I like to think that's what I've done! But yeah, "same but not same" is a pretty good way to think about it. A lot of me is similar to how I was 10 years ago, but a lot is also notably different.
Oh, haha. Perfect. I live in an old house (by US standards of old house). My husband wanted to change out all the windows when we moved in. Oh, no. Not my 1926 12-lite sashes! And no, you can't tear out all the plaster just because it has a few cracks here and there. What's the point of owning an old house if you're going to "new & improve" everything? Harumph.
I lived in a house built in 1900! Richmond has some great old houses (for the US, as you rightly pointed out). It's so cool to live with all that history.
This reminds me of an old saying, used often in the days when people did not always know their exact age. "I am the same age as my tongue, and a bit older than my teeth".
It's wild. We are just collections of pieces that are replaced our entire lives, but if you ask me to replace all those pieces at once, I'm probably always gonna say no. I think that's where my experience would end.
That being said, what does "my experience" even mean? We take a lot of things for granted, but once you start thinking about Bones and Bicycles, you're starting to uncover some incredibly difficult questions to answer about the nature of our experience.
Yeah. I really like this approach. As a writer it gives you the creative license to avoid some of the detail where necessary. For example, the pedantic cyclist in me was going to ask whether the fictional bike retained the original frame. And then I realised it didn’t matter.
Thanks, Ben! I like stretching a little, and fiction (even to tell a nonfiction story-- maybe especially to tell a nonfiction story) is a great way for me to do that. As long as I have a base hit or maybe a walk here, I'm good with that outcome for the time being. Really appreciate the feedback on this one.
“Are we the same people we were a year ago? How about ten years ago? What do you think?”
No we are not. And thank God for that. 🙏
Ha! I do so much different than I did 10 years ago, and that's AFTER I quit drinking!
I'm the same person I was 10 years ago and not. Hopefully, I've shed the less than stellar bits and kept the good parts. ;)
I like to think that's what I've done! But yeah, "same but not same" is a pretty good way to think about it. A lot of me is similar to how I was 10 years ago, but a lot is also notably different.
Ah, the infamous "Bike of Theseus"!
Loved the fictionalized take on this piece, Andrew.
Thanks, Dan! I wanted to have a little fun here.
Made me laugh. I often wonder this about old wooden boats. Is this really the original? Or a replica now that every original part has been replaced?
Same, fam!
https://goatfury.substack.com/p/ships-of-theseus
Oh, haha. Perfect. I live in an old house (by US standards of old house). My husband wanted to change out all the windows when we moved in. Oh, no. Not my 1926 12-lite sashes! And no, you can't tear out all the plaster just because it has a few cracks here and there. What's the point of owning an old house if you're going to "new & improve" everything? Harumph.
Love it. My last house was from 1926 too! I lived there from 2009 through part of 2018. It was my first purchase.
This is our 2nd. The first was built in 1940. So, yeah, we definitely go for the old bones.
I lived in a house built in 1900! Richmond has some great old houses (for the US, as you rightly pointed out). It's so cool to live with all that history.
I'm Tidewater/Hampton Roads born and raised. Returned there in early 2000s. That 1940 cottage was in the marshes of Mathews County.
This reminds me of an old saying, used often in the days when people did not always know their exact age. "I am the same age as my tongue, and a bit older than my teeth".
I like that a lot!
My bike's name is Frankensteina. None of her parts or accessories match. I like it that way.
I'd like to think that I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago because she was kind of miserable.
This is what I think everytime Scotty transports someone.
Andrew, have you seen this one yet? If not, I bet you're gonna like it: https://goatfury.substack.com/p/im-with-bones
EXACTLY!
It's wild. We are just collections of pieces that are replaced our entire lives, but if you ask me to replace all those pieces at once, I'm probably always gonna say no. I think that's where my experience would end.
That being said, what does "my experience" even mean? We take a lot of things for granted, but once you start thinking about Bones and Bicycles, you're starting to uncover some incredibly difficult questions to answer about the nature of our experience.
I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to send me into an existential crisis and no thank you I already did that.
Perfectly said.
"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
-Mark Twain
Yeah nice metaphor.
Thanks, Alan! Fiction always feels kind of weird, even when I use it to tell a nonfiction story.
Yeah. I really like this approach. As a writer it gives you the creative license to avoid some of the detail where necessary. For example, the pedantic cyclist in me was going to ask whether the fictional bike retained the original frame. And then I realised it didn’t matter.
In my head it didn't - every part was replaced - but of course you're right! And, I really appreciate the feedback here.
So fun!
Thanks, Ben! I like stretching a little, and fiction (even to tell a nonfiction story-- maybe especially to tell a nonfiction story) is a great way for me to do that. As long as I have a base hit or maybe a walk here, I'm good with that outcome for the time being. Really appreciate the feedback on this one.