Just A Little Bit Off
The inimitable Jen Dixon has been known to say that “timing is everything.” I myself am not quite so sure, but it’s definitely many things, as yesterday, for example, I just seemed to be slightly out-of-synch in all that I did, even though, in the end, it all turned out fine, if just a little bit off.
So, case in point: when I came upon Surlykat on the University Bridge fussing with a flat tire, instead of just donating a tube to her and proceeding on my way, I probably should have hung out, patched her tube and kept it for myself; that way, spending a few more minutes near the U-District, I might have avoided the drenching cloudburst that hit Belltown ten or fifteen minutes later and I also would have had a spare—if patched—tube to carry along with me.
Or,another: instead of cutting out from the Woodland Park park shelter where riders were firing up barbecues and grilling things, I should have split directly from the QFC earlier; that way, I might have made it to Ballard in time to see my friend Matt play bass in his band Gravy and the Biscuit Rollers rather than just get to witness him dragging his amp to his car after the show.
Or even earlier in the day: in the Medical Ethics class, I probably should have begun with a couple of case studies instead of going directly into the theoretical stuff; that way, students would have had a better idea of why the issue we were taking on was supposed to be of critical interest to health professionals and patients.
Nevertheless, there were a number of times where everything seemed right with the world and I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else; all of those, as I think back on it now, though, were after I stopped for a safety meeting on my ride home, while pedaling with delight on the new Tournesol.
So, case in point: when I came upon Surlykat on the University Bridge fussing with a flat tire, instead of just donating a tube to her and proceeding on my way, I probably should have hung out, patched her tube and kept it for myself; that way, spending a few more minutes near the U-District, I might have avoided the drenching cloudburst that hit Belltown ten or fifteen minutes later and I also would have had a spare—if patched—tube to carry along with me.
Or,another: instead of cutting out from the Woodland Park park shelter where riders were firing up barbecues and grilling things, I should have split directly from the QFC earlier; that way, I might have made it to Ballard in time to see my friend Matt play bass in his band Gravy and the Biscuit Rollers rather than just get to witness him dragging his amp to his car after the show.
Or even earlier in the day: in the Medical Ethics class, I probably should have begun with a couple of case studies instead of going directly into the theoretical stuff; that way, students would have had a better idea of why the issue we were taking on was supposed to be of critical interest to health professionals and patients.
Nevertheless, there were a number of times where everything seemed right with the world and I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else; all of those, as I think back on it now, though, were after I stopped for a safety meeting on my ride home, while pedaling with delight on the new Tournesol.
posted by Professor Dave at 9:18 AM
2 Comments:
the tube donation is much appreciated. i can pay you back either with a new tube, or with not one, but two patched tubes... as that's the second (rear) flat i've had in the last 5 days. also, i pulled a piece of beer bottle out of my tire after the first flat, so it's not from the same source; it's just luck.
I like best when the donation is passed on to somebody else in need; I've got plenty of tubes, but some people don't, so you can buy me a beer and give the tubes to someone in need sometime.
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