THE AIR.
Last night when I attempted to bicycle home, I literally couldn't. It felt like there were a million daggers stabbing my lungs and a constant feeling of bile creeping up my esophagus. My eye balls were burning, trying to see through the fog of inversion. Gulping down the air was difficult and I could taste some kind of gasoline'ish film in my throat. In my 9 years of bicycle commuting I'd never experienced anything this intense air-wise. I peddled to the nearest train station and looked up the times.
Seeing that the next train would be coming in 30 minutes, I traveled up the street, feeling like I was about to puke the entire way, until I got to a coffee shop, ordered a drink, and hid inside. I was NOT looking forward to leaving my new found bunker to travel half a block in that air to the train station, but I did, eventually got home, and looked online to see what the hell was up. To my horror, I found stuff like this:
All night long I tossed and turned, waking up every so often having a difficult time breathing. I felt this subtle liquidy sensation, deep down in my lungs, rattling up to my throat.
And this morning the air felt even worse. I wore this Respro City anti-pollution mask of mine and, despite having it on, I could still taste the gasoline film in my throat. It doesn't protect from the air, but it's something, right? Whatever happened to sunshine and green grass and little happy faces on shiny red bicycles? I'm doing everything I can NOT to bicycle and to get to the train or buses instead. My eyes are still burning as I type this. Phlegm city is alive and active; the polluted mucous senate in session.
And so begins my TRANS BONANZA DAY!
Today truly is a Trans Bonanza Day. There's going to be a meeting about the anti-trans bill Representative Wimmer proposed, HB 225 (my blog post about this), today at 1pm. I'm leaving work for a couple of hours to peddle through the inversion fog to attend. In addition, it's also my support group after work AND my 4th injection.
Binding in this kind of air is definitely tricky, when it's difficult to get in enough air (bad, grody air) as is. I've been using the T Kingdom M801, then unzipping it whenever I can. I had it unzipped to peddle and I have it unzipped at work underneath a large hoodie. After I bicycle, I'm able to walk into a nearby bathroom to zip it up real quick and can pop out with my stunning masculine chest, all Superman transformation style. This strategy is working for now, in weather where I can wear jackets and hoodies. Summer will bring a slew of new challenges, I'm sure. Then again, I'll actually be able to breathe in the summer. Oh air, I should've never taken you for granted.
Quick side rant just to elaborate on HB 225, the more I think about it, the more obnoxious it gets. For example, if it passes it's going to make the entire discussion about sex and genitals (which isn't the DMV's business), instead of about an individual's right to privacy and safety. It isn't enough to have a written letter from a therapist making it clear an individual is transsexual? And the worst, how it will turn licenses into instant "out" cards. Maybe I could wear a little patch on my jacket to boot? Or maybe an arm band? Boo. No stamp of approval here.
p.s. my co-worker and I just discussed finding bubble contraptions just to walk up the street. It's like we're all huddled up in a bunker, hiding from the poison air outside. If we did have said bubble contraptions, they definitely need to have little bubble arms so we can hold hands and little bubble legs with plush footie bottoms of some sort. If there was enough plushy inside I also wouldn't have to worry about binding, so long as I didn't feel any foreign and bizarre fat-on-sternum jiggling.
I'll need to think this design out a bit more, but in the meantime I'm pretty content with the design that The Yes Men came up with in 2006 and actually presented to rich Halliburton Reps:
The Yes Men Strike Again: Group Poses As Halliburton Reps At "Catastrophic Loss" Conference
Last night when I attempted to bicycle home, I literally couldn't. It felt like there were a million daggers stabbing my lungs and a constant feeling of bile creeping up my esophagus. My eye balls were burning, trying to see through the fog of inversion. Gulping down the air was difficult and I could taste some kind of gasoline'ish film in my throat. In my 9 years of bicycle commuting I'd never experienced anything this intense air-wise. I peddled to the nearest train station and looked up the times.
Seeing that the next train would be coming in 30 minutes, I traveled up the street, feeling like I was about to puke the entire way, until I got to a coffee shop, ordered a drink, and hid inside. I was NOT looking forward to leaving my new found bunker to travel half a block in that air to the train station, but I did, eventually got home, and looked online to see what the hell was up. To my horror, I found stuff like this:
MyFoxUtah: Utah Declared Worst Air In US
Utah's air is the nation's dirtiest; relief may come this weekend.
KSL: Air now unhealthy for general public
All night long I tossed and turned, waking up every so often having a difficult time breathing. I felt this subtle liquidy sensation, deep down in my lungs, rattling up to my throat.
And this morning the air felt even worse. I wore this Respro City anti-pollution mask of mine and, despite having it on, I could still taste the gasoline film in my throat. It doesn't protect from the air, but it's something, right? Whatever happened to sunshine and green grass and little happy faces on shiny red bicycles? I'm doing everything I can NOT to bicycle and to get to the train or buses instead. My eyes are still burning as I type this. Phlegm city is alive and active; the polluted mucous senate in session.
And so begins my TRANS BONANZA DAY!
Today truly is a Trans Bonanza Day. There's going to be a meeting about the anti-trans bill Representative Wimmer proposed, HB 225 (my blog post about this), today at 1pm. I'm leaving work for a couple of hours to peddle through the inversion fog to attend. In addition, it's also my support group after work AND my 4th injection.
Binding in this kind of air is definitely tricky, when it's difficult to get in enough air (bad, grody air) as is. I've been using the T Kingdom M801, then unzipping it whenever I can. I had it unzipped to peddle and I have it unzipped at work underneath a large hoodie. After I bicycle, I'm able to walk into a nearby bathroom to zip it up real quick and can pop out with my stunning masculine chest, all Superman transformation style. This strategy is working for now, in weather where I can wear jackets and hoodies. Summer will bring a slew of new challenges, I'm sure. Then again, I'll actually be able to breathe in the summer. Oh air, I should've never taken you for granted.
Quick side rant just to elaborate on HB 225, the more I think about it, the more obnoxious it gets. For example, if it passes it's going to make the entire discussion about sex and genitals (which isn't the DMV's business), instead of about an individual's right to privacy and safety. It isn't enough to have a written letter from a therapist making it clear an individual is transsexual? And the worst, how it will turn licenses into instant "out" cards. Maybe I could wear a little patch on my jacket to boot? Or maybe an arm band? Boo. No stamp of approval here.
p.s. my co-worker and I just discussed finding bubble contraptions just to walk up the street. It's like we're all huddled up in a bunker, hiding from the poison air outside. If we did have said bubble contraptions, they definitely need to have little bubble arms so we can hold hands and little bubble legs with plush footie bottoms of some sort. If there was enough plushy inside I also wouldn't have to worry about binding, so long as I didn't feel any foreign and bizarre fat-on-sternum jiggling.
I'll need to think this design out a bit more, but in the meantime I'm pretty content with the design that The Yes Men came up with in 2006 and actually presented to rich Halliburton Reps:
God I hear ya, I had to run for a bus this morning. I almost died of suffocation! I know I am not that out of shape that a slight jog across the street would wind me that much. My eyes are also burning, I feel like I stayed up way to late playing fable without the fun benefits of playing fable!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts will be with you at your anti stupid trans law function. I wish I could join. Stupid jobs getting in the way of life!
If this air doesn't clean up I am wearing my gas mask around!
You should buy an old army surplus gas mask, as both a statement and to look more man-ish and fearsome as you peddle through the gloom.
ReplyDeleteKegg: Gah, no kidding! I almost hate that my Respro City Mask doesn't look more like the gas mask that it is, just to make a point. In regards to Fable, despite the fact that we're all bunkered up and hiding from poison air, I'm still jealous. Trust me, I'm breaking in to your home to finish playing it soon. Don't try to stop me.
ReplyDeleteKammorremae: So very true. Gas masks really are pretty neat, and I'm so glad we've come to a day and age where I could actually justify wearing one to bicycle. I think I'll get this one:
ReplyDeletehttp://approvedgasmasks.com/images/evo5000-mask.jpg
I read this right after I read your blog... http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-21-air-pollution_N.htm
ReplyDeleteThat is a sweet looking gas mask, gas mask tend to remind me of the Spy vs Spy characters from Mad. Perhaps that's why I love them so? Its like a fond childhood memory...
You don't need to break in, just let me know when you want to come over. Boyd goes and plays durring the day all the time you are welcome to do so as well. WOOT !
Just make sure you paint it to match your cape and leotard.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Respro website:
ReplyDelete"It should only be used to reduce discomfort caused by exposure to coarse, non-toxic particles where the concentrations do not exceed the National permissible exposure limit."
Those articles listed pollutants three times over the safety. Maybe you should really upgrade your hardware.
Kammorremae: I do need to upgrade it, actually (i.e. hardcore army gas mask), but there are complications!
ReplyDeleteFor example, I have the "Metro" Respro mask also, which is a little more hardcore (but still not hardcore enough), but it's really difficult to get enough air while exerting myself peddling.
So, I'm going with the City mask and just trying hard NOT to bicycle as much as possible and, when I do, to go easy and to not exert myself too much. :(
Survivaball!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally getting one.
(check out the powerpoint presentation at the end of that link. it's beautiful.)