A Trivial Comedy for serious people archives

But you'd have to play the fool

In accordance with my township's "Fuck Over Pedestrians" mandate, they didn't bother to salt or shovel any of the sidewalks after the big snow (and by big, I mean 8 inches, which is not really big but it was fun). I climbed about two miles across salty, dirty piles of plowed snow down the main drag and came back with the most sodden, disgusting shoes I have ever worn. I definitely needed rubber boots, and I definitely didn't have any. Sometimes I walked in the road, because I have a death-wish like that, but even so it was hard to avoid the rivers of melted filth.

My idea of a good time: a swan dive into snow. The snow was too powdery for snowballs, but it was great for wrestling and falling down and rolling around and snow angels (I made 3). I liked just wading through the snow, as it billowed and swirled around my calves. The sledding (fast fast fast on dining hall trays) was also excellent fun.

By the way, somehow I ended up typing this in a dark room with the shades drawn, kneeling before the computer. It feels so wrongly clandestine.

Someday I'll explain to you my complicated study abroad process, because some of you probably have insomnia and it will no doubt help.

---

"Why, she's confrontational and sinuous and sexy. Also, she's very literate," I explained sagely over our dinner. "Why wouldn't I want to be her?"

"Gah! Literate. Mumbly Joe is literate."

"But she wrote a song about Wuthering Heights! Hell, it's as good as the book. I love that book..."

"Why don't you focus on being you, huh?"

"Oh, no no, I want to be Kate Bush." I have a very special voice for when I'm being difficult. "I want to be just like her. She's a little eccentric, and jangly, and she's so passionate."

One of my friends appreciates her jangling, caterwauling voice. (Another said, most hilariously and suddenly, "What are we listening to? How did this woman ever make a career in show business?") She can write a traditional pop song, and sing it in a classical way, but I love that she doesn't. I go through phases of very intense love of her, you know. The last time it was so intense was my freshman year. I love most intensely early Kate Bush up to and including The Dreaming, but if I had it my way I'd only really listen to The Kick Inside. It's my favorite, which is why I'm always losing it. It's so beautifully intricate and complicated.

2002-12-07, snowday

before / after

archives / website / hello book / diaryland