OMG what a final 2 minutes of the Spirit match.

The urbanist youths of the West End are rising up against the road blocking of multiuse development by older folks. I just stopped by the most delightful rebel coffee shop off the trail run by two enterprising WE elementary kids. @alexgoyette.bsky.social we finally have a neighborhood coffee shop.

My youngest asked if we could watch Hocus Pocus tonight and I must admit I do love this stage of childhood where she starts wanting to watch movies I actually like watching.

💀

Up early to start baking as I have to get bakes for 3 family birthdays done today. First up is kid’s birthday cake, and instead of a pie this year she requested mango mousse cake. Which I have never made.Thoughts and prayers appreciated.

Hey look. Once again, not a bike.

Shout out to the guy at a bus stop along Duke Street holding up a homemade sign that said ONE LESS CAR.

I am well trained for this but it still sucks. My entire childhood and adolescence was a hamburger helper economy except it was whatever the generic brand of Hamburger Helper was at the Food 4 Less.

Purple Rain, hands down.

Bike bus Friday might be even more fun for the parents than the kids. At a time when things are so dark and difficult, it is rock solid joy.

PSLF changed my life by allowing me to take jobs that I could never have afforded to take without PSLF. Please comment by TONIGHT to oppose this harmful attack on a [checks notes] GW Bush administration law that changed many lives, including mine.

Tragic news. I love this place. They are so kind. And such bedrock supporters of west end schools.

Third grade soccer games are at Brenman and the west end parents are rejoicing finally having a season that doesn’t require driving or biking across town. Truly among the best news of the week.

Be still my High Plains heart. My youngest, very east coast kid, somehow decided she wanted to try to make runzas (which I don’t think she’s ever even had). They turned out pretty good!

Friday bike bus with new riders, the Holmes Run Trail finally opens between Ripley and Beauregard reopens after years, AND this sweet shirt gets delivered to me all today? My sweets, this is a 10/10 west end ALX day. * *So far. Nobody jinx it ok.

When I say that the entire west end trail community was abuzz this morning. Everyone (incl me) was shouting to others “it’s open” or asking “wait is it really open?” Still got work to do west of Beauregard. But it’s hard to articulate how much this long fracture has weighed on this community.

Ok this made me cry in a joyful way and not I. The despaired way that’s been way more common lately.

Server just asked if I wanted the small Negra Modelo or the big one and I just looked at him and said my man, after this week? And he said big one it is.

No. I was precocious in this regard.

I heard this comment on a podcast today & it so perfectly put words to the anxiety I feel but have difficulty expressing about raising a middle class kid & especially why it feels so stressful to think about them growing up accustomed to seeing other kids with even more means.

A middle school I interact with is in a state with a school cellphone ban and y’all everybody in there is relieved. EVERYBODY. The kids, the teachers, the janitors. They are so relieved. Nobody is really uptight about it…except some parents.

Today was our first bike bus of the school year w about half a dozen kid riders plus parent riders. We got so many cheers & friendly greetings from people along the route. We should be making this more possible for more people because it truly sparks joy & good lord do we all need it these days.

Youngest has taken to watching Proud Family and got to an episode with Matrix references and a floppy disk. At last I get to explain floppy disks and see her give me the same look I probably gave my grandma when she told me about phone party lines in early 20th century rural Kansas.

In which @josephfray.bsky.social lectures on how anything can be waffled if you just believe hard enough.

I know we’re all real busy but the OIRA regulatory website has been down for “maintenance” since Friday and that seems like something people should be talking about.

Ewald Park is on here feels like a trap for people like me and @alexgoyette.bsky.social

When we fail to make the streets safe for all users, including kids, is it any wonder we have a screen addiction and loneliness problem?

Two monarchs flew alongside me for what seemed like a very long time on my bike ride home from work. I couldn’t get a picture but it had real strong Reading Rainbow intro vibes.

My kid has an extraordinary ability to have boundless energy for almost an entire train ride no matter how long the trip and then fall into a deep sleep 20 minutes from our stop.

My kid said “it’s gotta be Golden. Why you even asking.” Soooo that tracks.

“You’re good enough.” [Took me 25-30 more years, moving to the coast, to a big city, to realize most/all of those impressive people from afar weren’t any smarter or better, they just grew up with a lot more money and access to power and pedigree.]

Several years ago we had to cut down our magnolia tree to replace our main line. We planted a little peach tree. Finally, this year, for the first time, we got enough peaches to make a pie. We got a lot of peaches actually. Pretty happy with how the pie turned out.

This is a child who can’t play with friends while she gets over being sick but she’s well enough to be active. When we have protected bike lanes she is off screens and being independent and active and having a ball.

All the fresh hell needs to just not.

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill 2. La pipa de La Paz - Aterciopelados 3. Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest 4. Orishas - A Lo Cubano 5. Still Bill - Bill Withers

The only controversy there should be about the Superman movie is why Clark’s mom, a Kansan, had a mid-Southern accent. That was definitely not a Kansas accent.

Well hello old friend.

When we make the choice to make streets safer for kids, the kids use those streets. More active and engaged kids are essential ingredients to a healthy community. Can’t wait to take my kid on these lanes as she’s been wanting to ride independently through here for a long time.

Coming in from late July to report that chaotic conditions have not improved, folks.

It’s only Monday, I’m already 7 hours into what is shaping up to be a 10-12 hour work day, and the fresh hell is unrelenting.

50 out of 10 on the fresh hell scale today.

It’s a 10/10 on the fresh hell scale today.

Real talk, does ALX have its own Lil Sebastian, something this town is acutely and inexplicably excited about and why is it the town crier. #HBDALX

My 7 yr old told me her bike fender needed to be tightened. Then she got the tool out and fixed it herself. She is proud of herself and I’m proud of her. A reminder to let kids do stuff! It’s good for them in many ways. When we take over too much as parents, we interrupt learning and independence.

Give me your best after work happy hour spots in ALX or Arlington. I do used to having to go into DC but a former colleague in DC wants to cross the river so the pressure’s on to pick the right spot. Metro accessible is appreciated.

Well one bright spot in this never ending buffet of fresh hell is that my kid got a 5 on her AP Calculus exam. I am very proud and also very unsurprised. And I take zero credit, as I barely scraped by in calculus thanks to a lot of group work with a math Doogie Howser in my high school.

The extra doses of fresh hell this morning are not appreciated.

Mid day plans locked down.

All the Around the Way Girls strongly approve of this decision.