Change in Transport, New Hardware, Tall Ships, Wedding Party!

It's amazing how much more happens when there is not a heat-wave. I guess I hadn't realized the degree to which life just about ground to a halt (though as usual the dissertation progressed at its usual limping pace). But since the weather has been cool(ish), life has gone at a much faster pace.

Friday was a momentous day in our lives, for we managed to sell our car. I say we, but actually, Colin did all the work, putting it on Craig's list, fielding the e-mails, arranging to show it and so forth. We got for it just about what I paid a year ago. Of course, we have put money into maintenance (we were pretty good to that little car), insurance, gas and so forth. But it's nice to get the initial investment back. And it's extra nice not to have to worry about parking it anymore, especially since we weren't using it barely at all.

Where does the money go? My new computer, which also arrived on Friday, a Dell Inspiron 1405e. Also (symbolically appropriate) a new used bike for Colin--an olive green Raleigh cruiser that's like a giant-size version of the first bike I learned to ride. He reports that it is comfortable, but still has some kinks--minor problems with pedals and the chain-guard. Still, we went on a lovely bike-ride Friday evening on the bike-path along the lake. It's gorgeous! Well traveled, but not clogged enough to be impractical, a nice horizon off to one side, and a cool breeze on your face. And almost totally flat, which is great. Hurray, welcome to the midwest. Of course, my bike could use some work--at the very least a new chain. Even though I'm leaving in only a few weeks, I will have indoor bike storage, so I may as well get it fixed up. That's where the rest of the money will go, and also a new haircut for me. Not bad, I'd say!

The new computer is not bad. It's certainly fast. And the price was right. It has a 14" widescreen, which is shiny instead of matte. This is definitely worse, IMO, anyone who has an option should go for matte. Yeah, it's nice for watching DVDs in total darkness, but in anything brighter, you end up seeing your reflection most of the time! It's workable, though, and okay for light-background applications like word and this blogsite. It's a little warmer than I'd like while watching movies, but okay. And I have uninstalled Dell bloatware, and installed my own stuff, more or less without a hitch. Nice to have a computer with a reliably working sound-card again!

Saturday we went to Navy Pier to see the tall ships. This had been advertised everywhere so we thought we'd give it a try. When we got to Navy Pier, it became clear that we were right to avoid it. It was thoroughly awful, totally clogged with people and commerce. We managed to locate the tall ships, which were totally hidden behind a mall and the largest McDonalds I've ever seen. They were fairly disappointing, three of them docked and mobbed with crowds, one ostensibly sailing about in the harbor, but actually running on a motor. Well, here is one of the better pictures I got. Believe me, it looks cooler in the picture than it actually was.


I can't really complain too much, though, as I did manage to get three new squished pennies. But I will say, I won't be going back there again! They should have just left UIC out there--that would have been a good use for the space. Colin suggests it was probably just too cold in the winter, for that though.

Well, Navy Pier did fit one criterion that has been important to us lately--we have been trying to do things we could only do in Chicago. This is mostly on Colin's initiative. I am leaving so soon that my instinct is to hunker down in my burrow and stay there, brooding and attempting to get ready. It's probably good to me to get dragged out on excursions. And although Navy Pier and the tall ships were awfully dumb, it was somehow still rather a fun excursion. It got us out of the house! And besides, I had written three pages of my dissertation that morning, and was in a mood for adventure.

More adventures awaited us in the evening. We were attending a sort of wedding party for Colin's colleague AE and her new husband CS. We had met AE at Princeton where she was on a one-year fellowship with the Center for Human Values. She and Colin are starting at UIC at the same time, and it was cool getting to know her. She is friendly and helpful and fun. Craig, whom I met for the first time at the party, was also a great guy. And proud of the fact that AE is 18 weeks pregnant!

It was fun going to the party, thrown by the former head of the Phil.Dept., partly because the attention was on her and Craig rather than on us! Still a little stressful for me, trying to think of something to say to the philosophers and their wives. But overall a good time. At left is a picture of the newlyweds cutting the magnificent cake that the hostess, FH, made by hand. It is not a very good picture technically, but I loved the look on their faces. Below is a less blurry shot.