Urbana-Champaign Bicycle Commute

My dream bike.

Let me be the first to inform you that there are changes in the psychic energy forces of this day. That could be the only explanation for the tenfold increase in interactions with humans on the commute in. Saying howdy to Frank as I got onto the road, as he rode up to school wasn't so weird... and Craig waving and shouting "Hi, Sue!!" from his Jeep at Main Street was normal behavior for him, even if we generally don't cross geographical paths, but that's when I thought "okay, it's an odd morning."
The next couple of miles were packed full of "coincidental" situations that meant instead of just passing by, I was interacting with people. Squirrels were squirrelier (usually one good chirp sends them bounding for the trees), dogs wandered further, that guy on a bicycle (not a cyclist, that's for sure) had to meander all over the road so I could announce "one side or the other would be good" (realizing he was not going to discern words through the headphones or whatever haze he was in). Hey, it's a good thing I am not in any kind of hurry - but I have left ten minutes early before (hmmm.... perhaps not since classes were in session with this route?). The topper was the lady at the corner of Bradley and Country Fair, calling out to somebody in a car... "Hi, Lisa!!" ... except when I crossed the street she asked me, "Isn't your name lisa?" I managed to say "No," without laughing too hard... I don't t hink she'd understand if I explained it's just a warp in my psychic vibrations or something, me being the center of the universe and the driving force behind all of this of course :) (Oh, yea, among the interactions was a fellow on Prospect who ***really*** wanted to wait for me at Clark with a gap between him and the next car but a light that had turned green. I had to put both feet down. I mean, when he first stopped there was a car behind him who, of course, just went around him. Which would have been at me... and even though there wasn't another car after that and I prolly could have made it, it was another ten whole seconds before I could go after he gave up and went forward.
However, the rest of my day wasn't too weird. I had wanted to leave early but a: I had folks in the lab 'til closing time (on Friday to boot)... and it was POURING at 4:40. I duly informed people that it would stop so I could ride home... and it did :)