Though I've always been a fair weather fan, I am now wholly addicted to CPR's This American Life. It's pretty serious.

Roommate Jake, a freshly minted YMCA member, gifted me a guest pass to gain free entry to all amenities at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston. Though the pass wasn't valid as the McGaw is outside the Chicago municipality of which Jake is a member, the receptionist waved me in anyway. Woo. 8:27's on the treadmill, serious medicine-balling, bench press, glute workouts and other healthy activity transpired.I haven't done bench press in perhaps thirty moons. Owch! I am already a little bit sore and predict drastic increases in such over the next two days; it feels amazing.

Tonight features beginner Tango lessons. Hurrah!

I am free from CorpAm tomorrow in honor of MLKJr. Day and might go see Julian Bond speak down at U of C.

Three Track Operation begins on the CTA's red, purple and brown lines in April:

"The proposed shift to three-track operation . . . will result in more crowded trains and longer commutes. With approximately 1,000 trains and 185,000 customers traveling through it each day, the corridor is the most heavily trafficked area on the CTA rail system. During evening rush hours (3 – 6:30 p.m.), the CTA will have approximately 25 percent less capacity – the equivalent of more than 17,400 customers if trains were fully loaded. Morning rush will also be congested [with] 13 percent less capacity, or space for 8,600 fewer rail customers."CTA Press Release 1/10/07

Awful. Completley awful. If my $20 Schwinn makes it through these cold months I forsee my commute becoming all-bicycle-all-the-time (a current approximation: 65% cycle, 30% train, 3% bus, 1% car, 1% ped). Wanting to love the CTA and actually loving the CTA are two very different actions.

Our neighbors are SO LOUD and the floors are SO THIN. Sweet Jenny.