Monday, November 24, 2014

Balls, Wall, Heart, Throat

There's a point in time when you realize you don't have 'it'. Situational, that 'it'. Talent, some days. Motivation, others. Still others, simply will.

Today's one of the latter days.

I'm a mediocre mountain biker. I enjoy it, but I'm not very good at it, especially when the terrain gets technical. Partly because I don't spend enough time practicing, but - if I'm being honest - mostly because I just don't have the balls to let it go, trust the bike, and just wind out down the steepest descents.

Danny Macaskill, on the other hand, has it. Just watch. And if your heart doesn't catch in your throat around the 4:45 mark, then maybe you have it, too.

25 comments:

zman said...

I threw up in my mouth. I wouldn't try that on foot wearing a Kevlar suit of armor and a parachute.

T.J. said...

um

NOPE

zman said...

Danimal, if you had to rank the following events with #1 being the happiest, how would you order:

(a) the day your son was born;

(b) the day your daughter was born; and

(c) the day you got your "no swimmers" confirmation call from the urologist?

I'm torn between (a) and (b) (probably tied) but I think (c) is the leader going into the clubhouse.

Danimal said...

Don't forget the birth of my 2nd daughter, my wedding day, and invite to be a gtb contributor. Cough cough. Finding out I could no longer impregnate my wife was pretty liberating for sure. It's the gift that keeps on giving, often and quickly.

Shlara said...

TR--you're in Philly? I'm in Philly for work too! I should have been paying attention to the comments last night & we could have met for a cheese-steak. Instead I had a cheeseburger from room service...

mayhugh said...

I only have "it" if "it" means "the desire not to tumble to a rocky death over the handlebars of a skimpy little bike."

Danimal said...

Did anyone happen to flip through the American Music Awards show last night? Holy hell. My wife and I officially declared ourselves fuddy duddies after no more than 3 minutes of what felt like voyeurism during a performance by some young girl band, young being 20-24 years younger than me, but totally legal. Of course I was just putting on an act, and it was a good one.

Dave said...

love that dude. i used to be a good mountain biker when i went out with good mountain bikers, because i would just follow their lead. alone, i am a coward.

scariest place i ever went was the slickrock trail in moab. i highly recommend it.

rob said...

apparently my 13 year-old has been staging a one-child protest at school over the past few weeks, refusing to stand for the pledge of allegiance to highlight the inequality of gays and lesbians in our society. where the fuck is this chapter in the parenting handbook?

Jessica said...

Rob--when @lesbopeep was all let's protest for something I inherently believed in, but was DUDE you can't do it that way....I made her write me an essay one why this was important to her, what was the meaning to society, and what the protest itself meant.

T.J. said...

I like the cut of that kid's jib

rob said...

yeah, i'm pretty proud of her, teej. and i love jess's idea. consider that stolen.

Donna said...

First, your kid ROCKS!!
Second, not only is there no chapter, there's no handbook. Didn't you get the memo. If I'm missing out, someone please send it to me bc our middle child is about to send me into orbit!!
And last, observation after I've been following the 10 best song contributions....how come there are no songs by women? Not one? Are there really no good songs by females??! Curious....

zman said...

Nina Simone is a woman! She even has a song titled "Just Like A Woman"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U8P4RtKZbw

zman said...

My 3-year-old appears to be staging a one-child protest against the bathroom facilities in his nursery school. rob's kid's protest is much more impressive.

Donna said...

I'm guessing Nina was listed in zmans work and I missed it or forgot...sorry!! My apologies. I still ask, that's it tho?
Diff ??--could someone accurately assess if it's going to really snow in DC Wed.? Supposed to travel there and weather reports are crazy and conflicting!!

Mark said...

Hat tip to Rob's kid. As well as Jess for that idea. She's not even a parent and she's a better parent than me!

zman said...

I love this 7 pm kickoff. I might stay awake for all four quarters.

zman said...

Did the Jets decide to forego practice in the interests of fairness?

TR said...

Tina Turner's "You Better Be Good to Me" would be a more fun karaoke song than you'd first imagine if you gave it 110%.

zman said...

Because points are huge.

zman said...

At least two drunks on the field!

TR said...

Awaiting this Ferguson news has me singing Ice Cube's "Tear This Muthafucka Up" to myself (but not to my kids).

TR said...

Uh oh, Ferguson.

zman said...

Make it rough.