• I don’t feel like using bullets.
So, I’m going to pretend that each of you just asked me, “What’s up?” and that we already got through the pleasantries and into the meat of the conversation.
Oh! I’m going to Georgia tomorrow. The plans include poker on Thursday, drinks with an old friend on Friday, Homecoming game and more football on Saturday, a meeting and a cool show on Sunday, and a return trip here on Monday. The only thing that bums me about this trip is that I won’t be spending much time in Athens or at Homecoming. I think it’s the best thing right now though. There is enough going on in Athens without me showing up drunk at the wrong place and wrong time. On a lighter note, however, my drink of choice this weekend will be Jack and Dr. Pepper. I haven’t had this in a long time.
Next, I will pretend that you asked me, “Well, what’s been going on?” and that I already said the obligatory, “Oh, not much,” thought about it, and then began to speak.
Last Saturday I judged a show here in Nashville. I completely missed the game, though I sorta look like the smart one in hindsight, huh? I heard some good bands and, um, developed some new professional relationships. I also had some gin after the show, and I wasn’t mean at all.
This week I did more of the whole ballroom dancing thing. I think I may be able to retain most of my cynicism while still learning how to do this. I'm sure it can only be good for me. I’m also sure that in two months I will feel very dirty about this whole thing.
I also watched The Godfather (amazing) and Cold Mountain (really… some people think Southerners sound like that?).
Lastly, I will pretend that you asked me, “What’s been on your mind?” and that I have already said, “You know. The usual,” and then gotten to the point.
Well, you know the news bums me out, and that the potential for negative events really bums me out. This obviously hasn’t been a great week for someone who doesn’t care for negativity.
I have been reading a little bit of Vonnegut lately, thanks to Trina. The author and I really don’t share beliefs or ways of thinking about things, but I think it’s usually healthy to consider more ways of thinking about things than one’s own. There is a moment in this book that makes sense to me when I get pissed or depressed about the state of the world. It sounds a little fatalist, but I don’t think that’s the intent. It certainly isn’t the way I choose to believe it:
As a younger man, Trout would have sneered at the sign about brotherhood – posted on the rim of a bomb crater, as anyone could see. But his head no longer sheltered ideas of how things could be and should be on the planet, as opposed to how they really were. There was only one way for the Earth to be, he thought: the way it was.
Everything was necessary. He saw an old white woman fishing through a garbage can. That was necessary. He saw a bathtub toy, a little rubber duck, lying on its side on the grating over a storm sewer. It had to be there.
And so on. – Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions
I suppose it’s not that you shouldn’t try to make things right. It’s just that I think you have to deal with what things are before you attempt to do anything about them.
Perhaps another way of saying that is that – no matter how hard one might try to make it so - the future is not a version of the past.
Sorry for the depth or the bullshit – whichever one you think it is.
6 comments:
you've never seen the godfather until now?
Ridiculous, isn't it?
I have not seen it either, but I recently watched Inside the Actors Studio with Al Pacino. That made me think I should watch it. I am just worried that it won't live up to the hype.
You should watch it. I think it's an essential. Just have the expectation that it's going to be a good movie. I think if you take the hype into consideration then it can't possibly be enjoyable
Was there some particularly bad news other than what I think was the bad news?
Mike - No. Same old world conflict shit. I should quit watching the news.
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