Initiation...
It appears that you are well on your way to becoming a sprockethead.
Next, you'll get lost... in the dark. Take a sub-zero (F) ride to work... crash and have to fabricate your own repairs (with a handy rock)... and finally, grille and eat roadkill to stave off a bonk.
We won't even talk about having to run from goats, moose, or wild pigs, or inadvertently swallowing a bee while breathing hard on a climb!
Nonetheless, for me, a frightful ride on two wheels is far better than a cozy trip in a car.
As for your flat tire situation... Slime, available at any bike shop, is inexpensive, (and reusable) easy to apply, and very effective. I had to modify my various bikes' rims to accept schrader valves, though, as Slime tends to stick prestas shut.