Quote of the Day: Jack Kerouac

"Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion."





I honestly cannot believe people in this country are freaking out about radioactive contamination. People are actually buying Geiger counters and everything. As if we'd ever be cool enough to have our own Godzilla. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's this lack of stoicism that makes me convinced we'd tear this country apart if we are ever visited with anything as devastating as that Tsunami.





I am enjoying the Seattle sunshine today even though I am doing exactly what I would have done on a rainy afternoon: reading and writing stuff inside. I did enjoy not wearing waterlogged shoes all day because I'd gotten drenched during my morning walk like I have every day for the past two weeks.





A couple weeks ago it was brought to my attention that one of the kids in my primary class suffers from anxiety that is aggravated by having to sit next to a certain kid. I was very sympathetic because I realized that's the same effect a certain guy on the bus has on me. The brief moment that exists between him getting on the bus and deciding where to sit is full of dread. I really can't explain completey why I don't like him so much. Everyone else seems to love him so there must really be something wrong with me. I think it has to do with how he tries to make the bus a social experience. He talks non-stop and the few times I have turned my iPod off to listen to him it's either been a rant about George W. Bush or the bosses at his job who "ride his ass." He paints houses for a living and I think that has a lot to do with why people like him so much. I think the middle\upper-middle class yuppies I ride the bus with like the idea of being friends with a "salt-of-the-earth" type who works with his hands and actually has a physical product to show for his work at the end of his day. He knows I don't like him because one time I scooted away from him on the bus and he told the guy next to him, "that guys thinks he's too good for me." No, this guy just has a different concept of personal space. He likes to touch people too much - he even leans on people as he walks to his seat. My wife is the only person who is allowed to put her arm behind me on my seat.

It bothers me that I have such a visceral reaction to this guy so I am trying to work on it. I need to be a nice person. I'll never be friends with him for the simple reason that after a day of trying to talk to people who don't want to talk me I have no conversation left.


So my two resolutions this week are to be a nicer person and blog more.

Quote of the Day: Marcel Proust

"Everything great in the world comes from neurotics. They alone have founded our religions and composed our masterpieces."


I'll let the quote stand by itself other than to say that many traits that are strengths in one aspect of life can be weakness in others. For instance, what is the difference between being dedicated and stubborn? How about focused and obsessed? It's all a matter of perspective.


It's really raining here today in Seattle. It's the type of deluge that makes one want to repent rather quickly.


Yesterday, while doing my duty as a married member of the Mormon church by shopping at Costco, I saw a guy who appeared to be confused as to what country he was in. He seemed to be under the assumption that the free-samples regime operated under some type of barter economy. He approached a woman who was just pulling a couple mini-pizzas out of a tiny oven.

He said, "Can I have a whole one?"

"No, I have to cut them up."

"I want a whole one."

"Sorry."

"Hold on a second," he said as he walked back to his cart. "What if I trade you one of these?" He held up a brand new unopened Gogurt - the real stuff.

"I'm sorry. I can't."

"But it's a full one."

"There giving those away as a free sample in the next aisle anyway." The man said nothing in response to that as he gave up his quest and walked back to his cart dejected. I swore I saw revenge in his eyes.

Sometimes neurotics do great things and sometimes they just annoy the poor sample girl. I try to stay on the great things side of the line as much as a can but sometimes I fear I annoy life's symbolic sample girls too much.