I don't have the ugliness gene

 

I remember when I was a sophomore in college and I was chatting with a young lady at the dorm. "My father dropped me off from home this morning and he told me that these dorms are so ugly that it literally makes him sick." 

Until that second I thought Livingston College dorms were swell looking. I thought for a moment and said, "Oh yes modern government student housing has no sense of the ascetic.  It's all cheaply and shoddily made."  Of course I was trying to impress the lady with my perspicacity. 

In a job I had I was setting up computer terminals with the power supply by the side. I was scolded because what I was creating was an eyesore. It was then I realized that I did not have an ugliness gene. Apparently, I have always been perfectly happy with a functional but ugly apartment, car, or workplace. I love paint stains on concrete and ugly flowered wallpaper.  I love crappy bathrooms in ethnic restaurants. Someone might see the interior of my car and think, "How can he keep that crap in the backseat. Ugh." 

Last week I went to a condominium meeting and this woman was complaining about a truck with a picture of a cow that is parked on the premises. "That's an eyesore!" she exclaimed. I had always thought the truck with the picture of the cow made the place look homey.  It all comes down to the fact that I don't have an ugliness gene. 

David Crosby dies at 81

David Crosby died yesterday He was 81. 81 I said?

David Crosby drank, took heroin, took cocaine, smoked, was overweight, and smoked a barn's worth of pot in his life. He drove a motorcycle and slept with hundreds of women.  And he died at 81.

What's with all the things we are taught? Light on the booze, avoid drugs, and watch those calories. Balderdash. David Crosby did all the things we are not supposed to do and died at 81. Time for a trip to Vegas. I wonder how much I will have to pay for a pack of Camels. 

The Ironic in modern day streaming

 

The greatest generation truly believed in America. They struggled through the Depression, fought World War 2, married and bought homes in the suburbs in a supreme belief in the American way. Their children grew long hair, smoked pot, listened to rock music but ultimately believed in the hippie counterculture dream as exemplified by people like Wavy Gravy. At least until the mid 70s.

Generation X exemplified a rejection of the hippie counterculture and instead apes the lives of the greatest generation, but they do so ironically. Young people wear ties, but they do so ironically. They buy houses in the suburbs, but they live there ironically. Modern streaming cinema shows a life lived ironically.

I recently finished White Noise In this film/tv show Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, veterans of the mumblecore era of film making, live in the suburbs and are married. However, they live their lives ironically. They love ironically. They live through disasters, but they do so ironically. 

I think of all the shows I've been watching. Vanishing Act, Casual, the Worst Person in the World, Conversations with Friends. They can all be viewed ironically. People don't love, they love ironically, people don't raise children, they do so ironically. People don't care about their jobs, they work ironically.  People buy 1950 style sofas that fit in their living rooms ironically.

 I used to wear an ugly pair of plaid short pants. It was okay, though, because I was wearing them ironically. I need to wash the dishes that are collecting in my sink. Unfortunately, I won't be able to just wash them ironically. 

Things we keep hidden in our wallets

 I was just reading how William assaulted poor innocent Harry over Meghan in the forthcoming book, the Spare. Apparently, a Spanish translation has been released early and was extrapolated. At last some underpaid journalist was rewarded for their high school Spanish. 

Truth to be told, most younger brothers harbor secrets about their older brothers that they key deep in their wallets until the time is come when the information is useful. A younger brother observes his older brother smoking a cigarette or downing a can of beer in the lot across the street. He keeps it to itself until his mother yells at him for a different infraction. "But Samuel routinely drinks beer and smokes in the lot across the street and you never say a word. It just isn't fair!" Your infraction is forgotten and your older brother gets scolded. 

A co worker takes away your admin privileges on the computers. You don't say a word. Then a staffer complains that records are being inputted incorrectly.  You point out that you have noticed that your co worker is allowing a volunteer to input data. She made mistakes. Your co worker is scolded. The next week you are given back administrative privileges on the computers. 

We all hold little secrets in our wallets until they may be useful. Caution, however, is advised. Nobody likes a tattle tale.