I'm 189 Years Young

"Zoot Katz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Some people love me, others hate me.
BFD!
I'm not going away any time soon.

I am reborn with every new generation and looking forward to my next
twenty years of unprecedented growth. I will continue to evolve while
still remaining essentially simple.

You can join me and we'll go places beyond your wildest dreams.
I can lead you to the unknown places inside your body and spirit.
We can travel just around town or to the farthest-flung corners of
this planet. The choice is yours.

Sometimes the journey is painful but you'll always end up stronger
for it.
Mostly it will be fun.

I can be cheap and frugal or I can be beautifully extravagant. Bling
or no bling, I'm basically the same.

I am egalitarian. With me you'll learn a universal language
encouraging you to meet new people wherever we find ourselves. I can
bridge gaps between genders and generations. Together we can break
down socio-economic barriers. We can humiliate the haughty or help
them along the way. It's up to you.

I've made you more efficient than any other creature on face of the
earth. I helped you to fly on the wings that have carried you into
space while I remain earthbound.

Despite my long association with fame, despite the accolades I'm
still paid in literature, poetry, movies, music and art, I remain
your humble servant. I've been at your side through glorious
victories and amazing accomplishments while never asking any
recognition for myself. I exist so that I might be accessible to all.
That is my only goal.

I can be your master or I can be your slave. I can be your teacher
and friend. I can be a playmate or a workhorse. I'll be there for you
whenever you want.

I don't require much attention. Even after years of neglect I'll
probably be okay and ready for you in a few minutes time. You can
discard me but someone else will gladly take me up.

I have the ability to liberate and rejuvenate you as I have so many
others.

I don't care how old you are. I don't care if you're straight or gay,
male or female, bi or celibate. I'm not fussy. Our relationship can
be sexy or stodgy, casual or intense. We can ride hard and fast or we
can take it slow and easy. I'll be with you all the way. I ask for no
commitments.

Look around, I'm everywhere though many don't see me at all.

Take me for what I am.

Signed,
a bicycle.
--
zk

Amen, thank you Zoot that was beautiful.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm everywhere though many don't see me at all.<<

I think that has double meaning for everyone.
Is the bicycle actually 189 this year?

I could just cry.

nash said:

Is the bicycle actually 189 this year?

It's even older if you count the velocifere ~1791. It didn't have any
steering it but it did enjoy some popularity. Since that day self
propelled wheel-people have been viewed as reckless eccentrics and
ahve suffered the scorn of other road users.

The Draisine added steering sometime around 1816. That's where I
started counting.

The invention of the modern type chain driven safety bicycle wasn't
until much later ~1885.
--
zk

Brought a tear to me eye, Zoot.

Seriously, I remember two main reasons I got back into biking a couple
of years ago last October. One was to avoid getting involved in
motorcycling, something my brother has done with a real passion and
something I had promised my family I would not do as much as I wanted
to. The main reason was recalling how much fun I had with my old bike
when I was a kid. I could cover so much more ground on my bike than I
could walking, and it was such fun. Bikes are a little more complicated
now than they were then, but the fun is still there.

catzz66 said:

Brought a tear to me eye, Zoot.

Seriously, I remember two main reasons I got back into biking a couple
of years ago last October. One was to avoid getting involved in
motorcycling, something my brother has done with a real passion and
something I had promised my family I would not do as much as I wanted
to. The main reason was recalling how much fun I had with my old bike
when I was a kid. I could cover so much more ground on my bike than I
could walking, and it was such fun. Bikes are a little more complicated
now than they were then, but the fun is still there.

Thanks, a couple of the concepts even choked me up while I was trying
to put them into words. What is posted was the final draft. After
corrections and substituting a couple words I think it's ready for
submission to bikereader.com

Certainly the initial appeal of fixies is their pure simplicity. Now
they have seemingly become a fashion accessory around here. Their
beauty is in their simplicity but coasting is also fun. Four of my
bikes are single speed (1 fixed) They are sweet and simple. Great for
snow, polo, shopping, just cruising and reliving ones childhood.

Even though I'm not fond of coaster brakes, the single-speed little
pink chopper has one. It is the bike I most often grab for quick
trips to the store. There's a Sachs 3spd coaster hub laying around
that will get laced into a 20" rim so it's easier getting home from a
MC3 ride.

If you don't have a SS bike I heartily recommend getting at one.
--
zk

jkinney2 said:

Amen, thank you Zoot that was beautiful.

You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
--
zk

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

The invention of the modern type chain driven safety bicycle wasn't
until much later ~1885.

I figure the advent of the modern bicycle corresponds with
its use of ball bearings.

When you get right down to it, all a modern bicycle is, is
a support mechanism that allows a user to controllably and
comfortably glide around on ball bearings. The rest is an
interface between rider <--> ball bearings <--> terrain.

And ball bearings and bicycles don't imbue us with superhuman
powers; they just free us from much of the restriction imposed
on us by friction. They don't speed us up, they just ...
"not slow us down", unlike just about everything else we have
to put up with in daily life.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article <[email hidden]>,

n5hsr said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

IMHO, the only good cat is a dead cat, though I suspect dead cats will
still
make me sneeze.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you were the one who was dead, cats would size your
corpse up for food. They'd go for your liver first.

Quoted message said:

They'd probably avoid my dead corpse and let it rot in the street.

If your (or my or anybody's) dead corpse was in the street, even
if cats didn't eat it, they'd still probably jump up on it.
I guess depending on how warm it is, among other factors.

Cats are very advantagistically pragmatic.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Tom Keats said:

If your (or my or anybody's) dead corpse was in the street, even
if cats didn't eat it, they'd still probably jump up on it.
I guess depending on how warm it is, among other factors.

Cats are very advantagistically pragmatic.

Advantagistically?
Cats will take advantage of just about anything that suits their
convenience, that much I give them. They won't waste their energy or
dignity chasing cars or even sticks as dogs do. They won't play with you
unless it is their decision to do so. My cat will follow me around like
a dog, just waiting for me to sit down so he can jump on my lap and
demand his petting session, or just curl up and try to get some shuteye
at my expense. When I get on my bike and he knows I am leaving his
territory he positively glares at me.
How dare I leave his divine presence?
Bill Baka

Quoted message said:

cheers,
Tom

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bill said:

Tom Keats said:

If your (or my or anybody's) dead corpse was in the street, even
if cats didn't eat it, they'd still probably jump up on it.
I guess depending on how warm it is, among other factors.

Cats are very advantagistically pragmatic.

Advantagistically?
Cats will take advantage of just about anything that suits their
convenience, that much I give them.

On a cold day, they'll seek out and occupy the warmest place
in the house. which would probably be you. On a hot day, they
don't wanna be anywhere near a thermal source.

Quoted message said:

They won't waste their energy or
dignity chasing cars or even sticks as dogs do.

My last cat (a Russian Blue cross) loved and lived to retrieve.
I'd wad up a little ball of paper and flick it down the hall;
he'd scamper off to fetch it, and bring it back to me to do it
all over again. Would that he was able to bring back a pheasant
or grouse without gnawing on it on the way back. He did proudly
bring me many mice and finches.

He also had an affinity to sit on my shoulder. Trouble was,
he preferred to climb his way up to there.

Quoted message said:

They won't play with you
unless it is their decision to do so.

I've learned that all critters, including humans,
respond positively to being respected and afforded
sincere consideration that goes beyond mere, formal
courtesy. I learned that in my earliest days.
From cats & dogs. Maybe that's what makes me such
a lovable, though not necessarily "good" guy.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca