That (rabbit in a snowstorm, aka 'blank page') is how every great novel, loving poem, preacher's sermon, really below average blog, and heaven help us, even every 'promvite' begins.
It be kinda like life in a way....
A little ditty 'bout Jack and Diane...
Two American kids growing up in the heart land...
Lived on Park Street...House, yard, kept neat..
Nicest folks you'd ever meet..
Jack did the 9 to 5....
Supper ready when he'd arrive...
Lil' Tina, Timmy, followed in their steps...
Ah, a perfect world, far, far from schleps..
Their lives plotted out, just as they should...
Two American kids doin' the best that they could...
Ain't that kinda how it goes?
I dug into (that's blogspeak for "stole from") an article by Matthew Hornsey - a Social Psychologist at the University of Queensland.. As a kid, Matthew was fascinated by the genie-in-the-bottle three wish thingy. Later as an adult, he did a study based on "How long do you want to live?; How smart would you want to be?; How much happiness, pleasure, freedom, health and self esteem would you ideally like to have?"
How perfect would you want your Jack and Diane world?
A 27 Nation sample size.. Modest, the results were.. "Live to be 90", eh, they coulda said a hunnerd and twelve.. IQ of 130, which is smart, but genius begins at 140... and when asked about how much health, happiness, pleasure, freedom and self-esteem (on a scale from none to 100%) the answers came in around 70-80%.
I no speaky the Queen's English, but this kinda tells me mebbe folks think too much of a good thing can be harmful.. or, borrowing from the article, like the Greek myths preached "too much ambition (Icarus), too much wealth (Midas), too much longevity (Tithonus) and too much self-love (Narcissus.)
So, logically, that would probably mean Jack drives a used Ford Escape (liability only), has a donut on the left rear, Diane smokes three packs a day, downs two shots of Hot Damn just before the kids get home, Tina is sexually active in the 10th grade, and 12 yr old Timmy has a pack of Marlboro Lights (stolen from mommy) in his trombone case.
I jest, but usually only on Thursdays.
Or, as the Queensland dude would say "More is not always better. Recent theorizing and data suggest that many psychological variables that seem objectively positive can have ironic negative effects on well-being when experienced in extremely high quantities."
Jacky sits back, collects his thoughts for the moment,
Scratches his head and does his best James Dean
"Well then, there Diane, we ought to run off to the city"
Diane says, "Baby you ain't missin' nothing,
But Jacky say
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah say life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone.
Victor. Damnit. Somewhere along the way an avalanche happened and your stupid rabbit got buried... Oh contrare (and Tina says "whew, the rabbit didn't die").. I think I'm just trying to say "simple works", or, that maybe "simple is ok."
SURE, have goals, dream.. take care of your body.. love, love love one another.. have pleasure (but damnit Tina, not too much!).. love yourself, but know, "my way or the highway" usually leads to a lonely road. There are bumps in the road no matter what you drive, and please don't exceed 45mph with a damn donut on your car.
To reach Success Street, one must GPS across Hardknocks Lane, swerve around orange cones, dead ends, construction. Life's infrastructure, so to speak. And with that, one's ideas on success are certainly objective. Written to me, hitchhikers welcome - life has its own way of beating ones self up, don't you do it too.
Gonna let it rock,
Let it roll,
Let the Bible belt come and save my soul
Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
Changes come around real soon
Make us women and men.
I haven't had a beer in six days.. I've been eating smoothies made from real fruit, even with some yogart (I hate yogart).. nuttin' processed, and yes, veggies too.....
Dadburnit, I'm a realist though.. I'm headed to the Tastee Freez to suck down a chili dog.
(A side note to John Cougar Mellencamp Winkleberry.. NEVER give up on the thrill of livin'.)
By Henry Cougar Gibson,
Love, Victurd
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