“Well, it’s bad news from Houston
Half my friends are dying”
via Townes van Zandt’s “White Freightliner”
One buddy eternally referred to me as “Mr. Happy.” Whether it was blog posts or just my off-beat horoscopes, seemed like I was always “on,” and consequently, always seemed cheerful.
Especially to him.
The way I was remembering the lyric? “There’s bad news from Houston, all my friends there are dying.”
Songwriters and Tragedy
Long established fact, I have a porous memory. Also: no one ever remembers lines from songs, correctly.
Eat More Bacon
That’s my answer to the current political, environmental, emotional crises facing us all these days. Pause long enough to re-read that opening Gemini horoscope I linked to, it’s easy to see that I might not really be eating more bacon, but the idea is sound.
In the face of tragedy, in their face of man’s inhumanity to man?
The simplest solution? Eat More Bacon. That doesn’t, necessarily, mean fry a pan of bacon, but it does mean that whatever it does that shows love, kindness and consideration? That goes much further than wanton acts of terror.
Eat More Bacon
It’s a catch phrase that represents a very specific sentiment.
Do what brings happiness.
Very simple. I am not hiding from the tragedy, but rather than give the negative rhetoric requisite bandwidth, rise up. Overcome. Fight back without “fighting.”
Songwriters and Tragedy
There’s solace in sad songs. However, instead of giving in to the downward spiral, yes, hearts and condolences go out to those who suffered losses, but what is the best way to beat this?
Stand tall. Stand firm. Meet horror with kindness. Love will eventually win. It has to.
Or?
Eat More Bacon
The funny comment? My way of striking back, with kindness? “Eat more bacon or the terrorists win.”
It’s a simple commentary, but it also shows how I — personally — tend to work.
There is a surfeit of bad news. What is the best way to deal with this, in a world apparently gone mad?
