the people with kids did. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it would be nice to date someone who understands, or at least tolerates this lifestyle. What a 180 from years ago.

At any rate, yesterday was about 30 miles on the road bike, doing the Braes bayou loop from Gessner to UH and back. Construction has been going on there for more than a year just east of the Med Center. There is no good way to get to UH without taking surface streets. This isn't a big deal on the weekends, but it kills the extra trip during the week. I felt okay on the ride, but I can tell it's been a while.

Today was 23 miles on the fixed gear with the group ride from Bike Barn in the Village. Wow. I don't have the stamina I used to (this is fixable), but my speed was good. The interval training I've been doing and Krav have both helped with quick active recovery and getting the mindset to keep pushing. Riding with other people definitely helps, since there is that natural sense of competition. Pity I wound up by myself for the last 1.5 miles, since I completely sandbagged it. Bad, bad Chris. Overall though, I'm happy with my performance.

I've seen some great people this weekend, and for that I am grateful. Off to continue my education for Krav in a natural extension of what we learn in class.  

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/good_times.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/good_times.html Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:58:31 -0600 New People in Krav I love Krav Maga. I respect and admire my instructors. Together these have changed my life in many positive ways. I've learned how to push myself harder and how to be humbled because I know how much further I can go. Seeing the people at the 5AM workout before class on Monday was one example of the latter, and after yesterday's class I joked, "let's go running!" Three people asked "where", and before I knew it, we were running up the parking garage and doing pushups on the flats. Oops.

My one complaint has been and still is the loose nature of the curriculum. In some ways, this is fun, because you never know what you'll do on a particular day. However, it makes getting started difficult. I was lost for the first month or so, trying to get my bearings and not get hurt. It's the new people who are the most dangerous, either through being too timid or too aggressive without control.

I've seen the former a few months ago, and the latter last night. The guy was all pumped up and ran up to throw some punches, elbows, and knees at me. The punches were the first clue that all was not well, because they were flirting with the top edge of the pad, just under my jaw. It was the elbows that almost did me in, because I had to hide behind the pad (discretion and valor, blah blah). If the guy had been doing them right, I would have been defenestrated.

He sat out after that, but it just makes me wish that we had better training for new folks. Maybe it's a sign for all of us to be more vigilant.

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/new_people_in_krav.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/new_people_in_krav.html Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:23:58 -0600 Lessons Learned from Curse of the Golden Flower As with many movies of this genre, the outstanding aspects are the set design and outdoor shots. The colors in the former are breathtaking, and the town nestled in the mountains of the latter is a place I want to go.

Lessons learned in this movie (as always, written tongue in cheek):

Most of the Asian films I've seen are heavily, heavily dramatic. I remember the first time I saw "Fireworks" by Beat Takeshi and was moved to tears. Since then, it seems like every movie has similar feature. This is in stark contrast to the usually implacable poise of many of the leads. Perhaps this is intentional and meant to draw one's attention to the inner conflict brought about by the chains of regimented society and culture; therefore, it is best to be a little spastic in order to prevent such over the top climaxes.

Being on drugs or alcohol in an Imperial palace would be a bad idea. The volume of the colors is deafening.

There are *lots* of Chinese, and the bulk of the peons (which in this movie is 99.9%) are exceptionally good at following orders and rules, acting like ants in their uniformity and mindless dedication.

Tight fitting tops squeeze together and accentuate what Mother Nature left out. So much for modesty.

Finally, it is possible to be exceptionally controlling, devious, and demanding. You will get what you want, but no one will like you and the non-peons around you will either kill themselves or each other. 

 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/lessons_learned_from_curse_of.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/lessons_learned_from_curse_of.html Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:45:09 -0600 Getting in shape I've been really slacking about riding the last few months - actually, since the MS150. I used to be good about knocking out 100+ miles a week; now, I'm good to get 20 - 50. I can come up with all sorts of excuses, from rain to band gigs to spending time with friends, but like most things in life, it boils down to choice. I will say that it's hard to socialize with many people who don't buy into the "I wake up at 6 on the weekends to go for rides" mentality. It also makes dating difficult.

I've been trying a new workout, motivated by what we do in Krav. Instead of the dumbbells I've been using for the past 1.5 years, I've switched to a kettlebell workout. A kettlebell looks like a cannonball with a handle on it, and my workout involves 300 reps with the goal of never putting the weight down for the duration. It's hard. :) I'm also doing intervals of 2 or 3 minutes on with a minute rest between them. An interval might be all pushups, or jumping jacks, or squat thrusts - usually body weight exercises, and I'm trying to work in some stretching and static routines like the plank.

So far, it seems to be making a difference, but I was humbled today in Krav. I showed up for the 6AM class, and after punching and mat work and 100+ knees to a bag, I'm scraped, bruised, and tired. Half the class got there at 5AM for an hour of intervals. That's why I feel sucky. :)

Gotta work harder. It's all about choices. 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/getting_in_shape.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/getting_in_shape.html Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:57:35 -0600 Sundays Redux I'm glad so many friends showed up to my birthday party last night. I had a great time, and felt surprisingly good this morning. I'm surprised that I made it as late as I did; blame it on good company.

I'm sitting in my bedroom writing this, internet radio playing in the background and feeling simultaneously content and a tad melancholic. I can't help but be happy that I got to spend great time with my friends last night, and having an almost finished bedroom and bathroom is a good feeling. After not having a full master bathroom for more than a month now, it's nice to have it back again. I'm also really digging on not having my clothes scattered all over the house while the closet was being worked on.

There's still more to do - decorating and more organizing - but that's all going to come together. I really enjoy the furniture. How I made it this long without really buying furniture is amazing. I suppose it's a combination of living in small places and really hating moving.

But those damn Sunday blues were with me all day. Once I finally motivated myself to get out of the house, that strange yet familiar feeling of being isolated from the rest of the world was along for the ride. I know it passes and don't take it too seriously, but it sure puts a damper on things.

I guess part of it is also that I'm disappointed, but not surprised, by someone. Tomorrow will be telling. I suppose I'll grab a few drinks after Krav. I can't help but feel like I've missed something in life. I'll be 36 tomorrow and wonder what I've actually accomplished. I'm sure many people think about these same things as they get older, so while I'm not terribly down about it, it's still a downer.

I guess I've played a lot of music, always been kept in moderately interesting employment, met lots of great people, and the last few years have seen me go from a couch potato to a decently compentent cyclist and a new interest in Krav has also helped get me in better shape. Still, I never moved overseas, and I still think that would be a good thing. I suppose it's all in my hands, so rather than mope, I should actively participate in shaping things to how I want them. Hm. 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/sundays_redux.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/sundays_redux.html Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:04:22 -0600 Branding Run Amok I just came back from the coffeeshop on the third floor of the building. It uses some licensed parts of Starbucks, although not a full fledged retail store.

I know I'm not the only one who complains about this, but can we please call things what they are and not some special name designed to reinforce the brand? A large is a large. It is not "venti". Calling a small "tall" is even more stupid. This is doubly annoying because for the first 2 years that I went there, I'd order a large coffee and wind up with a medium (or whatever the Starbucks word is for it). This is not complicated, or it shouldn't be.

At least I had a good session in Krav last night.  

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/branding_run_amok.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/branding_run_amok.html Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:47:42 -0600 Back in music? I played a private party Saturday night with a tight and professional band. We were all in suits and played everything from Dave Brubeck to Sinatra to Sly to Parliament. I love playing in bands like that, where everyone is musically literate and knows how to play well.

At any rate, I was pretty nervous leading up to the show. I had a lot of material to learn in a short time, and I am not a jazz guy. Things went well, though, and I got asked to play some more shows. I'm excited by that, and also a little trepidatious. I have competing passions, and waking up at 6AM on the weekends to go riding isn't something that goes well with getting in after 2AM. Still, I can ride during the week, and have plenty of opportunities for exercise. Also, the money will be good, which will be helpful with the remodeling.

That's the rub, though - money. It's been a long time since I've played just for the fun of playing, outside of the house and all. I remember years ago just being inspired to show up for a gig and wanting to play all night. I still do music because I enjoy doing it, but money is definitely a component of that now.

I'm thinking about that because some former bandmates are wanting me to get in on a project. I like playing original music, but like I told them, I am done with shows that start at midnight, rushed load-ins, shitty sound, and the unevenness that comes with playing those venues. I think about doing original music and imagine something more jazz/groove oriented, or something more acoustic with some good harmonies. I'd be happy to get up on stage with my guitar and a mic with someone else, actually - a few hundred pounds of keyboard equipment is something I could do without one night. :)

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/back_in_music.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/08/back_in_music.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:51:44 -0600 Remodeling Annoyances I didn't blog for several months, partly because I wanted to keep published banalities on my part to a minimum, but mostly because I had someone else with whom to share them. Funny how that works out. Hopefully I'm not as tedious in real life as I come off on the written page, but I seem to be lucky enough to have plenty of friends who put up with me. Either they're very patient or I'm very hilarious. Maybe both. :)

What started off as a simple investigation of fixing a shower leak has blossomed into having the master bathroom redone. Walls have been knocked down, and the old tiny shower has powered up into walk-in with a bench and multiple shower heads, including a vertical spa. This, in turn, has led to new paint and furniture for the master bedroom, too.

On the one hand, it's expensive, but as someone pointed out, it's an investment. The updates are nice and will hopefully add value to the home, and the furniture and paint job is my first foray into actually sprucing up my domicile. Better late than never, I suppose.

On the other hand, it's really disruptive. Not having a master bath is an annoyance, and the last few weeks have seen contractors and subcontractors at my house sometimes until 11 at night. My closet is scattered throughout the studio and living room, and this morning has had me emptying out the bedroom for painting. Hopefully this is wrapped up by next weekend.

Either way, the contractors have been awesome, and I'm looking forward to the results, which I'm sure will make it all worthwhile.

Finally, I am sub'ing with a band this weekend for a wedding gig downtown. I haven't played with them in a few years, and I still need to go through the set list and make sure I don't come off as completely lost. It is fun and a bit nerve wracking, but it is also profitable, so I think of it as "hey, I just paid for one of my faucets." :) I don't know if I'll get back into playing like I used to, but it's always nice to have a hobby that pays. 

 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/remodeling_annoyances.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/remodeling_annoyances.html Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:04:57 -0600 Poems about Pants part 4 summertime

H   O   T      S   U   N

cerulean sky, no clouds for shade

oppressive and ennervating, heat waves ripple from the asphalt 

s
w
 e
 a
 t

 

    dr
      i
       ps

            and

                d
                r
                i
                p

                 s

                         and

pools

trying to keep me cool

but my dog cannot, so he just pants 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/poems_about_pants_part_4.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/poems_about_pants_part_4.html Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:21:35 -0600 Critical Mass Critical Mass collectively refers to events held on the last Friday of each month in various cities around the world wherein large groups of cyclists ride through the streets with the ostensible purpose of promoting awareness of bicyclists and their rights on the road.

What this usually means is a large group of cyclists breaking laws, blocking traffic, and generally being a nuisance. Understandably, this can result in altercations, the latest newsworthy one happening this past weekend in Seattle. The end results were some smashed up bikes, a severely vandalized car, and moderate injuries requiring medical attention. Accounts vary, but the general consensus is that a group of cyclists surrounded a car (a common practice to control traffic by blocking it with bikes and bodies) and the driver with his girlfriend in the car felt threatened enough to move the vehicle, striking some cyclists and instigating a mob around him.

Hearing about these events, the incidents, and the mentality behind it all really frustrates me. I log a few thousand miles a year on my bikes; more than half of these are spent commuting or doing longer rides on city streets. I'm a firm advocate of cyclists' rights, but I'm equally committed to the responsibilities of cyclists.

In more than ten years of riding in the city, I have experienced my share of inattention and rudeness from motorists and pedestrians. I've seen an equal or greater amount of similar behavior from other riders, though. Courtesy is a component of the respect which encourages people to acknowledge and act on the rights of others, and all of this is a two way street. The most telling example of someone failing to understand this happened a month ago on a ride, where a cyclist yelled at a motorist for failing to come to a complete stop, while at the same time running a stop sign himself.

I've seen videos of Critical Mass events, and it seems like a good time, with a party atmosphere and lots of bike riding. I can't complain about that at all. However, the mob mentality that is also present and that results in physically blocking anyone else from moving just reinforces negative perceptions of cyclists. It also promotes behavior that will result in injuries, irritation from people around, and generally acting like a jerk.

I'm all for raising awareness of cyclists on the streets, but this activity isn't a voice I want for myself, and I think it just sets back everyone else the rest of the time. Count me out. 

]]> http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/critical_mass.html http://baronvonawesome.net/blog/2008/07/critical_mass.html Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:53:10 -0600