Makeshift Tower and Legg Mason Skyscraper From Bugs Charter School in Fells Point

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It was a sunny Saturday in Baltimore, and there were about a trillion things going on, from the Ciclovia between Druid Hill and Roland Parks, the American Visionary Arts Museum’s Kinetic Sculpture Race, the Flower Mart in Mt. Vernon, a Cinco de Mayo street fair on Broadway in Upper Fells Point, the Maryland Film Festival, and a speak out about the Baltimore Development Corporation downtown. I’m feeling under the weather, but it was the kind of day I’ve been waiting for, so I sucked it up and took my bike on a tour of some of those things before I lost my steam and the afternoon rains came down. I saw and heard so many things on my bike ride today, from a giant pink poodle powered by bicycles to a carpet of flowering plants around the Washington Monument, from the inside of that old Methodist church on that Mt. Vernon corner to salsa dancers in the street. It was such a lovely day. I snapped this picture at an unexpected side trip to the student-organized and run farm stand and market at Bugs charter school. They were selling tomato and pepper starts, homemade candles, and lunch alongside facepainting and carnival games. I looked up and saw the cool structure I’m guessing kids helped build, framed by the Legg Mason building further toward the harbor. That’s one of those big development firms, the kind that runs through our tax dollars as they are funneled to and fro amongst scam artists at the many levels of “development” in Baltimore. Just think what a world we might live in if we let these kids do a thing or two with our cash instead. I pedaled all over today and tonight and had such a nice day doing it. I can’t wait to see how days will feel when I no longer have this sickly frog in my throat.

Cinco de Mustache Sign at the Arabella Whole Foods

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Yesterday I had the worst headache I can remember having. It was like somebody had a little sledgehammer and had taken up residence in my left temple, thumping away and sending pain down through my neck and shoulder. It finally broke last night, but I still have lingering pain in my neck and shoulder. When I got on the bike and headed to campus this afternoon I could tell it wasn’t a biking injury. It felt good, after a day off, to be back and spinning mindlessly. It didn’t take long to remember that it’s Cinco de Mayo today. Superior Grill was blocking off the street for their party (Dos Equis bottles for $4, fyi) and as I entered campus, I already saw students carrying those foam cups with red straws–tell-tale signs of frosty drinks. I got to my office and settled in with a stack of papers, pen in my right hand, head cocked to the left. Oh, that’s what hurts. 15 to go, and I can give my body a break. I got back on my bike and headed to the grocery store. Apparently I missed the mustache-and-sombrero competition they held earlier in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Am I the only one who is kinda creeped out by this “holiday” that just seems to traffic in weird racial stereotypes? I was happy to ride home, turn on some baseball, and cook myself up some broccoli and tofu, avoiding the crowds of drunk people. Sometimes I just gotta be me.