...and the Living is Easy
The fish are jumping!
You know, in spite of the increasingly extreme heat waves brought on by climate change, I still can't help but love the summer. It's warm and green, the flowers are all blooming and the mulberry trees are all dropping fruit, and no matter how busy I get, a beach day or a nice walk in the park never seems too far off. I know lots of folks prefer the cold, but since I live in a place where it's winter for 4-6 months out of the year, I'd rather spend my days sweating than stuck indoors or shivering under four layers of clothing (and a jacket!). Also, my birthday is during the summer, so I think (along with the fact that it was a three month break from school) there's a bit of childhood nostalgia/conditioning going on there as well. Still, it's a nice time of year for ice cream and day drinking and I'm going to enjoy it, goddammit!
Speaking of ice cream, I recently had a scoop of a special soft cheese and red pepper jelly flavor that was to die for. I know that doesn't sound super appetizing, but I really love it when things you'd normally associate with savory dishes get put in desserts. There's always a kind of funkiness there that makes a dessert like that unforgettable, like a song that incorporates an unusual instrument or an art piece created with uncommon materials. Now, not everything works quite that well (I can't imagine something like pickle-flavored ice cream would taste good), but when something like that comes together and becomes more than just the sum of its parts, I can't help but feel like the world we live in, no matter how fucked up it gets, is worth living in and caring about and fighting for. Life is worth living! We can still have beautiful and exciting things!
I know I'm being a little more upbeat than usual, and maybe it's because the summer heat is impeding my brain functioning, but I think it's important to look to the things that fill you with [HOPE] and [DETERMINATION] every once in a while. There's a lot wrong with the world, and we're going to have to fight like hell to set things right, but you have to spend at least a little time thinking about what (and who) you're fighting for in between thinking about what you're fighting against. In a way, it's like steeling yourself for the struggles that you're going to face in your life, filling up your tank every so often so that you don't peter and out fall victim to nihilism or apathy. Your loved ones need you, your community needs you, the movement needs you! So chin up, and remember to take care of yourself. It's important.
P.S. Here's a little sample of the music I'm working on. I'm making progress, I promise!
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