Wednesday, August 08, 2007

current favorite things




Words: Whereas by supposing they have given up themselves to the absolute arbitrary power and will of a legislator, they have disarmed themselves, and armed him to make a prey of them when he pleases. - John Locke

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. - Thomas Jefferson

Art: Mel Kadel (un-scared, above) (see more of her work or buy a t-shirt here)

Books: The Assault on Reason, by Al Gore (a must must read; the likes of Locke and Jefferson would bow.)
This Clumsy Living, by Bob Hicok (blistering, tender, "a softness of phantom limbs marching through the forest," a shiver, an assault on silence, a brilliant ballet of words, life on a page.)

Music: Beautiful Maladies, by Tom Waits, and his song "Hold On" (God bless your crooked little heart) ; The Wishing Chair, by 10,000 Maniacs (a for-as-long-as-I-can-remember-favorite, favorite again, like a lot of these actually); Death Cab for Cutie's self-titled cd; the somewhat stray Alanis Morrisette songs "Offer," and "Still" (Her perception of God -- I am the harm which you inflict, I am your brilliance and frustration, I'm the nuclear bombs if they're to hit... I am your misfits and your praised, I am your grasping and expectation. I see you cheering on the war, I see you ignoring your children, I see you abusing the land, I see you and your selective amnesia, And I love you still. I am your fury and your elation, I am your yearning and your sweat... I am your crisis and delight, I am your death and your decisions, I am your passion and your plights. I see you holding your grudges, I see you gunning them down, I see you silencing your sisters, I see you lie to your country, and forcing them out. I see you blaming each other, And I love you still.) Oh, and once again, and again & again & again... Whatever, by Aimee Mann, super especially "I've Had It." (Listen to some or all of the cd here.)

Observations: My cat Ruby has learned how to chase her tail in the conventional way -- circles that are horizontal to the floor. Up until today, she always did it in a way that I've never seen another cat attempt -- 'like doing somersaults, 'circles that were verticle to the floor. (She is soooo entertaining.) Fortunately, despite her newly gained knowledge, she seems to prefer her own unique brand of tail-chasing. (I like that I've raised a cat who thinks for herself. *grin*)

Watching my neices and nephews growing up. (And come to think of it, it's pretty rewarding when I give myself the opportunity to watch myself grow up, as well.)

People: My eighteen-year-old neice; a baby named Kendall 's mom, my old and new friend, Stephanie; John Edwards, Al Gore.

New Find:The Journal of Aesthetics & Protest


1 comment:

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Beautiful Maladies is a good one. My favorite Waits' album is Rain Dogs. In fact, it's on my short list.