Me at 75
Me at 75
I thought I’d sum up where I am today.
Intellectually, I see myself as a philosopher, scientist, and novelist–in that order. I see these as separate, though overlapping in places.
Athletically, I am mainly a tennis player, a table tennis player, a skateboarder, a knife thrower, and a motorcyclist. I have been other things in the past, depending on the time in my life. Most recently, I was mainly into watersports—kayaking, surfing, windsurfing, skimboarding, bit of kiteboarding. Earlier at school it was gymnastics and pole vaulting. I still do some discus and Frisby occasionally.
Musically, I see myself these days as a singer, drummer, guitarist, harmonica player, and songwriter.
I do none of these things for a living, so they are not “work”. On the other hand, they are not “hobbies”—I take them too seriously for that. I am always trying to improve, so I practice regularly. I suppose the word “vocation” fits—“a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation” (OED). In close possible worlds they might have been my job. I just read a long article about Ringo Starr in the New York Times in which he said about being a drummer: “I love to hit the buggers”. That is my attitude towards all these activities, though I admit that actual hitting can’t be beat. Am I a philosophical hitter man?
I recommend making such a list to my readers.
I didn’t know that motorcycling is an athletic activity. In what way is it? Is it an athletic activity even for the ordinary rider, or is it one for you because you approach it as more than just riding? I’ve never ridden a motorcycle.
I’m glad you asked that question. It’s a difficult skill to perform well, especially cornering. I never do it to go somewhere, only to perfect the skill (and enjoy the ride of course). Reversing is quite muscular and difficult, because there is no reverse gear. Generally, you need good coordination and balance. It takes a few years to master.