Bikes, Bucks, and Books

[dxmachina]

Dropped the bike off at Casters. The estimate is $137, $60 for the tune-up, and the rest for a new rear wheel, because the old one's rim is bent beyond repair. Still don't know how I did that. (Actually, I think I do. It must have been that ride that Blake and I took through the park up in Ontario. There were roots and rocks. Bother.) This is the second new rear wheel I've had to buy for the thing. The guy also said that chain and rear gear set are getting worn to the point of needing replacing as well, which would've brought the bill to over $200. I only paid $300 for the thing in the first place! So I passed on the new gears.

I think it's time to get a new bike. Mine is ten years old, has over two thousand miles on it, and it's wearing out. The tune-up and the new wheel will take care of what's immediately wrong, and I can keep it for a back-up. I could use a back-up right now, considering I'm not getting the old bike back until the 29th. Actually, I could have a new bike long before the 29th. Hmmm. Time to start shopping.

Picked up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on DVD, and watched that tonight. (The latest Angel is still downloading.) I liked it better than the first one. Spirited Away is also just out, so I got a copy of that, too. Tomorrow or Friday for that, I think.

Still working my way through Master and Commander at lunch. I dunno. I don't much like Aubrey. I suspect I will like Maturin better, just because he seems smarter than just about every other person on the ship. I say seems, because so far all O'Brian has done with him is use him as a surrogate for the reader while the author explains in excruciating detail what, where, and how every piece of rope, wood, and canvas on the ship is used. Man, was Nutty ever right about that. I am liking the first battle, though.

Sigh, Angel still at only 84%. Have to watch in the morning. Now it's off to see how Wimsey is making out at the ad agency before I drop off.

Comments

[stephl.livejournal.com]

I should be getting Spirited Away in the mail tomorrow from Amazon, along with S1 of Angel (both DVD) and a couple of funky CD. Yes, I dropped a nice chunk of change at Amazon in preparation for some serious downtime recuperating at home.

Although I can only sit in a straight-backed hard chair (versus a comfy chair or a squooshy couch) or lie on the floor. Bit of a pisser, that, but I'll live with it. I can't wait to watch Spirited Away again!

[orthoepy.livejournal.com]

Hey! You're up! Yay! Glad things went so well. Will keep up the backma from over here.

DX, keep going on Aubrey. He's brash and not incredibly bright but he's one of those people that was made for what he does, and does it so well. The series is well worth the effort. (Skim all the rope stuff.) Maturin is amazing. Wait until later when he falls in love. It's incredibly moving. Now I'm going to stop thinking about it, b/c I don't have time to reread the series!

[serenada.livejournal.com]

Although it came highly recommended (Betsy), I never made it through Master And Commander. Now that there's to be a movie I might give it another shot, but I think I sent my copy the BookCrossing way.

[dxmachina.livejournal.com]

I picked it up on Betsy's rec, too. I don't dislike it, so I'll finish it, but it's not at all what I expected.