Life Choices in the First World: A Bit of Harmless Fun

So.

I sold the mid-life crisis convertible, purchased sight unseen mid COVID outbreak 2020. A little red Audi TT convertible. Lovely vehicle, but I tired of it as I tend to do, and tired of having the encumbrance of two cars. It was never necessary. It’s gone! And with it, the vestiges of my non-existent mid-life crisis, which was always a joke really, and not an actual thing. Mid-life, if that is what this is, is great! Crises are so 20-30-somthing.

Moving on.

I have decided to act on a desire I have had for the last 20 years, and get my scooter licence. Not a motorbike licence, I don’t trust myself not to get intoxicated by the speed of a motorbike. Besides which, I can upgrade and train up later for a bike. Meanwhile, automatic scooter here I come.

Two directions to go in: la dolce vita, or Euro/Deutscher hi-tech. I am embarrassed by the relatively arbitrary nature of this choice, I mean, there are more important decisions to be made in people’s lives in general, and certainly in mine.

But this is just a bit of fun. Making non-essential choices is fun. I hope there is no harm in that. Can’t broach the metaphysical ramparts in every blog post.

Option 1: Vespa

Option 2: BMW

Both suitable and approved for learners in Victoria. Both comparable for the inner-city riding I will be restricting myself to. The Vespa probably more nimble, certainly smaller and lighter - easier to handle. The BMW, bigger and heaver, but not too big - and look at it!

I love BMW design language in their cars, and even more in their bikes. Something a little tragic about having a BMW car and a matching BMW scooter, but then again, something a little clichéd about living in inner Melbourne and riding a Vespa around the grid.

Then again, I don’t really care about either of those observations - that’s all self-consciousness, which is a bit pointless and distracting.

AND - there is something delicious about either option! The Vespa is iconic, and such a beautiful object, and I am partial to beautiful objects. The BMW, meanwhile, looks like something out of a Japanese manga, which has its own appeal.

Anyway, as I said, a bit of fun - so relaxing to make a choice with so few consequences.

Needless to say, the decision-taking has all been based on aesthetics up to this point: I will report back once I have actually ridden the two options, which is what will decide the outcome of my deliberations.