2013 Book List

5. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

(finished reading)

A quick and easy read. It was a nice break from my how-to books.

















4. Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch
(currently savoring!)

After reading A Twist of the Wrist, I've been eager to find another how-to ride book. And then a friend gave me Sports Riding Techniques. I want to be an old rider, so I'm studying what the professional riders know (plus it's REALLY fun to ride).

3. The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing by Daniel Reid
(Currently perusing)

Yep. I could use more of this in my life. I am working on being more relaxed and zen.



















2. Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
(still reading)

This book teaches how to use social marketing and goes into the psychology on how we think. I love it!






















1. Chaplin My Autobiography by Charles Chaplin
 (finished reading)

I had no idea that Chaplin made so many movies. At the beginning of his career he was cranking them out one a month. That must of been so exciting to be constantly creating!

Art projects involving karate belts

Emily- You know the secret to getting me to write- you told me you've been reading my blog and asked what I've been making lately. This post is for you.

First off, the martial arts school that I train at gave me a giant bag of belts.  After washing them, I turned one into a scarf.  I got the idea from The Red Threads Blog.  

This beautiful black scarf was knit by the artist from The Red Threads Blog. 

Using that for inspiration I sewed karate belts together and lined the scarf with fur. 

Then I took this old, handmade frame that I had hanging in the bathroom and started quilling (click for examples of amazing quilled art) the white Akido belts. I am still experimenting with this idea, but I am going for a cross between Fernando and Humberto Campagna's chairs and Nnenna Okore's recycled newspaper sculpture called Flora III.

 Quilled chairs by Fernando and Humberto Campagna. 

Recycled newspaper by Nenna Okore. 

My work in progress of quilling karate belts. 

There are more belt projects in the works, but I'll show you when they are further along. 

Best ways to lockup your bicycle

Since how I just replaced my stolen bicycle bike security is a big concern of mine.

After looking into various lock-down methods this is what I installed:

I replaced the quick-release on both axles and the regular allen wrench collar on the seat post for locking skewers and a lock for the seat. They are made by Pinhead Locks. It takes a custom key to get them off. I just registered the key on their site, in case I ever need a replacement.

As for the frame, I upgraded to one of the nicest, most heavy duty ubolt locks out there. The brand is Abus and they're German. The nice thing is that they are not super popular in the States, so thieves haven't had a lot of practice on them. To my surprise the lock is super light and easy to put on- no key jiggling required and the bolt can go on either way into the locking portion. This also came with a custom key code, in case my keys ever get stolen. I also went with the smallest lock possible that works on my bike, so that there is the least amount of room for a jack or some other prying device.

Then I asked the folks at the bike shop the best way to lock up the bike. They recommended going through the back spokes and catching the horizontal part of the frame and then bolting it to a metal post (not a tree or to a cable). For a week I tried the spoke method and it takes way too much time. I figured my lock is so heavy duty that by using it anywhere on the bike it will be fine. 

For a final precaution I registered my bike on the National Bike Registry. First I looked at their list of cities that use this registry to make sure my city and the ones near by actually use the site. For $10 my bike is registered for 10 years. I typed in my info and the bike's specs including the model number which is on a sticker on the frame.

When picking out out a bike, I kept color in mind. I intentionally looked for a subdued color for the frame. My old bike was yellow and it's no longer mine. Enough said. Even though this bike is new and it's in good shape, being black will draw less attention.


What's left to steal off my bike?

You could use an allen wrench to snag the rack. I could use a cable to secure the rack to the underside of the seat, (this would mostly as a deterrent, because it would only take wire cutters to steal it). Or I could carry a second ubolt lock and run the lock through the rack to the rear wheel.

Or again, an allen wrench is all that it would take to steal the fork. I could of bought a Pinhead Lock for the fork, but I opted out. Fork stealing isn't huge and I don't lock my bike up outside overnight or for hours on end. 

Or by just using wire cutters you could liberate the blue monkey from the spokes.

I read that most bikes are stolen from people's homes, where they are often unlocked. That is exactly what happened to my old bike. I was at work and  my bike was in the same room as me. It was unlocked, like it always was, because I figured no one would even consider stealing a bike under those conditions. I was completely wrong. Also whenever possible I bring my bike inside.

I've invested in locking down my bike, because I absolutely love her and I'd like to keep her for as long as possible. She is 12 days old and already we've logged 101 miles together. 

Books I've been devouring...

I've been on a reading rampage.

Books on eating raw.

Books on preparing everyday Japanese cuisine.

A journal by a wilderness fire watch.

Motorcycle maintenance.

2012 Book list.

One of my obsessions...shhh...

As a kid I loved to sort legos by color.

I still sort things by color.

By the 1,000s.

For work, I get to sort plastic bottle caps.

I'm happy as a clam sorting away, discovering odd ball caps along with random objects.

Kangog? Dogroo? Kangadoo?

Store bought dog tail hook on one side of the wall...

...and a kangaroo checking you out while you pee!

Hand sculpted Kangaroo by me. He was a birthday present for my friend Andrew.  

Look carefully for the dog tail on the left and the kangaroo front half on the right.

Check out my wheels!

I spent more time with this bike than I did with my friends.

My yellow, Specialized Stumpjumper was too flashy for her own good. Every time I came back to unlock my bike, I was so thankful that I got another day with her. "Aura" went walkabout on July 7th. Over the last year and half, I'd ridden in crazy rain storms, wind, and lovely sunny days, logging 2,700 miles. 

After three weeks of hating the world, and being jealous of every cyclist that I passed because they   still owned their prized possession, I got over myself. The exciting part about having my bike stolen was that I got to buy a new bike! I've never had a new bike before!

Since how I don't own a car, I put in due diligence in shopping around and found this beauty! She's a hybrid, making her lighter than Aura. She's zippy. Oh so sleek. I splurged and bought a waterproof pannier to replace my seven year old back pack.

Before staying at Tassajara, the Zen monastery in the Los Padres National Forest down by Big Sur, I never intentionally enjoyed wearing black. Now it's a comfort color. My new bike is also black. Her name is Tassajara, or Tassa for short.

The first week we spent together we logged 76 miles trecking around Angel Island, Japantown and North Beach in San Francisco, to and from the dojo, out on errands and commuting to work.

I'm completely infatuated. Don't tell my old bike, but this hybrid is a better fit