a warning to all participants...i hope you love sauerkraut. i heard last year was great...i have no doubt that 787 will make this one just as memorable. get all your details here. remember kids...ride safe...peace.
Friday, February 25, 2011
chicago loves polish people...
seriously, does any other state and/or city celebrate the life of casimir pulaski? ok, ok...a few other places but not like chicago? anywhoo...787 is putting together the 2nd annual chicago polcat...
a warning to all participants...i hope you love sauerkraut. i heard last year was great...i have no doubt that 787 will make this one just as memorable. get all your details here. remember kids...ride safe...peace.
a warning to all participants...i hope you love sauerkraut. i heard last year was great...i have no doubt that 787 will make this one just as memorable. get all your details here. remember kids...ride safe...peace.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
did you hear? there's an election taking place...
chicago is voting in a new mayor...very exciting. we all have sat around wondering how long daley would hold onto the thrown but he has finally decided to move on give others a chance. this post really isn't about who's gonna be top dog around here...instead, its about a man with big dreams by the name of hector gonzalez...
hector is the man on the right...
Raven brought Gonzalez down to the South Side to work on engaging students at underperforming high schools through the hip-hop arts. Ultimately, Raven would found the “University of Hip-Hop,” an organization aimed at mobilizing and engaging youth through the art form.
As he grew older, Gonzalez would work with the University to explore misogyny and violence in popular music, get high schoolers questioning the artists they heard on the radio, and use hip-hop, art and dance to advocate for issues like summer jobs for youth and fighting the prison-industrial complex. But the long reign of Mayor Daley had Gonzalez disillusioned with city politics.
All that changed when Daley announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election, and neither would the Machine-backed alderman in the West Lawn area, Frank Olivo. Gonzalez saw a rare opportunity to put into practice the social ideals he’d been preaching at the University, and took the plunge into the aldermanic race.
why do i bring up hector on a bicycle messenger blog? he's an ex-patriot to the bicycle courier industry. he was riding before i started riding about 10 years ago. he lasted quite some time...5 years or so? i might be off. he's one of the greatest messengers i have ever had the pleasure of knowing and riding next to. im still angry he beat me in a global guts race one year by 2 or so seconds...ha!
here in chicago we're proud of messengers who go on to do big things. hector was always about the hustle...its good that hasn't stopped. the city needs positive people like him. the bicycle courier community as a whole should be very proud of hector and the fact that people like him exist...read the whole article here.
“They’re not going to be able to stop the new generation of movers and shakers. We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
hector4alderman.com...peace.
hector is the man on the right...
Raven brought Gonzalez down to the South Side to work on engaging students at underperforming high schools through the hip-hop arts. Ultimately, Raven would found the “University of Hip-Hop,” an organization aimed at mobilizing and engaging youth through the art form.
As he grew older, Gonzalez would work with the University to explore misogyny and violence in popular music, get high schoolers questioning the artists they heard on the radio, and use hip-hop, art and dance to advocate for issues like summer jobs for youth and fighting the prison-industrial complex. But the long reign of Mayor Daley had Gonzalez disillusioned with city politics.
All that changed when Daley announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election, and neither would the Machine-backed alderman in the West Lawn area, Frank Olivo. Gonzalez saw a rare opportunity to put into practice the social ideals he’d been preaching at the University, and took the plunge into the aldermanic race.
why do i bring up hector on a bicycle messenger blog? he's an ex-patriot to the bicycle courier industry. he was riding before i started riding about 10 years ago. he lasted quite some time...5 years or so? i might be off. he's one of the greatest messengers i have ever had the pleasure of knowing and riding next to. im still angry he beat me in a global guts race one year by 2 or so seconds...ha!
here in chicago we're proud of messengers who go on to do big things. hector was always about the hustle...its good that hasn't stopped. the city needs positive people like him. the bicycle courier community as a whole should be very proud of hector and the fact that people like him exist...read the whole article here.
“They’re not going to be able to stop the new generation of movers and shakers. We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
hector4alderman.com...peace.
Monday, February 21, 2011
3 main events...
every year there are courier championships throughout the world. every year the ones talked about the most are the 3 main events...worlds, naccc's, and ecmc's. this year is no different and promises to have some memorable events...
head over to warsawcarkillers.org for all the info needed to attend the worlds...taking place in warsaw, poland.
head over to www.naccc2011austin.com for all the info needed to attend the naccc's...taking place in austin, texas.
head over to ecmc2011.com for all the info needed to attend the ecmc...taking place in madrid, spain.
the bicycle courier championships that take place year in and year out are a great testament to how diverse this community really is. a pat on the back to all the organizers and volunteers. dont forget kids...while it is a lot of fun to visit other places, next year, the world comes to chicago...peace.
head over to warsawcarkillers.org for all the info needed to attend the worlds...taking place in warsaw, poland.
head over to www.naccc2011austin.com for all the info needed to attend the naccc's...taking place in austin, texas.
head over to ecmc2011.com for all the info needed to attend the ecmc...taking place in madrid, spain.
the bicycle courier championships that take place year in and year out are a great testament to how diverse this community really is. a pat on the back to all the organizers and volunteers. dont forget kids...while it is a lot of fun to visit other places, next year, the world comes to chicago...peace.
Monday, January 31, 2011
earn your stripes...
within the bicycle courier industry a lot is debated as to whether someone is a "real" messenger. i have my own feelings about the whole thing which has changed quite a few times throughout the years. this post isn't really to keep the debate going...maybe one day i'll bring it back up but for now, this is about how to earn your stipes quick and fast. the next two days will be the days messengers talk about...
Snow totals of 12-20 inches are possible between Monday night and Wednesday afternoon with locally higher amounts. Drifting and blowing snow will make travel dangerous and possibly life threatening Tuesday night.
personally, i think messengers should not try and brave these harsh conditions. if the storm really is as harsh as they are predicting...i say stay home. i know you guys wont listen...Lord knows you never listen to your dispatcher...ha! for those of you brave/silly enough to go out...ride safe. remember...i know you get paid to deliver packages but at what expense?
i know, i know...im contradicting myself by saying "earn your stripes" but stay home. messenger mentality is silly like that...if you're out there puttig your life in danger then you're one of us/them. if you stay home...well, it'll be a while before they let that go...ha? some of you have to go out there and work. some of you dont. all im saying is...weigh the pros and cons.
again...ride safe kids. Lord knows if its really nasty out im not driving to work...peace.
Snow totals of 12-20 inches are possible between Monday night and Wednesday afternoon with locally higher amounts. Drifting and blowing snow will make travel dangerous and possibly life threatening Tuesday night.
personally, i think messengers should not try and brave these harsh conditions. if the storm really is as harsh as they are predicting...i say stay home. i know you guys wont listen...Lord knows you never listen to your dispatcher...ha! for those of you brave/silly enough to go out...ride safe. remember...i know you get paid to deliver packages but at what expense?
i know, i know...im contradicting myself by saying "earn your stripes" but stay home. messenger mentality is silly like that...if you're out there puttig your life in danger then you're one of us/them. if you stay home...well, it'll be a while before they let that go...ha? some of you have to go out there and work. some of you dont. all im saying is...weigh the pros and cons.
again...ride safe kids. Lord knows if its really nasty out im not driving to work...peace.
Friday, January 21, 2011
career courier...
Friday, December 31, 2010
a resolution for bike messengers...
i still look back at my days as a bike messenger...why? to be honest...it was probably the greatest job i had. i didn't have as many bills as i have today so there's no way i could do it again...it just doesn't pay but it really was a great job.
i remember having some really horrible days. you know...days where the weather was just disgusting, days when security was treating you like sh*t, days when the traffic lights weren't cooperating...you know, those type of days. i also remember the days when things would just flow, work was more than steady, i was getting free coffee at spots, i was getting that extra smile from the cute receptionist, the security guard at that one building wasn't working...you know, those type of days. then i think back at how many were good days at work and how many were bad days. to be honest...there just wasn't enough good days.
thats the problem with this industry...messengers have a short memory. well...there are other problems but i believe this to be one of the bigger ones. bike messengers only live in the now...which is great, for now but not for later. if you feed a bike messenger one days he/she is willing to be treated like sh*t for the next week or so because they only hold on to those nice days. the days they were fed. do you get what im saying? bike messengers only hold on to the glory days and seem to forget how crappy this industry can be on them. they dont realize that there is a future out there and they are a part of it.
sure...you made over 100 today but what about tomorrow? i've made over 100 in a day and i've made about 50 bucks in a day. i've seen it happen to many. sh*t...i've seen cats make about 50 for two days of work. are you serious?! the thing is...they forget the fact that they made that little because of the one day...that one single day when everything just flowed in their favor.
to be honest...i used to think, if you put your time in the money will be there. that just isn't true. if you put your time in...the money will be there sometimes. that sucks. so this new year i urge bike messengers to drop the short memory and think bigger. to think beyond the day they are currently in. to think beyond, next week, next month, and so on. will things get better? who knows...but 10 years down the line...what will you have to show for all your work? yes, yes...i know all about all the great memories and friendships that get built. believe me...i have my fair share but memories wont help pay the bills and take care of your family.
happy new year kids...hope 2011 treats everyone better. ride safe...peace.
i remember having some really horrible days. you know...days where the weather was just disgusting, days when security was treating you like sh*t, days when the traffic lights weren't cooperating...you know, those type of days. i also remember the days when things would just flow, work was more than steady, i was getting free coffee at spots, i was getting that extra smile from the cute receptionist, the security guard at that one building wasn't working...you know, those type of days. then i think back at how many were good days at work and how many were bad days. to be honest...there just wasn't enough good days.
thats the problem with this industry...messengers have a short memory. well...there are other problems but i believe this to be one of the bigger ones. bike messengers only live in the now...which is great, for now but not for later. if you feed a bike messenger one days he/she is willing to be treated like sh*t for the next week or so because they only hold on to those nice days. the days they were fed. do you get what im saying? bike messengers only hold on to the glory days and seem to forget how crappy this industry can be on them. they dont realize that there is a future out there and they are a part of it.
sure...you made over 100 today but what about tomorrow? i've made over 100 in a day and i've made about 50 bucks in a day. i've seen it happen to many. sh*t...i've seen cats make about 50 for two days of work. are you serious?! the thing is...they forget the fact that they made that little because of the one day...that one single day when everything just flowed in their favor.
to be honest...i used to think, if you put your time in the money will be there. that just isn't true. if you put your time in...the money will be there sometimes. that sucks. so this new year i urge bike messengers to drop the short memory and think bigger. to think beyond the day they are currently in. to think beyond, next week, next month, and so on. will things get better? who knows...but 10 years down the line...what will you have to show for all your work? yes, yes...i know all about all the great memories and friendships that get built. believe me...i have my fair share but memories wont help pay the bills and take care of your family.
happy new year kids...hope 2011 treats everyone better. ride safe...peace.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
prepare for next year...
alright kids...the new year is just around the corner. this means...get your passport ready and mark your calendars...oh yeah, and save up money. the new year always brings all kinds of messenger championships. i'll dig around and try to get them all up for us again...you know, naccc's, cmwc's, cimb's, and so on. for now...every messenger and ex-messenger should gear up and save up for a trip to warsaw, poland...
check in with the warsawcarkillers for updates. im sure they will not disappoint. its all going down july 28th through the 31st. enjoy your holidays. for those of you playing in the snow...it's ok to take a day off no matter what your dispatcher says...peace.
check in with the warsawcarkillers for updates. im sure they will not disappoint. its all going down july 28th through the 31st. enjoy your holidays. for those of you playing in the snow...it's ok to take a day off no matter what your dispatcher says...peace.
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