journal features

back on my bike

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Toronto, 2013.11.27

I was sick on Monday of last week, and wound up missing a whole week of cycling as I rode the TTC. Last night, after gritting my teeth and just getting through it for five consecutive (work) days, I decided that I'd had enough. A 90 minute trip home when I was trying to get home early pushed me back to my bike, ready or not.

I was mostly ready. The "wet flurries" that was by mid-afternoon threatening to turn into an actual snow-storm just stayed as rain. I got home without incident.

rand()m quote

If I had my life to live over, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax, I would limber up, I would be crazier than I've been on this trip. I know very few things I'd take seriously any more. I'd certainly be less hygenic... I would take more chances, I would take more trips, I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers, and I would watch more sunsets. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd have many more of them, in fact I'd try not to have anything else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day. If I had it to do all over again, I'd travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and I'd stay that way later in the fall. And I would ride more merry-go-rounds, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people and pick more flowers and dance more often. If I had it to do all over again - but you see, I don't.

—Jorge Luis Borges