Monday, January 9, 2012

Joe Konrath and Me

The intersection of my Anna Murray-Joe Konrath Venn diagram just got a bit larger.

There's always been the fact that we both live between the coasts. Joe and I also like to read and write books, and we sell them on Amazon, mostly for $2.99.

And now, we're both trying to lose weight.

Joe is going with a 30-day beer diet.

I don't have the cojones (or the beer cellar) for such an endeavor, but today I did something I'm rather proud of, given the fact I'm an engineer by osmosis only (husband has the skills).

Today I made a desk for my stationary bike, out of a clear acrylic 12" x 18" panel I found in the basement and an old Mac Unix guide (any 1-2 inch thick book will work). I wedged the flat acrylic slice between the handlebar and the display panel of the machine. Wedging a book between the display panel and the desk, I was able to adjust for proper height/ergonomics.

Because the desk is tipped at a slight angle (toward the user), I recommend using 3M Safety Walk (TM) tape or other non-slip interface on the panel, so that your laptop doesn't slide forward.

Total cost: $0. I made this with materials we had around the house.

I"m posting from my bike right now.


5 comments:

  1. that is totally cool anna. is there movement on the horizon line as you pedal, like when you're riding in a car in passenger seat and horizon line bobs up and down and you get kinda seasick? or are you impervious to car sickness? I think this is a cool idea just as long as it doesnt make the horizonline on the monitor bob up and down. Love it when a girl invents.

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  2. No horizontal movement. It is a recumbent bicycle, so my legs push forward and back (not as much up and down movement as a straight up bike). My torso is quiet while pedaling, and the idea is to pedal slowly while writing (not an aerobic workout) to burn extra calories. It's the same concept as the treadmill desk.

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  3. Fascinating. What a neat idea! I hope it works for you.

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  4. Cool - way to improve the BIC method. Can we call it the BIB method now?

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  5. Ha, pink pixel knows about my "Butt In Chair" (BIC) method of writing!

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