Writing Journey – Day 03
February 10th, 2010
No writing today, which is fine. I hadn’t planned on writing at all this week, only reading as much as I possibly could. The first two days were a fluke. I swear!
Actually, there was something I wanted to write but didn’t have a chance to since I was so caught up in reading. Better here than nowhere.
I was at the gym today (as per usual), planning to meet Rahsaan et al for a workout, but they were stuck in the office and didn’t get out on time. Missi was there, but we did our own thing, which is cool. She likes the treadmill. I like the elliptical. All’s fair.
When I’m alone on a machine, I watch TV. Usually sitcoms. Sometime the news. It’s my workout vice, and we all have them. I find better than reading a trashy gossip magazine while listening to Spice Girls on the gym radio. Sorry if you like the Spice Girls.
A commercial came on for a florist.Valentine’s day is Sunday so it makes sense. It was an advertisement for free shipping anywhere in the country. Great. Price break! What seemed… I dunno, weird was the commercial had all these women fawning over meticulously made arrangements of three-dozen roses their husbands sent them. They all had rings on their fingers. They all had white cards that came with the bouquet. Who knows what the message said.
You mean so much to me, baby. I love you. Happy V-day.
As my legs moved and my heart pounded like a piston in my chest from all the cardio, all I could think of was, “An arrangement that size looks ridiculous!”
My minimalist side was kicking my brain. I find a single flower, be it a rose, carnation, lily, tulip, whatever, to be far more meaningful and romantic than a garish display of three-dozen red roses in a clunky-looking vase.
That commercial and its excessive display of flowers for some reason reminded me of my mineralogy class in college. My professor once told a story about someone she knew giving an amethyst ring as an engagement ring. An amethyst is nothing more than quartz tainted with iron. It’s run of the mill stuff. You can find it all over the place without really having to look.
But a ring… it’s the thought behind it that’s what matters. At least, I think so. It’s why I don’t get the women who have to pick out their $5,000 engagement rings at Zales. Picking out your own ring? Seriously? Isn’t that killing the sentiment behind it?
I’d take a ring from the 25 cent machine over a 2 karat diamond I had to pick out myself. Honestly.
I’m too romantic.
Hmmm. I believe the Stanley Corngold translation was the one I read. I don’t know if I really enjoyed the style or the piece, but the subject matter really made the story for me.
Did you not pick up that Hubert Selby, Jr. work? Like I said, I have not read that particular work, but I did enjoy Last Exit to Brooklyn. Stream of consciousness style writing and horribly depraved in its subject matter—a great read.
If you like Burroughs’ view of the advertising world, you should check out his Sellevision. I have not read it, but Anne has. It is in our personal collection of Burroughs’ works.
Happy Reading and let’s see some of your writings!
PS That Russian writer was Fyodor Dostoyevsky. We should both check out Notes from Underground and compare our thoughts.
Yeah, I had a different translator. The subject matter definitely made the story. The officer’s longwinded explanations did not!
I looked for that at the Valpo library, but when I looked it up on the catalog computer I saw that it was at the Portage one, so I ordered it. It should come in soon. :)
Whoops. Maybe I was using the wrong catalog. I’ll need to check my link.
I paid $800 for the ring I got Taria. I was a broke college student and it was all I could afford. She acted like it was the biggest rock in the world. It is crazy how people have rules for rings like that it should be worth three paychecks. That is crazy. I am enjoying the video journal. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
That three paycheck rule is insane. Think of all the things you can do together with your husband or wife-to-be with that money, and instead you put it all in a ring.
To each their own, I guess. Yours and Taria’s story is so sweet. :)
Ok, I must admit that I received three dozen roses from your dad. They were a mix of red and yellow. They also came with a beautiful watch. It was pretty cool. Yes, maybe somewhat over the top, but I still remember it vividly.
I hope you read more of Burroughs works. I really enjoyed reading them. I just finished “Magical Thinking”, “Possible Side Effects”, and “Running With Scissors”. I have also read “A Wolf At the Table”. I own the last one which you are welcome to have.
Love the videos, keep them coming.
Awww. Dad is a romantic at heart. I guess I’m just minimalistic.
Which of Burrough’s works did you like the best that you have read? I will read that one first. And yes, the videos will be a daily thing… I hope. Can’t be a slacker. Plus, it makes me feel better to show that I’m actually doing things with my time, and not slacking off. It keeps me honest.
So we’re not going to see a video one of these days in which you say, “I just took today off & played video games & watched a couple of movies with a friend”?
Even writers need to take a day off every now and then! :)
Today was almost one of those days. I have a feeling the weekends will be more peaceful, relaxing and video game-ish. You just wait!
I can’t burn myself out. It would be no different than a real job then.
They were all very good. I think you should start with “Running With Scissors”. That way you have the background of his early life and you may read the others with a different perspective.
Slacker is not a word that comes to mind when I think of you. = )