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And the art of bicycle maintenance.

One of the things I enjoy is my bike. So I worked on it today. It was a nice day outside, so it was nice to be there. I hardly spend enough time outside now. I wish I could spend all of it outside like I used to. I took everything apart so that I could clean and lubricate all the components. Things are so much nicer when you take the time to tinker with them. When you have the patience to brush off the tiny traces of grime. You don't even have to think about it, really.

But you do.

You focus on all the little things. Then you put those things together. Then you put those things together. Then you've got your bike back. It's calming. Peaceful. Simple mechanisms made of simple mechanisms, but when you step back it's a confusing mess of metal. It is a cipher, and I am the cryptologist. Finished. One serviced bicycle, my labor of love. A breeze blew by, I caught a hint of fall. I jumped onto the bike and brought the peddle back around. I looked down and realized I had threaded the chain completely wrong. I had to start over.

But I didn't mind. It was an excuse to work on it some more. To be outside longer. It was a lesson. You make a mistake, you go back and fix it. You thread the chain incorrectly, you do it over again. It's okay. The bicycle is back together. That's all that matters, really. Now you can keep riding.

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