One dodgy wheel

When I got into work I decided to clear up my office a bit: I have an "open door" approach at work, which is designed to encourage people to come in and talk to me about issues, ideas, and generally anything that is on their minds. How this manifests itself is in heaps of junk, discarded cups and cans, and whiteboards full of long-forgotten conceptual diagrams and indecipherable scribble. So today, I decided a bit of a spring clean was in order, starting with a big mobile whiteboard that was taking up about a third of my office and was now being used as a coathanger and shoe rack. As I manipulated it out I struggled to steer it due to its standard-issue "dodgy wheel".  Jefferey commented on my struggle and I threw out the line: "One dodgy wheel can screw up your whole life", which he loved, and we started chatting about life, and how it got in the way of so many big plans. Jefferey and I are both writing books: he's been writing his for about 10 years, I've been writing mine for about 5. We may never finish. But the fact is, we are still writing them, and probably will still "be writing them" on the day we die. Trouble is, life keeps getting in the way. The dodgy wheel is screwing it all up. But that is of no consequence! It's all part of it, and the beauty of life is all of it: the good, the bad, the frustrating - all of it! Jefferey loves music (he comes into work with a set of headphones on the size of 2 bin lids) and he thinks its important to "respect the music. Whatever else you do, or think, always respect the music" What he means by this is that music is made with respect, by people who put their heart into it and play it for you. So, whatever else - respect that. Take a look back at my piece about my local jazz band (Blog: "Black Lesbian Aftershave"). What they do can be good, or not so good, but it's all genuine, and I love it and respect it, even if they too have a "dodgy wheel" or two.

But the smart people amongst you will have worked out that I don't really want to talk about this stuff. No. I want to talk about my new bike, and it's deep dish wheels, neither of which are dodgy at all. This bike is full-on, no holds-barred, uncompromisingly, beautiful. It has been designed and built by people who care, and who want to produce something beautiful. When it arrived at the Performance Centre it was assembled by people who care - about the bike and what it means to me. And it has been sized and fitted with care and attention to detail. When I ride it, I feel beautiful. I feel fast, and I feel invincible. I'm going to win on this bike. I rode the Alcatraz bike course on it at the weekend, and I just flew. I sprouted wings, and flew. Life is that good.