Autumn and Change

Fall has come to Lincoln, Nebraska.

Football season is in full swing again. Leaves are starting to change. The air is cool. Yesterday when I rode to work at 6:30 a.m., wearing not one but two jackets, I thought I might freeze right off my bike. In an instant, I took back all of my many idealistic statements about never owning a car. "I don't care about the environment!" I said to myself through clenched, cold teeth. "I don't care about my health! I don't care about money! I am buying a car!"

It took me 25 minutes to convince myself that I still want to make a go of this no-car thing. I still want to try to exist, and to live well, without a motor vehicle. I got a mental image of myself sucking it up and being the crazy scarf lady who rides her bike all over town with four or five multi-colored scarves flying out behind me (and probably getting caught in my bike chain). I do not think it will be easy. I think I will be cold. I think I will be grumpy about that. But I am going to try.

In other news, I think I am going to try to continue to live without a car, but not in Lincoln. I know I've talked about that for a while now... but now I'm actually doing things about it. I am afraid to talk about it on my blog. I am afraid that it will not actually happen if I talk about it too much. I am afraid I will be proved wrong. So... I'll let you know a little closer to when it actually happens. Cross your fingers for me.