26 March 2009

the opposite of true luck is as follows...reality.

while tagging in clothes at work the other day, my automation became disjointed when the fog of work was briefly interrupted by a the cling-clanging of metal on a ceramic tile floor. staring up at me, the last remnant of the recently passed observance of st. patrick's day existed in the form of a green coin with pictures of shamrocks and the phrase luck o' the irish imprinted upon it.

it was then that the absolute and utter stupidity of this phrase hit me. i mean, taken in a historical context, does anyone truly want the luck of the irish? we're talking about a people whose story is wrapped up in a bloody struggle for independence from colonial rule and the forced immigration brought on by a potato famine. does this sound "lucky" to anyone else? i mean, really? why don't you just wish upon me the historical plight of the african american or the "luck" of the ethiopian while you're at it? seriously, i love violent struggle for civil rights and extreme, death inducing hunger. please, wish that upon me...thanks, buddy.

the only thing lucky about the irish are the boston celtics. in fact, i would argue that in their 75 year history, the celtics have probably had more luck than the irish have had in their entire million year history. drafting bill russel, stealing larry bird by exploiting a poor rule and drafting him a year early,(in the second round! no less)hell, getting paul pierce at number 11 and stealing k.g. exhibit more good fortune than does a clover over dover. really, what the heck do the irish have to offer...bono?

now, this is no way meant to be offensive to the irish, who are, like most groups of people, a generally good bunch of folks. this short essay is merely meant to question the validity of the phrase, "luck o' the irish." after all, if you guys consider yourselves lucky, then that must mean that an average white dude in america like myself is blessed by the hand of god by comparison.

and i am not quite ready to admit that about my situation just yet.

but i will say that for now it is all good...
just so long as pricks like bono keep their hands off my lucky charms.

03 March 2009

the best of...

the best albums are mix tapes, or i pod shuffles, or a jockey spinning songs on the radio in a jumbled randomness until one reaches out and decides to define a moment in your life like when margot got off the bus to these days and the moment was so powerful that richie tenenbaum had to cut himself to try to forget. i remember the other passengers asleep, coasting down a great smokey mountain slightly out of control and scared shitless at sunrise when everybody wants to rule the world became the most beautiful song i have ever heard.

the best films are the one's that catch you at that right time when the atmosphere onscreen can reasonably mirror that in the life being lead outside of the diegesis of the film. watching all the real girls, knowing that you are dancing full on in a bowling alley because nobody is watching and you know nobody is watching for a reason. seeing dazed and confused and wanting to drink some beer and kick some ass and it always seems we are almost out of beer. the synchronicity of those moments are enough to fry synapses and crinkle memories into brain tissue.

the best television is competition, pure i'm better than you type of shit. football, racing, american idol...all of them simply call for the human spirit to rise up and give its wholehearted best like rocky and apollo duking it out at the end of three in that dingy little gym.

the best times are spent talking and listening and just getting in contact with another person in your physical plane, face to face, seperated by little more than fabric and air, pressed up in p.j.'s eric rohmer style talking about what you should be doing and tossing devices of communication and separation aside. naughty.

the best high comes from breathing in the air from all over god's greenness.

the best parties are ones without dress codes.

and the best you is in how you relate to the moment around you. do you feel it?

02 March 2009

goals (a twelve step program)

because we are switching over to u-verse, my internet access will be shut down for a few minutes so we're just gonna have to put this little chat on hold for a spell. in the meanwhile, i will leave you with my to-do list. things i intend to get to are as such...

1. watch my netflix and return them
2. shake my little toosh on the catwalk
3. go to landmark, drink a beer, and watch two lovers
4. eat a five dollar footlong with you
5. draw pictures in the margins of papers
6. take notes
7. sing in the shower
8. make two lists
9. write two blogs
10. go check in on shane'e recovery
11. stay on the grind and keep making my money
12. peace.

hoping your time is just as productive,
beer cannes.