Monday, December 25, 2006

The Journey Is All


Merry Christmas, dear readers! I've been writing this blog for nearly nine months, long enough to have a child or write a historical treatise, long enough for me to learn to cook or knit or garden or understand art history. Needless to say, I have done none of the above except write the blog. As a Taurus, I share a single-mindedness with several dangerous and not-so-dangerous crackpots like Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler, and Sigmund Freud, or coded more positively, a passion like the late James Brown, with whom I share my birthday. In the great documentary Hands On A Hardbody about a contest where people have to keep one hand on a truck for days to win it, the opening quote is "The destination is nothing, the journey is all . . . "

So I'd like to thank all my dear readers for coming along for the journey. It's been a revelation to me as much as anything else and every day I start without a clue about how I'm going to untangle my weary mind. The results haven't always been pretty. My mother used to ask me when I was wearing something particularly hideo in the my teenage years (in my defense it was the eighties so the choices were limited), Are you trying to make yourself look bad? Even though this wasn't great for fashion, it sometimes happens in writing and the writer is grateful for it, the way you're grateful for something real happening, no matter if it's good or bad. Like the pilot said on my last flight to the lone star state said, It's been a bumpy ride. There wasn't anything I could do about it. Dear readers, I can only apologize for the bumpiness and say that I hoped you have enjoyed the ride so far, the way you might enjoy a good rollercoaster. Paul Theroux, the great travel writer, once told a story about being a young man in a foreign country, strapped for money. A stranger loaned him some, and Paul T. asked for his address so he could pay him back. The stranger said, It's a small world. We'll meet again. What could be sweeter than that idea? Here's to meeting now and again, in this world and the next.

Michelle's Spell of the Day

Here's two great James Brown quotes:

"Thank God that I had the ability to understand that I had a different beat and that I was a drummer."

"Die on your feet, don't live on your knees."

Cocktail Hour

Drinking music suggestion: Sentimental Mood John Coltrane

Benedictions and Maledictions

I was so sad to hear that the godfather of soul, Mr. James Brown, died early this morning. I loved his music, especially "Black and Proud" and "Sex Machine." His music has been written about and praised by many, and I feel no different. But more than that, he was a great and crazy spirit, doing splits on stage well into his sixties. Damn! That's something to aspire to, to live each day with the same joy and energy of your youth. The obituary I read said that he died with a "longtime friend" at his bedside. We should all be so lucky to pass into the next world with someone we love telling us everything is going to be all right. Rest in Peace, to the hardest working man in show business!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did JB still do splits in his 60s? Phew!!! Respect. That 60s live elpee which is in all the seminal live 'charts' will be spun in tribute top the Great Man.

JR's Thumbprints said...

Enjoy your Christmas Day. We just opened our gifts--took a matter of seconds--now we have to pay the bills on them. How's that for a moment of pleasure? Keep blogging!

Anonymous said...

Michelle, bumpy rides are often the most fun! Keep it going! ;)

Anonymous said...

Cajun Q O Merry Christmas
O Mighty Isis
By Christmas Tree
So sad about JB
And shares a birthday dream
With Foxy Lady D
Shazammmmmmmmm!
R2 C2!

Anonymous said...

"long enough to have a child or write a historical treatise, long enough for me to learn to cook or knit or garden or understand art history."

Or done all of the above while multi-tasking. Nothing worse than a lazy person, whom unlike myself have done absolutely nothing of great purpose or intent for the past nine months therby accomplishing my goal of complete slackness.

I do have a goal though for 2007 which is to walk away from the Detroit slam competition with the least amount of slam points than anyone out there. so there is always the new year to look forward to. Right now I am well on my way to accomplishing that but thispast week I came in 4th out of five and nearly ruined my heart when i got two points. Now that my dear one is a bump in the road...that chick better show up better prepared next week or I will be really mad another bump in the road.

Failure is like success just you have to turn the ruler upside down to see the bottom as the top.

If the journey is the destination then i have had a hell of a destination so far and twenty years from now when you are my current approximate age you will be able to say "I think I'll write a book Fridays at the bar with The Walking Man" because bumps and all you are having a hell of a journey also. Now if I could just have a worse one and then turn it upside down i would have acheieved another goal.

And uhhhhh after working st the DIA for 5 years I have learned that beyonf the learning of dates and artists and different periods of art that melded out of one to another the rest is like politics iconography is whatever spin you can put on a painting or object that sounds rational no matter how full of shit it is.

Peace

Did you get my gift?....No? ...Oh then you did get it.

Anonymous said...

Sweet Michelle, thank you for the encouragment! (Such an inspiration to continue.) Shawn told me you trekked to Texas...and now I'm in CT. A shame we missed each other. I do hope you have a happy Christmas, Love. And as always, I'm completely delighted by your posts! Write on. Jill

Anonymous said...

Hi! I stumbled across your blog from a comment on Dan's blog. I'm a Taurus too, sharing a birthday with Duke Ellington and Jerry Seinfeld. I hope I have more in common with them than Hitler.

Anonymous said...

James Brown was one of those few loveable maniacs. Usually they are kind of obnoxious, but was the real deal, some how finding that elusive balance and maintaining his strange appeal.

Great P.T. quote. I hope your holidays rocked!