September 27, 2010
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And a song I was writing is left undone
I don't know why I spend my time
Writing songs I can't believe
With words that tear and strain to rhyme.
1 Is it still summer?
2 Last week, I thought I officially declared that summer was over!
3 Foolish me. Astoundingly, I forgot to include the actual weather in the mix.
4 Ah, whatev.
5 I love "whatev".
6 New skool.
7 It is so confusing living in a real/digital world, let me tellya.
8 But do we adjust?
9 In a manner of speaking.
10 To me, the world has systematically moved to the stupider.
11 It's not like it's a new trend or anything.
12 If you could read some of the papers I've been reading lately, you would clearly see that we are almost at critical mass.
13 Whatev. Or more to the point, "whatever THAT means."
14 I just roll wid it.
15 For example, the simple fact that the word "with" is being replaced by the word "wid" speaks volumes.
16 We are becoming a nation of idiots.
17 I fight a war every single day to see that that <that that, tee hee!> doesn't happen.
18 But make no mistake, we are quickly losing the War on Idiocy.
19 Makes for a challenging segue, "whatev" THAT means.
20 I'm pretty sure that I never knew what "segue" meant until I asked the venerable Shawna Fleming, who assured me it was just some hodge-podge that meant quite simply, "transition". Shawna of course explained it in perfectly succinct terms that I could never even try to lay down here, but she laid it down with a trowel. She lay it down with a trowel? Oh, bother.
21 Nowadays, a "Segue" is some sort of weird scooter that listens and senses your direction.
22 I wish I could find some sort of vehicle that could do that.
23 I just keep growing older, and yes, a wee bit wiser by the day. It is truly one of the finer traits of growing older.
24 And even if we don't somehow get wiser, we can certainly scam the younger set into believing that old equals brilliant.
25 I once saw film of a lecture by the immortal Bernard Shaw (He HATED the name "George" which to me personally set him at an immediate disadvantage.). I don't even recall where he spoke, nor to whom. But the essence of his oratory was this: you listen to me because I am older, and weathered, and because I have white hair,and so you now respect anything I have to say.
26 I think that is one of the reasons that I raise Bernard Shaw to one of the pantheon set of intellectuals that I actually believe are intellectuals.
27 But I digress.
28 Or perhaps I don't.
29 We are brilliant.
30 The old, I mean. Have I finally subscribed to the notion that I am old?
31 Not on your life.
32 Who else do I believe are intellectuals in my time?
33 Well, who do YOU consider the sages of your age?
34 If I start naming names after two days of reading students' papers, I could readily see that some are in my classes. Yes, I do have geniuses. As in real life, they are few and far between, but they are there.
35 Back to it: who would be on my list of the sages of the age? If I actually begin NAMING names, I might start with Bernard Shaw.
36 Or Shawna Fleming.
37 Perhaps Marx.Or Lennon. Get it? Wasn't funny.
38 The fact is, we have had the glorious chance of witnessing some of the very greats in our time. We just don't know who history will see as brilliant.
39 Would that include Aretha? Or perhaps closer to home, Coldplay? Green Day? Sinatra? Eminem? Tupac? Santana? Notice I'm rattling off a lot of musicians.
40 Clearly there are the many more. It is interesting to think of who the truly wise are in our own time. We are all different. And we all follow different inspirations.
41 I won't go into who I think are the greatest minds of our time. We never recognize them anyway; history has proven that.
42 There's a lot out there. Much more than anyone could hope to Facebook,Twitter, Tweet,Toot, or even Stumble Upon.
43 Who are the true visionaries and thinkers in our time?
44 I don't know. I can't say I know. I think I'll think about it today. Helps Monday move by more swiftly.
45 It's a nice thought on a Monday. Whatever it is you are doing, at some time today stop and think of who YOU see as brilliant. Can you name ten?
46 Think of ten, and then keep them in your heart. I'm not the least bit interested, because clearly the answers will vary.
47 But it's an interesting thought, isn't it?
48 Who moves you?
49 It's rhetorical. You're certainly welcome to answer me in a message, because I'm WAY interested in your top ten.
50 But it's not necessary.
51 It's really just to give a little guidance. It's almost 4 a.m. as I clack these words. It's pitch black with the exception of the computer screen, and the incredible amount of led lights that surround us each night.
52 So I think I'll crawl back into bed.
53 They would have to be insomniacs. The top ten.
54 I need to leave now.
55 See you tomorrow.
56 Peace.
~H~
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