Monday, November 9, 2009

Back on the Horse


Meet my new commuting machine.

This weekend, after four irksome weeks commuting to work on the CTA, Dave and I set out to get him a new, not-cursed bicycle. A car door landed him in the ER one month ago, the second major accident and fourth or fifth worrisome mishap he had with his old bike. As a show of support, I've been taking the CTA with him this whole time and it finally got to a point last week where we were both really tired of it.

So I came along on the bike hunt with the sole purpose of making sure he did not spend past the budget he gave himself. Dave's not a spendthrift by any means, but I've seen him under the trance of a desired but stupidly-priced object, and I'm pretty darn good at getting him to snap out of it. He knows this, and that is why he requested my presence.

I have a bike (what's your bike gotta do with me?), but I don't like it much. I like that it's pink and that I got it at Working Bikes for $40, but that's about it. It hurts to ride, the gears are rackety, and I can't go very fast on it. But it works and it cost me barely nothing, so I've never thought about replacing it.

I was watching Dave wizz around on the third floor of Kozy's Cyclery, testing out his potential new pedalmate. He wanted me to try out the bike he was considering buying, and even though the seat was so high up I couldn't sit down, I instantly felt what a difference a good quality bike made.

So I snuck back down to the main floor and starting poking around. And there I found it: a 2010-11 GT Traffic 4.0. I took it for a test spin indoors and my heart started racing at what an easy and fun ride it was. I took it outside and some construction workers wolf-whistled at me, probably because I was riding an awesome bike.

I'm not the kind of person who would ever spend $400 on a bike, because I've never liked riding enough to justify it. But then again, I've never owned a new, quality bike. So I bought the bike. And I haven't been off it since.

I got to work in 20 minutes today, without waiting for a bus or train, without spending a dime, and without being sandwiched between strangers...and I got some exercise to boot.

P.S.--Here's the mama Dave got: 2010 Specialized Tricross Singlecross, and he didn't spend a penny over his budget.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Three Years of Nose

Yesterday marked 3 official years of D+D! It'd be really easy for me to get all gushy on here, but I ain't gonna. But here's some pics of us around anniversary-time over the years:


Oh happy day! in 2006


On top of the world (or a building in Manhattan) in 2007


Loving me, loving you, loving Groucho in 2008


We've-been-together-so-long-we're-starting-to-accidentally-dress-the-same in 2009!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Austin, Texas

Went down to my home state of Texas for the 2009 College Media Advisers conference for work, but had the chance to throw in plenty of pleasure, and migas.

Bat attack.

And we'll go honky-tonkin', honky-tonkin'.

Shoop, shoop.

Pedernales Falls State Park

6th Street Halloween wakka wakka


Unfortunate.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Blog, I'm sorry I've ignored you

Dear Adorable Chorus blog,

This is ridiculous. It's been months. I should be updating you more often. When we first got started, it was exciting...like the beginnings of any romance. But then I got "busy." I started and stopped posts without ever publishing them. I'd write something out but couldn't find a good photo to accompany it. I'd read other friends' blogs and think mine could never be as entertaining as theirs, so why bother.

Well, whatever. It's time to start again. I'll blog on my lunch break. I'll get up 15 minutes earlier than usual and blog before work. I'll quit vegging out at home in the evenings and think of some fun way to update you. This blog is supposed to be about my every day encounters here in Chicago. Well, I'm encountering stuff out the wazoo. Time to start writing about it again.

Attached is some random photo I thought was pretty. Talk soon.
Love,
Danielle

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

I rode my bike to work today!


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I did this! 8.1 miles! Took me nearly an hour but I did it!

Friday, April 3, 2009

G Twanky



via Wonkette

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Happy Birthday, Miro

I can't believe it's been almost 6 years since I first laid my eyes on Miro, a little grey furball of a kitten who was rescued from the streets of Dallas and brought to Denton Veterinary Center, the clinic I vet teched at while attending UNT.  

Miro was born on March 15th, 2003 and today is his 6th birthday.  In celebration of his big day he gets:
  • a big bowl of tuna
  • as many hours as he wants hanging out on the back porch
  • a brushing session, as long as he wants, and a nail trim (which he strangely loves)
  • catnip galore
  • a thorough scrubdown of his litter box
  • unlimited scratches and pets, and an open-minded attitude from his owners about his taste for toilet bowl water
And now, here are some other things that have made Miro happy during his six years on this earth:

Attacking the sheets while the bed is being made

Hanging out with E.T.


Dancing


Posing with various pooches and Bascis

Inspecting the preparation of Jack-o-Lanterns

Taking drugs while roadtripping

Admiring himself in the mirror

Dressing up for Halloween

Sleeping like this

Hanging out with E.T...even more...

Getting caught drinking out of the toilet bowl

Graduating


Being an all-around wonderful and adorable feline companion!  Happy Birthday, Miro!!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Mike Gunn's facebook profile is my favorite facebook profile

Thursday, March 12, 2009

A real life drama unfolds in our bedroom

Noses in the News

Check it out everyone, your pals Dave and Danielle are in the Chicago Tribune today! (And so are Ryan Wilson and Nate Martin!)

Creative hosts conjure recession-friendly entertainment