proteanme

I finally finished the last couple chapters of Matterhorn. Semper Fi to the Old Breed. Next on my list is either Anna Karenina or Billy Budd or Slaughterhouse Five. Or some other title, like The Magnificent Ambersons.

All the good fiction I’ve been reading  makes me want to give the finger to David Shields (I don’t want to link to him because I don’t want to give him the publicity.) What a stupid fucking idea he had pitting fiction against non-fiction and what a hack he was for not giving credit to anyone who he quoted. I could go on here, but I’ll stop myself. Done ranting.

I keep putting too much sugar in my tea this morning. I am my own enemy.

I’ve been looking for a copy of an old Burl Ives’ record of sea shanties. My mom and my dad used to sing this one called Wrap me up in Tarpaulin Jacket. it’s out of print, though, so it’s gonna be a quest.

I’ve been a slump, or more accurately I am in a slump. It’s all very blah. Nothing big. Just the accumulation of  everyday quandaries and ordinary disappointments. I’m trying to be ok with it. I feel all slumps are a chance to practice working with future slumps, which are bound to come along, as they a part of being human.

After coming back from L.A., RU and I have been on a quest to find good Korean in the Portland metro area. We’ve got a list of about 10 places to try, which I think are pretty close to each other, off Hwy 10 out in the burbs. We’ve only been to 2 places so far. They were decent but forgettable; still the quest is fun and maybe we’ll strike gold.

I can tell spring is starting to happen here. There are birds chirping, trees are are budding, the back yard needs weeding and the days are long enough that I don’t need my bright headlight for my rides to and from work. It’s gotten up into the 50’s on more than quite a few days in the last couple weeks and I’ve walked to the store without a hat on. All this is luxury when thinking about the endless winter that seems to be griping parts of the country.

I’ve been trying to imagine Egypt. Trying to imagine being Egyptian.