You
the only met.
In perfect form.
the what if
the where if
the why not
the do not
the yes
the no.
See
that was easy.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thanksgiving
How are you turkeys out there? Long time no write. Did you have fun with your relatives...digging into infamous Thanksgiving fare or did you go to save the bales off the coast of Honduras somewhere? I had a very nice time in my old hometown, getting around, sticking within the family circle this time, not trying to see every old high school friend but making memories with my own parents, my close family members and my sons. This will be another short post, but it has been vexing me lately- this question of when are we satisfied, what does is mean to happiness, will we recognize it when it comes, and are we really grateful for what we have? AND - is it a bad thing to want more for oneself, not in material stuff but just more in personal achievements and dreams. I say no. I say we have that inner voice for a reason, the one who tells us to get off the couch, stop dreaming and start doing. When we achieve one goal, our minds just need more. I believe this is what makes us different than the other monkeys swinging from branches - the ability to want more, to make plans, to consciously choose a dangerous "rush" or to choose a peaceful route that makes our lives feel that much more wide open, and less roped in.
As the old gem says "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might just find, you get what you need." Ahh...that old chestnut. I don't buy it. I say- don't settle. Just tread lightly on the rainbows of others in search of your own. Time is too short. (TITS - sounds like a great tshirt logo right.)
As the old gem says "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might just find, you get what you need." Ahh...that old chestnut. I don't buy it. I say- don't settle. Just tread lightly on the rainbows of others in search of your own. Time is too short. (TITS - sounds like a great tshirt logo right.)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Capote, dishing on his friends, losing his religion
This article from Vanity Fair is the true essence of Vanity Fair, offering a fresh insight into one of the literary giants of our modern era, Truman Capote. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2012/12/truman-capote-answered-prayers. I love VF articles like this, choosing to sidestep politics and fashion posts for true literary gold, nicely packaged essays on the people I treasure most personally - writers. I cannot imagine what kind of confused childhood Capote must have had, partly raised in deep south with "flamboyant" tendencies and the need to escape to more metro places that accepted the differences in humans.
From what I have learned of him over the years, he was soft spoke, lispy, but large - a contradiction in stature and sound and a friend to many high society NY people once he was among their elite.
According to this and many other articles, he started to "dish" on these people who had welcomed and adored him towards the end of his life. This is similar to how Fitzgerald wrote his stories, using real people for his glimpses into this very exclusive, elusive world of the ultra rich. And both writers were paid in spades for it, the lower classes eating up the stories like tabloid bits, making the writers more wealthy.
However, using your friends to entertain the masses has its price- losing your friends. This has always been the writer's problem, and I've read so many writers say that they did not feel free to write until many of their own friends or family members had passed away (yes). I can understand this, as people with conscious feelings of guilt worry about how their loved ones would feel about seeing their obvious characters in print, for all to see.
Somewhere along the rosy path of indulgences and Park Avenue parties, Capote decided to incorporate his friend's true stories into entertainment for all, and they called each other after the stories appeared, hissing his name and growing paranoid and angry at such a betrayal. This is life, this is the writer - selfish, truthful, using life to satisfy a need to purge out all the hypocrisy of others, even their own friends. Capote, losing his religion towards the end, losing his loyalty to friends but perhaps trying to save his sanity.
From what I have learned of him over the years, he was soft spoke, lispy, but large - a contradiction in stature and sound and a friend to many high society NY people once he was among their elite.
According to this and many other articles, he started to "dish" on these people who had welcomed and adored him towards the end of his life. This is similar to how Fitzgerald wrote his stories, using real people for his glimpses into this very exclusive, elusive world of the ultra rich. And both writers were paid in spades for it, the lower classes eating up the stories like tabloid bits, making the writers more wealthy.
However, using your friends to entertain the masses has its price- losing your friends. This has always been the writer's problem, and I've read so many writers say that they did not feel free to write until many of their own friends or family members had passed away (yes). I can understand this, as people with conscious feelings of guilt worry about how their loved ones would feel about seeing their obvious characters in print, for all to see.
Somewhere along the rosy path of indulgences and Park Avenue parties, Capote decided to incorporate his friend's true stories into entertainment for all, and they called each other after the stories appeared, hissing his name and growing paranoid and angry at such a betrayal. This is life, this is the writer - selfish, truthful, using life to satisfy a need to purge out all the hypocrisy of others, even their own friends. Capote, losing his religion towards the end, losing his loyalty to friends but perhaps trying to save his sanity.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Philip Roth: “I’m done” - A sad day, but understandable.
If I had written as many novels and works of non fiction as he has, I'd be checking the calender also to see how many years I may have left, in order to enjoy life from a non -writer's perspective. This man has written his entire life, churning out acclaimed work for decades. We should all be so lucky to find that passion for the ONE thing we love to do, do it well, get honored for it, and then have the chance to say goodbye. Thank you, Phillip Roth for the angst, the dry wit, the sometimes over-wrought characters, the narrative, and for leaving my children a HUGE library of your work to enjoy when they are older. After all, like Hemingway, his stories I feel, are something every young man should read, like a rite of passage to manhood. Sounds silly, and women appreciate them also, but I can accept that his stories are written from the male mind's perspective, as it should be. Write what you know...and people will love you.
Article here : Philip Roth: “I’m done”
Article here : Philip Roth: “I’m done”
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
"I've got this."
What appeals to me about this photo of a very young President Obama, is how youthful, somewhat goofy and iconic it is. It is simple, it reminds me of how naive yet hopeful we are as younger adults, doing things we should not do (perhaps like smoking or snorting Nerds). I don't believe our President is that naive person anymore. I think we need to back him and give him credit for overcoming a hard campaign and opposition. I still did not wait up for his speech, I still dislike his grandiose way of speaking, but this has been a similar refrain of mine during the Clinton years (and Gore- ugg). This is is common among politicians, this manner of slight arrogance, confidence and stilted speech, I accept this fact. When Romney spoke, I felt nothing, a complete void of feeling is not going to get my vote, and he lost this woman's vote. I could not vote for a black hole that was filled with PAC money, strange fringe groups and plus...his faith states that he can have "spirit babies" in the afterworld. (no let's not go there - the whole Mormon cult thing- it's a free country and we can worship what we like).
Between two candidates I felt no love for, I chose to go with the one that sat better in my heart, and made sense for my mind. I will sleep well tonight, the party is over and hard work for this man to do for us. I hope my fellow friends on Facebook don't start sniping at cars or burying guns in their yards for fear of this President, it seems like they have an irrational fear of him. This one man that I did not vote for in 2008. When McCain lost, I did not feel the urge to run out and purchase firearms or join a local White Supremacy group. I disliked Obama intensely, I did not think he had experience needed, really REALLY disliked his legions of arrogant fans who treated him like their God. I still hold some of these feelings, and have no regrets of voting for McCain and Palin. However, time marches on.
Now, four years later, we were left with the two to choose from. I chose this man and hope he does something. DO SOMETHING MR PRESIDENT! I changed my vote for you!!
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