Thoughts, which maybe I should have kept to myself

You'd think that I'd have been living away from Portland long enough that I wouldn't run into people all the damn time when I'm here, but it just isn't true. Is Portland that small? Do I know that many people? Neither of those things seems possible. But when I ventured into the big world this afternoon--to read a little Bakhtin and drink a little coffee--I ran into Andy Z, whom I love, but have seen little of in the last few years. It was weird too--because I walked into this newish coffeeshop (the Albina Press outlet on Hawthorne, which, by the way, does have coffee worth the ridiculous hype that these people have received) and there he was, facing me, looking like he was just waiting for me to walk in the door. He seemed not at all surprised, and not all that happy either, although he invited me to sit with him. I did. We hung out and talked, mostly teaching, excitedly, for about 2 hours.

It was nice to see the guy. He's enthusiastic as hell, which I appreciate. And he's pretty upbeat. I wonder if he's still upset about the time I yelled at him for freaking out about a grade mix up in Ray Mariels's class. I hope not. I was probably too hard on him.

Anyway, I didn't get any reading of Bakhtin done. And then I was driving toward downtown and I saw one of my least favorite PSU profs (name withheld) walking down the street. Again with the people I know!

Wow. I just realized that this is really, really lame content. Sorry about that.

***
Now, follow up notes about the Indiana Jones post. Thank you all for reading it, even though I was sort of bitchy and long-winded. And for commenting. I like it when you comment. It makes me feel loved, because, frankly, I am needy for your affirmation.

1. Cecil is my grandfather's name. I think that he's been mentioned a few times on the blog, but maybe not introduced. He's the world's cutest grandpa--even my 3-year-old niece knows that.

2. It is probably true that only every other Indiana Jones film is good. That's not really good enough, considering the resources available to these jackasses. I mean, I'm no David Mamet or whatever, but put me in a room with a couple friends and I could write a better screenplay. (Perhaps I shouldn't tell you this, but I just made myself laugh with the David Mamet thing. Because, really?)

3. J-bro: calm down. Did I once say anything about not enjoying the film? Because I totally did. Enjoy it. My enjoyment then spilled over into a day of thinking and then writing about it. If the fact that I ask critical questions about the film (and let's face it--they aren't really that thoughtful or critical) makes you enjoy it less, then I think that is your problem and not mine. Also, I will have you know that Bruce totally read your comment about wanting to take a dump on my head. C'mon!

Even little G, who is just 5.75 years old, knows how much fun it is to be critical--even about cultural products that you love. A couple of weeks ago we spent an afternoon reading The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back for the 40 millionth time and then making a list of important questions that we'd like to ask the Seuss about the books. They are as follows:

1. Why is the talking fish in the first book and not in the second?

2. Why doesn't the boy have a name? His sister has a name (Sally) even though she isn't really all that involved in the plot. 2a. What should the boy's name be and why?

3. Why does the mother of Sally and the boy keep leaving them home alone? Aren't they a little young for that? What is she doing that she can't take them with?

4. In the second book, why is it not good enough to expel the pink cat cake ring from the house? Once the stain is out on the snow, why can't they leave it? After all, pink snow is just going to melt anyway.

5. What is "VOOM" exactly, and what else can it do other than make pink snow white again? This is, as I am sure we all can agree, not a function one would have to employ often.

Now, you can't tell me, J-bro, that these questions do anything other than enhance the experience of reading the Seuss.

***
Tonight I was listening to a mix I made several years ago for the Monster's birthday. You know that Wilco song "Heavy Metal Drummer" from YHF? I love that song. But I just realized tonight that it always reminds me of Chuck Klosterman. It's like my Chuck Klosterman song. Perhaps my Chuck Klosterman song should be an actual KISS song, and not just one that references KISS, but that would mean having to actually listen to KISS, which I don't want to do just to think about Chuckie K. (Oh yeah, to bring it full circle, that song is on this mix I made for the Monster. Which is weird. Because I don't think that he likes Wilco, KISS, Chuck K, or heavy metal drummers/drumming. Why did I ever hang out with that guy?)