Wordsmith.org
Posted By: FishonaBike Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 08:09 PM
Well, it's fishonabike, Jim, but not as we know him...

Hi folks!

I've finally managed to convince myself I have the self-discipline to be an occasional dive-in Awadian rather than the hopeless word-junkie that once was.

Well, we'll see, eh?

If I still have a job in a few weeks time, then I've cracked it - and I'll be absobloodylutely delighted to be able to have the best of both worlds.

I come bearing a little gift. My friend John S. Allen has taken the search for the origins of
A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle
a step further than we managed a while back, and has received an email from the phrase's author, no less!
Check it out:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/3255/herstory.htm

He neglects to mention, however, that he found out about Irina Dunn's role through yours truly, and that yours truly found out from (and gave credit to) none other than good ol' JazzO on good ol' AWAD:
http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=miscellany&Number=5821

Ah, well.



Could someone please fill me in on anything I need to know as a virtual newbie? Anything not generally relevant to newbies is probably best communicated as a private message. Oh, and I've noticed Max & Jo's little Guide to Awadia. Very nice it is, too

I'm going to apologize in advance for likely YARTing and for my lack of attention to anything outside the immediate vicinity of the posts I make, OK? Of course you should still consider yourselves fully licensed to point out such environmentally unsound practices to me.

Phew. An essay where I meant a paragraph. If only I were still a student [sigh]

That's it for now - I'm off for a swimcycle around...

Greetings old friends (who I happily notice are still in abundance) and new!


Posted By: AnnaStrophic Oh my scales! - 05/29/02 08:25 PM
Caloo, calay
Oh frabjous day,
The Shona has returned!!



Await E-mail....

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Oh my scales! - 05/29/02 08:35 PM
A hearty welcome back, Fish! I've read your posts from days gone by with deluxe delight.

Bathymetric regards,
Wordwind

Posted By: tsuwm Post deleted by tsuwm - 05/29/02 08:42 PM
Posted By: Angel Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 08:54 PM
Well, FishonaBike, we have never met, but I look forward to reading your posts! Welcome back aBoard!

Posted By: Geoff Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:16 PM
My friend John S. Allen has taken the search for the origins of
A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle


The same John S. Allen who wrote STREET SMARTS Bicycling's
Traffic Survival Guide?


I used to distribute that booklet when I was an Effective Cycling Instructor with the old League of American Wheelmen.

Oh, yeah, WELCOME BACK!!!

Posted By: Hyla Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:18 PM
Hiya shona - we overlapped a little bit before you went into exile. I'm very glad you're back. I think you'll find that many a post has been posted lamenting your absence, and now we can get back to talking about words.

Oh, and thanks for wasting much of my afternoon with that h2g2 site!

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:20 PM
we have never met

I've met lots of Angelfish, of course.


Imagination is often depicted as wings, isn't it? Perhaps my bike should, like you, have wings attached.

Posted By: Max Quordlepleen . - 05/29/02 09:24 PM
Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:28 PM
a day for the return of the prodigals

Hi Nuncle!

Who's the other returnee - the invisiblified Mav? I thought I'd seen recent contributions from our favourite Welsh dragon

Posted By: belMarduk Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:33 PM
shona mon chou, I am so glad you are back. Happy sigh with moon eyes. I am happy you finally had that talk with yourself and came to your senses, fishy though those senses may be.

How's the home pond? And the guppies?



Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Oh my scales! - 05/29/02 09:35 PM
Oh frabjous day

Ah, to be greeted by Lewis Carroll, and by an extract from probably my favourite work of his - it's good to be home, Auntie !

Aside: Damn, going to have to be careful not to wear out the smileys. And exclamation marks, at that..

Posted By: Father Steve Oh my ears and whiskers - 05/29/02 09:43 PM
From one who, too, was apart and has returned, welcome.

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Oh my scales! - 05/29/02 09:44 PM
Bathymetric regards

Naturally as long as it doesn't get too shallow I won't ever be out of my depth. Though that isn't to say the deeper the better.

Delighted to make your acquaintance, WW.



Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:49 PM
The same John S. Allen who wrote STREET SMARTS Bicycling's Traffic Survival Guide?

The very one, Geoff!
His main site is http://www.bikexprt.com, and very impressive credentials he has, too. As if being into fish on bikes wasn't enough.

A very worthy occupation you had there. Still into cycling?


Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 09:53 PM
Hiya Hyla,

thanks for wasting much of my afternoon with that h2g2 site

My pleasure. I did the same. Resisted joining up, though!

get back to talking about words
Anything is possible, even from me.



Posted By: FishonaBike Of Vique and Insensitive fish - 05/29/02 10:18 PM
Hi Max!

I feel like a Teletubby, wanting to give big hugs all around. (Ah. Does anybody else know what I'm talking about here? I'll explain later if so. Then again.)

no closer to discerning the ultimate source
Hmmm, well, we are a bit closer. I know that "Man needs Religion like a fish needs a bicycle" is known as Vique's Law. Also, from Irina Dunn's email, we know that she knew of the saying from philosophical writings. And last but not least, bikes have only been in common usage for a fairly short number of years. We don't have to delve into history much.

I'm convinced we'll find out some time.

the young man's brutal, callous and vicious closing sentence in that post
Eeek! How could I be so thoughtless, my dear chap? Actually I believe Ms Dunn's origins are rather more diverse than is implied by Ms Steinem if you check out the biog linked in to JSA's page. And I'm sure JazzO didn't mean it. And, umm... hey, look at that! [points skyward then runs away]

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 10:27 PM
had that talk with yourself and came to your senses

Salut choupette,

Actually I came to my senses and stopped talking to myself. Good thing, too!

The pond's currently under partial renovation and in partial chaos. Quite fun, though - great having an area that you can't make any more chaotic (the guppies definitely agree there)






Posted By: of troy Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 10:32 PM
welcome, welcome, welcome..
i can't help but think of the girl scouts song-

Make new friends, but keep the old
One is silver, the other gold.


and it is golden day, seeing your name. i am so glad to see you back!


Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Oh my ears and whiskers - 05/29/02 10:35 PM
one who, too, was apart and has returned

Glad you're still here too, Father.

Oh, would you mind giving Max a quick refresher on the immeasurable value of forgiveness, and on the peace that passeth understanding? Thanks. I ask not for myself but for the greater good of all, of course.


Posted By: FishonaBike Silver and Gold - 05/29/02 10:37 PM
Make new friends, but keep the old
One is silver, the other gold


That's lovely, Helen. Never heard it before.

Thank you.

Posted By: jmh Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 10:41 PM
Hiya Shona

Great to see you here. Will we be expecting a flood of posts or just an everyday deluge? Either way, it's good to see the fish dipping a fin in the water.

I don't think that Mav is around at the moment. Fr Steve is back after a break (hi Fr Steve, forgot to welcome you back). We've mislaid Ravi the Sunshine Warrior, so we need a help with the British words those 'mercans seen to struggle with from time to time.

Posted By: Angel Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 10:45 PM

Imagination is often depicted as wings, isn't it? Perhaps my bike should, like you, have wings attached.


I love this man already! [kiss-e]

Posted By: Max Quordlepleen . - 05/29/02 10:58 PM
Posted By: Faldage Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/29/02 11:12 PM
Welcome home, Shona. I look forward to many enjoyable posts.

Posted By: Father Steve Peace - 05/29/02 11:21 PM
Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (4:7, Authorized Version)

This catchy phrase is perhaps more familiar to Episcopal children as it is echoed in "the birthday prayer" used in many congregations: ""Watch over thy children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (1979 Book of Common Prayer [American]).

This peace is not something desired by all, e.g. Helen Keller, who said: "I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace."

No, I can't give "Max a quick refresher ... on the peace that passeth understanding" because it PASSETH UNDERSTANDING!











Posted By: Jazzoctopus Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 12:21 AM
the young man's brutal, callous and vicious closing sentence in that post.

Max, do forgive me! I was but an infant then and had no knowledge of the wonders found in the nation just up from the one I mentioned in that post.

Posted By: hev Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 02:51 AM
WELCOME BACK Fishonabike!

I've heard lots of great things about you, am looking forward to your occasional dive back into the swim of things!

Hev

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Peace - 05/30/02 09:24 AM
I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.

Priceless. Sadly, as the Stones would have it: "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

No, I can't give "Max a quick refresher ... on the peace that passeth understanding" because it PASSETH UNDERSTANDING

Arrrkkk----*. Touche, sah.

how do I get an acutely accented "e", folks?




Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: acutely accented e - 05/30/02 09:38 AM
Shona, if you have a Mac, hit option+e, then e again et voila:parm my French é

If you're a pathetic PC user, you'll have to ask one of your Gatesish cohorts.

--FischweiB

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 09:42 AM
Will we be expecting a flood of posts or just an everyday deluge?

Best expect an English Spring, Jo: lots of heavy showers with occasional sunny spells.

And speaking of "sunny", very careless of you to mislay shanks. Where was he last seen?

Always happy to help those on the Other Side (of the Pond that is). After all, if we don't, those 'orrible Australasians will.
[pedals rapidly for cover]

Fisk

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 09:54 AM
Hev, that's about the best use of colour I've ever seen on this Board.

heard lots of great things about you
look forward to...

Eek, not sure I can live up to all this expectation, Hev and Faldage!

Suppose I'll settle on being just a tad more Terminator II than [almost any Disney film you like] II

Posted By: consuelo Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 10:05 AM
Hi pezcyclando©! (That would be fishonabike in Spanish) Like DubDub, I too know you only from the reruns and am very glad to see you back. Besos.

Posted By: Bean Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 10:59 AM
Hi Fishonabike,

I think we crossed paths, I on my way in, while you were on your way out. (You know how it is when you first sign up - takes a while to straighten out the personalities - then some of them disappear!) So welcome back!

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 01:08 PM
pezcyclando©

Hey consuelo, that's great! Sounds like a brand name for something fizzy and/or whizzy. Definitely more streamlined than the somewhat clunky fishonabike. I'd keep a firm grip on the copyright for that one.

Piscis Bicyclata ©

Posted By: Faldage Re: acutely accented e - 05/30/02 01:15 PM
From a pathetic PC user: é is obtainable by holding down the ALT key and entering 0233 on the numeric keypad.

Try this Þ O Noble MacUser



Posted By: FishonaBike Re: acutely accented e - 05/30/02 01:37 PM
Touché

Yippee!

Cheers me old son.

Macs schmacks - so how much diesel you burning these days FishweiB ?!

Incidentally my token effort at following not even the second, but the third way is by using the Opera browser almost exclusively [smug holier-than-thou look]

Fisk



Posted By: dxb Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 02:24 PM
Welcome back, fellow resident of silly Sussex, best placed county in the British Isles. We did not overlap, so tho’ you are not new to me, I am to you. Pleased to meet you.

Thinking about your intriguing nom des clés I took a look at words with a piscine connection and found a couple of things that were new to me:

Common of piscary – right of fishing in another’s water along with owner (and others).

Fish – piece of ivory etc. used as a counter in games. (Was fishplate derived from this?) Perhaps the counters were originally carved to a flat fish shape. I shall investigate.

Speaking of roadkill, as we were on another thread, do you notice what seems to me a surprising number of dead badgers on our country lanes? Quite a large animal for even a lorry to hit – don’t get too many artics on the lanes I use. Makes me wonder about disposal of the remains from a certain illegal sport……Any views? By the way, are badgers found wild in North America, I wonder? Must look it up.

dxb.


Posted By: Hyla Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 02:33 PM
are badgers found wild in North America, I wonder?

YCLIU, but I can tell ya too - they are. Last one I saw was on the same recent camping trip where I saw magpies. Sadly, this one was just a skin - a hunter I met had found it dead on the road and hung it up at the campground store, along with other road-kill skins (foxes, coyote, racoon, skunk) he'd found, to encourage people to drive slower in the country.

Posted By: Faldage Re: acutely accented e - 05/30/02 02:43 PM
[white]FishweiB[/white]

Or Fishweiß if ya knows howta do thatn. ALT-0223

Posted By: SilkMuse Post deleted by SilkMuse - 05/30/02 02:51 PM
Posted By: Bean Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 03:16 PM
By the way, are badgers found wild in North America, I wonder? Must look it up.

I think we've concluded in other discussions that we have things called badgers here, but they're not the same animal. Help from people with animal knowledge?


Posted By: AnnaStrophic ß - 05/30/02 03:56 PM
Or Fishweiß if ya knows howta do thatn.

That would make me whitefish, silly.

Macs schmacks

I'll let it go this time in hono(u)r of your triumphal return, Minnow Mein.

Posted By: belMarduk Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 06:14 PM
Now, now, Silky, Shona's just made it back. Don't be bringing up the scale of his model. He's very sensitive about thoses things.

Posted By: Angel Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 07:07 PM
He's very sensitive about thoses things.

As has been said on this board before, "men are so sensitive about their anatomy."



Posted By: Capital Kiwi Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 08:38 PM
Welcome back, piscepedaller. You left at the time I arrived. And I'd showered that day. Was it something I said?

Posted By: WhitmanO'Neill Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/30/02 11:37 PM
Hi! and welcome back, Fishonabike, your reputation for inspired postings preceeds you! I think you left just as I ventured onto the board for the first time, but I have perused many of your delightful offerings, and look forward to many more! You are, indeed, a "storied" member of the board!

Posted By: FishonaBike More Stories - 05/31/02 10:49 AM
think you left just as I ventured onto the board for the first time..

Hi (checks profile) Dave - nice meeting you,

Yeah, I do recall you being around.
As said previously, not sure how much I can live up to expectations, but I'll do my best.

a "storied" member of the board
Now who did this quote come from:

My story's a mystery,
His story - that's history.
What's your story?


Before you ask - no, I can't remember either.

Fisk






Posted By: FishonaBike Re: ß - 05/31/02 10:52 AM
Or Fishweiß if ya knows howta do thatn.
That would make me whitefish, silly.


He was only beta testing, Auntie.






Posted By: FishonaBike Wildlife - 05/31/02 11:10 AM
Hi dxb
(I keep thinking tsb and "It's the one for me"
(bank and advert for non-Brits or younger Brits))


Fish – piece of ivory etc. used as a counter in games
Yes, I recall this from somewhere. It's some particular game that you have "fish" in, I fink. Anybody out there know any more?

Of course dxb, you'll know we have the Sussex game toad in the hole where "toads" are the pieces. So called I suspect because the game involves lobbing coins into a small hole (or on to the surface of the board near it), and they tend to hop a bit.

Toad in the hole is also the name of a world-famous English dish , which I believe has been mentioned previously on this Board. I'll find the reference if anyone's interested.

dead badgers on our country lanes
Haven't seen too many of them - very occasional round where I live, thankfully. Of course East Sussex and Lewes especially are renowned as representing the height of civilisation:
http://www.cliffebonfire.co.uk/
- so it must be all those wild and pictish residents round where you live
Do you really call the area Mid Sussex?




Posted By: FishonaBike Cap-it-all Kiwi - 05/31/02 11:17 AM
piscepedaller

Yo Cap!

I thought our times overlapped for quite a bit, actually, accepted that my memory is just a tad accident-prone.

Why on earth should the presence of more than one Kiwi on the Board make me want to leave?

Fisk


Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/31/02 11:29 AM
but an infant then

Greetings, fellow denizen of the deep (and, of course, the world's most famous etymythologist).

Have you googled on your name recently? My web site acknowledgement (I think) has put your AWAD incarnation on the list. Not at the top, mind (reserved for your wikipedia incarnation).




Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/31/02 01:08 PM
"men are so sensitive about their anatomy."

If memory serves, women are extremely sensitive about some parts of their anatomy.


Posted By: FishonaBike Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 05/31/02 01:33 PM
enjoying your babble, fish.
Are you ... just a scale model?


I'd a beg a word in your ear, silky selky, but you'd have to be my gillfriend to have a word in mine.

"That's another fin mess you got me into" said the chubby one.




Posted By: dxb Re: Wildlife - 05/31/02 03:57 PM
Do you really call the area Mid Sussex?

Well it is kind of in the middle of the county. Only problem is although there are some very attractive villages and superb countryside of the domesticated variety, the towns are pretty useless. We generally end up going to other places to browse-shop, even Lewes or Tunbridge Wells.
Still, as I said, ideally situated to get to Town or to the beach, close to Gatwick, not too far from Heathrow and the various ways of crossing the Channel and full of fine Wealden countryside and buildings. Silly Sussex is a good place to be.

This board appears to be falling apart around us - what to do?

Posted By: wow Re: Return Of The Fish-eye - 06/03/02 04:33 PM
Oh! Praises be! Prayers answered.
Must burn incense and send up thanks for the return of our fishonabike!
This late greeting because I have had computer troubles - lots of lightening storms here in New England last few days!

Oh-so-glad to have you home again.

'Mid pleasures and palaces though you may roam,
be it ever so humble there's no place like home!"

Welcome Home
Your delighted High Priestess,
WOW