Multiconstruct

It’s been a good month, productive and a lot of weather. I have been an every day bicycle commuter since early summer. I’m old enough where I’m not really in to riding in the snow. I did once because I hadn’t ridden in a couple of weeks and I didn’t want to lose capacity.

It was slushy and I confirmed why I wasn’t doing much of that though it wasn’t terrible. The piled snow eliminates some bike lane but not unacceptably. It was mostly the accumulated slush on the pedway on Providence Road.

On Mondays I’m a regular guest on a right wing radio station. I talk about local issues and mix it up with the host. It’s fun and a nice 5 mile ride. I kept to surface streets but on the way home I took the trail which was plowed and very pretty with the snowy woods.

Mostly I walk. Today I walked to my Consulting gig. About 45 minutes up arterials and state highway. Even so it’s beautiful in the falling snow. I wore my brimmed hat with ear muffs and picked a good outfit for the weather. That’s the secret, too warm and your sweaty. Not particularly business appropriate and makes for a cold walk home.

I took some cut through streets and checked out the power plant. It was steamy and a little surreal. A utilities supervisor offered me a ride but I didn’t think he was heading my way and I had the time and I was enjoying the walk. Third time I’ve been offered a rise this winter and the first time I’ve been able to waive it off. People don’t expect to see a City Councilperson walking in the weather.

It’s mostly made me feel blessed. When I visited Columbia in 1993 and decided to move here I could see my life. Walking and biking everywhere, good friends, being a bit of a random force for good, more cool things then I care to do. Blessed to be living the good life. I shared this thought with my brother John. He said Epicerus said “remember everything you have is something you once wanted”.

It’s been a productive month. Good consulting hours, I did a training on domestic violence with another agency, a bit of homeless outreach as well. Also wrote an article on homelessness for Missouri Municipal League magazine that I think is good. Did a de-escalation training for the inclement weather shelter, had a dinner party and my friend in prison. Lots of other stuff as well.