It’s my first night home, lounging in my pajamas and doing nothing, in about three weeks. Including weekends. This is the downside of the theater hobby, combined with a pesky day job and the occasional family obligation.
In an attempt to use the time for something fun, i decided to conjure a thoughtful post. Ummm. Nope. Nothing… not a twinkle of a creative thought. Searching for inspiration from my reading list, i found cat’s voluntary meme. Hmmm…. List seven things I approve of… seemed pretty straightforward. Feel free to do the same – i’m not the ‘tagging’ type.
1) Productive Activism – It seems many folks can walk around a big, steaming pile of shit, and instead of cleaning it up, will engage in a perpetual monkeyspank to complain about it. They’ll write letters of outrage to the powers that be about the evils of shitpiles, organize committees against the existence of shitpiles, hold rallies, raise funds and launch shitpile boycotts. Just pick it the fuck up, people. It’s easier… Along these lines, i’ve been a rabid supporter of Planned Parenthood for decades. They work worldwide, doing something rational to prevent the need for abortion. They work to ensure that every child is a wanted child, with food, housing and a future. Providing reproductive health care and education for poor women across the globe. I’d say that’s pretty damn productive. Or counter-reproductive, if you want look at it that way…
2) Rational Thought – The diligence to assemble facts. The common sense to dismiss hype, fiction and superstition. The ability to reason. I believe it to be on the ‘endangered’ list these days, but i get all goose-bumpy when i encounter it as i go about my business in life.
3) Informed Debate – A foundation for ‘rational thought’, the ability for people on opposing sides of an issue to put forward facts to support positions, without playing to emotion. Also on the ‘endangered’ list. Especially in U.S. politics.
4) Dogs (Large) – There’s just nothing like the unconditional love of a big, slobbery mutt. Small dogs may suit urban lifestyles, but you can’t really get that good ‘thump’ sound when you whack one on the side. Besides, small dogs resemble hairballs. And they ‘yip’. Big dogs rule…
5) The Life Eclectic – There are those who achieve greatness through dogged pursuit of a passion. Music, sport, art, science… the world is a better place because of this tenacity and devotion to the pursuit of excellence. For the rest of us, being open to whatever random adventure shows up as we stumble onward sure keeps life from being dull. We may never excel at anything, but can just as easily hop on a horse for a desert trek as we can put on a wetsuit and look at pretty fishies 30′ underwater. Enjoying humor ranging from the ‘pull my finger’ variety, to the brilliance of Dave Chappelle. There is much to be said for spending time in the company of ‘full spectrum humans’.
6) Naps – Highly underrated, naps are the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Especially during football season, when you can crawl under the covers at 1:00 in the afternoon, fall asleep during the second quarter, then wake up an hour later in the fourth quarter, and feel as though you watched the game. Even better when combined with item 4 above…
7) Personal Soundtracks – My iPod changed my life. The first time i walked off a plane into the commuter-infested Philadelphia airport, while listening to Annie Lennox sing Whiter Shade of Pale, my walk to the next gate became a virtual reality trip through a modern dance performance. Seeing the nasty, hurried travelpeople, bumping and humping through the terminal to that serene track was simply mesmerizing. The ‘pod has also allowed me to wear the magical cloak of “shut the fuck up, don’t talk to me” while traveling. Perhaps i’ve missed the occasional conversation with a charming, thoughtful person as a result, but i’m certain that i’ve repelled the verbal assault of at least one insurance salesman named “Norm” who wants to tell me all about his postage stamp collection…. I’ll take the cloak of “stfu”, thank you very much…
Trailer Park Refugee 
Didn’t Snow White start this meme?
Great list. I especially agree with the life eclectic. I’ve never got the hang of naps, which is rather silly considering where I live. My only problem with this post is that I now want an iPod. A cute lime green one, I think …
don’t worry about “Norm” we’ve got him under lock and key at the gimcrack
kn – not sure. wasn’t that the “list seven things that depreciate” list?
az – in retrospect, there’s a lot of ‘what i disapprove of’ on that list. i was trying to keep it positive, but slipped into the bashing. i mean that thing about little dogs? unnecessary… and girl, you’ve got the gadget envy. get an iPhone. it’s an iPod, phone and has e-mail… i’m waiting til there’s a cheap, functional knockoff…
nm – relieved to know that. but his band of boring brethren with bad-breath infest airports worldwide… don’t let your guard down…
I cannot believe you did a meme. Not only that, you used too many big words for me. I did relate to the “pull my finger” variety though. Only I like to do the pulling of fingers. Other peoples poots crack me up.
Speaking of gadgets, I’m waiting for the Mac Air. Sorry, had to brag.
waitress – i think this is exactly why memes happen… when you can’t think of anything else to say? and besides, i said ‘shitpile’ a lot! and i called little dogs ‘hairballs’… it’s still me… oh, and Mac Air? Mac Juicy… who’s the geek?
I know I’ve got gadget envy big time … my rather poor financial situation keeps me from going mental with it. Apparently iPhones don’t work yet in Spain – some issues with the monopoly still held by Telefónica here.
Before you go for a Mac Air, uw, check out the new Toshiba Portege R500 – the thinnest and lightest notebook on the market so far. I’m seriously aching for one of those babies…
Not sure if the little dog thing was totally unwarrented – they mostly seem to be yappy dust mops. Though having said that, a friend of mine has a wee yorkie/maltese mix that, yes is yappy, but is actually very sweet and pretty. Whenever I go to his house she insists I pick her up and won’t be quiet until I do so … then she gives me ‘the eyes’. Hard not to love her, though I wouldn’t want one myself. Cats are way better – they only love you if they decide you’re worth it.
On the subject of memes, I don’t have anything against them per se, I just hate how the term came into use (stolen from Dawkins) to mean some stupid internet tagging thing. I prefer to use the term coined by my blogging friend alejna – “me-me” – as this seems to fit better.
Naps are indeed highly underrated. The older I get, the more
I happily indulge myselfnecessary naps become.Critical thinking and the willingness to take positive action are simply beyond the scope of most Americans. We wouldn’t be in the horrible mess we are in if it were otherwise.
Perpetual monkey spank, sounds like my recent social calendar!
az – cats are wonderful, but typically hate me. doesn’t make for a good arrangement for either of us!
toby – shhhh! it’s not age! it’s wisdom that drives it… we’re just smart enough to know it’s good for us.
uncle keith – hey sailor! wanna date? shave those palms and give me a call!
Not only do you do the meme, you give it serious thought, thus shaming my silly seven which I knocked up in seven minutes flat!
But dogs rock, as do iPods. I desperately want a wee dog again, but it would be cruel living as I do in a flat. I need a big house!
cat – not so much serious thought as a lot of words… opportunity to rant. agree that it’s hard to have a dog without space. i had considered selling my house, buying an urban ‘loft’ space, but it wouldn’t be nice for my pup.