On Childhood

I just watched Toy Story 3 for my first time yesterday. It's strange how strong of an effect childhood associations can have years down the road. As we speak the new Scooby Doo is playing in the background as some bored kid pounds on a nearby piano. I can still feel the painful boredom and meaninglessness of spending the day glued to the television. Those rare occasions where I falsely convinced my mother of illness were possibly the most miserable memories of my childhood. Perhaps though it says more about how damn good my childhood was. Truthfully the only thing necessary for life to be sweet as a child (maybe still holding true) was unadulterated companionship. Undivided attention from others with a common goal of entertainment never failed to satisfy. There was so much time with so few demands, and the only consistent one was to give the elders some peace. Luckily for me this happened in a place of magic where there were enough kids to fill each of our needs and the freedom to go along with it.

I think my adulthood has just buried the same goals and needs. In a way our imaginations have become so finely tuned that they can convince us of a worldly order. People seem infatuated with classifications and organization even though it is for the most part a result of our imagination. Maybe truth is easiest to find when we stop trying and just observe. I always thought I was learning away my prejudices as I grew but upon closer inspection it seems I had it backward. If we take a step back and let the world unfold we are at our most objective.

Marbled

Smooth and serene
cool to the touch
Translucent you seem
shape that I clutch


With beauty you shine
refractory light
Distorted are lines
before you take flight


Spin till the clash
of attack to your kind
Actions seem rash
though premeditated in mind

A determined goal
for a head wreathed in green
The scuffs that you dole
you mirror, unclean


Now overlooked
for favored perfection
Consumed and discarded
Mr. Brief Satisfaction

The Bar Crawl

A month ago I accompanied two friends for their 21st birthday bar crawls. By the end of both nights, my arms were riddled with stamps. The bars had previously been an unfamiliar scene to me, which made my weekend a refreshing and curious experience. I felt like I was on a quest to get a view of the "true" American night life. I found our enjoyment was inversely proportional to the pretension of the place. Price obviously played into this but more importantly the superior atmosphere and friendliness cemented my conclusion. Though I recommend the more laid back bars, I doubt I could have appreciated them without the preceding fancy ones and the alcohol I drank there. It seems logical that later in the night you will have a better time, especially if the place is relaxing and conducive to casual socialization.

Casual... I think that is the key word. The whole idea of a night on the town is to have casual encounters without expectations. If this is your goal then I think you will see eye to eye with me.

This past weekend I revisited our downtown with a friend from home. This time we started with the dive bar and worked our way up to $9 fancy drinks. Though I'll admit the alcohol was far superior at the nicer place, I still felt the atmosphere was more inviting at the first place. I guess I should mention that my friend disagrees with me but only on the basis that the waiters were cuter and the drinks were tastier. To be honest I think they ripped us off by favoring the sugar content over the alcohol, but I suppose I have different priorities. I guess I can't give you an irrefutable conclusion but I can encourage you to approach the cheap places with a bit less hostility.