I heard a short piece on the radio from the guys that wrote the book Freakonomics (interesting takes on the sorts of causes at the root of effects in society and commerce) that is one of those little things that sticks in my head that I keep coming back to. The hypothesis was that the nature of the business of being a beauty queen was at its core very similar to entering the drug trade because they both are fairly open entry to a field that in the end only allows very few to prevail and enjoy any sort of success. I identify with the drug dealers and beauty queens in the broad competitive environment in which they are trying to succeed and it has been a huge element in a number of my professional, avocational, and even recreational pursuits. From getting paid for how fast and efficient I could be as a bike messenger, to lining up amongst a hundred and some odd other fellows at the start of a cyclo-cross race, to throwing my hat in the ring to applying my manufacturing and engineering and design skills and trying to convince customers to choose me to fabricate a bicycle for them when every option in the world is available at their 4g fingertips. It is maddening and stressful and sometimes you get bitter and swear it must be because that other competitor only got ahead because of the breast implants or they slept with one of the judges but I don’t know if I’d have it any other way. The disappointments make the successes that may yet be a delusion seem like they will be that much sweeter.
One of the risks that I’d taken recently to make a play at a piece of the pie was, ironically enough, to build a prize for a tournament. In this case to the MVP in another winner take all endeavor that I enjoy which is the much mis-understood game of hardcourt bicycle polo at this past January’s Winter Lock Down Polo Tournament in Lynn. The demands for the fork by the claimant of the prize would not be met easily, light but still strong enough to take brutal contact, mounting for disc and caliper brakes, and to fit and match the handling characteristics of his existing frame perfectly. I worked hard on it and can only hope now that Julien out and Seattle likes it and tells anyone who will listen to buy BBW.
Here are some pics of the prize in her raw nude glory.
