All My Friends

When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone
to a better world, I am moved to lead a different life. -Mark Twain, author
and humorist (1835-1910)

There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. -Leonard
Cohen, musician (1934- ) (By the way, Leonard Cohen is incredible)

We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the
same. -Carlos Castenada, mystic and author (1925-1998)

I found one day in school a boy of medium size ill-treating a smaller boy.
I expostulated, but he replied: 'The bigs hit me, so I hit the babies;
that's fair.' In these words he epitomized the history of the human race.
-Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, and author (1872-1970)

There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and
that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all. -Ogden Nash,
author (1902-1971)

Most truths are so naked that people feel sorry for them and cover them up,
at least a little bit. -Edward R. Murrow, journalist (1908-1965)

Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it but don't swallow it. -Hank Ketcham,
comic artist (1920-2001)

Words are also actions, and actions are a kind of words. -Ralph Waldo
Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. -Horace
Mann, educational reformer (1796-1859)

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
-Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

Once you label me you negate me. -Soren Kierkegaard, philosopher
(1813-1855)

The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the
revolution. -Hannah Arendt, historian and philosopher (1906-1975)

Look into any man's heart you please, and you will always find, in every
one, at least one black spot which he has to keep concealed. -Henrik Ibsen,
playwright (1828-1906)

We shall succeed only so far as we continue that most distasteful of all
activity, the intolerable labor of thought. -Learned Hand, jurist
(1872-1961)

Civilizations in decline are consistently characterised by a tendency
towards standardization and uniformity. -Arnold Toynbee, historian
(1889-1975)

You will find relief from vain fancies if you do every act in life as
though it were your last. -Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and writer
(121-180)

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.
-William Butler Yeats, poet, dramatist, essayist, Nobel laureate (1865-1939)
(I have yet to master the latter...)


So there's a lot hanging around in my mess of a mind. A lot. And chances are I'll forget stuff, but the best will be attempted.
Where to start, where to start?
Which thoughts came about first, I suppose. Went to the Relay for Life with my mother and then met up with my aunt and cousin (even saw my sister who's been AWOL with Claire the entire summer) and ended up going to breakfast(?) (it was 1 AM) with them (my aunt, cousin, mother, and myself) at Country Kitchen. My cousin is a teacher, and somehow we got on the subject of her first-graders, what problems some of them are, and how she's teaching summer school, etc. Then we started talking about what's been in the news lately about parents abusing their children and a specific case from around here where the parents forced their son in a scalding shower and left him there because he had a "bad day" at school. It turns out that my cousin had him in her class. She said that after the parents had done that, they put a sign on their door that said the house was quarantined because the boy had chicken pox. Finally, his burns became so infected that a month later, they finally took him to the doctor. She said that he had to wear a full body suit to school every day and that he had to be put to sleep just to have his hair cut because the scabs from the burns were so bad. And everytime it rained outside at recess, he would start screaming because it reminded him of the shower. I can't even fathom. It just makes me incredibly sick, and I think about it every single time the water is hot when I wash my hands. I can't even begin to imagine what the parents were thinking or what that boy has to go through every single day of his life. And that got me thinking about social workers and what hells they must have to experience just seeing these things. They do all they can for the children, but once they are finished, there's nothing more they can do, and the child may be in the same situation as before. And these people most likely don't make any money at all. It's just a completely crazy world we live in.
For a little topic change, it's funny (strange-funny) how differently I look at things. And how I see other people and how they view things. I just don't understand why people aren't more open/free thinkers. I will admit, that at a point in time, I was incredibly close-minded about just about everything. But since then, there's so much to consider and so much to think about. I honestly don't think that there is only one correct answer to any problem or question. In anything. And I do not enjoy being in the company of people who feel that there is only one possible solution. There's no room for discussion. But more than anything, it's just the fact that they are unwilling to listen. That's really all it amounts to. To at least consider. The world would be a different place.
Lastly, I believe, "Last Kiss" has just really upset me lately. What's the story behind it? It reminds me of "Jeremy" as far as the subject matter, and it's really not a pleasant one. I guess "Last Kiss" is just a little too surreal, and I really don't know why Ed would want to sing about it?
Other than that, I guess there's not too much else.
So, she's suddenly beautiful
And we all want something beautiful
Man, I wish I was beautiful
"Mr. Jones" in its entirety about sums up the rest.
And "All My Friends". Someday, I'll write a paper about it.


Thought I might get a rocket ride
When I was a child but it was a lie
That I told myself when I needed something good
At 17 had a better dream
Now I'm 33 and it isn't me
But I'd think of something better if I could

All my friends and lovers leave me behind
I'm still looking for a girl
One way or another
I'm just hoping to find a way
To put my feet out in the world

Caught some grief from a falling leaf
As she tumbled to the dirty ground
Said I should have put her back there if I could
But everyone needs a better day
And I'm trying to find me a better way
To get from the things I do to the things I should

All my friends and lovers leave me alone
To try to have a little fun
One way or another I just wish I had known
To go out walking in the sun
To find out if you were the one

All you want is a beauty queen
Not a superstar but everybody's dream machine
All you want is a place to lay your head
You go to sleep dreamin how you would
Be a different kind if you thought you could
But you come awake the way you are instead

All my friends and lovers shine like the sun
I just turn and walk away
One way or another
I'm not comin undone
I'm just waiting for the day

Here's to the Night

When work is a pleasure, life is a joy! When work is a duty, life is
slavery. -Maxim Gorky, author (1868-1936)

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. -Zora Neale
Hurston, folklorist and writer (1891-1960)

Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence. -Mahatma
Gandhi (1869-1948)

Kindness is not without its rocks ahead. People are apt to put it down to
an easy temper and seldom recognize it as the secret striving of a generous
nature; whilst, on the other hand, the ill-natured get credit for all the
evil they refrain from. -Honore De Balzac, novelist (1799-1850)

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know
peace. -Jimi Hendrix, musician, singer, and songwriter (1942-1970)


So, again, in and out of the deep-blogging mood. We shall see what will come of it.
Things have been rather bland, but maybe it's because I've just become accepting of certain things. And I really do find humor in almost everything. It's just these random "deep-blogging" moods that I look closer and wander around in my mind a bit.
Tonight, here's the thought: What exactly am I afraid of? Myself?
There's a quote that I can't look for now because I'm already short on time, but it's something along the lines of "The only thing we really fear is our own greatness" or "The only reason we fail is because we deny our greatness" or something like that. It may hold some truth. But isn't there a point when reality must be faced? A point when a decision must be reached that will affect so much, but in the end it must be made? And is this "denying your greatness" or simply realizing that it was anything but greatness? I suppose the reason decisions are so difficult is that there is no way of knowing the outcome. Sure, it can be guessed, predicted, estimated, but that could be far from what will actually take place. And that's scary for me. All these huge decisions when there are so many choices and so many possibilities. Funny (in an ironic way) that I'm complaining about having so many possiblities, now that I hear myself say it. But again, there is never a happy medium. With anything. Does that make me weak, for not being able to make decisions, or strong, for exploring all options first?
I have to deal with stupid people every day, and it's gotten to the point where it doesn't even phase me anymore. It's just funny, I guess. Especially people who are only nice to your face. I don't quite understand.
And lastly, fittingly, I thought about how all things come to an end. Sad, really. It's either too soon or can't happen soon enough. Where is the gray area?!? I only hope that some things will stay with me...


So denied, so I lied
Are you the now or never kind?
In a day and a day love
I'm gonna be gone for good again

Are you willing to be had?
Are you cool with just tonight?
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well

Here's to the night we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye tomorrow's gonna come too soon

Put your name on the line
Along with place and time
Want to stay, not to go, I want to ditch the logical
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well

Here's to the night we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye tomorrow's gonna come too soon

All my time is froze in motion
Can't I stay an hour or two or more
Don't let me let you go
Don't let me let you go

Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well
Here's to the night we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye, tomorrow's gonna come too soon
Too soon
Here's to the night we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye tomorrow's gonna come too soon