That Burning Smell is Me Thinking…

Here are a few pictures Trina and I took while roaming about town.

Trina and I were on our way to the big library downtown and we just happened to catch the Holiday Train when we transferred to the Brown Line train. Enjoy!

This is an outtake from a photo session I did a few years ago. I had Aracaly and her husband Tim stand together beacuse I wanted a picture of them together just for me. Now you can see it! Cute, huh?

I have been trying to write a book review for my history class. I was distracted all day and I decided to go to the 24 hour Starbucks in order to minimize the distractions. As I settled into my work, I started feeling queasy. I barely got two paragraphs typed when I felt a dreadful stirring in my gut and a cold sweat developing on my forehead. That could mean only one thing; pack up my stuff and get to the restroom, NOW! I was lucky there was an open restroom, the place was packed. I was barely able to get the door locked when I erupted in the most spectacular Technicolor yawn, I didn’t even have time to put down my backpack! I couldn’t believe my aim was so good, and thank God the seat was already up!

It just kept coming. I was seeing everything I ate that evening, and I was in total disbelief of my condition. I am so glad I had the presence of mind to get to the bathroom when I did. I must have looked like a mad man packing up my stuff in a panic and rushing off to the restroom. In my rush to get to the toilet I dropped my coffee, that I took barely three sips from, in the trash.

I finally regained my composure and went to the register and bought one of their overpriced tins of gum to combat the wretched taste in my mouth. I popped two pieces in my mouth and left quickly. As I was walking down the sidewalk, I first felt like I wasted my time coming all the way down here only to get sick. I started to feel better and decided to duck inside a diner instead of getting on the bus that just pulled up, that’s where I am typing this. After an English muffin and a diet Coke, I feel better. I got another paragraph written and now have a direction for my paper, so the trip was not completely wasted.

I finished my first week of class and it is everything I thought it would be. I am really enjoying school, I fell like I am doing something I should have done a long time ago. I am glad that I really have no other life commitments holding me back. I am able to go full time and completely concentrate on my studies.

It looks like my days as a bike mechanic are over because I injured my right hand. It may be carpal tunnel, arthritis, or tendinitis; I don’t really know, it just hurts and I am adjusting to doing fewer things with my right hand. I have to hold drinks in my left hand now because I will randomly drop things. I also switched the brake levers on my bike, so the left lever is the rear and the right is the front. If it wasn’t for ibuprofen, I would be really unhappy!

I am slowly organizing my room. Since the move, things have been shoved under the dresser and couch and randomly piled into my drawers. It got really bad this week, so I vowed to get organized this weekend. So far it is taking shape, I found a metal box to keep important stuff in and I am getting some shelves put up on the wall.

So, yeah, life sounds boring, but I am really enjoying it. Things are quieter and more orderly, the way I like them.

I got a new bike. It is brand new, not just new to me. It is the first aluminum bike I have owned. I wanted a bike that will do most anything, from commuting to touring to fast weekend ride to puttering around.

I got a Specialized Sirrus. Mine is gray and black. I like the look of the bike having all primary colors, it is not too flashy and less of a target for thieves. I decided to get a Specialized because they are building them better than anyone else for the equivalent money. In my experience maintaining a bike rental fleet this summer, the Specialized bikes held up the best.

I have been working 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. I have also been taking a 6 week course at Truman College on my days off. My final grades will be posted Monday, I think, but I know I got an A, so far.

I feel an amazing sense of accomplishment. I really enjoy school and it is giving me a chance to exercise my brain and really work on my writing.

Before I decided to go back to school, I had a dream one night that I was wondering around in a dark neighborhood and I came upon a college. One of the students let me borrow his student ID so I could study in the library. I remember feeling so comfortable with my laptop and a pile of books open on a table in the school library. I woke up and realized that I should consider going back to school.

So my plans to go to Romania didn’t work out. I now see in hindsight that that was a good thing. The people who I would have been working for are going through rough times right now, and the ministry I would have been at now has an uncertain future. I am so glad God has everything under control. If I would have forced it to happen, I probably would have been stuck in an awkward situation.

When I decided to go to school, I wanted to go to Texas. That didn’t work out either. When I decided to stay in Chicago and enroll at Truman, the doors of opportunity flew open. I found a job and I was able enrolled in a class the school was offering for free. I have all my tuition and books paid for next year, and I am moving into a great apartment with some cool people next week.

I knew I had to leave JPUSA. I know my time there was at a close. I had a growing feeling of dissatisfaction with what I was doing there and I couldn’t alleviate the heavy feeling I had; it felt like I had a pressure on my heart all the time. I know now that was just stress from the anxiety I had about going out into an uncertain future.

My faith in Divine Providence has been strengthened. I am more sure of the direction I need to go. The future is still a murky fog, but I know I am exactly where I need to be.

Last night after class I went downtown to attend an employee meeting for work. Afterwards, I walked around downtown. Here are some shots from the Wilson El Platform and the Chicago River.

I have seen more fire trucks in my neighborhood lately. I was sitting outside eating when I started smelling something burning. At first I thought my laptop was catching fire, but then I heard a bunch of fire trucks and they sounded like they stopped nearby, so I hopped up and went to investigate.

There was an apartment fire in the building behind me. So I took a picture of the fire trucks.

I have been busy with a new job and enrolling in school. I just finished reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and now I am reading On the Road.

I am realizing that I really like Chicago, I just hate the winters here. Maybe I will learn to embrace the winter, but until then, I am going to enjoy the summer. I have a job working outdoors and I love it. I maintain a large fleet of rental bicycles in downtown Chicago four days a week. I am working my ass off because I love it. The rest of the week I hang out and enjoy life.

Here is something I saw on the way to work the other day,

And I realized that I didn’t post a full picture of my 1971 Schwinn Racer so here it is,