The Man Outside the Window

the man outside the window

standing in the rain

with his shorts, orange wand

can't see the lush green land

that drops into the river.

the illuminated sign

confirms anxiety,

once more beckons change,

instills hope along with a vision

of the next offspring embrace.

how many promises,

how many pressures,

how many propositions

earn a tally mark

that suggest fulfillment?

the Sap in The Jar of Flies

sends peculiar messages.

But Anyway...WTF

           

            I decided I would write a blog post this morning.

            It’s been 16 months since I last wrote one but that’s not why I decided to write one.

            I decided to write one because of Marc Maron, actually, and I was thinking about Marc Maron because I was on his “WTF” Web site trying to see how deep the archives went. I was in that place looking for an episode he’s supposedly done with Carlos Mencia and I was there because Demitri Martin’s Wikipedia page suggested Carlos Mencia’s Wikipedia page to me and I was on Demitri Martin’s Wikipedia page because I’d just watched his new Netflix special.

            Sixteen months ago I wrote about the passing of Chris Cornell and prior to that I hadn’t written since Donald Trump had been elected president of the United States.

            This is probably all trivial and boring to you, but I’m writing for myself this morning.

It Does in Fact Seem Like Too Much Love is Never Enough

            All of these years later, I will still give you $100 if you can hit the high notes of “Say Hello 2 Heaven.” You have to do the notes justice and you have to do it on video, but…free money, people.

More on that in a minute.

The first time I saw the word “Soundgarden” it was on -- as Shelly Marcone said in The Last Boy Scout -- “a very enlightened place”: Angela Kircher’s ass.

(photographic re-enactment)

            The word, emblazoned in black Marks-a-Lot across the seat of a cutoff jean-shorts, not only served as the first time I would set eyes on the band’s name, but the act of inscribing (done by her older sister, Mary Susan), far pre-dated any fabricated clothing that would boast “pink” or “juicy.”

A Big, Fat, Furious American Finger

          When writing, I try to avoid four things in general: use of "I," adverbs, passive verbs, and profanity.

          On this historic day in America, all bets are off (Note: See? I just ended a sentence with a preposition.).

            The struggle on 65^th Terrace has never been realer.

            I left the house at 3:30 this morning to get coffee and the two camps in my mind kept lobbying. Write nice, said one. Remain an optimist.

Untimely Reviews: Phish, Big Boat

            Phish extends their studio-album-producing run to an impressive 27 years today by releasing Big Boat, their 13^th record, and what a fascinating mix this baker’s dozen of LPs comprises.

            Fan staples that almost begin and end with the group’s first four productions have stood more than the test of time; they define the outfit’s roots and serve as the diehards’ safety net.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XL: 25-1

So here it is...

...installment 40 of a 40-piece series.

Ten months, 296 pages, and 127,358 words later, the thing is complete.

This project has been so many things: fun, hard work, eye-opening, redundant at times, and perhaps a touch self-serving and narcissistic.

I hope to keep the bigger-picture meaning of it in mind the next time I feel frustrated about something, and I hope it has, from time to time, been fun to read.

I definitely enjoyed writing it.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXIX: 50-26

A strange thing occurred in the final run of this series: I finished writing it and then didn't have time to edit the last two pieces and get them posted.

Guess that's how it goes, though.

Anyway, here's the second to last and the last will follow right after it.

Thank you for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXVIII: 75-51

While there are many things I'm grateful for in here and in this entire series, I am especially grateful this morning that my sister is home, has rested, and is feeling better.

Here's to having a tranquil Tuesday.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXVII

Feels pretty weird to have broken into the 10s.

I'd hoped to close this project out with some huge, meaningful, eye-opening, worldly gratitudes, to get outside of myself as I mentioned I'd do.

That didn't happen, though.

I did my best, and this has been quite the journey.

Thank you for being here with me.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXVI: 125-101

I don't imagine we're beyond all of the summer heat just yet, but last evening and this morning provided some calm, cool air here in the sticky midwest.

Here's entry #36.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXV: 150-126

These things...they come and go in waves.

Happy Sunday.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXIV, 175-151

In the beginning of this project I joked about how hard it would be to avoid repetition by the time I got to the end, and that's turning out to be true in every sense. I'm doing everything I can to try and think of the real things, the important things in life, and instead of coming up with stuff, I'm probably coming across as a 21st-century, idiot, American male.

At this point, though, my sole focus is split into two tiers: a) the perspective gained from starting this series, and b) finishing it.

As I chisel away at the remaining few, I'll make an effort to try and get outside of myself.

As always, thanks for reading. 

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXIII: 200-176

With this installment we dive into the 100s and -- in case I haven't mentioned it -- I've stayed 100 entries ahead of what's posted since the beginning. I chose to do it this way so that I never felt forced to write then post, just for the sake of posting; the writing was meant to fuel the posting of what had already been written.

That said, I am down to the final 100 gratitude entries to write and I hope to carry the momentum of this project into the next project while rounding out the final seven posts to the series.

If I could only figure out what that project will be...

The direction I'm leaning suggests that I'll skinny back on the blog stuff and work on something I might be able to publish in the traditional sense. So in the event that the blogginess falls off as we enter fall, I hope that you'll still visit once in a while. If you don't, that's okay, too.

Thanks, though, for being here when you were.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXII: 225-201

Managed to squeeze another one in before July was in the rear-view.

Eight more of these and you never have to hear me talk about gratitude again.

Or...not that often anyway.

Actually, I'll probably reference this series a lot over the next few years.

So, yeah: Cancel all of that. No promises anywhere.

Thanks for reading, though.

Happy weekend...if you have that sort of thing in your life.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXXI: 250-226

Last post for July.

Hope everyone's enjoying their summer.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXX: 275-251

Penned this shorty over fourth-of-July weekend down at the lake.

It, like some of the finer things in life, are simple.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXIX: 300-276

As I sat down to edit this entry I noticed a couple of goofs as the 300s wound down. I hope they've been fixed and I apologize for any redundancy you might see in this (or other recent) entry.

Something that's been on my mind a lot lately has to do with whether or not I'm coming up with all of the right things in this project. That is, I've touched on particular subjects and offshoots of them on countless occasions and, in doing so, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm now leaving out something crucial.

I feel certain that, at the conclusion of this project, many things will spring to mind that I would like to have included, but the book will have been closed. I know it doesn't matter, that the list of gratitudes should be a lifelong accumulation, but I don't want to come across as arrogant. We have a lot to be thankful for in this part of the world -- some of us more so than others -- and I'm trying to grow my mindfulness of that truth.

My wife also asked me where I was with it and whether or not it had changed me.

I guess I wish she would have known the answer to both of those questions, but maybe that just means I've overlooked a particular gratitude. Or several. Or maybe it's one I haven't even realized yet.

Anyway, thanks -- as always -- for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXVIII: 325-301

The kids have awoken and I've got to get the day rolling, so here's another submission.

Thanks for reading.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXVII: 350-326

July, July.

July makes me sigh.

I say that because -- at some point in this series -- I anticipated finishing in August.

That leaves me with a considerable amount of work to do in the next seven weeks, and the worst possible judgment -- if I don't get it done by then -- looms : my own.

Self-criticism, at times, weighs heavier than that of others does.

I can sit here and say that it doesn't matter, but I'd be lying.

What matters lands in the department of discipline and execution, and anything else only qualifies as an excuse.

Nevertheless, I feel good about where I've gotten, and I thank you for being along for the ride.

One Thousand Gratitudes, Part XXVI: 375-351

Dunno if this is part of getting old or what, but I feel like the Fourth of July becomes a little bit more special every year.

Here's to spending time with family and friends.

And here's to keeping what's great about this country and expanding upon it.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the fireworks if you're lucky enough to be around any.