“Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.”
I haven’t had much to say lately. To anyone really. Anything it occurred to me to say was awash in frustration and disgust so it seemed better in some ways not to say anything at all. Then today, er yesterday I suppose, Kurt Vonnegut, jr. died. Needless to say, I am a big fan of his work. I was thinking about some of my favorite quotes from him and it seems to me, his writing and story lines lend themselves very easily to life in Post K New Orleans. I’ve always thought of his writings as having this little theme: someone is trying desperately to hold onto the little bit of good in their life while something not so much evil, but rather ridiculous, tries to keep them from it. Eh, it’s just my take on it.
Getting ready for work this morning in the FEMA trailer, which I’ve now changed the name of to Schlachthof Fünf and intend on stenciling it on the street side of the trailer this weekend – though probably in English (Slaughterhouse Five), I really felt like Billy Pilgrim. So this Summer’s paperback extravaganza is to read a bunch of Kurt Vonnegut in the hopes that it will renew my sense of adventure and my sense of humor about the way the world works sometimes. So I’m inviting you all to read along with me. “Jack’s Book Club” as it were. so throw me some suggestions on what to read this summer – I’ve read a lot of his stuff but I’m sure I’m missing some vital pieces.
And I also thought it would be fun to have people post their favorite Vonnegut quotes especially if you think it describes some aspect of life here in New Orleans – but it doesn’t have to be. I’ll go first:
“It is a very mixed blessing to be brought back from the dead.”
So it goes.
Ya know, I was thinking the first book to read is “Breakfast of Champions” and since he just died it would have been cool as hell to have a martini for breakfast this morning. Since that didn’t happen. Would anyone be up for a martini breakfast tomorrow – I’m off tomorrow, but we could do it Saturday if anyone’s interested. I’m thinking real early in the morning just roll out of bed and show up in pjs for a martini all Kilgore Trout style.
A little something for Jack:
“I can have oodles of charm when I want to.” Breakfast of Champions
And a little something for the shanty:
“How nice–to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive.” Slaughterhouse Five
at his cheerful best- Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can’t see from the center.
One of my faves
If God were alive today, he would have to be an atheist, because the excrement has hit the air-conditioning big time, big time.
And if I should ever die, God forbid, I hope you will say, “Kurt is up in heaven now.” That’s my favorite joke.
Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.
~Slaughterhouse Five
“Do, or do not. There is no try.”
-Yoda
Thanks Paul – you ass.
“with your encouragement i want to take much of the money now going into that public works program, and invest it instead in the arts of peace, the noblest of which are public health and education”
~MY FELLOW AMERICANS: WHAT I’D DAY IF THEY ASKED ME~~07/16/1988
and then there is this little gem……..
“why dont you take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut?”
~Slapstick
“If flying-saucer creatures or angels or whatever were to come here in a hundred years, say, and find us gone like the dinosaurs, what might be a good message for humanity to leave for them, maybe carved in great big letters on a Grand Canyon wall? Here is this old poop’s suggestion: WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE SAVED OURSELVES, BUT WERE TOO DAMNED LAZY TO TRY VERY HARD…”
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
All of Arthur C. Clarkes stuff!!!
and. http://www.goes.noaa.gov/
tell, me if the squirells get you watch out for caterpillars.
Laurie
My favorite quote…” I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center!”