Monday, July 5, 2010

It's Only Castles Burning

I've lost my sense of humor. I'm pretty sure it's been covered in oil. Destroyed by an exploding methane fireball.

As it happens, I feel better by simply admitting before the world that my sense humor has left the building, although there's nothing funny about poor old fat Elvis surrounded by sycophants and overdosing on prescription drugs.

There wasn't a whole hell of a lot to laugh about after the World Trade Centers imploded, either, but I cracked up the minute I saw this photo back in late September, 2001.

Some people were totally outraged by this example of photoshop wizardry. I expect that was because America had been attacked by someone - and I still don't rule out the possibility that the Bushes and Bin Ladens hatched that plot by their own damn selves at the urging of Dick Cheney and Karl Rove - or maybe it was Mossad, what do I know? Sabers started rattling and we charged off to stop the Taliban. We're still there; so are the Taliban - and now we even have our own Taliban in Texas rewriting history.

Nope, nothing funny about that at all, but I regained my sense of humor almost as soon as my mother-in-law, Vagina Dentata, went back to her own apartment. She was too nervous to sleep there for a couple of nights. She was over here for the Black Out, too.

My mother says I'm moving through the grieving process over the Deepwater Disaster, and that we should all be grieving for the Gulf. True enough, and so much has been written and said about BP, the government in general, Obama in particular, the oil industry, Republicans, and everything remotely related to the whole enchilada that I've got nothing to add. No matter which way you look at it, The Deepwater Disaster points to everything that is inherently wrong with our society. Let's not even look at Nigeria where oil "spills" have been a way of life for fifty years (John Vidal, Guardian, May 30, 2010). We get a lot of our oil from Nigeria. Namaste.

In the face of all this tumultuous bullshit, it's no wonder I've lost my sense of humor. I wouldn't worry about it except that I've got to read at KGB in less than two weeks in the humor series, Drunken! Careening! Writers! with Jaffe Cohen, who did stand-up on HBO. I've read with Jaffe before and can hold my own - it's just that I can't get it up to write the story of The Preacher and The Pagan, which I know is funny, on account of it doesn't seem a bit funny anymore.

Nothing seems funny anymore - and that's just wrong. Like they said back at 9 - 11, when you stop living a normal life, the terrorists win - and that's true even if the terrorists are in your own government and/or selling gasoline and beer on the corner. My mother also said that holding the bastards up to public ridicule is a proven, time honored tactic of resistance and revolution. There were the pamphlets back in 1776, and we've had Dick Gregory, Lenny Bruce and George Carlin in more recent years. My mother is right, of course. She nearly always is, but that's because she tries to keep her mouth shut if she suspects she's wrong.

I have no illusion about sparking any revolutions over here at Menopausal Stoners. I just want to get that story written before I have to stand up in front of a room full of people at KGB, and frankly, my lively spirit resists being bummed out for weeks at a time.

The Deepwater Disaster sucks, no doubt about it. I still hope a hurricane blows toxic tar babies onto the house Sarah Palin had built by her companions in corruption at Spenard Building Supplies (Think Progress, July 3, 2009). Life goes on, and there is much work to do to further La Resistance. At the moment, I've got to share what I learned about the relevance of Mainstream American Protestantism to Social Change. Some people might have done the reading - I fucked a preacher.

11 Comments:

Blogger Life As I Know It Now said...

I am grieving too. Hope you find your spark again so that you can get your writing done.

July 5, 2010 at 12:54 PM  
Anonymous Jennifer said...

Just write it. It will be funny. The thing about losing your mojo is, it's always temporary. And the thing about writing is that a first draft never killed anybody.

July 5, 2010 at 1:27 PM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Thanks kids - and Jennifer, I've got a new mantra "a first draft never killed anybody . . . "

July 5, 2010 at 2:08 PM  
Blogger Punch said...

I grew up in the southern baptist church, so I know a little 'bout religion and I can guess the rest.
Number 1ne thing: preachers fuck the congratation every day of the week and twice on sunday. It's ok you evened it up.
Number 2wo thing: to write something funny you have to be able to supend your grasp on reality.
Number 3hree thing: write when you don't have anything to say. Just let your thoughts flow. Whatever comes into your mind write it. and the next and the next.
Number 4our thing: walk away and come back and read it. Watch comedy tv. fill in the gaps and join the connections that your mind has already put together.
Number 5ive thing: don't listen to me.

July 5, 2010 at 2:11 PM  
Blogger Gail said...

HI TRISH-

I understand all too well. It is hard to find humor these days, although my Mom, still does - mind boggling and inspiring all at once.

And blogger didn't publish your comment or my repky to youover at my place. I answered you saying that I too think that the chair makes perfect sense. Blogger wouldn't evn publish my comment. Oh well.

I just wanted you to know I did get it , and I did publish your comment but blogger had another agenda.

Love you girl
Gail
peace.....

July 5, 2010 at 10:57 PM  
Blogger PENolan said...

I'm going with numbers 3 and 5, Punch. I firmly believe that in order to be funny, you have to hit reality right between the eyes.

It would be rude to make jokes about holding anything firm besides beliefs - so I'm going to refrain.

July 5, 2010 at 11:08 PM  
Blogger Commander Zaius said...

My sense of humor, if I have one, is just a smoke screen for how bad I feel things are going. Deep down I feel the country and world are getting played on a grand scale but I usually don’t directly say anything along these lines because of how conspiratorial its sounds.

As far as Bush masterminding 9/11 I heard the drug addicted Limbaugh making outrageous claims on the radio about how he KNEW Bush was destined for greatness one month before the attack. If you had heard how long that asshole absolutely gushed over Bush's future greatness it would send a chill down your spine. It was seriously creepy.

July 6, 2010 at 4:04 AM  
Blogger VV said...

"Some people might have done the reading - I fucked a preacher." You have great lines in every post. They're so sharp it kills me! As for your writing, I think your funny as hell when you point out the absurdity in a situation in a deadpan way. I also find it funny when people's words and philosophies are used against them. Humor is the best way to attack a person and show them to be a ridiculous thing not worthy of legitimacy. I think Mel Brooks said something to this effect when he was speaking about "The Producers" and the play within the play, "Springtime for Hitler." It was a way to laugh at Hitler, and cut him down, to make him look as ridiculous and impotent as he could. Turn your hurt, your anger, your frustration like a spotlight on the bastards responsible, on the system that has allowed this to happen, to our own responsibility for allowing this to happen. Post anything here you want feedback on. Write on!

July 6, 2010 at 9:16 AM  
Blogger Leslie Parsley said...

You will never lose your sense of humor - never.

I'm seeing a lot of bloggers in the doldrums right now. Maybe the tme of year? People wanting to be outside instead of in front of the computer? I'm sure the crap coming from the right has nothing to do with it, right? Ehhh . . .

July 6, 2010 at 10:36 AM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Golly, V.V., I know where to go the next time I need a pep talk ;)
The thing is that some stories are too good to go on the internet - especially when you consider that some magazines want first run rights when they publish something and even self-publishing on your own blog counts. And it really is time for me to start sending pieces out into the world.

Gail, I was having issues with the comments yesterday, too, and so was Punch. Blogger must have been overheating.

tnlib, I've also noticed sagging spirits around blogland. It's been pretty oppressive lately.

Beach, I know exactly what you mean about the conspiracy thing, and Rush is nothing if not seriously creepy. Shit, I'm going to have to get high and watch South Park.

July 6, 2010 at 9:30 PM  
Blogger lisahgolden said...

Me = head in sand. It's not funny and it's not pretty, but it keeps me from hitting shit with my fists which I need to pound my keyboard to make it make words.

I'm confident that you'll do fine. You always crack me up.

July 8, 2010 at 10:30 PM  

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