8/8/2019 My Story Outline

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1. Exposition - Giving the opposite side.

A. Sitting in gridlock traffic, tapping my foot against the floor of my car, I have to imagine a better way.A biker slides past me in the empty bike lane, dodges a manhole, and skips through the

intersection. The better way may just be the former way.B. Cars are convenient, you can listen to music, you can adjust the temperature, you get around

quickly, you are comfortably seated.

C. But at what cost does your comfort come? How much is sacrificed for your own personal pleasure.And is comfortability really what we seek most in life, or can the strain of exercise lead us to a

healthy and happier state?D. Riding your bike to work, instead of driving, is healthier for you and the world at large.

2. Rising ActionA. To start, lets take personal satisfaction into account. Biking makes you healthier and happier.

i. Exercise is not only helps alleviate negative symptoms like depression, but is also helpful inpreventing other problems. (http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro05/web2/mmcgovern.html)

ii. The more we exercise, the healthier we are, and the healthier we will stay. Riding to work canbe your daily exercise, and getting there provides the motivation to complete the workout. It

has motivation built in.B. Biking also helps compartmentalizing and organization.

i. Because biking takes more time, it allows you to think about your day and stimulates yourcreativity.

ii. Wallace Stevens wrote most of his poems while walking to work (a great alternative to ridingyour bike)

iii. I write best when I can concentrate, and do that best while walking. Any number of poems

have been written on the way from the house to the office." (http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2010/10/02)

iv. Because innovation takes time, and biking to work gives you time, youre more likely to beinnovative while riding your bike than driving your car.

v. COUNTER: now, you could argue that riding your bike takes more concentration than drivingyour car, and driving gives you the freedom to concentrate more. But, since driving takes youout of the world at large, you re actually less likely to be aware of things around you, the

sounds, smells, feeling or the place, and therefore less likely to think of beneficial things.B. Biking is better for the environment.

i. Unless you completely disagree with global warming research on car exhaust leading toexcess CO2 in the atmosphere, this point should be easily conceded.

ii. Thinking in the long term health of the air you and I breathe, and the air our children willbreathe, biking clearly holds the cards.

3. Climax:

A. If were looking at our own health and well-being, and the health of our planet and offspring, bikingto work cannot be ignored as the superior transportation option.

4. Falling ActionA. Being a happier, healthier person also takes the strain off your co-workers and, let s be honest, the

already flooded-with-issues health-care system.B. So if youre willing to take the focus off yourself and think a little creatively about your

transportation, you can help yourself and others. No one looses, except the morning radiotalkshow hosts, who will, no doubt, miss your morning listenership.5. Denouement (Conclusion)

A. The utopian vision of an all cycling work force is of course tempting. But Ill suffice it to stayindividualistic, and encourage you that currently the bike lane is wide-open.

Name: Mr. Ankeny

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