Busted

Maybe it's the lightweight Mavic 517 rim, or the number of curb cuts I ride over, or the weight of the junk I carry. Whatever the reason, I just noticed I'd actually broken the rim on my commuter bike. What a drag.

I had to decide on a new wheel or repair. I went with repair. I'm keeping the XT hub and having the Wheel Peddler build me a new wheel using a Macic 717 rim. I'll cost. I'm not sure I made the most cost effective choice, but I'm hoping it pays off by ending up with a wheel that is well made and will last forever.

Minor adjustments

I thought I had a plan for the neato little e-Lever from Paul, but it turned out my plan 1: created a tight cable bend that made the lever not work well and 2: made a bump right where I want my hand to be.
Jim McFarland of the Wheel Peddler mobile bike service made it all better. The lever is now in a more normal spot and it works just fine. I can't recommend Wheel Peddler highly enough. Quality work at a reasonable price at your house. What a deal!

Last night I changed the small 36 tooth chain ring for a 34. I'm pretty sure this is the proper step in making my bike perfect and becoming the best cyclist on the whole block. It will also help my old person body uphill better than those higher gears.

I'm still not fully adjusted to my Ultegra pedals. They are easy to get into, but harder to get out of than my old Mavic/Look pedals, even though they are set to the lightest setting. It makes stopping more of an adventure than it needs to be.
UPDATE: Still on order; new seat, 13-26 cassette.