I’ve failed miserably to keep this blog updated in the past five months since my last post, so I’m going to promise more fequent blogging from now on and make it up to you right now with my “what I did over the summer” post that I’ve had saved as a draft for three months:

Here are some things I learned this summer:

• Free shows/UCB comedy/come out and play NYC are excellent reasons to hang out in New York City during the summer. I saw MGMT, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Michael Ian Black, and a random blues band show all for free.
• If you go to Critical Mass Manhattan, cops will gladly ticket or tackle you:
• if you go to Brooklyn Critical Mass, cops will gladly block traffic for you



• wearing a helmet spared me serious injury when I flew over my handlebars onto the pavement, but didn’t spare my front tooth from needing a root canal.



• it’s really easy (and fun) to spend no money on gas, lose weight, and get places much faster than walking by biking instead of driving. 35lbs in 8 months easy.
• ultimate frisbee in the muddy rain is pure bliss.
• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is my new favorite TV sitcom ever. (next to arrested development, of course).
• The freely distributed NYC Bike map, marked with streets, subways, and bike lanes, was my best friend while biking in NYC. I know my way around the city and Westchester a whole lot better after exploring by bike
• subway dancing is contagious. really.

So even though I didn’t have an internship this summer, I was happy to not be in front of a computer all day like I had been in my previous summer jobs. I made productive use of my time in other ways, like taking a summer class, reading books, and exploring the great city of New York on my bicycle. After spending so much time outside I discovered the art of people-watching in interesting places like central park and Coney Island; No where else could you witness two evil grandparents take turns spraying their unsuspecting infant grandchildren with a boardwalk hose, all the while laughing in summer glee. At some point during my summer I came to really appreciate the notion that productive play is productive learning, and life was more enjoyable as a result.

On that note, I leave you with some intellectual stimulation: a few of my favorite TED talks videos.

First, “Do schools today kill creativity?”

Second, “Why we don’t understand as much as we think.” (for the record, I immediately knew the answer to the battery, wire, and light bulb question because it so happens I used to love playing with batteries, wires, and light bulbs)

And third, “The amazing intelligence of crows”