Especially in this part of the world where kids don’t actually have much playtime as it is, being bogged down with homework at all, this bugs me every now and then. Like how, when I’m at the garden practising a trick, there’d be people walking by and looking at me like I were one of those jobless uneducated bums that their kids shouldn’t grow up to be.
Or how when a kid asks to try out my unicycle and I politely agree, their parents would always butt in after a while with “Let’s return the unicycle. You don’t know how to do it.” It’s not that they’re being polite but rather that they just don’t want their kids to pick up the sport no matter how interested they are because they want their kids to grow up.
On one hand I think media coverage is good because it exposes people to the sport. On the other there’s the common perception that it’s a cry for attention and why cant I act my age.
While I’m not self-conscious enough to quit unicycling publicly, I’m still pretty annoyed at the narrow-mindedness of people and how unreceptive people are to difference. And yes, seeing how every time I get approached by an adult, it’s usually “My kid wants to buy this.” and not “I want to learn this” and the multiple times I received “I’m too old to learn this” as a reply to “You can give it a try”, yes, I feel like an overaged kid.
I think you’re last statement says it better than your thread title.
There’s so much packed into your four paragraphs and I think they deserve some attention, but it’s hard to address it all.
Suffice it to say that doing things out of the ordinary is never a bad thing. And as long as you balance your fun with whatever responsibilities you have your age is irrelevant.
My observations from your posts is that your a pretty together person. As far as unicycling goes, join those who join you and hope the rest have their own joys. And remember that for every person who says they are too old to learn to unicycle, there is probably a person who secretly sits in their basement painting action figures or who studies the lives of saints.
I have this conversation with my 14 year old daughter periodically where I’m watching a football game or bowling on TV - activities I enjoy, but don’t do that often - and she says something to the effect that she just can’t figure out why anyone would waste their time playing sports or watching them. They’re stupid. And I say something like, well sports are challenging and people enjoy doing that and being together with others engaging in them. And watching them is fun because I appreciate the challenges and the various ways the athletes approach them.
And then I say something like, you’re interested in fashion and make up and lots of people think they are stupid activities. But they don’t think about the subtleties involved in achieving a particular look or the creativity involved.
I usually get a “look” then. She gets it but is too young quite yet to admit it.
Anyway, my point is that most people are less shallow than we think and most people have their thing that gives them pleasure. Be proud - in the good way - and unashamed of your pleasure and don’t assume that others don’t have theirs. And most importantly, don’t judge. Live the world you want.
I’m only about six months younger than Obama. Flux, you’re not allowed to feel old if your’re just over half my age. That’s just the rule.
Some people are going to be narrow-minded no matter what we do. We must concentrate on the people who like unicycling; whether to see it done or to try it themselves.
I think I might have overgeneralised on the topic. A more appropriate header would really be “Feeling the pressure to conform to public decorum appropriate for my age.” but that’s not really that catchy
While it’s unlikely to stop me from living my life, it still spoils my mood to hear people with the opinion that ‘these people probably can’t ride bikes. Why don’t they grow up.’ or that the different variations of riding and unicycle games isn’t real sports because it looks like something only kids would play. I’m probably not articulating this well enough.
Very irrelevant bike vs uni comment I heard last weekend which is possibly the most amusing and misguided one as yet. We were riding our 29s and overtaking some mtbs on the road. One biker comments that ‘whoa they’re faster than us!’ and the other one shoots back ‘Of course, they’ve got a bigger wheel.’
My mature and considered response to such instances is: F*** 'em. If people choose to live in their caged little lives that’s fine as far as I’m concerned, I just feel sorry for the children who are being taught that limiting your ambition in life is a good thing.
On the subject of feeling old, yesterday the cartoon Sally Forth referred to someone as being a cross between Carrie Bradshaw and Squeaky Fromme. I had to look up the former.
why bother? once you’ve accepted that adulthood is just a short absence during adolescent life and that unicyclists are suffering from the Peter Pan complex?
I’ve been accustomed to my children castigating me by a “do behave dad!”
I don’t mind anymore… my wife … well my wife knew that from the very beginning.
Moreover being tagged as “crazy” earns you the respect of your colleagues since the boss himself does not know how to handle you!
So be happy, do UNI !
Too bad that Fluxusmaximus feels public pressure when unicycling. At my end of the age spectrum it is quite the opposite. I find that my unicycle has given me many chances to talk to people in a way that would never happen on foot. I have had such conversations on the street this year in Toronto, London, Geneva and Stockholm. It works with people everywhere. In Canada I have given out dozens of Darren Bedford’s business cards to curious passersby.
At one point I tried to get an article published in local media about the advantages of unicycling having seen how the challenges of the sport had helped a couple of teenage boys through a difficult period. Part of the article was this list:
can be learned by children from age five upwards to 70+ (record is 93, I believe)
I know of two teens who were riding a few wobbly meters in about 20 minutes, a mature adult might take five to ten hours to do the same
it is fairly safe because the max speed is low with the rider close to the ground
because distance riding is not practical on a 16 or 20 inch wheel, the child will not (cannot) stray far from home
it is quiet (unlike a skateboard) saving parents' and neighbours' nerves
it is far more challenging than anything possible on a bicycle
not just a "boy" activity like skateboarding: skilled girls ride with an amazing balletic fluidity (lots of youtube videos)
people are generally positive about seeing unicyclists practise in parks or parking lots (helpful in fighting intergenerational grumpiness)
it makes a great common parent-child activity
it is excellent exercise improving balance, coordination, strength and general fitness
unicycles are not expensive starting at about $125, but for a good one expect to pay around $250
When I get someone’s e-mail address I have a list of YouTube videos showing different aspects unicycling.
I get this one all the time as well. People who seem particularly nervous often strike preemptively, blurting out, “I’m way too old for that!” as if the thought of my offering to let them try was simply unbearable.
Another tendency I’ve spotted is for people to give me the benefit of the doubt and try to reconcile unicycling to an “adult” motivation.
“That must be a great workout.”
“Getting some exercise?”
“Well, that’s one way to get around.”
at UNICON in switzerland at the “old geezers” meeting we came with the idea of filming uni for “mature people” . the idea is to advertise the practice but not spectacular stunts … just the sheer joy of riding along in the country… well for the moment no such film showed up … ( I am lazy and do not own a proper device to film)… unless … do someone can point me a realisation I can advertise? thanks
The only negative looks I recieve from people when I’m unicycling are from:
·People trying to be mature
·People who are too mature
·People who don’t understand the joys of being different
and my favourite, which is actually the most common:
·13-16 year old guys, listening to rap way too loud, trying to freak me out by stepping infront of me while shouting incoherent slang.
If there is a way, I usually respond with something that makes absolute sense, if there is no way I usually just ride past them, ignoring them like I didn’t notice.
