Thursday, December 30, 2010

Game Over? We'll see.


Too young, too old. Is one ever the right age? I remember, still in high school, when I was at a coffee house in Greenwich Village. I tried to hide the fact that I was only 16, and about as unsophisticated as they come.  And now, almost 50 years later, I go to a coffee house in Austin and feel like a freak who has come come back from the dead. Especially not drinking, I felt very much "out of it." 

So what is it to "belong?" I was always the youngest one. I had two older sisters. I started college when I had just turned 17. I was young. The youngest faculty in my first few jobs. Young young young. Then I went to sleep for 50 years and now I'm old old old.

They (the kids) look at me like I don't understand. Like I'm hopelessly loss, Dang, most of them weren't even born in 1980, some not born before 1990. And they look at me like I'm a dinosaur, apparently with some minuscule brain and a lack of experience in the real world. 

Game over? We'll see.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Pie

Kids and grandma/great-aunt

LA parking lot... many different cars.


I wonder sometimes if I can love one thing and not another. Can I really love the flower and not the weed? Can I love one person and not the other? Sure, you say, "I hate weeds and evil people." But aren't they both part of the whole, completely interdependent? When I want things to be different than they are (which really never happens) I am always disappointed in them. When I want things to be as they are, I am always satisfied.

The toughest one seems to be political and religions differences. Why do many have such disdain for those of other persuasions. Last night I was reminded about how the Catholics used to preach that Jews should be hated because they crucified Jesus. I'm glad that "officially" that has stopped. But the shooting of the Democrat in Arizona yesterday is of the same elk. The two party system is a wonderful check and balance for our ambitious plans. And different religions are suited for different people and temperaments.

Receiving and Giving