Pimpf

So I was in a pissy mood yesterday. Not sure just why. Seemed like the weather or something was bringing me down. Maybe it was almost getting run down before work by some fool who was clearly going to run the sign, which did allow me plenty of time to stop, but the idea of it just stuck in my craw.

Maybe it was a whole host of things, not the least of which is simply feeling overwhelmed with things that must get done and never feeling like I have the time or desire to do them. I'm just checked out. I really need a break from the daily grind.

Fortunately, I've just put in my request for the week of Christmas and New Year's off. I find this is a great time to get away from the office as there isn't much going on anyway, and the kids are home so I get to spend some time with them.

I'm looking forward to it. Looking forward to just unwinding a bit. I figure I'll need it. The semester will have wrapped up and the new one will be on the upswing. I should be finishing up on the project I'm on now and moving to a new one after the new year. There's something that is just right about taking a break around the solstice.

Until then, I'll just have to keep chugging away at things. Hopefully work can continue to be challenging and fun over the next few weeks and months.

Hopefully the darkness doesn't get to me too much. I just checked the weather and it looks like there is probably a nice chill in the air - 46 degrees at 2 PM. Before we know it winter will be here.

On to transport, right? So what's new in the way of transport news and reviews.

Two things. First the Valley Mover is bringing on a number of new AM bus options in October. This is brilliant. As the weather turns I worry that I may have a hard time making the first bus of the morning. Right now if I miss it, it is an hour wait for the next to arrive. Not a huge deal when the weather is above freezing, but once it gets cold... well, that's another story.

Beginning in October, if I miss the first bus, the next arrives just 20 minutes later. And if I miss that one, there is yet another bus another 25 minutes later. This makes me happy. My biggest challenge as a commuter using the bus is feeling the pressure to make that connection to the point that I often over compensate and leave earlier than I really need to.

Item two? Koki panniers. Don't waste your money on them! I'm on my second set. A warranty replacement for the first pair. I've written about this before. I've written about how the first set fell apart and how the I broke the mounting hooks. Now the bags themselves are coming unwelded - the bags aren't sewn, but are fused either with glue or heat, not sure which, to attach the various components. On one bag the fusing is all coming undone. Why can't I just get a bag that works?