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Every now and again I see an outrageously well-done custom show up at Custom Toy Lab (CTL) and have to post about it here, so that none of you will miss out on the good artistry. :D   The latest is a Labbit by Squidboy (aka Shawn Michael Evans).  You can view more images on the CTL page (link).  Also be sure to check out Squidboy's blog for more of his artistic oddities..

I just love the loose painted/doodled look of his designs.  The child like doodles, the chunky painted colors all mixed up with the elaborately "stamped" lettering spelling out what seems to be "Jannie"... Just an awesome collage of colors and styles.  Perfectly done, IMO. 

Totally sweet. Wish I would have thought of this.

Anyway, sorry for the total lack of updates. I've been in the U.S. (mostly NYC) since late June and had a blast so far. Weather is pretty fucking awesome, and it's exciting.

Not that I don't miss Berlin, but I think the two of us needed some distance. Woo.

Rock on!

QotW:  How do you travel to and from work - personal vehicle, bus, subway/train, pedal power? What does it cost you per week in gas or fares?
Submitted by Jan.

Warning:  In this post I will no doubt come across as the smug self-righteous anti-automobile pro-pedestrian transit advocate that I am.  If this will irk you, please stop reading right now (but don't whine to me about the price of gas or parking, unpleasant traffic conditions, or global warming).

My commute?  I usually walk.  To work it's almost all downhill; from work it's the opposite.  It's a steep hill, and it feels great to hike to the top after sitting at a desk all day.  Both up and downhill, I love to be able to window-shop and take in all the wacky sticker art that encrusts the Pike/Pine corridor or Olive Way.

When I'm running really late in the morning, I'll catch the bus, which cuts my commute time from 30 to 15 minutes.  This happens about twice a week.  (The rest of the mornings I'm only a little late for work.  I am a terribly non-punctual person.)  Being late means avoiding the peak-hour fare, so the trip costs a mere $1.50.  

Heavy rain also prompts me to take the bus.  Although it rains frequently in Seattle for about six months out of the year, it rarely rains very heavily, and walking in the rain is usually more comfortable than a steamy bus full of dripping people.  

That works out to a commuting cost of about $3.00 a week when the weather is fine, perhaps twice that in the winter.

I'm a firm believer in public transportation, even when it takes longer to get there.  I believe in riding the bus, and am a bus geek in my professional life, but my second favorite commuting mode after walking is taking the train.  I loved riding Metrorail from Silver Spring, Maryland to downtown Washington, D.C. for the 15 months preceding the last move west.  Occasional use of commuter rail from Baltimore to Washington was even more thrilling.  I love the view of the world out of the window of a train (though not as much as the view from on foot).  I love stepping out of the train feeling relatively relaxed, perhaps having read a really delicious couple of chapters in my book or listened to most of an album.  I love the feeling of bustle in a train station, of all those paths crossing.  Standing still, I love the sense of looking through a sliver of so many intersecting trips and lives. 

I love not having to look for parking.  I love stepping off the train or bus with my backpack and a sense of freedom in not having to return to retrieve a parked car later on.  I enjoy being carried by my strong feet, supported by healthy shoes (I really should include the cost of the shoes in my commuting cost), and I love that my commute involves moving my body.  I don't love carrying heavy loads, but as long as I am not actually injuring myself, I believe the load-carrying is helpful in maintaining a bit of strength and endurance and bone density.  I enjoy being out under the sky, at least when it's not cold, without the boundaries of a vehicle window limiting my vision.

I was an automobile commuter for about 17 years.  My longest commutes were an hour each way of highway driving, for two years between Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland and then six months between Issaquah and Tacoma, Washington.   Even worse, I just remembered the three-month spell commuting an hour and 15 minutes between College Park and Frederick, Maryland.  I spent more time with my Honda Civic than any particular person during those months and years. 

I hope to never have to drive to work again.  This means I will probably always have to live in a city.  It's a trade-off, but it means I will also always live close to the places I need to reach to keep living well even after I stop traveling to a job.  When my vision and mobility have deteriorated with age, I will still be able to get to the doctor, grocery store, cinema, record stores, library, etc., either stooped over my own shuffling feet or by riding a public transportation vehicle.  I find that thought even more reassuring then saving money for retirement.

Having said all of this, before I pontificate any further, I should confess that having this point of view doesn't stop me from lusting over a Vespa, a MINI Cooper, or even a certain Volkswagen.

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On a related note, this seems like a good opportunity to plug National Park(ing) Day (September 19 of this year).  This is an event that seeks to raise awareness of how much space is dedicated to the almighty car which could instead be used as enjoyable public space by people.  If you happen to be in Seattle this Sunday, stop by the Feet First table at Imagine Capitol Hill to say hello and learn more.