pattiebaker

Georgia telework week

It’s apparently Georgia Telework Week and I’m seeing all kinds of coverage of it like it’s the first time this has occurred to people that fewer cars on the road and more flexible work options could be a good idea. Keep in mind I am the person who was hired to write the suite of…

Crocodiles, hippos, snail fever . . . and goat yoga

So, after months now knee-deep in blogs and books and YouTube videos about Peace Corps service, I say to my husband over one of our typical two-hour weekend lunches at a local diner, “I think I’ve crossed the line and any additional research is too much now.” He says, “What do you mean?” “Well,” I…

Seeing clearly

So I’m continuing to bounce from one doctor to another, including to undergo a scary oral allergy test to see if penicillin kills me after more than 50 years of thinking I am allergic to it (spoiler alert — it didn’t), when I pop back into my eye doctor’s office to check out the frames…

Grounded

There is tension in transition, and I am feeling it as everything in my life is changing. Traveling at the Speed of Bike, as always, serves as a critical and continual reconnection to my journey — literally, metaphorically, and spiritually — and neither cold nor rain nor winds are excuses to which I will capitulate…

No skirting the issue

So I told my mom my problem. In Africa, I’ll need to wear skirts past the knee (as is culturally appropriate) and these skirts that I used to wear all the time during my intense urban agriculture days would be perfect. Colorful. Comfortable. Light for packing (considering I get to bring 100 pounds of stuff…

Ways to lend a hand

Thank you to those who are U.S. Veterans on this Veterans Day and always. And a reminder that many of those experiencing homelessness are Veterans, and there are ways to lend a hand. See here for some ideas.

Meet Kyle and Esin

Meet Kyle and Esin. Kyle is a hairstylist at the salon right behind that public mural. He’s super nice and I’ve seen him twice this past weekend. Esin (pictured below) is originally from Istanbul and has been living in Midtown Atlanta — and seeing its many changes — for more than twenty years. I loved…

Re: Bicycle Friendly Community application

Dear League of American Bicyclists: I am writing to you to clarify a few things about your Bicycle Friendly Community certification, as I believe the metro-Atlanta suburb-city where I live is going to pursue this in the near future and I have a couple of areas of concern. I know that bike riders in cities…