Happy Valentine's Day
Last night I heard this on the radio and liked it:
Harvey Pekar on Valentine's Day
"Well of course my thoughts on Valentine's Day turn initially to my wife, Joyce. Which is as it should be, but also, to two important creatures who I care a great deal about: my cats Phoebe and Phoenix. Actually, when I married my wife, at age 43, I got her cat, Inky, as well. Up to that time I had never had a pet and didn't really want one. It was just extra work. And Inky didn't appear to be my kind of an ideal cat. Joyce had rescued him from an animal shelter when he was about six months old and he'd already developed some anti-social attitudes by then- he had a mean streak. Like he'd come up and start licking my sweaty hand, not out of friendship but because he liked salt. After he'd gotten his fill of salt he'd bite me. Literally bite the hand that fed him. And he liked to climb up on top of high things and then jump on me. Often leaping off a bureau and landing with all four feet on my stomach when I was in bed. At first I considered him a nuisance, but then I started watching him, noticing how he solved problems, like opening doors and getting to food that was stashed in hard to get at places. He definitely had cognitive ability. He figured out how to get around difficulties so unique that his solutions couldn't be attributed to instinct. As a result of this I started reading books about animal cognitive powers, which are far greater than is generally recognized. I found out that human beings aren't the only animals that can reason, play, and express warmth. At that point I started regarding Inky as more a companion than a pet. We never did get to be friendly in a cuddly sense, but we developed a sort of mutual respect. Once I remember losing my temper about something he did and tossing him off of me. He hit a wall and apparently had the wind knocked outta him or something like that. As he lay on the ground seemingly unable to catch his breath, I ran up to him, and started petting and apologizing to him. After a few seconds, he gathered himself and walked, not ran, away from me, as if he had contempt for me for using my superior strength unfairly. I probably misinterpreted his action in that instance. In all likelihood he wasn't physically able to run from me. I was able to normalize our relationship, although he avoided me for several days, expressing wariness, but not fear.
Inky died at a ripe old age of natural causes shortly before I was diagnosed with cancer. After months of chemo and radiation therapy, I went back to work, only to find that the steroids used in my treatment had cut off the flow of blood to my right femur, and it was disintegrating, causing me to limp and be in a lot of pain. The doctor wanted me to postpone getting a hip replacement for years because it would eventually wear out. Having just gotten through the cancer treatment, and finding out that I would be having hip pain for some time was very depressing. Partly to cheer me up, Joyce got us two kittens and it really helped. I got involved and interested in them and they really helped brighten my mood. They didn't care how lousy I was feeling, they still played and expressed warmth. There have been times in my life where I've had to live alone for years at a time and been very lonely. Having cats probably would have made a difference. Everyone needs unconditional love and on Valentine's Day, I appreciate the affection of my cats."
It's really better to listen to it, so go here http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfld=1674652
We listened to this on the way home from Colgate University yesterday. I'll tell you, the only thing my mom and I agree on radio-wise is NPR. The most generic rock the 90's could produce puts her in radio heaven. Then she lectures me about insulting other people's music. We got into a five minute argument about this before the trip. (The issue has really come to the fore-front because of the long drives involved in college visits) The entire accusation was ridiculous- I am not a music snob. I like a lot of music that many people would put down. For example, I like country music. I think it is really the last haven for vocal talent in the music industry today. If someone can really sing, the only place that can be showcased is in country music. If you like musicals, but you say you don't like country music, you're lying. Also, boy bands: when these musicians emerged during my middle school years, I scoffed, but now I liken them to the smooth harmonies of the fifties. And you can dress up a message with highlighted hair and shiny pants, but it's still just a portrayal of childish love. Their fans were 12 year olds- they obviously weren't delving into any mature themes there.
So, back to my point- my mom listens to awful radio stations in the car, so usually I bring my iPod, but last trip it ran out of charge on the drive up. The only way to placate my whining was to find the region's NPR station. Unfortunately, when I actually do listen to the radio with my parents another problem arises: my parents like to listen the radio gently humming at about .0364 decibels. This is about the volume of a mouse heartbeat. So I'm always asking, "Could you turn it up?" To which my dad goes "EH?!" (He can't hear over the deafening din of the radio, see.) "Turn it up, please." To which they respond by flipping the speakers to the back, which are about equidistantly as far from me as the front were. (We have a minivan) I tell them it doesn't help, and I end up hunched over my seat, craning to hear, in manner of small child in the 1940's. "Aw, gee mom! I can't hear what little orphan Annie is saying! Aww..."
The most interesting thing about Colgate was my half hour personal tour given by the head of their drama program. My mom was very persistent with the admissions office that we wanted to hear about their drama program, because it wasn't mentioned on the tour, resulting in me, with my shoes off, standing in the middle of some play rehearsal talking about Spoon River. It was weird, but her enthusiasm about drama made me really itchy to do some acting. I have some new ideas about how I'm going to make Eleanor more interesting. I also thought of that thing that Craig was going to do that fell through- dramatic readings in the Upper Commons. I got really excited thinking about them, and am now offering Craig my help to get them going on at least a bi-weekly status. (Ya hear?) Even though this is not enough for me.
Back to NPR for a second- the quotation-ed portion above was part of a large program featuring Harvey Pekar on NPR last night. They were promoting the release on DVD of the movie entitled American Splendor, which is based on Pekar's comic books. I rented this movie last night when I got home, and was really impressed. I've never read comic books because I'm not very indie cool, but I think I would like them.
The movie also had Pekar's friend, Robert Crumb, in it. He has a movie about HIS life too. My uncle Robert saw that movie and told us about it last summer. We never rented it, but it was made, I think, by Terry Zweikoff, who made the movie Ghost World, which is also based on a graphic novel. The topic came up because Crumb is most probably insane, as are his relatives, and Robert was explaining how most of the homeless in California are mentally handicapped. California has a serious homelessness problem, because it's so warm there and they give hefty subsidies to their homeless. Jay, remember when you wanted to go to college in California?
That was a weird train of thought.
Sari- my IM is breakingnews8. Glad you liked the stuff.
Hey Kim!
Anyone that I said I was mailing things to, check your mail, as things will get stale. And then I will get sad.
If you're going to write a livejournal entry about me, you had better do it quick before it becomes passé.
PASSE!
So watch American Splendor, and then we can talk about it. Warning: I've already watched the director's commentary, so I know all the right answers.
Harvey Pekar on Valentine's Day
"Well of course my thoughts on Valentine's Day turn initially to my wife, Joyce. Which is as it should be, but also, to two important creatures who I care a great deal about: my cats Phoebe and Phoenix. Actually, when I married my wife, at age 43, I got her cat, Inky, as well. Up to that time I had never had a pet and didn't really want one. It was just extra work. And Inky didn't appear to be my kind of an ideal cat. Joyce had rescued him from an animal shelter when he was about six months old and he'd already developed some anti-social attitudes by then- he had a mean streak. Like he'd come up and start licking my sweaty hand, not out of friendship but because he liked salt. After he'd gotten his fill of salt he'd bite me. Literally bite the hand that fed him. And he liked to climb up on top of high things and then jump on me. Often leaping off a bureau and landing with all four feet on my stomach when I was in bed. At first I considered him a nuisance, but then I started watching him, noticing how he solved problems, like opening doors and getting to food that was stashed in hard to get at places. He definitely had cognitive ability. He figured out how to get around difficulties so unique that his solutions couldn't be attributed to instinct. As a result of this I started reading books about animal cognitive powers, which are far greater than is generally recognized. I found out that human beings aren't the only animals that can reason, play, and express warmth. At that point I started regarding Inky as more a companion than a pet. We never did get to be friendly in a cuddly sense, but we developed a sort of mutual respect. Once I remember losing my temper about something he did and tossing him off of me. He hit a wall and apparently had the wind knocked outta him or something like that. As he lay on the ground seemingly unable to catch his breath, I ran up to him, and started petting and apologizing to him. After a few seconds, he gathered himself and walked, not ran, away from me, as if he had contempt for me for using my superior strength unfairly. I probably misinterpreted his action in that instance. In all likelihood he wasn't physically able to run from me. I was able to normalize our relationship, although he avoided me for several days, expressing wariness, but not fear.
Inky died at a ripe old age of natural causes shortly before I was diagnosed with cancer. After months of chemo and radiation therapy, I went back to work, only to find that the steroids used in my treatment had cut off the flow of blood to my right femur, and it was disintegrating, causing me to limp and be in a lot of pain. The doctor wanted me to postpone getting a hip replacement for years because it would eventually wear out. Having just gotten through the cancer treatment, and finding out that I would be having hip pain for some time was very depressing. Partly to cheer me up, Joyce got us two kittens and it really helped. I got involved and interested in them and they really helped brighten my mood. They didn't care how lousy I was feeling, they still played and expressed warmth. There have been times in my life where I've had to live alone for years at a time and been very lonely. Having cats probably would have made a difference. Everyone needs unconditional love and on Valentine's Day, I appreciate the affection of my cats."
It's really better to listen to it, so go here http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfld=1674652
We listened to this on the way home from Colgate University yesterday. I'll tell you, the only thing my mom and I agree on radio-wise is NPR. The most generic rock the 90's could produce puts her in radio heaven. Then she lectures me about insulting other people's music. We got into a five minute argument about this before the trip. (The issue has really come to the fore-front because of the long drives involved in college visits) The entire accusation was ridiculous- I am not a music snob. I like a lot of music that many people would put down. For example, I like country music. I think it is really the last haven for vocal talent in the music industry today. If someone can really sing, the only place that can be showcased is in country music. If you like musicals, but you say you don't like country music, you're lying. Also, boy bands: when these musicians emerged during my middle school years, I scoffed, but now I liken them to the smooth harmonies of the fifties. And you can dress up a message with highlighted hair and shiny pants, but it's still just a portrayal of childish love. Their fans were 12 year olds- they obviously weren't delving into any mature themes there.
So, back to my point- my mom listens to awful radio stations in the car, so usually I bring my iPod, but last trip it ran out of charge on the drive up. The only way to placate my whining was to find the region's NPR station. Unfortunately, when I actually do listen to the radio with my parents another problem arises: my parents like to listen the radio gently humming at about .0364 decibels. This is about the volume of a mouse heartbeat. So I'm always asking, "Could you turn it up?" To which my dad goes "EH?!" (He can't hear over the deafening din of the radio, see.) "Turn it up, please." To which they respond by flipping the speakers to the back, which are about equidistantly as far from me as the front were. (We have a minivan) I tell them it doesn't help, and I end up hunched over my seat, craning to hear, in manner of small child in the 1940's. "Aw, gee mom! I can't hear what little orphan Annie is saying! Aww..."
The most interesting thing about Colgate was my half hour personal tour given by the head of their drama program. My mom was very persistent with the admissions office that we wanted to hear about their drama program, because it wasn't mentioned on the tour, resulting in me, with my shoes off, standing in the middle of some play rehearsal talking about Spoon River. It was weird, but her enthusiasm about drama made me really itchy to do some acting. I have some new ideas about how I'm going to make Eleanor more interesting. I also thought of that thing that Craig was going to do that fell through- dramatic readings in the Upper Commons. I got really excited thinking about them, and am now offering Craig my help to get them going on at least a bi-weekly status. (Ya hear?) Even though this is not enough for me.
Back to NPR for a second- the quotation-ed portion above was part of a large program featuring Harvey Pekar on NPR last night. They were promoting the release on DVD of the movie entitled American Splendor, which is based on Pekar's comic books. I rented this movie last night when I got home, and was really impressed. I've never read comic books because I'm not very indie cool, but I think I would like them.
The movie also had Pekar's friend, Robert Crumb, in it. He has a movie about HIS life too. My uncle Robert saw that movie and told us about it last summer. We never rented it, but it was made, I think, by Terry Zweikoff, who made the movie Ghost World, which is also based on a graphic novel. The topic came up because Crumb is most probably insane, as are his relatives, and Robert was explaining how most of the homeless in California are mentally handicapped. California has a serious homelessness problem, because it's so warm there and they give hefty subsidies to their homeless. Jay, remember when you wanted to go to college in California?
That was a weird train of thought.
Sari- my IM is breakingnews8. Glad you liked the stuff.
Hey Kim!
Anyone that I said I was mailing things to, check your mail, as things will get stale. And then I will get sad.
If you're going to write a livejournal entry about me, you had better do it quick before it becomes passé.
PASSE!
So watch American Splendor, and then we can talk about it. Warning: I've already watched the director's commentary, so I know all the right answers.