Power

At last the sky above Santa Fe is dark and devoid of light-pollution. The annoying lights so many people have surrounded their houses with are out…

I want to go into the studio to continue practicing guitar, since there is no electricity to record as I had planned, but I can’t even get into the studio because I can’t open the magnetic lock (very Batman!) of the main door without electricity…

Somebody from Comcast just called me and asked whether Santa Fe has electricity. No, we most certainly do not… Maybe there is a bathroom stall at Comcast HQ with the following words: If there seems to be trouble in Santa Fe, be sure to call Ottmar Liebert – he will tell us truthfully whether the power is out.

And, is it possible, more snow…

Luckily I have my little LED headlamp and so I will sit down in a comfy chair and read in a book of Hafiz poems, “The Gift”.

Here is one of his poems:

Good
Poetry
Makes the universe admit a
Secret:
“I am
Really just a tambourine,
Grab hold,
Play me
Against your warm
Thigh.”

Wikipedia on Sufi-master Hafez or Hafiz (ca. 1320-1389)

Or, maybe the book will wait and I will take the guitar I keep in my house and play it…

Later – now it is starting to get a little chilly to play guitar, but I am soldering on with a thick sweater. This reminds me of living in my first loft in Boston. Since it was a commercial building, the heat was turned off at 5PM on Friday and came back on early Monday morning. One had to have a friend with a heated apartment or stay in bed under a thick comforter with a good book… :)

An hour later the power returns. This is a long exposure and the vertical lines are the snow flakes.
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Putting Pedestrians First: Raised Crosswalks

Carectomy.com: Removing Cars from People – Putting Pedestrians First: Raised Crosswalks
A raised crosswalk is at a height consistent with the sidewalk, which makes crossing easier; encourages cars to check their speeds in areas with lots of foot traffic; makes pedestrians more visible as they cross the street; and takes back some of the public space from vehicles.

True, but the idea has been around since Roman times – see this photo taken in Pompeii – and today I found this right here in Santa Fe:
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The crosswalk is even with the sidewalk. It is indeed a great solution because it creates an easy crossing for wheelchairs and baby carriages while slowing down cars.

Bike Commuting

Blog – Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB)
Mellow Johnny’s will also provide bike storage, showers and locker rooms for bike commuters who need a place to wash off and change before work.

Great idea. Bike downtown to a place where you can store your bike, take a shower and change into your suit. Then you grab a coffee and walk to the office energized. The store belongs to Lance Armstrong and is located in downtown Austin.