Wise words from the 2,000 year old man. If you are not familiar with the series of comedy albums featuring Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner as the 2,000 year old fella and the patient gentleman asking him about his life, you must remedy that immediately! Actually finish reading this, and then go discover what you have been missing.
These recordings are hands down my favorite comedy memories. I have them on vinyl and cassette and cd. Why? Don't ask silly questions. I love it all, but there are two bits which make me howl like a loon each and every time I listen....... I won't spoil them, but pay attention when he asked about Paul Revere and later George Armstrong Custer. I'm giggling just writing this.
Back to the opening quote, at one point the old guy is describing his parents, the interviewer perceptively comments that he sounds like he is describing himself . He answers with a sigh- "we mock......."
Lately I have discovered myself doing an odd gesture with my left arm, I don't even know if I could describe it... Basically I hold my arm absolutely straight pointing at the ground and rub my thumb and ring and middle fingers together. Why? I don't have any idea...... Usually it happens as I am thinking , kinda of like a stalling technique. Odd, but here's the thing, my dad did exactly the same thing!!! What the....? (If you watch the David Lettterman episode of the Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee show, Letterman does a similar thing while sitting. As he gets older Letterman is becoming a carbon copy of my dad) we use to ask my Dad what the heck was he doing? He had no answer, but that gesture appears in old home videos and we all laugh.
We mock......
Whenever someone would ask my father an either /or question, would you rather have a trillion dollars or live forever? He would answer , 'I don't have to choose, I'm an American , I can do both!"
It's a silly extreme example, but you know I like the fact that it , in a way, demonstrates the fact that you can have two thoughts at once. That everything is not either /or...... Somethings need a little room to breathe.
As I drive around sometimes I will wander up and down the radio dial to get a feel for what is out there. Some nit wit , was ranting about the fact that some people where saying that global warning is the most serious problem facing the world. The raving was immediate and intense, what about Terror? The Economy? Which toilet people use?!!!
All these things need to be addressed. Isn't it possible to deal with more then one issue at a time? Isn't it possible to have a trillion dollars and live forever? Okay , that's not a good example. But, if I have cancer and then break my leg in a car accident , I have to deal with the break immediately. Doesn't mean that I don't deal with the cancer. I need to deal with both issues.
I have to learn how to juggle. We all need to learn to juggle.
This has rambled a bit... That's okay , it's a nice spring day, perfect for a bit of a ramble
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