February 6, 2014 (Thursday)
A new study has just come out that tells men how to attract women. According to the report, women are attracted to handsome men who drive trucks. They especially like the drivers of black trucks. I’ve been wondering why I am still single and now I know. I don’t drive a truck–I drive a sedan. I don’t drive a black vehicle–I drive a white one. Oh, and the “handsome” requirement–well, three strikes says I stay single.
And a fourth strike may also apply. I don’t seem to be keeping up with things anymore. An actor died this week and all the news services have been reporting his death (from an overdose of heroin) day after day. I confess I have never heard of the man. And last year another actor died and was given the same daily news treatment; I did not know of him, either. The reason I didn’t recognize their names was the fact that I never saw their shows or movies. It seems to me that the news media are grieving the deaths of the characters played by these men rather than the deaths of the men themselves. Heavy on the “seems to me” phrase.
I have a history of liking things that other people don’t. In 1980 we went to San Antonio fleeing a hurricane. While there, we went to a movie. The title of it was “Xanadu.” When we were leaving through the lobby, we passed a line of people waiting to enter. Everyone on my side of the rope was telling the new guys, “Bad movie,” “Don’t waste your time,” “Worst ever,” etc. But I liked it. So I would whisper every so often as we passed the soon-to-be new viewers, “I liked it.” No one seemed very interested in my opinion then, either.
Every day someone or something seeks to influence the way we think about things. If we are wise, we will be very discerning about who we believe. Whether it is an official report from a study group, a general consensus among the media moguls, or–help us one and all–the literary, movie, and show critics (PARASITES!) who hand down their criticisms of new works like Zeus yelling from Olympus. What I am saying is, “Decide for yourself.” “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain:” think for yourself, believe what you believe, and live by it. As an old song told us, “Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.”