Saturday, October 31, 2009

happy halloween...

this never gets old...



hope simon doesn't mind if i post it...peace.

Friday, October 30, 2009

i'll take my naccc dirty...thanks...



details at dirtysouthmessengers.com...nice! the details will pop up slowly. there's still about a year left but this is exciting. good job messengers on finally getting together and making naccc's 2010 happen. it was touch and go there for a minute but things are back in order...peace.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

mca...

this years marcus cook award winner is...luk keller from zurich...



The International Federation of Bike Messenger Associations (IFBMA) is pleased to announce that Zurich messenger Luk Keller has been awarded the 2009 "Markus Cook Memorial Award" (MCA) for Services to the International Messenger Community. The IFBMA has awarded the Markus Cook Award (MCA) since 1998 to the person who has inspired and empowered the wider messenger community, and who put all messengers before themselves.

For over ten years messengers around the world have benefited from Luk’s commitment to community. He was one of the organizers of one the most influential Cycle Messenger World Championships, CMWC 1999, the race that brought “Goldsprint” roller racing to the international messenger community. Luk has also been a driver behind many other major events such as the Swiss Messenger Championships and the X Days Side Show.

But Luk is much more than an ordinary race organizer. Human Powered Rollercoaster champion, Dirk Dijkhuis notes that Luk “organizes races to benefit other people.”

Nothing demonstrates that more than the annual Global Gutz benefit race which was created by Luk and others in 2000. Global Gutz is a race that occurs simultaneously around the world so that messengers can race against the each other without leaving their city. Funds raised from the race are used to send the winners to the current year’s CMWC. The base for Global Gutz organizing has passed around the world over the years, returning to Zurich this year as Luk took the reigns of organization once again in 2009.

After a very successful CMWC 2009 in Tokyo. The Tokyo Bike Messenger Association (TKBMA) found themselves about $34,000 in debt. Luk stepped forward to again to benefit others. He announced the “Tokyo Fundraiser Cup” which challenged messenger communities to organize local fundraisers to help erase the TKBMA’s debt. The city that raises the most money will receive a trophy as the most supportive city and two free registrations for the 2010 Cycle Messenger World Championships in Panajachel Guatemala.

As fellow 2009 Markus Cook Award nominee, Steve Froehlich said, this year has once again shown the world that, Luk "is the spirit of our community."


congratulations...it is well deserved...peace.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

feed the hungry...

i warned them. if you read this then you already know what im talking about. i warned some of the crew about the company hiring more people. i figured maybe they could spread the word and they would all slowly understand what was about to happen. i never quite know if we are or aren't hiring...im out of the loop, sort of. anyway...if you read this blog often then you know that our crew was getting a bit unreliable at times.

the mornings were backed up cause only 5 riders would check in on time...they would all trickle in and by lunch time we usually had a normal crew. if you work in this industry you know that lunch time equals down-time. then two o'clock hits and it starts warming up. 3 o'clock rolls around and it starts heating up. then, i get the crew at four and they all disappear and im left with about 5 guys again for the next two hours...if that. we did what we could...making phone calls as needed and so on but there are only so many phone calls and p*ssed off clients one can make and take before management has to pull the plug.

we hired 3 new cats in about a month. honestly...it didn't really effect the crew because we lost a few cats before that. we basically stayed with the same number of people. thats not how messengers see things though...we're slow again. why? i have no idea. we were quite busy there for a while but now, we're back to being slow. eh...it is what it is. yesterday i got a call from one of our riders...

3132...why did we hire more people? we were doing fine.

j.dot...no we weren't. you cats only have yourselves to blame. i kept telling you cats i needed people to stick with me late in the day but people, including you, would disappear.

3132...oh come on. you got to see it from our perspective...im not gonna stick around for just 1 or 2 jobs an hour after four. you know i'll stick around if there's work. im here every day.

j.dot...no doubt. i know you're hear every day. don't take it personal but when i did have work and i called you all i got was silence. you never responded. i don't want to make it seem like it was only you cause there's about five or six other cats that have a tendency to disappear. it is what it is...we needed help to cover the work and the crew wasn't cutting it.

...see, 3132 would stick around at times. the times he did stick around is when the whole day was slow. see what im getting at? he stuck around cause he didn't make enough on those slow days. on busy days...he would make his loot and then just go home. wtf?! i know this will p*ss off some messengers but come on...you cats need to see beyond today. if we're busy today it doesn't mean we'll be busy tomorrow or the next day. stop making just enough!! don't you want to have more? i don't get it. imo...you gotta get the money while it's there. this industry is so up and down...you just never know when the money will come but when it does you need to jump on it.

i know, i know...it's easier said than done. i know cause i used to work out there and some days...well, you just cant go on. sh*t...i let cats go home early all the time...why? cause when we're busy i would expect the same courtesy back. maybe im wrong? i completely understand that sometimes you're tired but when you can't go on everyday then maybe it's time to reconsider a few things? maybe you should hustle on busy days until there is no work that way on slow days you don't have to kill yourself for nothing. maybe...well, i don't know what the answer is but, as the title states, i will feed the hungry.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

a few stories...

not much to report lately. actually...it's been pretty mellow and rainy around here. i feel bad for these cats cause it's been raining alot and not that busy. oh wells...it's the name of the game i guess. anyway...i figured i would share a couple customer stories and a messenger story...

i answered the phone the other day to take an order...not a big deal. i go through my regular answering routine but am cut off...

customer...not that one. the other one!

j.dot...umm, hello?

customer...yes, that one! now go and get the...

j.dot...hello?

customer...im not giving you attention right now sir. cant you wait?

...see the lady decided to call in an order but she wasn't quite ready. it happens alot but it's one of the most annoying things we deal with. it's sounds so petty but to have someone yelling in your ear to someone else is pretty frustrating. i can't hang up...can i? i have to sit there a grind my teeth until she comes back...i decide some silent treatment is in order...

customer...alright. i need a pick up............hello? hello?.......hello?

j.dot...can i help you?

customer...sir?! don't do that...thats rude. i told you i wasn't giving you attention i would expect you to give me the same courtesy.

j.dot...well, i was under the impression that i was giving you the same courtesy.

customer...what? sir...i told you...

j.dot...can i help you?

...i had to cut her off before i snapped off. i can't stand people sometimes. giving you the same coutesy? give me a f*cking break!! how about you do me a favor and next time call when you're ready with the order instead of yelling in my ear?!

a different day...wait, it might have been the same day? anyway...a customer requested strict parameters to have something delivered because the delivery dock would be closed from 11am to noon. no big deal...we pick up and get to the delivery with 15 minutes or so to spare. the dock is telling my messenger they're closed...wtf?!

j.dot...excuse me miss. our messenger arrived to the dock but they are closed. we wont be able to deliver it.

customer...thats cause the idiot didn't get there in time. i told that idiot that the dock closes at 11am and he barely picked it up around 1030.

j.dot...well, there's no need to call the messenger an idiot mam. in fact...our messenger arrived with 15 minutes to spare. the dock isn't that far away. the dock decided to close early for some reason...

...the lady didn't even apologize for calling him an idiot. we did our job but sometimes people go on break alot sooner than they say they will. not our fault the dock decided to shut down. i kept trying to see if the lady would apologize but nope...nothing. it p*ssed me off more because the driver is one of our best and nicest guys you will ever meet. i should have called her an idiot? haha! im a jerk.

just last week one of our bikers was riding by triple-3 west wacker. we're kinda busy and i don't have time for our crew to mess around. i need them in and out of buildings...you know, the usual hectic routine. i get a call from 1141...

j.dot...what up? what up?

1141...say, i know we're busy but i found a package thats going to 563 west randolph. must have fallen out of one our fellow comrades. im just gonna shoot it straight there...shouldn't take that long.

j.dot...10-4!

...what i really wanted to say was...wtf?!?! we ain't got time for someone else's mistake. a couple minutes go by and i realize that i am truly a jerk. i was glad that 1141 took the time to help out whoever that messenger was that dropped the package. i don't think the messenger who dropped it was from our company but, whoever it was, forty-one understands that the only way to win in this industry is to help each other out every once in a while. im not saying all messengers are as nice as 1141 but on a hectic day it was nice to see. especially when dealing with crazy clients all day it's nice to see that messengers, although they get the bad rap, are truly something special...peace.

Friday, October 23, 2009

you didn't know?



see what i did there? you know...with the title of the post? the question is usually followed up with...i thought you knew...get it? come on...you know you get it...alright, alright, i'll stop...

TyK [Thought You Knew] Project has returned for 2010, this year with two calendars worth of Ladies PinUps and Men’s SuperHeroes, all doing their best for the Chicago Women’s Health Center [CWHC]. The proceeds from the sales of both Calendars go directly to CWHC, the only collectively run women’s health center in the country. CWHC has been a provider of affordable health care and health education to women for over 30 years.

This year, TyK will get a preview at the Sadie Hawkins Style Ride on November 14th, with an after party hosted by Cobra Lounge. Please see the chicagosadiehawkins.info website for more info.

The Gala-Gallery Launch will take place on Friday, November 20th at Mars Gallery, at 1139 W Fulton Market. Koval Liquors will provide a tasting table, and there will be complimentary beer and wine from 5pm-11pm.

Last year, the TyK 2009 Calendar sold two-hundred copies on release night alone, and adorned walls as far-off as Beijing, London, Paris, Tokyo and Vancouver. This year, the website has been revamped, direct ordering and distribution is at the ready and TyK is set to for total domination of cubicle and kitchen walls worldwide!

Photographer Michelle Nolan has returned to capture the allure of Chicago’s sexy lady cyclists, with thirteen PinUps ready to tease you through 2010. None of these ladies are models, just the commuters, racers and joy riders you see out every day on their bikes. We challenge you to spot them on the street, out of their pinup glory.

Not to be left out of the good-works of the world, this year, the Gentlemen of Chicago have stepped up for TyK/B [Thought You Knew BETTER]. Chicago’s cycling Gents reveal their SuperHero identities to Photographer Christopher Dilts. In classic comic book style, their secret identities, as well as street faces, are laid bare for all to see, all year long.

TyK is looking for a few good sponsors while space remains. For press inquiries, or details on sponsorship, please contact:

Alexis Finch

Founder & Producer

TyK, LLC

c: 773.301.2263

afinch@thoughtyouknew.us


do you seriously want to be the only person to not own this calendar? it's for a good cause...benefits the chicago women's health center. if thats not enough then buy it cause it promises to have great photography from michelle nolan and christopher dilts. thats not enough? well, maybe miss august will convince you...




check out more teasers on facebook. btw...don't forget to check out a preview of the calendar at the 4th annual sadie hawkins style ride on november 14th. this year promises to be just as good as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. great job on this project and all parties involved in making this happen...peace.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

silly hollywood...

there's a movie being worked on in hollywood who's central character will be a bike messenger...C.O.D...

C.O.D. finds a bike messenger who is being forced by mysterious bad guys to plant three bombs, lest they plant a bomb on his family. The messenger must not only defeat the bad guys, he must evade a whole nation looking out for him

sounds like a possible "die hard" type of film is you ask me. will bruce willis pass as a messenger? anywhoo...this guy really hates messengers...

Everybody hates bike messengers. First of all, the profession attracts douchebags. Second of all, they're a hazard on the road to drivers and pedestrians alike. Third of all, they always smell.

why all the hate? i don't get it. does he not realize that the movie is set up to make the messenger the victim and hero? in any case...do me and the whole community a favor and don't be afraid to e-mail him your thoughts on his thoughts about messengers. his e-mail is devin@chud.com...i was thinking of writting something like this...

dear mr.faraci,

F*CK YOU...peace.

your friendly dispatcher,

j.dot

...im sure you cats can come up with better things to say...peace.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

advice...

it's been a minute since i've done this advice bit. i get e-mails from people all the time looking for work and wanting advice. it's not a big deal...i offer them MY advice. what does that mean? well...it is what it is and i have no idea...ha! i got an e-mail last night so i've decided to post up my response...well, not all of it...

the best advice i can give you is to not be a messenger. no one is really hiring at the moment. i got all kinds of heads coming my way trying to get a job but i haven't been able to help anyone out. i know you'll need a job but maybe there's something else you can do? that way you concentrate on school. being a messenger takes alot of work...physically and mentally. to try and concentrate on school and work can be very tiring and frustrating.

i noticed you said you have experience being a messenger so everything i just said will probably be ignored and you'll want to do it anyway. if you are...well, not sure what companies are hiring. you can always go to standard courier. there's alot of fees you have to pay to work for them but they are usually always hiring. you can check with u.s. messenger...again, i don't know if they are hiring but they usually are? chicago messenger service might be hiring...they're a huge company. again, they have alot of fees and uniforms to deal with. i would say to try and get a job at dynamex, velocity, on time, apex(hourly), advance messenger service, and so on...but, like i said, i don't think anyone is hiring. all i could do is wish you luck. open up a yellow pages and look up the companies i've mentioned. i wouldn't call them...i would just head to those addresses to see if they're hiring. a good tip...companies will keep applications but if you show up and apply and they're looking for people...your app usually jumps straight to the top. messengers are a dime a dozen and managers have short term memory. meaning...if companies usually hold apps for an extended period of time it doesn't mean you'll get the job if you filled it out 3 months ago as opposed to someone who just walks in. someone might walk in and apply and get hired on the spot...managers have a tendency to forget about cats who put in an app 3 months ago. just cause they didn't hire you this month doesn't mean they won't next month...if that makes any sense.

anyway...good luck with whatever you decide. welcome to my city. if you do get a job as a messenger...we got good people out there. it's not the greatest job but it has some of the greatest people...peace.


honestly kids...work is slowly picking up but it's not the same. work is still slow and companies are simply not hiring. this job can be fun and, Lord knows, i romanticize the sh*t out of this job from time to time but...it's not all sunshine and roses. while this job can be great at times...well, sometimes it karate chops you in the throat and you begin to wonder why you do it. good luck to all who try their hand in this industry...peace.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

what to do on the 31st...



the way i see it...you can make it to the halloween race some of the chicago kids are putting together(which benefits the tkbma) and then party at cals with 6721's band, get up with the get downs. both events are unrelated but i thought i would throw some love to 6721 and the band he's a part of...it's only 5 bucks...Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:00pm till Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 3:00am at Cal's Bar 400 S. Wells. either way...saturday the 31st promises to be a great time in the chicago area. i plan to dress as a messenger...peace.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

simpsons...

nothing to crazy to report and i came across this...



i decided to submit my own character. why? i thought it would be funny to have the simpsons take on the world of messengers...



i know, i know...this is silly. forgive my silliness but i couldn't help it...i had to submit a messenger character...1st seen here...

The contest's winning character, to be drawn by series animators, has a reserved spot in the episode in which Homer disappoints wife Marge by arriving late at a wedding after stopping to buy a lottery ticket.

He encounters the new face while rushing to the ceremony, Jean said, adding that it's possible the character could pop up on the series again.


there's so many ways the character can be introduced. maybe homer doors the messenger? maybe the messenger has a trailer and helps homer get to the wedding? maybe marge gets jealous of the bike messenger? maybe bart falls in love with the bad*ss messenger? maybe bart becomes a bike messenger? maybe lisa takes a liking to the messenger cause, as we all know, messengers are creative? head over here and submit your own character...again, forgive my silliness(ha?).

anywhoo...enjoy your weekend. it's been cold and rainy all week. thank you to our crew who rocked it out in this weather. i hope the weekend treats you better than the week did...peace.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

every little bit helps...


the cuttin'cruiser has helped with the chicago naccc's, velocity, my bachelor party, and helps chicago's finest get around from race to race. If you're at an event and you see the cuttin'cruiser come around you know it'll be good times. the owners of this amazing machine need our help. it's down and out for the moment and, if you have kept up with anything i've written, you know messengers don't make much loot...

If you know Jeff, you know he’s not the type to hassle his passengers for gas money. If you’ve ever grabbed a dog and a beer at one of the couches, and never saw the tip jar sitting out conspicuously, well, maybe you can throw a little somethin’ in there now, to help get this thing back on the road. Hopefully we’ll be rolling soon.

if you happen to miss the tip jar head over to the cuttin'crew page to donate or click here. i got you kids but you're gonna have to wait till friday. turns out dispatchers don't make much money either...ha? lets do what we can to help the cruiser keep rolling...peace.

halloween...


click on flyer to view larger...

head over to chicagohalloween.blogspot.com for all the details. these kids are not messing around. all kinds of sponsors. great job. don't know if i'll make it but i'll definitely be buying a shirt...peace.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

that was quick...update...

im really gonna have to start paying nico for being my eyes and ears on the street. thanks for the update...

dude the race was great! margo got 2nd place for the women... 2nd to christina, who got 2nd overall ha!

the top three were:
1. mike urbanis
2. christina peck
3. brian from standard

overall we raised $275 for the tkbma which is pretty amazing. its a direct reflection of the solidarity that naturally comes with working in this industry. everyone was stoked on the benefit, and even people who paid for the race, continued to unload their pockets into the fund. suprisingly we had 30 people racing in the cold saturday evening... and about 16 people dealing with standing still at their checkpoint for an hour and a half. the afterparty was fantastic... you can check out pictures on chris dilt's flickr... pbr was consumed well into the a.m. by messengers, bike geeks, and people who just wanted in on the fun. november's race has no date yet, but i assure you we have the ball rolling and its guaranteed to be a good one... just a little colder!!!

it should be known that all the prizes we gave out to the top 10 racers were donated by denise and q from apex courier, and marcus from yojimbo's garage. the prizes allowed us to keep the cash for the tkbma while still making it worthwhile for those who placed well.


i told margot that if she won i would give her a guatemalan jersey. well...if you ain't first your last...ha! just jazzin'...i'll bring the jersey some time this week. i knew i sponsored the right messenger. thanks for the update nico. keep us updated on the november plans. congratulations to all who participated...peace.

congratualtions to...?

the downtown shakedown was this past weekend. it is just the beginning of things to come in an effort to help tokyo. in true chicago form...i have no idea who won...ha! so why post? well...cause chris dilts was there and documented the whole thing as usual...we all like pics, right?





check out his set here. from the looks of things...seems like chicago is headed in the right direction. having fun and giving to a good cause is always good. thanks to all who had a hand in putting this together. now...somebody tell me who won what. i guess i should get off my a*s and make it to these events but dispatching has really made me lazy...ha? can't wait for the next idea to help our fellow messengers ...peace.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

trailer...

back in june i posted about a lovely lady, marie ullrich, who was putting together a film...faster. it's not quite done yet but this wednesday they will be having a viewing of the trailer. i believe it's free to the public...

It's not the film itself, just the trailer for the film, which is showing as part of a group art opening for students who won a Weisman Award. No tickets required. There will be wine n cheese, and the trailer will show on a loop with other short clips of the other films.



Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: 618 South Michigan Avenue, Floor 2

not sure if they'll let me out of work early but, if they do...i will be there. thanks for the heads up marie. good luck putting the final touches on the film...peace.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

10-9...

messenger appreciation day came and went. how was yours? i woke up and got ready for work...got a phone call...

sister...what are you doing?

j.dot...about to leave for my ma's, a pinchazo, and then work...why?

sister...my car is stalled on california and grand.

f*ck! whats a pinchazo? it's where you take your flat tire on your car to get repaired. thats right, my car had a flat and was rolling on a donut...damn! sooooo...i have to deal with a flat and help my sister get the car back home till we can figure out whats wrong. called work and told them i was gonna run behind. i don't start till 10 and i got the call around 730am but i knew i was gonna be late...oh wells. on top of all of this...it was raining. not hard but just enough to annoy the h*ll out of you.

i finally got everything done and was headed to work around 1045 or so...p*ssed. as im driving down augusta coming up on western i see jeff perkins. he didn't look happy. i realized then that although my pockets were more empty than when i woke up and that i had a sh*tty morning...i didn't have to ride all day in this weather. our bikers here in chicago had to deal with high 40's and rain...not just rain here and there but rain ALL DAY!

well...i hope a simple thank you from a dispatcher will do...ha! as i tell my crew, especially on nasty days, thank you for the work today.

oh yeah...as a side note, don't forget about today's downtown shuffle. chicago is trying to do their part to show japan that they are appreciated. i have a sponsored rider out there. you can try and beat her but i have a feeling she won't disappoint...peace.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

there's a flyer somewhere...

downtown.shakedown.v2
sat.oct.10.@7pm
daley.plaza.$7
benefit.for.tkbma
prizes.from.chrome
apex.courier
armitage.bike.shop

after party @ nico's
2147 s halsted st apt 1
$7 / free for racers/helpers


the tokyo bike messenger association is up to its ears in debt after throwing the legendary cmwc2009 this past month. let's help them restore their lives to some normalcy by chipping in to help out. proceeds from the race / after party will go to helping out our friends across the pacific. some great companies are pitching in some dope prizes so come out saturday and getcha some.

i can't make it...i got some soon-to-be-baby things to take care of on saturday. the good news...i will still donate my money. does someone need an entry fee? send me an e-mail and it's yours. big ups to any and all that help put this together. keep your eyes here...they will be updating the cities who have donated. our fellow messengers need help and it's nice to see chicago, along with other cities, step up...peace.

Monday, October 5, 2009

interview...

it's been a minute since the last interview so i decided to reach out to someone who would shed some light from a different perspective. rep'n for the ladies it's the lovely nicole. i gotta be honest...we've said hello to each other but i've never really had a conversation with her...my apologies. the lady is smart, talented, and understands this industry more than most veterans out there. anywhoo...without further interruption...



1.why did you decide to messenger?

Well, this tale is somewhat of a saga. I've always ridden bikes, but I got more interested in it during high-school. Fast forward a few years later, I'm living in Boston, I've got an awesome job that I love, & this boyfriend who's a messenger (we met as "non-messengers"). I was just as serious about bikes as he was but it wasn't my profession at the time. I often told him that if my job ever became shitty, I was going to quit & start riding too. He would tell me that I couldn't do it, that I wouldn't last, I wouldn't make it, I wasn't tough enough, etc. Well, fate intervened, as it so often does, & we broke up. It was really a nasty one, too. So much so, that I decided not to remain in Boston & moved to Chicago. I transferred with my company, & of course my position changed with the transfer. I wasn't allowed to do all the cool shit I once had, so I started looking for a messenger job in a foreign city. When someone tells you so adamantly that you are incapable of doing something, it really drives you to want to excel with the challenge. For me, that was the number one motivator in deciding to messenger. I guess I didn't realize what my chances for failure would be by doing it in an unknown city. But I sure as fuck proved that dude wrong.

2.when did you start? has the time been on/off or straight?

I began at the beginning of January, 2005. Dead of Chicago winter. I quit in October of 2007, I felt like I was almost getting dumber being out there all day, yelling at drivers, or my dispatcher. It was no longer serene for me. I came back in January, 2009, after I had been laid off. I probably won't go back again.


3.what bike did you start on? what do you ride today?


I started on a Fuji Track bike. With all of it's crappy components. I had been in my first wreck a few months prior, so my Miyata was destroyed & I needed a quick fix. Marcus (at Yojimbo's) was having an end of season sale to bring in the new models, & I got the Fuji at a steal. These days I ride a De Bernardi, or my old cruiser if I'm feeling lazy. I'm looking for a sweet steel road frame, though, if anyone has a 52/53cm laying around!


4.you've seen a few come and go...any stick out in your mind?


Oh god, this awful girl (i know, i know, but not catty) She had money, she had a totally cherry bike, with the bells & whistles, & she started in the late summer. It was an unseasonably warm fall, & she seemed to think she could hang. My dispatcher wanted another girl on the crew, & one of the boneheads that worked there at the time threw her name out, or told her to come in, who knows. I came back from the NACCC's in Philly, & this broad was there. The first snow came out of nowhere, she showed up super-late, after the roads had been plowed & salted, & still left an hour later claiming she had frost bite. Obviously she never returned. There was another Dude with a great frame he barely knew how to ride. I forgot where he came from, I sure as hell don't know where he went, but I do know he was short lived. But I suppose that's the story of many a rookie. Oh, & then there's the girl I got a job for, & then completely burned me. A fist-fight ensued. She's definitely gone now.


5.since you started...what changes have you noticed for the industry? what changes would you like to see?

I haven't seen too many positive changes, in all honesty. The industry is dying, quite sadly, messenger jobs are becoming more scarce, yet there's an influx of kids who want the job title, to say they're a messenger, crowding it out, & taking work from people who've been rolling a lot longer. The amount of work a messenger is doing is getting smaller & smaller, regardless of how many given people are on board that day. Buildings are taking tighter security measures. I do love the efficiency of messenger centers, but for all the time they save, that much more is wasted when you bring in a box, or need to get the back half of a roundtrip. I would like to see some of the personnel in these heated, air conditioned, cozy little holes just give us a break, instead of yelling at us when we've got something over ten pounds. Remember buddy, I had to carry this fucker on my handle bars for a mile, & you can't even put it on a push cart? There are some really great people working M.C.'s though & I give them all the props in the world for making my day go smoother.


nicole on the left...btw, is this pic from chris dilts?


6.whats your experience as a messenger lady? positive/negative?

Golly, Both! There were times when I could use a little finesse & get something taken care of that a dude couldn't (unfair, I know) just because of a little flirtation, or just because I was a girl. That really helped me get things done quicker, scam free coffee, sneak up a main elevator, etc. But there have been times that guys thought they could touch me just because I had tattoos. They'd grab my arm, THEN ask to see them, & start asking me about them. You KNOW they wouldn't do that to another guy. I've scolded a few & they've sassed back. I also really loved when an altercation with a haphazardly driving idiot would occur, I'd yell something along the lines of "fuck you!" & they'd yell back at what a "dyke, bitch" I was. I don't know if any other ladies have gotten this from male, or even other female motorists but I don't know how they could derive my sexual orientation from the two wheels beneath me. Also, I always felt really empowered on those awful weather days, when I was out there, & I would see how few of my male counterparts came to work that day.

7.greatest day messengering...worst?

The last day of work before a Christmas long weekend started, I think this was 2006. I did only 24 runs that day, it was a pretty slow one. But 21 of those runs were directs. I made the most money I've ever made in a single day. I guess my second best day was also a pretty shitty one, though. I did 63 runs, 25 of them in the last hour & a half. I busted my ass that day, & it was raining. I felt really proud, but really pissed as well. My worst day was probably recently, this past winter. My dispatcher was a total heroin addict & she was trying to dispatch a days work to two people, & it was like, negative three as a high temp that day. I was riding from Ashland & Washington, to Roosevelt & Prarie, to Chicago & Kingsbury all in one "set". There was no continuity & they were all burnt runs, because she forgot about them. I don't mind distance so much, but I would really love to have a break from the blowing, cold wind for maybe five minutes, thanks.


8.i know you mentioned to me that you've dispatched...what are your thoughts on that? better or worse than riding?


I do really like it, but it helps if you're dispatching an individual who has an idea of how to route himself. I did enjoy putting sets together, but the ship was really tight at that time, so I'd often dispatch part of the day & then have to go out & ride too. Being a dispatcher can often be just as stressful as biking, but in the way that you've got to deal with the client calling every five minutes wanting to know why their package hasn't been picked up. You can't make a biker work faster than they're capable, so that's pretty stressful. But when you're a biker, you try as hard as you can with what you've got, & knowing the companies fate is in your hands does weigh pretty heavy on your mind. I guess I like them both equally for different reasons. I can be a lot worse on those perfect Spring days, though.

9.do you think you'll come back?

Nah. I burned the bridge with On the Fly, & nobody else is hiring. I really enjoy riding my bicycle, & I fouled that up for a while by doing it for money. Man, the first time I quit, I didn't want to look at the damn thing for near a month.

10.advice for rookies?


You've got a college degree, go fucking use it. This business is dying, young man.


bern model...

man.o.man...im so glad i interviewed you nicole. you have much knowledge about the industry and cats need to hear how this job really is. i've told you how this industry has a tendency to bring on some very talented individuals...well, nicole is no exception. check out her blog here, her myspace with most of work here, and don't be afraid to purchase some items on etsy here. thank you so much for providing us with an interview...i promise next time i will do my best to say more than hello...ha! it sucks that the industry burned her out a bit...it happens to many of us...it's a shame that it does. thank you again for the interview...good luck with wherever fate may take you...peace.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

10-9...10-8!

as long as messengers are being appreciated it doesn't matter what day you pick...


click on flyer to enlarge...

saw it over at the ccu page. as some of you know...10-9 is known as messenger appreciation day. this year active transportation and goose island beer co. have teamed-up to show our community some love. thank you to everyone who help put this together. hopefully i'll see you cats there...peace.

Friday, October 2, 2009

tokyo needs our help...



Whichever city respectively community has raised the most money for the Tokyo CMWC organizers by Christmas Eve wins a sweet trophy, 2 free registration spots for CMWC2010 and the respect of the worldwide bicycle messenger community.

check all the info here...looks like zurich and basel already have a leg up on us. come on chicago...lets make it happen. lets help our fellow messengers from the far east. i hear there are some things in the works already...possibly and alleycat here and there? i'll keep you cats posted. the tickets to guatemala would be nice but the keyword is "respect"...peace.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

double edge sword?

the big day is upon us. the ioc decides if chicago will be the host city for the 2016 olympics. there's alot of arguments for why it would be a positive and why it would be a negative. this being a messenger blog...i figure why not talk about the pros and cons for our industry.



pros...thats easy. we will be busy. how busy? not sure but i know we'll be busier than we are now. work will start coming to our city year in and year out and companies will depend on their courier companies to help them get the jobs accomplished. i know it sounds kinda silly to say that but alot of companies depend on us to make sure documents get filed, drawings get to the contractors, bids make it in time, and so on. as a non-messenger positive...we get to see some world class cycling up close and personal.

cons...it might end up being a bit too crazy. work overload along with traffic jams...not good. sh*t...chicago's traffic is already famous for being stressful...now imagine throwing a sh*t ton of tourists...f*ck! the funny thing about the traffic con is that it's a pro for our bicycle messengers. why? companies will depend on them to get work done quicker and more efficiently than a car. this means more money in the pocket of our riders here in chicago.

actually...lets just get rid of the cons for the messenger industry. if a messenger complains that we're too busy then maybe it's time to retire. i know the arguments for why chicago should not host the olympics but from a work stand point...it would be nice to be busy again. sometimes it's stressful to be busy but it's a good kind of stress...if that makes any sense.

well...i guess good luck to us? i hope we get it? i know the financial struggles it might bring but...lets worry about that later? i really don't know what to think...all i know is that i want to do something besides read the internet all day. btw...if the olympics come to chicago it will bring cabbies and messengers together...


check video two from chicago2016.org...

awww...a cabbie passing the batton to a messenger. if that doesn't encompass the olympic spirit i don't know what does. i guess we find out around 1145am...they're planning on having over 20,000 people gathering at daley center right in the heart of downtown chicago. i really hope everyone and their mama is glued to the tv cause making deliveries through that is gonna suck...peace.