Running From an Angel

"It's good for the soul, and my soul can use all the good it can get."
- [Fly]

Friar Dave introduced me to a friend of his last night, who has read our posts about love and philosophy. When she went to bed, she quoted me in her away message. That almost never happens.

My head is full of sky and my boots are full of ocean
And stolen designs for perpetual motion
Love starved and shattered, tattered and unfolding
Silent man, he won't tell me, he won't tell me what it is, what it is he's holding
- "'Bout a Train", Spin Doctors

I've been up late each of the last few nights, and with the exception of the day that I got my second call from Raytheon (Monday) and didn't bother going back to bed, I've gotten up late the last few days. Today was the worst, at just a couple of minutes past ten. And wouldn't you know it, I woke up with a song in my head that I haven't heard in quite a while, that I didn't really care for when it was actually on the radio: "Let Her Cry" by Hootie and the Blowfish. Today may be the day that I rediscover Hootie and the Blowfish. I saw them twice when I was in high school, once freshman year, once junior year. I can remember what Darius Rucker, the lead singer, said during what was likely their last performance at [Generic Large Metropolis Venue]:

"If this is the last time we're here, we can say that we played it twice and we had a fuckin' blast."
- Darius Rucker, Spring 1999

A few of you, very few, have been around long enough to remember reading about my brother, Twitley. He and his girlfriend (and probably his dog) are coming back here for his birthday; he's twenty-one today. Twitley went to WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming during most of 2005 to learn how to be a diesel engine mechanic, and now he fixes machinery at a mine in Montana. He had the job before he even graduated from the program in Laramie, and his girlfriend is a sweetheart, a knockout, and only a few months away from holding a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Business. The whole thing's got me a bit conflicted, because although I probably have a great deal more promotion potential because of my degree, it's a little frustrating to have my qualifications and still be making less than my twenty-one year old brother, who's got nine months of trade school and no people skills whatsoever. Also, of the four Drosophila cousins, I'm the only one who's single; even my fifteen year old cousin has a long-standing relationship with a cute little blonde. Frustrating? You bet, even though I know that God has a plan.

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Can not speak as loud as my heart
- Coldplay, "The Scientist"

I went for a therapeutic constitutional last night. Does anyone know why it's called a constitutional? At any rate, I had a lot to reflect on, on a lot of different subjects: life, love, employment, direction, and any number of other things. Instead of using the time to reflect, I wound up calling several people, leaving messages, or talking to them and telling them about the opportunity in California. I have to admit that I'm absolutely terrified, which tends to happen from time to time. When I went to England, I didn't know anyone; but I knew it was only for a couple of weeks. This would involve using my entire savings to move to California, a location that has all of the disadvantages of my current location in terms of questionable culture and politics, for a much more permanent period of time. It's positively terrifying that in a month or so, I could either be in the Mojave Desert, or moving on to Plan B. Maybe I should start making preliminary plans both ways... I think that I'll call California "Operation Ozymandias", and Plan B "Operation Broadwater". Trust me, the operational code ames have a rhyme and reason.

In the heat of the jungle, in the heat of the night
Sat an African princess in the pale moonlight
Sayin' "Go Babalua, go baby go, I love you, I love you, tonight."
- Chris Isaac, "In the Heat of the Jungle"

I was on the phone with Mo-Licious today. She informed me that Isaac Hayes, who played the venerable Chef (also known as the only sane character in all of South Park) on the television show South Park, has quit as the voice of chef, calling Trey Parker and Matt Stone bigots. A racial issue? Nope. Hayes was fine when Trey and Matt poked fun at Christianity, or Judaism, or any number of other faiths. However, when they decided to poke fun at Scientology, Hayes finally decided that they were bigots, and quit. Mo says that Trey and Matt released a statement pointing out that he'd never had a problem cashing his paychecks before this. I don't know that I can say that Stone and Parker are classy; they've offended me plenty of times with their over-the-top comedy, but it keeps drawing me back in because of South Park's ability to call out the hypocrisy and idiocy in our society. They've got common sense, and a finely tuned bullshit detector, and I respect that completely. Aside from that, Isaac Hayes hasn't had a hit song since "Simultaneous Loving".

Please don't go rushing by
Stay and make my heart fly
'Cause I never seem to know the time
When you're with me
You can tell it to the birds
I'll tell the bees
- The Proclaimers, "Make My Heart Fly"

I subscribed to Maxim Magazine for about two years when I was in college, and as part of an unrelated package deal that I purchased online, I now have a new subscription to it. The first issue arrived today. It's a bit of a blast from the past; and, for what it's worth, pictures of scantily clad women don't do nearly as much for me as they would have three or four years ago; the section on new weapons, though, is pretty interesting. A "PHASR" that causes temporary blindness? If I could get one of those, I could blind an intruder, and then put eight or ten rounds in them at a more leisurely pace.

It's summer I can taste the salt on the sea
There's a kite blowing out of control on the breeze
I wonder what's gonna happen to you
You wonder what has happened to me
- U2, "Kite"

Well, Sister Hippy Chick is on her way to town, and I'm having a late lunch with Mrs. Gus, so you folks have a great day, and if you go by the title of "His Sneakiness," have a great weekend. More tonight.