Danger Quest Mysteries

Mysteries of the Bicycle Explained #4: Coffeebike

I’ve tried to write about what it’s been like to live in the USA in 2003, or , say, some time between 2002 and 2004. I’ve found our times have been quite stressful, not just because of 9/11 itself, not just because of the Iraq War, but the reality problem that suffocated our public culture. I’m not the only one who observed it. It made me physically ill for awhile. This strange form of mental oppression began to fade in the latter half of 2004, although the other problems, as you know, continue. And they were made worse, possibly insoluble, by the climate of insanity that ruled public discourse.

“Mysteries of the Bicycle Explained” #4 is a story called “Coffeebike”. A magazine here in Oregon published it in 2003. I think it was that year. It tries to use humor to examine the civilian stresses of our time of war.

I’ve written about the more subtle, psychic oppressive feelings in a graphic novel in collaboration with Portland cartoonist Neal Skorpen. It’s not quite finished yet. Poor Neal has a ton of work to do! I’m excited about that project.

I think we live in radically unusual times worth trying to understand and record through art.

Tangentially, one part of life that may not be obvious, which I enjoy a lot, is the sense of history sweeping around us. It astounds me over and over.

Humor, satire, comedy are excellent ways to try to understand what is happening.