I
am lazy. Only my real friends know that about me. I always plan things, great
things for that matter, but I take forever to execute. I am great at planning
and starting but I can't really close up. The only thing I know how to begin
and end at one shot is procrastinating. When I decided to repaint and rebuild
my bike, sometimes around Christmas last year, all my friends were excited. My
roommate wasn't. He already knew that I will take at least 3 months to finish
what I had planned to finish in a week. I surprised him -- it took me 6 months.
In
reality it took me about 40 minutes to put the bike apart, take pictures of the
brake assembly, place front and rear brakes into separate marked bags, and
spray the frame with a pretty powerful paint stripper (if you'd think it
wouldn't burn and itch if it got into your eyes, you'd be wrong). Then I took
about two weeks off. Tires and wheels were on the balcony, rain or shine, rest
of the disassembled bike in the living room welcoming New Year's wishers.
Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape - word that would best describe all the
action that the bicycle, mainly frame, got in January. I don't think I did
anything at all in February - I was busy at work and at school. In March I
polished the frame and finally put on a primer. I was so proud of myself. I
felt like I was only days away from finishing. I had the picture of the
"new" bike in my head. Combination of silver, red, and black,
tastefully sprayed in a very elegant yet creative way. April - I started
experimenting with a "fast drying" silver spray. It didn't completely
dry even after two days. I had to cancel the silver. I went all black. My
roommate helped me paint the body, I did the wheels and finally sometimes at
the end of May, beginning of June I started putting the whole thing back
together. Problem was, that I did not remember how to do that. I used YouTube a
lot. I sustained only minor injuries.
The
final result looks pretty good. I am proud of myself. It took me almost exactly
six months, 4 haircuts, two girlfriends, one graduation, one Miami Heat title,
and it only cost me about $100 in parts. I am already started looking for a
1965 Mustang for my next project. I'll make it a head-turner, a conversation
piece, that horse that wins every race... or maybe not. Just like the guys from
Top Gear, I am ambitious but rubbish... M.K
