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  1. Well I just got done with John Didion’s new book, about the death of her husband and the illness of her daughter, and then I ran across this factoid in a Doris Grumbach book I’m starting, and it makes me think I should probably get off may ass and do something with my life.

  2. “…I should probably get off may ass and do something with my life.”

    Now to me, THAT is a sobering thought. I read those words and society’s insidious whispers return. It felt like a death sentence.

  3. Well that “something” I’m thinking of is winning a pie eating contest. So don’t fret too much at my moroseness –

    At least now I can stop wondering if I should try the Catholic priesthood.

  4. Oscar Schmoscar

    Oh Oscar was a mess who’s only true talent was to invent epigrams then show up at the right parties and say them out loud to maintain his reputation for wit and sophistication. His very few plays were witty but anything he tried to acheive poignancy with was lame. De Profundis indeed.

    If you want to talk about accomplishment by people who died younger than you

    Gershwin
    Van Gogh
    Lord Byron
    Mozart
    Dylan thomas

    There that oughtta cheer you up.

    Pass the scotch.

  5. When Toulouse Lautrec was my age, he too was dead.

    (did my Grade 6 art project on him – just about everyone else chose Van Gogh or Rembrandt (do the math – I lived in a town called Kemptville)).

  6. Maaannnnyyyy people were dead by the time they were my age, your age, whatever. Accomplished or not, they’re all d.e.a.d.

    Comparison is the cold, wet willie that you let society smoosh in your ear. Or any other (and better) analogy you can use to tell society to mind it’s own damn business.

    Campari however (according to The Webtender) is a bitter Italian aperitif used in (at least) 38 drinks: A Goodnight Kiss, Americano, Bahamas Rum Punch, Bloody Brit, Blue Edisonian, Brioni, Campari Beer, Campari Milkshake, Campari Orange, Captain’s Table, Coco’s Cocktail, Combustible Edison, Copper Cocktail, Dirty Dick’s Downfall, Hashi Bashi, Italian Sunrise, Jasmine, Joy Ride, Malaria Killer, Massacre, Maèek, Meiner, Nalgaa, Negroni, Negroni – Zimbabwe Style, North Polar, Novebuche, Petticoat Lane, Pink Gin Tonic, Red nail, Rheingold, Rosita, Sancho Panza, Silverado, Suicide #1, Tampico, The Miki, Wedding Anniversary

    get it? “comparison” …”campari”? work with me here

  7. oh, and…

    Ray Kroc started McDonald’s when he was 52.

    Colonel Sanders started Kentucky Fried Chicken when he was 65.

    Albert Schweitzer founded his hospital around the age of 50.

    Lech Walesa was elected president of his worker’s union at age 47.

    Bill W. founded AA when he was 43 after years of alcoholism.

    Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum when he was 80.

    Henri Rousseau started painting when he was 40.

    Grandma Moses started painting when she was 78.

    For every Wilde or Mozart there are hundreds of others of these examples.

    I’m just sayin’.

  8. and it makes me think I should probably get off may ass and do something with my life.

    Funny, I thought you already had. Or were.

    As contrasted with my low-impact geeky little existance, of course. I am less ambitious than most, though.

    I think I’ll go have some microwave popcorn and watch TV.

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