Tom Flanders World

My spoke broke!

Tom — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:26:32 +0000

Actually it wasn’t my spoke. It was the nipple that holds the spoke to the rim. At first I was shocked but when I thought about it it makes sense. I looked it up on the web and found that it does happen.

My fear now is that there are others that are about to go. Being the anal retentive geek I am I have no choice but to disassemble the wheel and check each and every spoke and nipple. Maybe I’ll check the true while I’m at it. Might as well do the front wheel as well. Is this normal?

100 Words – Butter

Tom — Sat, 12 May 2012 04:25:13 +0000

“Yeah, that’s right, butter!” Marvin was not happy with the service his waitress was providing. This was not an unusual situation. Marvin was unhappy with almost everything in his life. If it wasn’t for the reruns of The Wonder Years his life would be completely unbearable.

“Yeah, that’s right, butter!” Carol had to summon all her discipline not to break her look of disinterest. First to restrain the urge to laugh out loud then to suppress the guilt of deriving so much joy from torturing the angry man.

Marvin left no tip. Carol retrieved the butter from its hiding place.

Rex is getting scary

Tom — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:53:25 +0000

Yesterday I caught Rex practicing sitting in a chair like a human.

If he had thumbs I fear we’d be his pets.

100 Words – Unknown

Tom — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:41:48 +0000

Piles of music unfolding in sheets of rhythm. Memories spent tree-lined drives at colleges of envy. Sitting in the jeep not wanting to go, not wanting to stay. Afraid of another late night rejection. Need meets fear torn by silence. A long ride home on roads built for dogs. Children throwing flowers and cookies in the path of the heroes they’ll never know. The famous unknown, an unknown legend, famed in song, story and fable, passing through the shadows, never the spotlight. The trees give way to fields of brown grass, then a lake, then a hill, finally the ocean.

Random Thoughts for a new age

Tom — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:15:44 +0000

Embrace the crossroads.

Every ocean exists in every rain drop but that won’t save the rhubarb – Alfred Saint Jerome

Those are waves. These are babies. That is hair. This is sand. – Myunee Buscheck “12/17″

Wandering the woods in search of metal tents, warm beer and dark lullabies.

Welcome to my soul. Please deposit 35 cents for another four minutes.

Bike Project Updates – 4/29/12

Tom — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:23:49 +0000

eBaby – Took the first successful longer ride. Eleven miles in under an hour with only minor technical issues. It won’t stay in the two lowest rear gears without me holding the shifter level. Should be an easy fix. The good news is that those two low gears make steep hills much easier. The only other issue was my aching back. Apparently the handlebars are just too low. Fortunately I was able to find a high-rise stem for cheap on eBay. It should be here next week.

Twins – So it seems that the twins will be more work than expected. I thought it odd the way that the paint came off in big chips. A little research revealed that they are probably covered in lead paint. Now I have to build a virtual hazmat suit to work on the things. I’ll strip off the old paint an cover them with something safer.

Collie – I found a Columbia 10-speed frame and fork on the sidewalk. I don’t need another project but I had a columbia when I was a kid so I have a soft spot.

100 Words – Adab

Tom — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 01:55:30 +0000

Adab ruled the darkness. They say that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king, but that argument falls apart when the sun goes down. Adab moved swiftly and fearlessly through the familiar landscape. The one-eyed man stumbled and fell and was dispatched with a silent stroke of Adab’s blade. She tasted his blood and laughed into the night.

The travelers found the headless corpse propped up against the tree at the crossroads. Even the dullest among them understood and wished to head the warning. After much discussion they went back the way they came. Wise move.

Random Thought

Tom — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:47:28 +0000

When in doubt, shout!

Bike Projects Update – 4/16/12

Tom — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:33:50 +0000

The Mini BMX is gone. It’s off to family with several kids. I miss it but I’m happy it will be ridden again.

Bike Projects Update – 4/14/12

Tom — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:35:41 +0000

I found these cuties on the sidewalk. They need some work but they’re intact.

I finally got around to painting the wheel parts for the Glam Puss. The chrome was way too pitted to save so i painted the rim white, the spokes blue and the nipples gold. It should be tacky enough.

The weird part is that I used a hunk of styrofoam to hold the spokes and the blue paint wen on with no problem. Then I painted the nipples with gold paint and it ate right through the foam. That cavern in the picture was not there before the gold paint got to it. I don’t think I’ll be using gold paint much any more.