Much ado, maybe something

Today was a busy day.

I goofed up on paying my electric bill and I found a disconnect threat notice in my mail. So got up early this morning and took the bus downtown to the Lincoln Electric System (LES) office. The 7:05 bus got me down there at 7:55 and the office opened at 8:00 am. It was raining pretty steady but my massive golf umbrella did the trick again in spite of occasional gusts.

The lady at LES looked at my two bills and tried to add them up which was a bill over a hundred dollars. I mentioned that that was incorrect and she quickly re-billed me at the $50 deposit and $13 of juice that I owned. I added in a buck for those in need. Karma balancing.

Then it was next door to Kuhl’s Restaurant which is a place right out of the 1960s. One of the few remaining bits of the old “O Street Gang” era. When downtown businesses ruled Lincoln.

Still has the funky lighting fixtures and furniture of that era. It’s run by a local family and is the typically friendly kind of place. Turned out that one of the waitresses was one of my high school classmates and so we got to visit for a bit about life and the universe.

Got some reading done there (along with on the bus) and finished off an excellent large grilled bagel with cream cheese and jelly along with multiple decafs. Great service and an inexpensive price to boot. Gave plenty of room for a nice tip with that combo.

Then I headed off to the new downtown bike shop, Monkey Wrench Bike, for some repair parts. Been putting together my old Viscount ten speed racing/road bike and found that part of my fender and brake hardware was missing or damaged. Was thinking that I might have to get completely new components but looks like I’ll be able to repair what I have adequately. Had a nice brief discussion with the guys down there. They know their bikes. The tires and tubes I got the other day worked just fine.

I did a quick tour of the second run movie complex, the Starship. Noted “Sin City” and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” as possibilities later this week. Just a couple bucks there whereas the new stadium seated, high tech multiplex called the Grand will run you about $6.00 for a matinee seat. Went to see “The Island” with a friend this weekend and found it to be very enjoyable in spite of the ham-handed product placements throughout.

Sunday’s paper noted that the Starship would soon be upgraded to a much needed, by someone, parking garage. Such a deal. I noted that one of the former parking ramps, half a block from the Starship, had just been converted into a regular office building again. Maybe they’ll make up their minds down there one of these days.

Don’t hold your breath. One suspects this might be about money and not rational urban development.

Have just finished up on-line duties and need to get the bike repaired for an evening test run downtown tonight. First congressional district Greens are having a powwow and I’m invited.

Much ado, maybe something

Today was a busy day.

I goofed up on paying my electric bill and I found a disconnect threat notice in my mail. So got up early this morning and took the bus downtown to the Lincoln Electric System (LES) office. The 7:05 bus got me down there at 7:55 and the office opened at 8:00 am. It was raining pretty steady but my massive golf umbrella did the trick again in spite of occasional gusts.

The lady at LES looked at my two bills and tried to add them up which was a bill over a hundred dollars. I mentioned that that was incorrect and she quickly re-billed me at the $50 deposit and $13 of juice that I owned. I added in a buck for those in need. Karma balancing.

Then it was next door to Kuhl’s Restaurant which is a place right out of the 1960s. One of the few remaining bits of the old “O Street Gang” era. When downtown businesses ruled Lincoln.

Still has the funky lighting fixtures and furniture of that era. It’s run by a local family and is the typically friendly kind of place. Turned out that one of the waitresses was one of my high school classmates and so we got to visit for a bit about life and the universe.

Got some reading done there (along with on the bus) and finished off an excellent large grilled bagel with cream cheese and jelly along with multiple decafs. Great service and an inexpensive price to boot. Gave plenty of room for a nice tip with that combo.

Then I headed off to the new downtown bike shop, Monkey Wrench Bike, for some repair parts. Been putting together my old Viscount ten speed racing/road bike and found that part of my fender and brake hardware was missing or damaged. Was thinking that I might have to get completely new components but looks like I’ll be able to repair what I have adequately. Had a nice brief discussion with the guys down there. They know their bikes. The tires and tubes I got the other day worked just fine.

I did a quick tour of the second run movie complex, the Starship. Noted “Sin City” and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” as possibilities later this week. Just a couple bucks there whereas the new stadium seated, high tech multiplex called the Grand will run you about $6.00 for a matinee seat. Went to see “The Island” with a friend this weekend and found it to be very enjoyable in spite of the ham-handed product placements throughout.

Sunday’s paper noted that the Starship would soon be upgraded to a much needed, by someone, parking garage. Such a deal. I noted that one of the former parking ramps, half a block from the Starship, had just been converted into a regular office building again. Maybe they’ll make up their minds down there one of these days.

Don’t hold your breath. One suspects this might be about money and not rational urban development.

Have just finished up on-line duties and need to get the bike repaired for an evening test run downtown tonight. First congressional district Greens are having a powwow and I’m invited.