Dear, Sanshoshima

If you are buried in snow, paperwork, debt, and feel like all eyes are closing in on you when you're by yourself: This is an attempt at unraveling the perils of time, the expanding stresses of mind, and pointing out that tranquility, freedom, and blissful perspective are closer than a shot glass away. Buffalo, NY https://velvetbethany.bandcamp.com/

[velvetbethany]

On the way to Flushing for a presentation at Myosetsuji temple with Buffalo Hokekko

[velvetbethany]

Making a bike obstacle course in south buffalo. This Go Bike donation was my first bike minus the bart simpson sticker.

[velvetbethany]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vrGO8Pa-s0)

[velvetbethany]

Someone once told me that the key to life is access. A flaw that we may hold in our minds is that money gives us access. But it depends on what your definition of home, healthy food, functional clothing, and having a voice represents. I’ve been using a bicycle for 5 years as a way of freeing myself from stagnancy and tumultuous environments. I’d like to share my need for a safer commute to work and the importance of building better bicycling in Buffalo to benefit our community and bring people together in my future as a cyclist. I started in high school in 2010 by riding after school to the city, 18 miles round trip, without stopping home to drop off my bag of textbooks. Main Street has always been my biggest concern because I am frequently pushed off the street and there isn’t enough room for me to safely avoid obstacles. As a volunteer of Gobike Buffalo, I would like to encourage more cyclists to become members of Gobike in order to learn and support programs such as Complete Streets. The Complete Streets program will ensure that equal consideration is given to all walks of transportation. Buffalo’s goal of achieving 10 miles of bicycle infrastructures per year will help us to set an example as one of the friendliest cycling cities in the country and bring us up to a silver level city as we reach our goal of 150 miles of infrastructure by 2017, evaluated by the League of American Bicyclists. To become a member you can sign up on gobikebuffalo.org under the tab “join us.” My first bike, when I was 16, was an orange Ross. It was too big for me but it looked cool so I never noticed: until I stopped hard at the intersection of Bailey and Main and landed on the top tube. My second bike was a tiny Fuji fixed gear that I continued to ride down the same route from Main street in Williamsville straight downtown. I rode it to my first job at Franco’s Pizza in Kenmore through all seasons. I managed countless flat tires on Kenmore Avenue due to the potholes and lack of safety knowledge for using such a narrow street.I made a pact with my bike during a blizzard in the middle of the night that I would always protect it. I ended up having to sell it two years later in 2013 but was offered to buy it back 2 years later. It was a mystic connection between this bike and I. Riding fixed grew on me because it gave me a connection to the road and a great sense of control from of the momentum I could achieve. I now choose the freedom of using gears because of the long commutes to work I take. My bike has always been what represents me.

[a-r-k-e-t-y-p-e]

Giant’s response to GM’s anti-bicycle propoganda.

[velvetbethany]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0O6q0vmtLM)

[velvetbethany]

Its important to think of everyone you know at least once a day. When you change the way you see them, they will change when they see you.

[velvetbethany]

[velvetbethany]

I will never forget the welcome from Kyo Oji Temple in Kyoto to Myosetsuji New York Temple. They shared mounds of lo mein, sashimi, mochi, a matcha tea ceremony, and karate!! We ended tonight with the most harmonious Daimoku Sansho as well.

[velvetbethany]

I love helping people fix their bikes. Entering on to the base of the skyway felt nervous like a roller coaster ascend in my stomach.

[velvetbethany]

Ive always had a few jobs and am frequently burnt out mentally from customer service.Breaking my back over some garlic and hanging out in the sun for a few dollars with the option to leave everything behind and stay outside is the most rewarding position so far.

[velvetbethany]

I have had the honor of playing a show at Spiral Scratch Records two summers in a row with Malcolm Tent, who ran Trash American Style in Danbury Connecticut for 20 years before they closed in 2007.  If you've never heard anything interesting ever about Connecticut, you can find him covering acoustic Gorilla Biscuits and passing around a list of comedic songs about how he sold out(just kidding), eating animals, and satan; plus performing a variety of musical endeavors such as Ultrabunny,  weird, crazy, sick wicked shit that I can't describe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTSoFp0AXE

He is also available to buy and sell records at flea markets, record fairs, online, and on tour. http://www.malcolmtent.net/

[velvetbethany]

Snow Storm tunes

I had a wonderful time playing along side Bill and Jamie's House, Buffalo's newest tear jerkers among the cozy accommodations of Hostel Buffalo-Niagara. I cut the event into three parts, you can find the recording of these stairwell acoustics here:

https://velvetbethany.bandcamp.com/album/snowed-in-stairwell-mystery

http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/12012014/public-picks-buffablog