So a while ago I was contacted by the BBC (everyone from that organization has the best accent ever, I could listen to them talk all day long, Brilliant! Smashing!) they had this crazy idea. I wouldn’t in any way read/listen/watch/hear the news for two whole days. This is going to be kind of hard for me, as I compulsively consume news. I read over a hundred rss feeds, listen to NPR, check lots of news sites, and also read a fair number of “newsy” books. It’s a sickness.

So starting today at 7am I am on a 48 hour news blackout. I have had to re-do how I get email, had to strip out stuff that gets automatically sent to me, had to reset my radio station to something else to wake up to, and with an iron sense of will I must avoid my rss reader.. I don’t know if I can make it. I mean what is something happens, and I don’t find out about it!?!

In all seriousness I agreed to this little challenge because I thought it might be a way to see if I really need to be that informed. Would I get more done at work, read more fiction, take more pictures, ride my bike more. I don’t know, but we will see. On Wednesday, they are going to take me down to the local NPR station (the big time Boston one, I am kind of excited) and get my reaction on the air. I will be sure to have my bike clean, don’t want to make a bad impression on the Brits :)

In other news, its been snowing like CRAZY. Which means that riding my bike has become insanely fun. I really do like fishtailing around in the snow, its fun. Some people will tell you that riding your bike in the cold is no fun, these same people will tell you that riding your bike in the snow is even less fun. To these people I say, fooey. First with the simple addition of some warm clothing, and bike fenders you can turn a cold wet ride into an adventure. Second its all about the correct attitude.

Basically you have to manage your perceptions. First, throw out the idea that your goal is to stay on the bike. That is just not reasonable in this level of slop (10 inches of snow + salt = mega slop). There is a very good chance you are going to fall off, prepare for the fun that this brings. Second don’t go too fast, this allows you to enjoy the slippery ride, and keeps you from breaking your head when you fly off your bike (see part one). Third, smile IT’S SNOWING! Remember when you were little and snow meant that you got the day off from school, channel that joy, even if you have to go to work. Plus with the way things are going your chances to enjoy snow may be getting rare.

So for the next two days, expect blog posts about anything but the news. It should be interesting.