Wednesday, August 03, 2005

On popping off and paying the price

Listening to: Lauren's HAWT Summer mix (yes, I finally got my mix!)

If you're here to join in August's mixmania! - HELLO!!! - click this link!

Whether it's been this early August heat or my dismal attempts to quit smoking, I dunno but something's been buzzing bad, a bee in my bonnet no less noisier than the loose bowling ball and feral cat locked in the trunk of my car. So subjected to such insane disharmony, I've managed to play asshat thoughout the internets without a hint of flair, elan, or class.

It started the other night when I went after GraceD's friend in a very unkind way. Now, anyone who knows me will attest that my passions never run lukewarm but my ire (and a few beers) got the best of my questionable judgement. I didn't know Grace was chummy with the dude (not that would have mattered, frankly) but I apparently broke the rules of civil discourse and the sentence for that is persona non grata.

Ouch.

A little later I took my big bat over to Outside In and pummelled Vicki for posting the personal information of a young girl who dared to write to soldiers in Iraq and state she did not support the war. Vicki's on vacation and so it took her awhile to correct the posting of personal information and state her intention was not to ridicule the girl. Still, I get the sense that I stepped on a few toes and hurt some feelings.

To Grace and Vicki, I sincerely apologize for being impolitic. I'm a loud-mouthed lefty and a pusillanimous Irishman, not looking for a fight but never backing down. If I'm to be faulted for the temperment of my passions, I'll let Marianne Moore speak for me with her superb "What Are Years?":

  What is our innocence,
what is our guilt? All are
  naked, none is safe. And whence
is courage: the unanswered question,
the resolute doubt, -
dumbly calling, deafly listening-that
in misfortune, even death,
     encourage others
     and in it's defeat, stirs

  the soul to be strong? He
sees deep and is glad, who
  accededs to mortality
and in his imprisonment rises
upon himself as
the sea in a chasm, struggling to be
free and unable to be,
     in its surrendering
     finds its continuing.

  So he who strongly feels,
behaves. The very bird,
  grown taller as he sings, steels
his form straight up. Though he is captive,
his mighty singing
says, satisfaction is a lowly
thing, how pure a thing is joy.
     This is mortality,
     this is eternity.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn liberals...;)

Anonymous said...

So what's your favorite song? Huh? Huh?

Lauren
feministe.us/blog/

SeeingDouble said...

Tsk, tsk... you've been a bad boy!!

Anonymous said...

Nah- You are a passionate person of conviction. With but 2 minutes to check in at a whopping 28bps here in the tip of the tip of the tip of the Keweenaw in the middle of Lake Superior I'm here to tell you all is well, dear friend. I value your hotheaded friendship. Check the vwery last comment on that young person's letter- Bill checked in from Iraq. Which means he's alive and kicking- and that good news is the best.

Mamacita (The REAL one) said...

Oh, like there's anything you could ever do that would knock you off the top of my list of precious people. . . .

I include Murder One in that statement. Which doesn't mean you should run out and try me on it, but just so you know.

Anonymous said...

excellent comment-rants!!!

Puck said...

Lauren: that's a difficult question to answer. Forced to answer, I'd say the Jon Brion, Cee-Lo Green, and Cibo Matto cuts. Interestingly, the Blasters cut and Undertones cut were both songs that my band covered!

Grace, Mamacita, & Vicki: damn, I love you!!!