Thoughts at Large: 51

•  There are cruise people and will-never-do-a-cruise people.  I’m in the second category.  The idea of being confined to a ship for seven days with periodic disembarkments does not appeal to me in the least, no matter what amenities are offered.  But as I have learned, will-never-do-a-cruise people will never convince cruise people of our essential nature.  Cruise people say, “You don’t know what you are talking about — you have never been on a cruise!  You would love it if you tried it!”  My reply is, neither of us have climbed Everest, but that does not preclude us from dreading the ordeals of the attempt.

•  Water is often described as a tasteless, odorless liquid.  But my friend Luxa from Orak disagrees: she tells me that water tastes like cwonri and smells like futi and she hates it.  Luxa also says that, on her planet, water would have to be heated in order to liquefy it and make it drinkable.  But she doesn’t understand why anyone would want to do that.

•  One sure way to identify a racist: he or she mentions green, orange and purple people while claiming to be free of prejudices.

•  Some American citizens seem to think that the First Amendment guarantees their right to remain ignorant and uninformed.  Freedom From Information, if you will.

•  I often ask myself why I still have so much bitterness-combined-with-nostalgia about my career at Kodak.  It was like a painting I worked on for thirty years that only I appreciated and then it got thrown into a dumpster after I left.  I’ll get over it, eventually.

•  I know a woman who used to be a dietician.  But she was bothered by the fact that her occupation started with the letters die.  So she decided to call herself a nutritionist.

•  In 2018 and every year after that, I pledge to myself to do something creative every day.  I am not going to be famous.  I may or may not ever hang one of my paintings in a gallery (as if that is the hallmark of artistry) or sell one from a 10×10 tent at a craft fair.  But I do need to create.  The idea of devoting the last quarter of my life to doing something creative every day appeals to me.  And it seems to be attainable, if health circumstances allow.  So, in 2018, I intend to keep a daily record of my creative output, so that no day goes by.

•  In 2018, I will also keep a daily record of well-intentioned things I do for other people, again so that no day goes by.

•  Americans chronically overestimate the altruism and goodwill of other Americans. Asserting America’s essential decency is a national religion, with Norman Rockwell its honorary bishop.  But I am as skeptical of this religion as I am of any other.  I would say 20% to 25% of Americans from all walks of life and political persuasions are self-absorbed schmucks who don’t give two damns about the fellow Americans beyond their own circle.  Indeed, one’s very concept of fellow American dissipates rapidly upon reading the comment section of any local newspaper article.

•  People who buy their wine-drinking friends wine aerators for Christmas have no clue what to give them but do remember that they drink wine.

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3 responses to Thoughts at Large: 51

  1. Toni says:

    Another reason for not going on a cruise…..seems every time I turn around, there is yet another ship whose passengers get sick from a virus.

    I agree with you re the 20-25% of Americans who don’t care about others.

    My 2 cents worth 🙂

    Toni

  2. Eric says:

    I’ll prefer to focus on imagining that 75-80% of Americans *are* altruistic (or at least non-schmucky). And will be OK if you call this never-do-a-cruise guy Norman. ;~)

    There is – or once was? – a theory that water does have a strong odor, but that somehow humans have evolved to ignore it. After all, H2O and H2S are cousins, Periodic Table-wise.

    • Rob says:

      Agreeing with Eric here. Your stats can be read the other way. So glad for the planned creativity and altruism. Bettering the world, a day at a time.

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