So a year ago, things were bad. The riot, of course, Trump still in office trying to become President for Life, and the Corona Virus all over. A lot has changed, and a lot hasn't. I watched President Biden's speech this morning, and I thought he said all the right things, but I wonder if it will change any minds. People seem determined to believe what they want, regardless of what is right in front of them. I've seen this on a macro and micro level, over and over, particularly this past year.
When I was a kid, there was this Popeye cartoon where Wimpy, the burger loving friend of Popeye, decided it would be better to be Popeye for some reason, so he got a disguise to make him look exactly like Popeye. And of course he runs into the real Popeye, and they get into this argument over who the real Popeye is. From one level, this made me question reality and if we are truly who we think we are. But on a very basic level, I found it hilarious because the real Popeye actually engaged in this debate with someone pretending to be him.
How can there be a debate?
I figured Popeye was your typical grown up, stupid and crazy. I know it is a bit harsh, but I think also accurate. We got a lot of stupid and crazy going on these days. Biden won. The virus is real, and killing people every day. The vaccine works, and doesn't have microchips to take over your mind. (also, if there are microchips that can take over your mind, it's game over anyway). Climate change is real, and the fires everywhere are real, and the super storms, and the droughts, and the floods. The rich are super rich and the poor are super poor.
We have a lot of Wimpy's lying their asses off to get free hamburgers, at the expense of friendship, honesty, and integrity.
All those things are real and terrible, and if we don't do something, we are toast. And not delicious cinnamon toast, or fresh sour dough, buttered with a bit of sea salt on top.
No. I mean Dodo bird toast.
It is frustrating, because, stupid and crazy as we all are, I do love the human race. We have so much potential. We make music and art and poetry. We dance. We laugh. We hug.
I felt this a year ago, and I will feel it a year from now. Love and sorrow. Hope and fury.
So. On we go.
Love to you all. Happy New Year. If you haven't, please, pretty please with sugar on top, get vaccinated. Do everything you can to address climate change. Be nice to strangers. Listen to music. Dance in the kitchen.
And if you come across someone who looks just like you, or who insists up is down and wrong is right, do not let them have your hamburgers.
Here's a song. It's Ladyfingers, by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass, which a student played for me the other day and gave me hope and joy and a belief there are still good things to come.
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