here is my philosophy in a nutshell.
We are all spending too much time on our screens and
indoors.
Of course, a certain amount is necessary just to live in
this techno world, but seriously? We all do it too much. And it’s the reason
why idiots like Trump get to power because if more people were thinking for
themselves and conversing in the streets and waking up to reality instead of the
spoonfed hysterical reality that he and his cohorts feed us, the nonsense
wouldn’t have ever gotten this far. So I’m doing my part and using my writing
to remind everyone to get the hell off their machines and look people in the
eye.
Including myself.
There is wisdom out there. And in a book. And occasionally
on a screen but way more out there or in a book.
For instance, I am at IHOP right now. Not because it’s my
favorite place to go to breakfast but because I know it’s open and I thought
that the strawberry banana pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes would tempt my
kids. Who is mostly here? Ole codgers. Either sitting in groups or sitting
alone in booths or with their tired looking wives. But mostly ole codgers. Does
that make me an ole codger? Ugh, I suppose so.
But that also tells me something. At least the ole codgers
know where reality is at on this one. Out and about in the actual world instead
of sitting at home on a snowy morning afraid to face the slippery streets. Is
this my fate in 30 years? Possibly. Aghghghghghghghghghghghgg but I’ll embrace
it.
There is 1950s music playing. Music I would never be caught
dead listening to anymore but it reminds me of my youth when I was first exposed
to these songs, mostly through my roommate Freya who got into all kinds of
music in college and made it seem cool. It’s the kind of music you hear at
1970s looking bowling alleys with tan and brown wall décor. It’s the kind of
music that makes you want to eat your breakfast quickly and get out of here,
back into the world but I’m going to try to stick it out.
I’m glad for many things. Even though this town isn’t
necessarily the place I want to end up when I’m an ole codger, I’m glad I’m
here now. It’s boring enough that people become more interesting than things
and stuff. And Nature is more interesting than sitting at home all the time.
And you can’t really make enough money to do very much, so you get creative
with what time and money you have. And you run into people that you know all
the time so even though it’s not really a ‘small’ town, when you live here long
enough it starts to feel small-ish. And it’s a liberal enough state to have a
judge who dared to defy Trump’s stupid crappy immigration ban.
And I see happy couples walking around here, arm in arm,
dressed alike into their 80s. So there is hope that I might find someone
because other people do it apparently. And I know they’re probably happy because,
as everyone knows, similar clothes are a sign that you are close to someone in mind,
spirit, and body, too. And maybe like the other psychological/scientific fact I
read about once (but can’t remember where) that says that if you are trying to
get pregnant, all you need to do is hang around a lactating mother because the
hormones raging in the air around her will rub off on you… maybe like that, if
I’m around these ole codgers with their identical partners, maybe their ole
codger formula for happiness will rub off on me, too.
