I know I’m overloading you.  It’s just that I’m crawling out of an emotional hole and I’ve got a desire for contact and when I write something mediocre it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I instantly want to replace it with something better…

Anyway, I spent most of the day catching up on my reading, and I’ve got a burning desire to share some of what I read, so I’m going to.

The August 9th issue of the "New Yorker" is a gem.  The issue after that, with the John Lurie story, held my interest also, but I was riveted by two articles in the former issue, the first about Gil Scott-Heron.  You know, the guy who claimed the revolution would not be televised.  Or maybe you don’t know…  Pick up the magazine and read the article.

Anyway, better than most movies, there’s a foreshadowing that piques your interest…  The propane tank on the floor…is Gil Scott-Heron still on crack?

Yes.

But despite being high, he’s got insight that eludes straight people, he’s got his head screwed on completely straight for someone who’s totally twisted.  He tells the story of his upbringing.  He pulls no punches in his tales of his career, but what I couldn’t forget was this:

"On the shelf of a cabinet were some books, and some DVDs, which he buys at a video store next door to the Apollo Theatre, on 125th Street.  He especially likes shows and movies and cartoons from his childhood, such as ‘Top Cat’ and "Rocky and Bullwinkle’ and ‘Underdog.’"

Although Gil’s a few years older, this is my era.  I might add in Huckleberry Hound and Yogi and even Magilla Gorilla, but I know all those cartoons, yet unlike a crack addict I don’t spend time watching them.  But it’s what Gil said after this that stopped me in my tracks:

"’Your life has to consist of more than "Black people should unite,"’ he said.  ‘You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.  If you aren’t having fun, die, because you’re running a worthless program, far as I’m concerned.’"

Whew!  There’s my rationale for skiing right there!  I no longer have to explain it to people, it’s my escape, it’s my fun!  Then again, am I working too hard back in the big city, should I take time off and watch some TV, go to some movies, to broaden my perspective, my world view?  We’re all into working so hard to get ahead, but by doing this do we not only miss life, but end up working dumber, because we’ve got no balance, no input from outside our tiny sphere?  Interesting.

And after the article on Gil, there’s one by David Sedaris.  I know he’s got a cult following, I’ve even seen him live, but I just don’t get it.  Oh, I get it, but really, come on, is he that good?  This article, "Standing By: Fear, loathing, flying", is so good I want to tell everybody about it, I want to hang with Mr. Sedaris, even though we play for different teams, I believe we’re soulmates.

The article revolves around the frustration of flying.  It’s a combination of laugh out loud vignettes and incredible insight.

Starting with the former…

"You don’t want to hear the phrase ‘I’ll be right back,’ either.  That’s code for ‘Go fuck yourself,’ according to a woman who used to fly for Northwest and taught me several terms specific to her profession.
‘You know how a plastic bottle of water will get all crinkly during a flight?’ she asked.  ‘Well it happens to people, too, to our insides.  That’s why we get all gassy.’
‘All right,’ I said.
‘So what me and the other gals would sometimes do is fart while we walked up and down the aisle.  No one could hear it on account of the engine noise, but, anyway, that’s what we called "crop dusting."’
When I asked another fight attendant, this one male, how he dealt with a plane full of belligerent passengers, he said ‘Oh, we have our ways.  The next time you’re flying, and it comes time to land, listen closely as we make our final pass down the aisle.’"

Alas, if I quote some of the insight, it will be a little out of context, but what the hell:

"If the grandmother’s criticism was coming from the same place as mine, if she was just being petty and judgmental, we could go on all day, perhaps even form a friendship.  If, on the other hand, it was tied to a conservative agenda, I was going to have to switch tracks, and side with Freaky Mothafocka, who was, after all, just a kid."

FYI: "Freaky Mothafocka" was a teenage dad wearing a t-shirt with that moniker emblazoned upon it.

Just some notes from the front.  Good night!