bike maintenance

In my usual pre-Inklings panic today, though it looks like things are coming together remarkably nicely this time. I also confess I took a few minutes yesterday to put together a few new headers for my Genres page so I could use my new Litterbox font (and snazz up the business writing section, which was mentioned in that magazine I mentioned earlier).

Took my bike to the Urbane Cyclist at John & Queen this morning. The gears need adjusting, and I'm also having mud guards, a rack, and a woman's saddle installed. Also bought an air pump to replace the one Jeff stole from me. The woman there was extremely helpful, gave me some advice about coping with the downtown traffic, told me about courses I can take to help me get more confident about riding in traffic (unfortunately the next course takes place on summer weekends when I'm not likely to be free). Both she and the tech guy there warned me (as have many cyclists!) about the dangers of bike theft in Toronto. She even advised me to buy a very cheap bike (e.g. second-hand) for riding around the city if I planned to park it anywhere. I see her point, but then what was the point in me getting a new bike in the first place if I don't plan on using it? I figure I should be okay as long as I'm careful where I park, and lock both wheels and the body of the bike to something immoveable with both my Kryptonite and steel cable locks; can't do much more than that.

I've decided to go to the annual SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference in Los Angeles this August. I figure it's about time I start going to some writers' conferences. Anyway, I'll be going down a few days earlier to visit with some California folk I didn't see during my last visit (Puzzlebox, Beckett Gladney, Scott & Amanda Snyder) as well as my friend Lee, who has been encouraging me to go the conference for a number of years now.

To Annie:
I'm pleased to hear that Phil Allcock is as sadistic an uncle as I am an aunt. :-)