Recently I have volunteered for the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition; if there is one thing that I am passionate about (besides my wonderful wife and son!), it is bicycling.
More specifically, commuting by bicycle. I have never undertaken a long trip or race (except for a triathlon in 1984), but I have 'cycled to work since 1982 and love it! It is better than ever now that showers are available at some worksites, buses are able to carry your bike, and bike lanes have spread through the city.
Working at UBC was excellent. I live at 49th and Fraser, so it was about a 10km ride and took just about as long as the bus trip. So why not enjoy public transit, read a newspaper and relax? Sure, if you can get a seat, if the bus actually stops (on 49th, before Langara, this is definitely not a given), etc. and so on.
By bicycle, I enjoyed a great workout morning and evening, beautiful homes & gardens all the way followed by the pleasant woodsy aroma, sights and sounds of Pacific Spirit Park. This is probably one of the best rides in town.
My current ride is a study in contrasts: The south slope's neighbourhood sprawl, followed by an adrenalin-powered surge over the Knight Street Bridge to Richmond, and past Ikea through a well-groomed semi-industrial area. Plenty of blackberries, free for the picking, along the way (I noticed some ripe ones yesterday).
And of course, there is the fascination of bike maintenance - but that's another post.
Showing posts with label passions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label passions. Show all posts
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Languages
I must include a link to Isabella Mori's guest post.
As a sidebar to the Russian connection, my passion for languages had a similar origin (albeit sans ex-german-soldier teachers). I was very fortunate to study Latin in high school (elementary school would have been even better, especially if Greek had also been part of the curriculum). Typically, it was part of the 'alternative curriculum' and was not even offered in the main high school building - although I didn't mind trekking over to the nearby mini-school.
I am very glad that Isabella emphasizes the usefulness of studying these languages, and the way it can "open up language and make it easy".
After all, human knowledge and culture are almost entirely encoded in language.
As a sidebar to the Russian connection, my passion for languages had a similar origin (albeit sans ex-german-soldier teachers). I was very fortunate to study Latin in high school (elementary school would have been even better, especially if Greek had also been part of the curriculum). Typically, it was part of the 'alternative curriculum' and was not even offered in the main high school building - although I didn't mind trekking over to the nearby mini-school.
I am very glad that Isabella emphasizes the usefulness of studying these languages, and the way it can "open up language and make it easy".
After all, human knowledge and culture are almost entirely encoded in language.
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