Friday, April 10, 2009

Who needs unbridled enthusiasm?!

it wont be long until we are in wee Britain and though it shares a similar fickle temperament as that of the plain and flat Midwest, I believe that that are a few other enchantments that may make our stay there bearable.

Rick Steves and I have an understanding. I suppose it is a general understanding that exists between me and the elderly (or close to it). I have similar interests to these folk and Mr Steves writes guidebooks that refreshes my soul, a soul that yearns to be elderly yet is trapped in this prison of youth and vigor.

For instance. Other guidebooks tell of places to go clubbing, party all night, meet young single travelers. That may be some other deviants' idea of fun, but I prefer the places such as King Arthur themed dinners, the Ewe-phoiria Sheep Dog farm, and bed and breakfasts. For those of us that are 28, approaching 79, these are the highlights of the twilight of our youth.

I do not wish to meet twenty-somethings. I wish to avoid them. They with their loud music and colorful mixed drinks. They with their unbridled enthusiasm and ultra light cigarettes.

I am the "I reluctantly shop at Trader Joe's, because of the scarcity of family-owned grocery stores" generation. I am well aware that I am what I consume, and if that happens to be the same as that of a Korean war vet, then so be it.

The fact that I am producing letters and words on a computer rather than a typewriter is a source of guilt and frustration for me.

I would be fine without an automobile and even better without electricity, as long as I can use a transistor radio to pick up the ball game.

But really, that's a bunch of schlock. I like "technology" as much as the next guy. I listened or watched 9 different baseball games the other day. That of course is of utmost importance, but in other ways we have many more things today make us stupid and divert our attention from any matter of lasting importance than ever before.

You can talk to co-workers about American Idol but fair trade and labor laws?

There needs to be more fair trade. It's really been bugging me.

I think I will dedicate my life to that issue.

Before, my cause was climate control, but, I don't know, I'm really thinking I need a different cause to make my voice heard.

I'm really into peace and stuff and causes and being active and social and things.

Ok.

Maybe I don't want to talk of things of "lasting importance" unless I can define the terms.
Defining terms is critical I have found. In pretty much any kind of conversation. Talk about "life," "love," "faith," "god," you're sure to get 250 million different definitions.
It can get confusing.
You talk to someone for a half an hour and you realize, "Oh, we're not talking about the same thing." Even though you are using the same words.

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In England they have all kinds of different words than we do. I suppose it will take me a while to get used to that. I don't know if you ever get used to something that is different though. That's why Rick Steves is around. He tells me everything I need to know about what I don't know.

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