I got ID’d again, this time at the liquor store. I haven’t given up my teetotalling ways: I was buying beer for someone (of legal age–more on that later). I pity 18-year-olds who look as old as me. So, while that still didn’t flatter me, this did:
*struts*
This is despite having asthma! I’m unsure whether I’ve mentioned this new for 2023 ailment, but I now take hits of fluticasone and salbutamol regularly. I haven’t smoked cannabis in months, instead opting for thc-infused beverages or gummies. Better for my (or anyone’s) health but worse for my bank account.
Yet, I managed to save up enough for power meter pedals. Wanting to avoid swapping my rear wheel or crankset, I went with the Garmin Rally RS200. Boy, were they expensive! They retail for more than what I bought my road bike in 2016 for.
BUT THEY ARE GIVING ME THE VALIDATION I’VE BEEN CRAVING.
The amount of data they collect is staggering. I’ve had them for about two weeks, and I’m still trying to make sense of a chunk of the data. Intensity Factor? Training Stress Score?
POWER PHASE!
So far, it has helped me pace myself on climbs. Eg. If I predict the climb is going to take me three minutes, I can aim to hold 300w. Most of all, having a power meter is the most definite way to know whether you’re improving. No longer can I rely on a strong tailwind to give me a false sense of vigor!
If that didn’t impress you, please direct your attention to the cherry pie of the century:
I made this! I pitted the cherries, made the filling, and, yes, the crust is made from scratch!
I made it for the same reason I bought beer: Jordi’s womb-leaving anniversary was on the 1st. Five days before his birthday, I received the t-shirt I’d ordered through Etsy. I snuck it into his dresser, hoping he’d notice he had a white t-shirt (his preference for hot days), and pull it out, thus revealing a look of delight on his face. Alas, he did laundry, and his new t-shirt got buried underneath stacks of less-humorous tees.
I ended up telling him I hid a silly little gift in his room that I was surprised he hadn’t yet discovered. Even after being made aware the gift had already been in his bedroom for five days, Jordi needed considerable hinting before finding Jorf.
In other news, which I can now print out, I replaced the ink cartridges of my printer. Yes, I’m one of those suckers who went for an inkjet printer because they only cost about $150. Well, since Canon was out of stock of ALL the colours I needed, I looked elsewhere and found SmartInk.
I can’t remember the last time I was this dazzled by a company: 1/3 the cost of “genuine Canon ink cartridges”, printer recognized them as “genuine Canon ink cartridges” anyway. Print quality is on point. Fast shipping. The little box came with a moist towlette for cleaning ink off your hands AND stickers. One of the stickers is a baller cat with sunglasses!
No longer do I feel like a sucker for owning an inkjet printer. For buying outrageously expensive pedals, on the other hand…
squaremeat.com 