Whistling Gypsy
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Currently on my iPod: Don McLean's Slow and Easy
Currently reading: Malachi Martin's Vatican, the blog of Cello
Currently in: Christchurch, New Zealand
I'll be back, more or less the same person, hopefully with my core values (no alcohol! no drugs! no hip hop non-music!) still intact.
This gives the (utterly false) impression that I wish to remain the same person, untouched by fresh experiences, my mind determinedly shutting itself up lest it be broadened by the surprising and possibly soul-changing things - tangible and otherwise- that I encounter overseas. Not! Not! NOT! If I wanted to be the same person, I'd stay here in Christchurch (horrifyingly nicknamed "Little England" by visiting Poms), finishing off my tedious degrees as advised by all the people who never did anything particularly outside the square themselves in all their little lives (feh! at that rate I'd be doing contract law in a nice respectable firm at 23, married with children at 25, and shooting myself in the head from boredom at 27). No! Let me change! Begone, Sars of old! Aroint thee, naive girl of 21. Famme campà! (More Torna a Surriento. How I do love Neapolitan melodrama.)
Currently reading: Malachi Martin's Vatican, the blog of Cello
Currently in: Christchurch, New Zealand
Am I so inept with language? I concluded my last post thus:
I'll be back, more or less the same person, hopefully with my core values (no alcohol! no drugs! no hip hop non-music!) still intact.
This gives the (utterly false) impression that I wish to remain the same person, untouched by fresh experiences, my mind determinedly shutting itself up lest it be broadened by the surprising and possibly soul-changing things - tangible and otherwise- that I encounter overseas. Not! Not! NOT! If I wanted to be the same person, I'd stay here in Christchurch (horrifyingly nicknamed "Little England" by visiting Poms), finishing off my tedious degrees as advised by all the people who never did anything particularly outside the square themselves in all their little lives (feh! at that rate I'd be doing contract law in a nice respectable firm at 23, married with children at 25, and shooting myself in the head from boredom at 27). No! Let me change! Begone, Sars of old! Aroint thee, naive girl of 21. Famme campà! (More Torna a Surriento. How I do love Neapolitan melodrama.)
she whistled and she sang till the green woods rang at 2:16 AM
4 Comments:
Of course you won't be the same person. I don't think that's possible. Not for you, especially!
New things, new experiences, are always good. Keeps the old neurons firing. Keeps that soul-killing boredom from setting in and setting like concrete, making us too inflexible for our own damned good. That's why, among other things, I love to change the route I take home from work now and then. Even if it's a route I've taken before, but haven't driven in the last two months. Just seeing sights I've not seen in a while can often be just the wake-me-up that I need, that I like, that keeps me fresh, and as far away from dementia and Alzheimer's as humanly possible... well, that keeps me fresh, as well as arguing with right-wingers, too. :P
(I won't mention what the sight of George W Bush on the telly does to me.)
New things, new experiences, are always good. Keeps the old neurons firing. Keeps that soul-killing boredom from setting in and setting like concrete, making us too inflexible for our own damned good. That's why, among other things, I love to change the route I take home from work now and then. Even if it's a route I've taken before, but haven't driven in the last two months. Just seeing sights I've not seen in a while can often be just the wake-me-up that I need, that I like, that keeps me fresh, and as far away from dementia and Alzheimer's as humanly possible... well, that keeps me fresh, as well as arguing with right-wingers, too. :P
(I won't mention what the sight of George W Bush on the telly does to me.)
Ha! I've stopped watching the news (I get all my current events from online newspapers these days) so the only Bush I see is the snippets of him shown on Letterman. They've got a rather good series at the moment showing Great Presidential Speeches.
Footage of FDR: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
Footage of Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
Footage of Bush: (laughing imebecilically) "You know... government just... isn't... a compassionate organisation!"
It's rather terrific, what comes out his mouth when he deviates the speech notes his handlers have prepared. :)
Footage of FDR: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
Footage of Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
Footage of Bush: (laughing imebecilically) "You know... government just... isn't... a compassionate organisation!"
It's rather terrific, what comes out his mouth when he deviates the speech notes his handlers have prepared. :)
Honestly, the only time I see him on TV is when I'm at work and I'm forced to watch either MSNBC, CNN, FOX, or the Weather Channel. Otherwise, I get my news online, too.
I must admit, however, that it's been very entertaining watching his numbers drop. According to the NY Times this morning (I've an online subscription to this), a CBS News poll put the public opinion of ol' W's job performance at a 31% approval rating. That's the lowest it's ever been! And one of the lowest ratings for any president ever, with only Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon scoring lower. I'd say he's in good company, the bastard!
As for what comes out of his mouth, you're right, it's just frickin' amazin'! One of his latest gaffs - "I'm the decider" - has even managed to be mocked in a radio commercial for Jerry's Subs and Pizza. They've this sub called "The Beast", as it contains one pound of meat, and they've an impressionist on their commercial saying, "That's what we do. We're beast getters!" :)
I must admit, however, that it's been very entertaining watching his numbers drop. According to the NY Times this morning (I've an online subscription to this), a CBS News poll put the public opinion of ol' W's job performance at a 31% approval rating. That's the lowest it's ever been! And one of the lowest ratings for any president ever, with only Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon scoring lower. I'd say he's in good company, the bastard!
As for what comes out of his mouth, you're right, it's just frickin' amazin'! One of his latest gaffs - "I'm the decider" - has even managed to be mocked in a radio commercial for Jerry's Subs and Pizza. They've this sub called "The Beast", as it contains one pound of meat, and they've an impressionist on their commercial saying, "That's what we do. We're beast getters!" :)
HA!! Thanks for sharing!
