The sky above Barrows Hall is blue. And light blue and creamy blue and remorseful blue and highlighted incredible achingly blue. The angle of the sun imperceptably changes its shade across the sky. Like a bow, drawn taught from light to dark from west to east, and firing at every human glance, the color of the universe.
The Era of Zero Tolerance August 29, 2008
In this time, walks through clover and lavender are overwhelmed by the tyranny of a small itch.
Festivities marred by innocent slights uttered by close friends.
Dynamic cities disparaged and abandoned due to a few potholes.
In the era of zero tolerance, no silver lining lacks tarnish and no imperfection is ever unnoticed or uncelebrated.
Like a fever sweeping the body, eliminating invaders and threatening parasites, all of the beneficial organisms are swept away as well. Nothing can save the good and the true. It is doomed to be swept away, into the dustbin, and disposed of. In a heap, in some heaping pile of phlegm, expelled from the body by an overzealous defender that can’t see good from bad – or better yet – only sees evil.
The paranoia grows, the life is cleansed, and then there is nothing.
Unsettlingly Perfect August 26, 2008
In its own unsettlingly perfect way, the city switches from cold to warm just when Fall begins to wax. Two more months of sunshine, bottles in the park and eating outside.
Of course, the gift that is an annual Indian Summer only serves to postpone the inevitable transition to Winter. But what a glorious postponement. When a human procastinates it seems lazy and indulgent. But when the Earth itself puts off the unavoidable, for a moment the universe doesn’t feel so cold. There will be time enough for bitterness when the rains come.
Chasing a Spark August 26, 2008
It always begins as a small electric pulse, rattling around a grey cage and triggering the release of chemicals. Floating out of control, completely free from rationality, they hold a putch and affirm a new leader.
The dictates of the cabal are self-serving and annihilating. Despite what would appear to be a logical inconsistency, the regime exists in order to exhaust everything including itself. Driving its universe apart, thumbing its nose at attraction, this dark energy relentlessly challenges and goads and then, in keeping with its function, depletes its own resources and disappears into the blackness from which it emerged.
Aspirational August 25, 2008
San Francisco’s morning emerged from last night’s summer evening as it usually does. Cold, foggy and quiet. After the time of the early-rising athletes but before the hungover hipsters arrive, there is an interregnum of peace. Heading toward the ocean, relentlessly, because there was no other way to go, you have two choices: coast along or ramp up the speed. Driving your legs into JFK drive, sweating more and more, scaring ever increasing numbers of blackbirds off the damp grass of the park, you are speeding up.
Nevermind that the sea waits for you and is getting closer with every quickening step. You’ll be in a better mood when you get there.
