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Intro v. Extro: What Type of Vert Are You?

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 5 Comments

Many years ago, when I was living in our nation’s cesspool, I mean capitol, I had the occasion to retake the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This personality test, based on ideas by famous Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, shows you what your tendencies and preferences are in 16 different areas. One of the main categories is whether you are internally focused or externally focused, or introverted or extroverted.

I told the person grading the test they did it wrong, because my results were always the same, and I was right. I’m pretty much in the middle, but on the introverted sign. Working as a volunteer at SXSW EDU the last four days, I’ve been reminded that I need alot of down time to recharge from interacting with other people, whereas for extroverted people, they are energized by being with other people. So I thought it an interesting topic worth exploring a bit.

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Two Succinct Stories Famous News Anchor Dan Rather Told Me Today at SXSW EDU

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

When he was a young man of 18 in 1949, Dan Rather was an oil field worker in Texas for a summer.  He was the only boy on the crew; the rest were men, he said.  For digging ditches and other hard labor, he got paid a good wage.  Payday was every Thursday, which was when the rest of his crew played poker.  His first paycheck came and to fit in, he joined the poker game.  But he wasn’t very good so he proceeded to lose his entire wages for the week in that game.  His rent was due so he had no other choice but to ask his father for help.  This experience taught him the value of not gambling and budgeting his money.

After he got married, he told his wife Jean that since he was the man of the house, he would be the one to manage the new couple’s money.  A couple of weeks went by, and the checkbook was a mess.  He had to admit that he wasn’t good at the task, and gratefully relinquished control to his wife, much to his relief.  She’s been in charge of every dime they’ve made ever since.  This taught him humility and trusting other people. Continue reading →

How to Change Your Bicycle’s Front Shifter Cable (Almost)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 1 Comment

Bikes have a lot of parts. Eventually they wear out. The more you ride, the faster they break down. This was the case with my shifter cable. Put simply, it’s the thin wire that moves the derailleur (fancy French word for gears) and makes the bike harder or easier to pedal. After riding 10,000 miles in 2 years, this was not the first time it was replaced, but it was certainly overdue. I decided to have a go at it myself. How hard could it be, right? Well, it was simple but not easy. And in the end, I still had to take it by the shop. Live. Learn. Forget. Repeat. That’s A Dude Abikes motto.

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Last Day in the Holler

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

After a few weeks in the country, today it was time to head back to the city.  I’m still unpacking and will be for some time, but I really enjoyed the experience of living in a cabin in the woods with peace, quiet and a dog named Buddy.  It was generally a great time and no coyotes or bobcats ate us, so that was great.  While the reason for being there was not great at all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to have the time to write this blog and interacting with other bloggers.  Thanks to everyone who has been liking, commenting and following, but more importantly, actually reading what I write. Continue reading →

Wow! I Met Author Walter Mosley at a Book Reading and Signing Event! (+ 12-Mile Trainer Ride)

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 4 Comments

Coincidence is a funny thing. When two disconnected but interrelated things happen for no clear reason, we search for answers. Religious people would say it’s the will of the one(s) they worship. Agnostic athiests and secular humanists like A Dude would chalk it up to chance. The spiritual might say it’s the butterfly effect, or intentions coming back to you. Scientists would say something… sciencey.

I don’t know what Walter Mosley would say about me writing a blog about one of his books just a few days ago, and then him coming to town from a reading and book signing. Well, I think he may have said thanks.  I wasn’t starstruck as much as feeling like “Wow!  That’s Walter Mosley!  Did I somehow summon him to Austin?”  I wish I had that superpower.  But anyway, what I’d say about this coincidence, fate, destiny, kismet, stupid luck, good fortune, or whatever — it was freaking awesome! Thanks to my host for reading my review and cluing me in. Continue reading →

13 Ways to be Frugal and Save Money When You’re Unemployed (Or Just Broke) + 18-Mile Bike Ride

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 5 Comments

Saving Money Is Simple and Sometimes Easy (Like Rawlins)

There are probably countless websites listing a far more coherent and cohesive list of places to go and things to do to save money.  Here is what I came up with today that began percolating on my ride.

1. Stay In. There are lots of things to do at home. Blog, cook, read, do yoga, make crafts or art, play cards or board games, read www.ADudeAbikes.com, etc. All are basically free.  Of course if you are a shopaholic or order pizza every day that’s a problem.  I find staying in is a way to save.

2. Barber, Beauty and Massage Schools. Why pay $30 for a hair cut, or too much for body care products and treatment, or muscle relaxation? If you don’t need a perfect treatment and have time, go where experienced students will do it much more cheaply, and are supervised.  I pay $20 for 5 haircuts and get to practice my Spanish while a number of Latina women stare at the one cutting my hair.  They don’t get alot of dudes.

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BOOK REVIEW #1: Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley – An Easy Rawlins Mystery

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 6 Comments

The idea of reviewing books about bicycling has been in the back of my brain for a bunch of blogs.  But I have Milly Schmidt from Australia (The Cat’s Write) and Shalini from India (Books, Reviews et al. by Shalini) to thank for reminding me that writing in different genres is perfectly acceptable (despite what some pro bloggers may say) and that reviewing books is a good thing to do for aspiring writers.  I’ve just finished award-winning Walter’s Mosley’s Charcoal Joe:  An Easy Rawlins Mystery, so don’t be blue.   Without further ado, here is A Dude Abikes’ review.  For you.  It’s true!  And brand new. Continue reading →

News Flash: People of Color and Women Ride Bicycles, Too, Dammit!

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 15 Comments

Bikes Are Colorblind, They Just Want to Be Ridden

It’s Black History Month in the United States of America, so it would be bad form for a progressive to not pay homage to that (which I did earlier when mentioning the impact of the Black Panther movie) Some people have the mistaken belief that only rich white men in Spandex ride bicycles. They are wrong.

Where I live, I frequently see people of color riding bicycles, usually at night, apparently commuting home from work. They usually don’t have lights or helmets or fancy bikes. But they are cyclists just the same, risking their lives to go about their lives, which includes transporting themselves with their own people power. Leonel Hernandez, who died last month, was one of them.

Today, within the space of 10 minutes, I met a black dude named Ivory and a couple from Thailand named Nukul and Rung, each on a bike. You really meet the coolest people on bikes — of whatever color, status or nationality. You never would probably barely even see them from your motorized steel pollution cage.

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Doubt, Embarrassment and Fear: How to Manage the 3 Frenemies

~ A Dude Abikes ~ 2 Comments

The Needle Keeps Skipping on My DEF Jam Records

(Doubt, Embarrassment Fear = DEF) I’ve had a lot of DOUBT about my abilities to bicycle very far or fast, and especially on this hilly road. This has been a source of EMBARRASSMENT to me as someone who was featured in the paper for riding his bike a long way, not to mention being a blogger about bicycling. And due to two recent deaths of people on bikes, I’ve had alot of FEAR. After yesterday’s post about faith, both religious and secular, I felt a parting in the metaphysical clouds, which mirrored those in the sky letting in enough sun to dry the road sufficiently as it also warmed the earth. So I got on my bicycle, and being A friendly Dude, I brought my friends along for the ride. You can come along too as I describe it.

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