OCR Text |
Show THE ZEPHYRJUNE 1993 PAGE 28 A snug house, food, comradeship. Fairly easy to get, I said up there. The pursuit of I think on it, having enough to eat, comradeship depends on how particular you are. But as that little list is pretty insulated house enough fuel to keep warm, sufficient clothing, a nice of biggest house on the street, most expensive these days. When you get into the realms the cost skyrockets. In fact, manicured lawn on the block, most esteemed to to return something remotely attainable. it may be essential in 1993 to seek mediocrity, if only Because of our wondrous "high standard of living," even regular, necessary things have gone almost beyond reach. To get the expected things, the ones that seem sort of like an American birthright these can't imagine it days, you subject yourself to many bad things. If you haven't done it, you If you've already gone after those things, you may have difficulty now recalling the insanities, the "doesn't make any sense requirements. Your mind may have developed Most of the idiocies protective amnesia, to allow that inflamed area of your brain cells to heal the incredible fall under the guise of "protecting the public." There's the nonsensical onslaught of inspections and permits and licenses and fees and more fees, the groveling attitude the absorption into the body of extreme you must develop, die sensation of being anger and frustration. It's mental cruelty. It's physical cruelty. I'm beginning to think I'd rather be homeless. In 1993, it's more than a sane person can deal with, to take a piece of land and then build a house on it, or start a business, perhaps while you raise a family, attempt to keep a healthy vehicle, and possibly dream of educating your family and upgrading your own knowledge base. It is said that never before have so many of us been so dissatisfied with so much. It must be time to change our definition of satisfaction. You feel fleeting satisfaction every day after you eat, after you visit the bathroom, after other, well, you know, ads. It's not that difficult a concept. I fed strong satisfaction every time I make it back home from downtown. - Somewhere Left of Right Jane Jones By ' S. MEDIOCRITY AS A WAY OF LIFE Many are catted but few are allowed to just muddle along Admit it. You're tired. Of achieving, succeeding, excelling. What happened to coasting? It's very energy efficient. It's peaceful and quiet. Of course, that still small voice says "You have to build up momentum to coast. You only get to coast after you've pulled up a long climb. It's the payoff." I want to know why the cosmos is structured in this way. Why do you necessarily have to start at the bottom and work your way up? Why can't you just start out on top of the hill, and end on the bottom later on? It's how gravity wants you to go. You just start coasting down. Finally you come lo a stop. You look around for another way to get to the top without expending your own energy, so you can coast down again. It might be difficult to get to the top without really doing it yourself, but if you can find a way to do it, what's the beef? Makes you feel guilty, doesn't it? "There's no such thing as a free ride." It's an affliction of us baby boomers. We've never quite figured out where we're going, but we're going there with nose to grindstone, with much mental strain, and with loud complaining about how difficult it all is. Why is it so difficult? Does it have to be? NEW CONVERSATIONS "Hi, Mediocre Man, how's life treating you?" "Oh, fine. I'm getting my fair share." "So, WantNot Woman, how's it going?" "Not too bad. I can't complain." "I don't need it. I've got enough already. And I've never needed too much, anyway. "I can't say's I ever thought of doing that You've got enough ambition for the both of us." SETTING SIGHTS LOWER I feel a book coming on, entitled "No Expectations." The sequel will be "MinisculeTrends." Puttering. Muddling along. Fiddling. Doodling. Diddling. Ah, the enjoyment of frittering away your life. What could be a finer attainment than having enough to eat, the sheltering warmth of a snug house, and the sense of satisfaction from sharing it with those you love? Is it wrong to want something that's fairly easy to get? Resting on your laurejs. More of us could do it if the laurels were easier to acquire. "Bestowed to WantNot Woman, on the 15th of June, 1993, In Appreciation for Achievement of and Raising Smiling Children." Slightly Better than Mediocrity, in the Areas of Serenity is the realization of imperfection. I'm there. Left alone (i.c. no advertising directed at the weakest part of us, no indoctrination of Puritan ethic), there's just no telling how comfortable and serene life could be. Self-educati- on womyn-about-tow- red-tap- e, MOAB DRIVER'S MANUAL CENTER LANES Someone needs to do something about driving on Main Street downtown. I used to the center lane down Main Street pretty much to myself. Many Moabites still don't know have they are there. I've seen several residents turn left from the through traffic lane, across the center lane. I watch out for these people. Now, however, the outsiders are here all the time, moving in and out of the five lanes with abandon. They use the center lanes to merge, to turn, to pass. It's downright dangerous. I don't think everyone knows the rules. BIKE LANES Also, die bike lines may have been a bad idea. Like Bike Takeout 1. It's at 1st South, where you turn south onto Main Street by Moab Hardware. Everyone is using the bike lane like a right turn lane. This will automatically take out any biker silly enough to be where they're supposed to be. I tried to turn right from the car lane, the legal turning lane. But none of the cars turning right from the bike lane would let me over. The second time I nearly turned into a car that was coming up to turn behind me. Now, I use the bike lane like everyone else. Bike Takeout 2 is on 3rd South, where you turn south onto 4th East towards Milt's. Here, everyone is using the regular car lane for left turns, and foe bike lane for right turns. I've never seen a biker in their lane. Maybe they've learned, too. SPEAKING OF NEW WORDS It wasn't a typo a ways back up there. Some ladies prefer to "get foe man out" by respelling their gender as "womyn. (My sources haven't given me the correct respelling of the plural "women.") The spelling change seems harmless and if it helps girls feel better about themselves, I'm all for it. It made me laugh when I heard it, and that made me feel better, so I guess it works. I Iere are some other little used words, rarely seen in Moab's print media: LESBIAN. GAY. Now let's use these words in a sentence to see if we really know what they mean. KOOKCLiHS FOI? INFCPMAT10N. WPITE CP DPOP B-Y- THE SILVER GRILL RESTAURANT THOMPSON SPRINGS. UTAH n, 84540 CHECK FOI? OUP BPOCHUPE. AVAILABLE ALL OVEP MOAB |