Brief Moments in your lives!!! Also, show us your Pets Thread!!!

[Bosco]

hey, let's try something new.

Share some small video or pictures that you might want to share. I suppose this probably should belong in General Bullshit thread, but amuse me.



We're stuck in a nice little winter spell here in the Chicagoland. This isn't that bad, but probably the most prolonged winter for us since 2014. Looking at about ~10 inches of snow at the time of the video


Pinky leads the way:

[Stefan]

Love the idea for this thread!
Here in Austria, where I grew up, it's also been quite a long time since there's this much snow for weeks.

So, I've decided to build myself a new road bike, and my murder floofs clearly love the packaging it came with:

[Conn6orsuper117]

You mean I never told you all about my Guinea Pig?

Every time I hop on the Xbox after work, regardless of how full his bowl is, he always gets jealous.

[Bosco]

lol, wasn't my intention to be a pet thread, but nice to meet the forum furry companions!

Stefan, you happen to have any expertise in bikes? I might need some advice on a future purchase.

Since the start of the Pandemic, I'm one of those people who have vowed to try and improve my health and I've been utilizing my local prairie trail. I've been walking/running it, but would love to eventually have a bike to more conveniently take on the whole trail. The trail is mostly comprised of flat packed crushed rubble and few moderate inclines/declines.

I haven't had a bike since my teenage years which was a hand-me-down bmx.

Any suggestions, by any chance?

[inchemwetrust]

California has been a bit cold with a dash of gloom weather. Love it when I sleep in and wake up on my day off! A little bright spots here and there to appreciate. This is a polar opposite of boscos vid!

Fun fact: This isn't even my cat! He belongs to a guy 2 houses down. He just mingles from backyard to backyard for free food and free pets, plus he has brought me at least 3 dead mice, so he protects the hood!

lol, wasn't my intention to be a pet thread,

Just barely noticed this post. My bad

[Stefan]

I don't think there can ever be too much pics/videos of our pets

Stefan, you happen to have any expertise in bikes? I might need some advice on a future purchase.

Since the start of the Pandemic, I'm one of those people who have vowed to try and improve my health and I've been utilizing my local prairie trail. I've been walking/running it, but would love to eventually have a bike to more conveniently take on the whole trail. The trail is mostly comprised of flat packed crushed rubble and few moderate inclines/declines.

I haven't had a bike since my teenage years which was a hand-me-down bmx.

Any suggestions, by any chance?

I do have experience with road bikes and road cycling, which is one of my main hobbies for 17 years and counting. Don't really have much overview of off-road bikes. so I can't really give you specific brand/model recommendations.
From what you're describing you're probably looking for a light mountain bike or touring bike, depending on whether you want a "pure" sports bike or something which is also useful for day-to-day rides, usually being equipped with mudguards, bike racks and lights.
There's also a relatively new category called gravel bike, which is basically a road bike (drop handlebar, rigid frame with "agressive" geometry) with super wide tires.
I think it would be best if you visit a local bike store and take a look at the bikes they have on offer, you'll also be able to take a short test ride to get an idea of how they ride and feel. It's also good for choosing the best frame size for you.
If you're planning on riding for much longer than 1 hour or so, it's a good idea to also get some cycling-specific clothing, especially bibs with integrated padding (there are enough options these days even for loose fitting clothes, if you're not down for that skin-tight lycra look). Of course you can just start with whatever sports attire you already have and see how comfortable you feel.
One thing I'd definitely recommend is clipless pedals, regardless of bike type. It might sound a bit scary being attached to your pedals, but clipping in/out is actually very easy and it makes pedaling way more efficient.
Anyway, this was ony very basic general advide. if you have more questions I'd be happy to help.

To stay on topic of brief moments of our lives, after some very cold weeks it's finally warming up enough to not freeze on bike rides. Even though it was a bit foggy, it was very beautiful:

[Bosco]

Stefan, thanks for informative answer!

This past summer I was teasing the idea of buying an adult trike/tricycle and decking it out with a mini traveling sound system. I then started reading about the problems of tipping on un-level surfaces and inclines, so I scrapped that idea for the time being.

Awesome photos and great looking cycle there! Gonna have to do some video/photo dumping of my previous ventures out in the "wild".

[Bosco]

meet my late summer/fall girlfriends of last year:

Saw them just about every day at same time. They're making the trek for the creek in the middle of the preserve to get some water.

BTW, they used a tractor to mow down a good portion of the prairie. Typically they do a burn. Maybe they took note of a high deer population this year and went the non-threatening method? Either way, that's why it's been so easy to spot the deer around the path.

[Bosco]

I meant to post this yesterday.

This is from March 8th 2020. I was attending Music Box Theatre's 70mm festival. Part of the unique experience you get at the Music Box Theatre is they have a in-house organist that plays on the weekends before every show.

Spoiler

Any who, reason I'm posting this is entering this weekend last year was kinda the last bit of normal before the Pandemic set in. Just 2 days before this video, it was announced Coachella 2020 was being cancelled. And while I wasn't attending or planning to attend Coachella it was definitely something of significance that projected something truly bad was about to set in. Over the course of the next 2 weeks, it was amazing to watch such an abrupt and confusing devolution that most of us were not ready for. 

[Stefan]

I don't have any pictures because I didn't do anything special in the weeks a year ago when the pandemic "hit" and lockdown started (unless visiting friends counts, doing something like this seems special now XD)

Back on topic, I've been living in Vienna for 10 years now but most weekends, I stay at my parent's in the town where I grew up (my cats also live there).
Here's a video of the final turn into the valley of my hometown, right before the railway station.
A brief moment in my live I'll never be tired of.

Of course it is encouraged to hum Star Guitar along the video.

[Stefan]

meet my late summer/fall girlfriends of last year:
Saw them just about every day at same time. They're making the trek for the creek in the middle of the preserve to get some water.

Those deer don't seem to be too concerned with your presence? Here we also have deer, but they're really shy, they usually don't let anybody closer than maybe 100 meters (not that I'd try of course, they're wildlife after all. Best left alone unless you're an expert).

[Bosco]

Dang, you Win! That looks absolutely gorgeous.

I love train rides. I never have taken long distance/cross country trip, but I frequently used the commuter train that takes you from the suburbs of Chicago to downtown Chicago. The trip consists of travel through quaint suburbs, urban decay, and a bustling metropolis.

Those deer don't seem to be too concerned with your presence? Here we also have deer, but they're really shy, they usually don't let anybody closer than maybe 100 meters (not that I'd try of course, they're wildlife after all. Best left alone unless you're an expert).

The deer around me are forced to be semi-domesticated. The growing suburbs of Chicago (where I'm located) have basically taken over their habitat.

But yeah, these videos are the most personal encounter I've had with these deer and I think it mostly has to do with the certain conditions of the prairie being cut down.

[inchemwetrust]

I don't have any pictures because I didn't do anything special in the weeks a year ago when the pandemic "hit" and lockdown started (unless visiting friends counts, doing something like this seems special now XD)

Back on topic, I've been living in Vienna for 10 years now but most weekends, I stay at my parent's in the town where I grew up (my cats also live there).
Here's a video of the final turn into the valley of my hometown, right before the railway station.
A brief moment in my live I'll never be tired of.

Of course it is encouraged to hum Star Guitar along the video.

just your quote Stefan of 'the final turn into the valley of my hometown, right before the railway station' sounds something I just read from a passage of a novel. Such a comforting vid of going home while looking out from a train.

I seem to forget sometimes that us forumites are from so many parts of the world, and I find it fascinating to look at the world from someone else's perspective.

[Conn6orsuper117]

Covid Regulations in our area have lightened up to allow small gatherings of up to 10 people, after a quick test to come back negative, me and the bois (as in 3/4ths as the 4th had to work) celebrated by taking a trip to the dunes about 5 hours ago.
Meet Spencer and Luke (aka walmart ed)

Got stuck in some quicksand about halfway through the trip but the drive back was oh-so relaxing

[WhiteNoise]

Those vibes are off the chart, man. What song is that?

[Conn6orsuper117]

Those vibes are off the chart, man. What song is that?

Its from an old mahjong computer game (Hoyle Mahjong) that came with the windows 98 my mom bought. I used to play it as a kid before recieving rollercoaster tycoon in the cereal box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzHLzlomb9w&list=PL8ogIoK_WTQxjvH2qvW6JxcQ0URw7w7qE&index=19&ab_channel=jomar500
I had to isolated the static in the background and removed it, so I may upload my version.

[inchemwetrust]

Meanwhile in Hollywood!

[Bosco]

Connor, you can cruise right on the beach/dunes like that?

Big fan of the capture of sunset and moon (full) rising, I don't live in location were we can take in a skyline like that.



Inchemwetrust, what did you bag on your return visit, and how you like the new store?

I've only been to the Haight St. Amoeba in San Francisco.

[Conn6orsuper117]

Connor, you can cruise right on the beach/dunes like that?

Big fan of the capture of sunset and moon (full) rising, I don't live in location were we can take in a skyline like that.

we sure can where I live, but not without regulations, There are certain areas we aren't allowed to drive like high population beaches (all of them are mostly on the north side of the river anyways) and wildlife preserve areas which is a spawning ground for endangered birds (which was about a mile south of where I began recording). driving is strictly off limits during the winter season (november-march).

[inchemwetrust]

Inchemwetrust, what did you bag on your return visit, and how you like the new store?

So I got there last week but the line outside was going around the block and wait time was too long. So I went back a week later, found an easy parking spot and got in line and waited about 30 minutes to get in.

The store is smaller, as if the original store shrunk by 40 percent! Its only one floor and there's definitely a lost of the previous luster and experience from the last store. It doesn't even feel like an Amoeba store TBH. Lost is the wide assortment of used records, but expanded more space for new releases. Electronic section took a hit as all their used records are now blended and mixed in with the new releases. Very disappointed with that move, but for some reason, the 'House' genre had its own used space at the bottom bins. I remember looking for used (rock, r&b electronic) records for hours at the old store, but now It only took me one hour to go through it that day. Another words, not a store to 'dig' used records    I honestly would not go again anytime soon.

I was lucky to bag a couple of items. Some of them not worth mentioning here with the exception of a Marvin Gaye record and a promo 12 inch of Setting Sun and its matching CD promo. Very surprised and lucky they had any used Chems there.

The only Chems release they had was the Surrender box set.

Overall, they still have posters on the wall and the pricey records you need to bring down with the grabbing stick. You can still trade in old records and see live performances on the stage, but still, it feels like a normal record store on average and nothing special.