Unwind

Saturday’s Leisurely Bike Ride Commute and Photo Walk (2/12/11)

I had a really nice day yesterday.  To compensate for missing a day of work on Thursday, I rode my bike to the lab to do some experimental work and found that my flies were feeling quite lazy and were not all that interested in doing what I wanted them to do.  So: we try again on Tuesday, and at an earlier hour in the day!  Apparently fruit flies like to take Saturdays off.  I don’t blame them.

In the early afternoon, I left the lab and rode the bike to Kohl’s, where I hunted for some new shoes.  I have many pairs of shoes that are falling apart, and some of them I am going to have repaired.  There are at least two repair shops in my area, both which seem to be within biking distance, but I have yet to take any shoes to these footwear artisans.  While I plan to get some of my shoes repaired, I’m also preparing for the eventual retirement of other pairs, so I would like to get a new pair of black flats that look nice with casual and dressy outfits and a pair of beige sandals—something comfortable but dressy enough to look good with my skirts.  I like clothes that straddle the line between casual and dressy.  In my work life, the dress code is casual, but I feel more professional if I dress up a little bit most days.  I wear a lot of skirts and sweaters, sometimes button-ups, and occasionally a dress.  I do wear jeans, but I try to dress them up a little bit too with nicer shoes (like black flats), pretty tops, and some jewelry that says, “I may be wearing jeans today, but I’m still paying attention to my appearance and my work.”

My hunt for new shoes was unsuccessful, but I did find a lovely and unusual necklace that I can’t wait to wear.  I wasn’t planning to shop for jewelry, but I’m a picky enough consumer that when I find something I really like, I’ve learned to snatch it up because I know I’ll put it to good use.

After my unexpected Kohl’s purchase, I rode over to the hippie food store to buy pears and onions and tofu, among other things, and to say hi to my friend Jeremy, who is moving to Austin soon.  During my short time in College Station, I have learned to look forward to my Saturday visits with Jeremy at Brazos Natural Foods, and it is bittersweet knowing that he’ll be moving to the big city in just a short while.  I am happy for him but sad for me because I’m about to lose a local friend.  I need all the friends I can get around here!

I came home and rested for a while on the couch, but it was so beautiful outside that I could not resist wrapping myself up in a sweater and stepping into the sunshine again.  I took a short photo walk—I missed taking pictures last week—and found myself absorbed in noticing all the tiny details of a neighborhood landscape: the dry leaves scattered about, the way the sun danced on the red tiles, the gentle swaying of shadows as a breeze ruffled the trees.  One of the reasons I have come to love photography is that it feels like meditation to me, a contemplation of light and object and mood.  I still love the written word too, but photography is charming in its own way.  It is peaceful.  It restores me.