new love

I think I'm in love. He is 84 and one of America's most famous cynics: Kurt Vonnegut. He is still at it and is as sardonic as ever. The adorable, German-American, Indiana native, chain smoker has, like Einstein and Twain, given up on America in his later years. My mother fell in love with him also at my age. Though, hers was the time of Cats Cradle and mine is the time of A Man Without A Country.

I found the book by chance in the library at ASU, which has a horrible selection of books, by the way. Somehow paying fines on books I used for a project last semester helped me stumble upon the best piece of modern literature I've read in quite some time. This book has changed my perspective on things and brought me one step closer to being a cynic myself.

The book is on my lap as I fly somewhere over the cold Midwest. It is one chapter away from completion because I can't bear the thought of it ending. I want to see more of the world through this misanthrope's eyes. I laugh my way through it, wishing I could do something about the world. It is so sad where things are heading. I knew things would change, that is inevitable, but I never guessed how bad it would really be. The thing is it's only going to get worse and I worry for my immanent grandchildren, but is anybody else worrying? It doesn't seem like it.

People are so preoccupied with the stupidest stuff, myself included. We piddle around living our lives like members of Alcoholic Awareness, day by day. I really think we have our priorities screwed up. But free thinkers aren't welcome in Washington DC and everyone thinks the next president will fix it (Vonnegut). Haha.

You want something to really laugh at? Credit Cards, Cars, College Tuition, and democracy. Hysterical!

The rate things are going I think my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will see the unfolding of the clouds and the sound of the trumpets. I hope so, because when the oil runs out I'll not want them to see what the people are going to do to themselves and each other.

I loved that book. You should look into it.