A Friendly Correction for those Man-Haters who Delve to be Single

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally Posted by LessinSF

Fuck, yes. Do what you want to do, particularly because of your situation. 20 years in a chair being coddled, but regretful? Fuck that. Its your life, not those you will seek to chastise and limit you.

In fact, you have already answered your own question. You know what you want to do, but are hesitating because making the decision involves unpleasantness in telling others that this is your choice. Absent that discomfort, you would be on a bike now. Pull the trigger.

I have never loved you more.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

The usual. Kids, ex, girlfriend (God, I hate being over 50 and referring to my 50 yo paramour as my "girl" friend). It's all going to be on the "we don't want you to die" variety. They have a point, but we are ALL dying and I am approaching a day when I will no longer be able to handle the bike due to things like weight restrictions.

Money could be an issue, but I just landed a writing job that will pay off some bills and still get me a used Triumph, just in time for the leaves changing in the fall.

Do you need to own one? Can't you rent one when the leaves turn and take it out a half dozen times a year? The conversation will go something like this.

Wonkster: "Family, my latest hospital stint has me thinking about the things I've always wanted to do that I haven't exactly been able to do. One of those things is owning a motorcycle. I know it's dangerous, but at this point, I would really like a little time to myself to do this. It's important to me."

Wonkamour: "Honey, I don't think that's such a good idea..."

Wonk: "Fine. Then I'm going to rent one a few weekends out of the year. Does that make you feel better? I'm off to http://www.eaglerider.com/chicago/?g...FetlOgodehAAdA to check out the new Harleys. Be back later."

TM

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by LessinSF

Fuck, yes. Do what you want to do, particularly because of your situation. 20 years in a chair being coddled, but regretful? Fuck that. Its your life, not those you will seek to chastise and limit you.

In fact, you have already answered your own question. You know what you want to do, but are hesitating because making the decision involves unpleasantness in telling others that this is your choice. Absent that discomfort, you would be on a bike now. Pull the trigger.

Go ahead, be a biking badass.* Stop calling her your girlfriend, get her some leathers, and call her your biker babe. But skip the guns. No longer cool.






* In reviewing this advice, you may find it relevant to consider that I have already made one attempt to kill you. However, please also consider that if you keep reading the goddamn prevaricating cya footnotes like a fucking lawyer you're never going to have any fun.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

The usual. Kids, ex, girlfriend (God, I hate being over 50 and referring to my 50 yo paramour as my "girl" friend). It's all going to be on the "we don't want you to die" variety. They have a point, but we are ALL dying and I am approaching a day when I will no longer be able to handle the bike due to things like weight restrictions.

Money could be an issue, but I just landed a writing job that will pay off some bills and still get me a used Triumph, just in time for the leaves changing in the fall.

The kids are grown up enough to stand on their own (correct me if I'm wrong). The ex lost standing when she became the ex. The girlfriend doesn't have standing, at least not to that extent.

The money, you have to figure out on your own.

Fuck it. Ride.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

The usual. Kids, ex, girlfriend (God, I hate being over 50 and referring to my 50 yo paramour as my "girl" friend). It's all going to be on the "we don't want you to die" variety. They have a point, but we are ALL dying and I am approaching a day when I will no longer be able to handle the bike due to things like weight restrictions.

Money could be an issue, but I just landed a writing job that will pay off some bills and still get me a used Triumph, just in time for the leaves changing in the fall.

Do it. Just stay off the Kennedy and the Dan Ryan. And the Eisenhower. And whatever we call 355.

Country roads take you home.

[Replaced_Texan]

Speaking of motorcycles and girlfriends, last year, one of my sisters had been dating a guy for about three weeks, maybe a month when he got hit on his new bugatti. That was about the point in the relationship where she thought that things were starting to get sort of serious. He'd started leaving clothes and a toothbrush at her place, and they were talking a lot, using "we" more frequently, all of the signs that things are progressing.

Anyhow, his crash happened while she was out of town, and the relationship was so new that none of his friends knew to call her when it happened. She didn't find out about it until maybe five days later. He had a broken leg(s?), punctured lungs, broken ribs, something wrong with his digestive system, and his mouth was wired shut. When she finally got to the ICU to visit him, he was in a drug filled haze and really unable to do much more than grunt.

There was also a lot of weirdness in that NONE of his friends knew who she was and there was a woman in the room every time she visited who assured my sister that she wasn't a girlfriend. But she never left when my sister came to visit. The one friend who started talking to her sometimes would advise her not to visit on certain days. Her guy could have legitimately been not feeling up to visitors, but it could have been to avoid drama.

So the question became "how long do I stick around?" On the one hand, it kinda sucks to be dumped while still attached to the catheter and feeding tube. On the other, there was clearly some other shit going on. There did seem to be a lot of promise of something special there before the wreck, but this was a life changing sort of accident, and who knows what kind of guy he'd be on the other end of this. She didn't want to be the type to bolt when things got really tough, but they'd only been dating three weeks.

I think she gave it two weeks before she stopped visiting. He didn't call her either. A few weeks after that, she started dating the guy she lives with now, so I'm pretty sure she thinks she did the right thing. She talked to the other guy a month or so afterwards. He said he understood.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally Posted by LessinSF

Fuck, yes. Do what you want to do, particularly because of your situation. 20 years in a chair being coddled, but regretful? Fuck that. Its your life, not those you will seek to chastise and limit you.

In fact, you have already answered your own question. You know what you want to do, but are hesitating because making the decision involves unpleasantness in telling others that this is your choice. Absent that discomfort, you would be on a bike now. Pull the trigger.

Whenever I read about some person dying while climbing a big mountain, or base jumping, skydiving, flying a old plane or some shit like that, you always hear the refrain, at least they died doing something they love. Which is probably true and wonderful and all that, except when they then describe that this person is survived by their spouse and kids, etc. It's wonderful to have hobbies and interests, it's wonderful to be true to yourself, but it's also wonderful to do so in a manner that doesn't fuck up your family and dependents. Life insurance is great and all, but it still doesn't replace your presence throughout their lives. Whenever I read those stories, I feel simultaneously sad, angry and disgusted.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Writing writing or legal?

And I say if you're serious about wanting to ride, do it. You've been close enough to the edge, what the fuck could anyone say to you, really. My similar thing (and I know this is xenophobic) is seeing the Egyptian pyramids. I'm scared of getting kidnapped/shot by terrorists or separatists or whatever. But if I make 80 I'm going. If i catch a bullet, so be it.

It's tax writing. I'm doing a couple of pieces for Thomson Reuters.

I used to say if I made it to 75 I was buying the bike. I now understand that if I make it to 75, there's no guarantee I will be able to lift the kickstand and the Triumph I want won't start with the kickstand down.

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint

Whenever I read about some person dying while climbing a big mountain, or base jumping, skydiving, flying a old plane or some shit like that, you always hear the refrain, at least they died doing something they love. Which is probably true and wonderful and all that, except when they then describe that this person is survived by their spouse and kids, etc. It's wonderful to have hobbies and interests, it's wonderful to be true to yourself, but it's also wonderful to do so in a manner that doesn't fuck up your family and dependents. Life insurance is great and all, but it still doesn't replace your presence throughout their lives. Whenever I read those stories, I feel simultaneously sad, angry and disgusted.

Translation: I'm a weak-kneed little pussy. Get it? I'm suggesting you are pathetic and weak, just like people with vaginas are. Speaking of pussies, and more specifically, pussy sports, I have a poll. Three Nike World Cup ads from three World Cups. Which one is the greatest:

Take it to the Next Level (2006):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZA-57h64kE

Write The Future (2010):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSggaxXUS8k

Winner Stays (2014):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XviR7esUvo

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint

Whenever I read about some person dying while climbing a big mountain, or base jumping, skydiving, flying a old plane or some shit like that, you always hear the refrain, at least they died doing something they love. Which is probably true and wonderful and all that, except when they then describe that this person is survived by their spouse and kids, etc. It's wonderful to have hobbies and interests, it's wonderful to be true to yourself, but it's also wonderful to do so in a manner that doesn't fuck up your family and dependents. Life insurance is great and all, but it still doesn't replace your presence throughout their lives. Whenever I read those stories, I feel simultaneously sad, angry and disgusted.

I agree with you to an extent. Once you decide to have kids, your life really isn't your own anymore. You brought someone into the world, you owe them something for that.

A spouse may or may not have the same implications -- depends on the relationship, and adults unlike kids can make their own decisions on this.

But Wonk's kids are adults now, I think. They don't own a part of his life, they just had a lease on it.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

Translation: I'm a weak-kneed little pussy. Get it? I'm suggesting you are pathetic and weak, just like people with vaginas are. Speaking of pussies, and more specifically, pussy sports, I have a poll. Three Nike World Cup ads from three World Cups. Which one is the greatest:

Take it to the Next Level (2006):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZA-57h64kE

Write The Future (2010):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSggaxXUS8k

Winner Stays (2014):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XviR7esUvo

I giggled at the wrong Hulk.

Though to be fair:

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Adder

Translation: I have a girlfriend.

What are the actual risks? Are they, "you'll get shirt in the city " or are they not really all that different than driving ( which is hella dangerous)?

If I promise to ride it just in the city and only between 8 and 10 or 2 and 7, the only real risks are heatstroke and being overcome by fumes; the bike won't move a foot.

Other than that, the risks are like with any bike: you will fall down. Death or damage are dependent in part on the number and relative speed of the obstacles you connect with.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Icky Thump

There was one ride (Terminator) with a line. Some fucker ripped ass 3 times. Never figured out who.

Three times? It was the frog; Asians eat better than that.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

Do you need to own one? Can't you rent one when the leaves turn and take it out a half dozen times a year? The conversation will go something like this.

Wonkster: "Family, my latest hospital stint has me thinking about the things I've always wanted to do that I haven't exactly been able to do. One of those things is owning a motorcycle. I know it's dangerous, but at this point, I would really like a little time to myself to do this. It's important to me."

Wonkamour: "Honey, I don't think that's such a good idea..."

Wonk: "Fine. Then I'm going to rent one a few weekends out of the year. Does that make you feel better? I'm off to http://www.eaglerider.com/chicago/?g...FetlOgodehAAdA to check out the new Harleys. Be back later."

TM

I have never loved you more.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?

Do it. Just stay off the Kennedy and the Dan Ryan. And the Eisenhower. And whatever we call 355.

Country roads take you home.

I don't know what we call the 355, but it runs from Rockford to Joliet, by way of O'Hare and Schaumburg. Do we really care what they call it? We all know it's the road to Hell.