Last night, my neighbor invited me to go up to Baltimore to a pre-season football game to celebrate both of our birthdays. I haven't been to an NFL game in a long time, although I have watched a little bit on television. I have spent a lot of time around a lot of spectator sports in my life, and have certainly enjoyed a few, but last night's event was as pointless and extravagant a demonstration of militaristic consumerism as I have ever witnessed. After having experienced the gentle souls of J. Blood and my even older friend Arty Kopecky in the last few weeks, I felt like I was on a different planet. Painfully, it was a planet where I was not welcome, and where the ideas and goals that I cherish are not valued. I have to assume that everyone feels this way sometimes. I don't like the feeling much myself. I won't be going back, and I am sure that my friend will not invite me again. I hate to separate myself off from the world, for many reasons, but I need to be more careful about exposing myself to this kind of thing. As Dylan put it, "maybe I'm too sensitive, or perhaps I'm getting soft".
I have many exciting and positive projects coming up. I'll write more another time.
peace,
jim
3 comments:
Meyrin Basket is my preferred spectator sport. But that cantaloupe that Ellen brought was good. I mean really good, probably the best I've had all season. Norm liked his portion, but then he pretty much likes everything.
That fruit that they grow down by Santa Cruz is kissed by some mighty special sun, as far as I can tell. We had some plain strawberries that, if you got them in a restaurant, you might ask the waiter to not put so much sugar on them next time!
later,
jim
Know what you mean. I guess I felt a lot like that just living in the USA -- a stranger in the house. Since then I'm always a stranger, which somehow feels just right.
I'm going to be in Boston on business next week and found that Jimmy Carl Black is playing on Tuesday night with a guy named Eugene Chadbourne (they call themselves Jim and Jack). Hope to see him -- according to his website he's now 69 years old. Care to join me?
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