Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

I'm pretty much the opposite of mechanically inclined. In my household, it's typically my role to find a way to cause something to cease working and wait for my über-talented and capable spouse to swoop in and save the day. Recently, I find myself with significant amounts of time on my hands due to an ongoing period of "exploring my career options." That left me in an interesting position regarding my trusty-yet-moody road bike, a.k.a. Al the Madone.