Seasons of Wither

January 8, 2008


Listening: Aerosmith, “Seasons of Wither” (Live)


The lead story on NPR’s “Day to Day” today took the wind right out of my sails. It was a story about a father whose son was in Iraq, clearly troubled, and was given inadequate treatment, and wound up killing himself. The Army, naturally, lied about it, not telling the father that they had his suicide note.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17929487

Of course, when it comes to shortcomings in taking care of flesh and blood soldiers, the deadenders in the Republican Party are not nearly as outraged as when they can make symbolic gestures like wearing lapel pins. This is a national tragedy, and an obscenity of the highest order.


I wouldn’t trust these people (the current Administration) with a box turtle, never mind the life of a loved one.


Listening: Metallica, “Sad But True” (Live)


I don’t care what Henry Rollins says, Metallica is the heaviest, most badass band I have ever heard.


I just bought the “Live Sh*t” CDs again, with some Best Buy gift cards from Christmas. I sold them to a used CD store a few years ago, which was stupid. I missed them. I thought I wasn’t going to be angry anymore, I guess. One listen to the “Justice Medley” from that album reminds me how huge they were.


Listening: “Frayed Ends of Sanity”, Metallica


“Never hunger/never prosper/I have fallen prey to failure…”


This year’s holidays have left me with a lingering feeling of failure. Hell, life leaves me with a lingering feeling of failure all the time. I hate getting gifts from people you don’t expect. I know it is about giving, but there’s this unspoken understanding about who you are supposed to give to that I always seem to mess up.


Listening: “I Go To Extremes” (Live), Billy Joel


I hate families, I hate responsibility, I hate deadlines, I just want to be left alone for a very long time.


Is that too much to ask?


I turn more and more into my father every day.


Listening: “Angry Young Man” (Live), Billy Joel


This song used to mean a whole lot to me. Now it’s more like “teenage angst has served me well, now I’m bored and old.”


I should clarify-it's not really family that's the problem. Just all the burdens involved in running one.