Three Quotes

"Your genes set the stage for the plays your friends inspire."

-Me, inspired by friends, January 1, 2006


"You honor the dead by the way you choose to live your life after they're gone."

-TJH, December 31, 2005

"A quest for self respect is proof of its lack."

-Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

A walk with an old friend

Today I took my friend to walk in the canyon just beyond my neighborhood. A great start to a new year, but perhaps the last year of my friend's life. When he was younger, my friend could walk or run for miles and I would tire easily and stop and he would silently plead to go a few more miles. In Maryland, we would walk in the snow that fell infrequently in the winter and years later in California, we'd walk in the evening as the sun set over the ocean.

Lately, however, we haven't walked as much. I've been too busy to walk. Busy with the newer parts of my life; the parts that need constant tending and attention. My friend has never complained and he has waited patiently for that perfect moment when friends can walk in silence; that time when companionship means more than words.

So today, we walked again. It has been some time; in fact the last time we went, we ran and he tired quickly. Age has taken its toll on him. As we walked, I could hear his labored breathing and I regretted taking him along because it hurt me to hear the guttural sounds of air entering old lungs. When we walked I could sense his happiness; the joy in being free to smell the grass and the scents of animals that creep around in the night. And though my friend's days are almost gone, I will tend to him and we will walk together like we did before.

The boy with his father growing out of his ear

So why the beard?

Since growing this beard, numerous people have asked "why did you grow the beard?" Frankly, this is a stupid question. For male homosapiens, facial hair growth is natural and without the convenience of a razor, inevitable. Why do I do anything? Was this a well thought out planned beard growing? No. Did I weigh the pros and cons of having a beard? No. Did I consider all the questions about my motivations for growing a beard? No. Perhaps I'm conducting a psychological experiment examining people's reactions to my beard? No. No. and fuck No. I woke up one day and there it was. Just like any other day when I don't shave. It was there and I felt like keeping it around for a while. That's it. Nothing more.

Resolutions for the planet

See ya 2005 and good riddance. We have no control over earthly calamities such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and to some extent hurricaines and floods; however, for once can we get our collective shit together as a species and ring the new year with the following:

1) less spilled blood
2) less cynicism
3) less fox news and "Bill O'Really" I'm not about spin (o.k., some cynicism is required to survive).
4) more sex, yes sex. If all the fucks of the world fucked more (including myself), maybe we'd be less angry or maybe too tired to be angry.
5) more honesty with ourselves, our enemies and our lovers.
6) less whining and crying.
7) more Guenoc Victorian Claret (this probably would help with #1, 2, 4, and 5, but could make #6 worse).
8) less talk about GOD, the bible, creation and more actually helping people in need.
9) fucking peace for a change.