New Bike & Photos

I recently was given a new (free!) bike from Brett, who lives in Maitri House in Takoma Park, MD. I guess I have good karma, because freeganism has been easier than I could have imagined around here (bike, new futon mattress, tons of food). Anyway, the only catch was that it had a bad brake cable and busted brake pads. So my supervisor told me about Pheonix Bikes which is luckily just a 10 minute bike ride away! Here is a video about the bike shop:



It was great! Not only did several adolescents fix my bike right in front of my eyes, they didn't charge for anything but parts and were incredibly entertaining. One of them had gone to Greenbrier Learning Center when he was younger and had several great things to say about it: it improved his grades, and was tons of fun. (By the way, that's our new website, it still has some kinks to work out though.)

NEW BIKE

Old sticker on the L, My = sticker on the R

Indiaaaa

GIGANTIC U Lock! Cost more than all my bike parts put together. 

Now I need to get a rack and strap on a milk crate. One of the brakes is really hard to squeeze, and the bike is a little large for me, but other than that I couldn't be happier with it. BRIGHT TURQUOISE!

My co-corpsers on the bridge to Georgetown in DC

My Apt Entrance

How the residents keep the door open so they don't have to get their keys out.

boletin

Hey! We plan that!

Exciting apt life

Nights around here have been pretty fun and social. Carolyn, Steve and I all live in the same stairwell so we cook together (mostly them) and eat together several times a week in ADDITION to our weekly AmeriCorps potlucks. It's really nice. We're also all big red wine fans : ) Here's a shrimp veggie pizza Steve & I cooked up last night.

THE MOST EPIC SHRIMP VEGGIE PIZZA

y ensalada : )

MMMMM: whole wheat crust, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, mozzarella, garlic, mushrooms,  pine nuts!

Followed by karaoke..

So I've been doing really well not driving lately. With my new bike, and the great weather, I've hardly had to use my car. I do drive to poetry readings, and also anytime I go to DC (to the metro stop), so those days are less eco-friendly. But here's another way I've been green and saving money:

Eco-friendly, saving 1.75 for the dryer!

Plus, it's a good way to use the corner of my room that has been bare and empty. My room makes me happy, but with my new futon mattress, it takes two people to lift it into futon position... so I don't have a reading couch anymore.

Safe Haven : )

My work week last week was quite anxiety-producing, but our beginning of the year to-do list has been steadily decreasing and thus, so has my anxiety.

Hope all is well elsewhere! We're planning an AmeriCorps camping trip...

E