Yesterday, I was gently wrapped in the quilt that Sara R and Winglion created from the kindness of Kossacks. With IV needles and tubes arrayed, I settled into a volume of W. S. Merwin while Ms. ruleoflaw crocheted a few feet away. I was in to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin for an intravenous treat designed to protect my kidneys from an overzealous immune system.
I read some poems, and dozed a bit. As the chemo-brain set in, it got harder to concentrate on reading, so I turned on the TV. When I was a kid we had four channels and as often as not, there was something worth watching on. Now there's 60-odd channels of mind-numbing dumb. Is this just me? You kids get off my lawn and think up something worth watching on the TeeVee machine! Now that the History Channel has managed to insult the intelligence and sensibilities of the entire human species, all I have left to offer are my own ramblings, in no particular order.
On wine, women and song:
On Wine: Buy the good stuff, enjoy it in moderation if you can, lay off it if you can't moderate. Ditto for beer, liquor, loco weed, etc. This does not include Lysol, weed killer or that can of stuff your sister-in-law gobs in her hair.
On Women: If you're single, go slow, be kind. If you can make them laugh, you are doing it right. Have fun. If she invites you to spend the night, be grateful and maintain the class that earned you the invitation in the first place. Be good to her, keep having fun, maybe it will develop into something incredible. If the invitation doesn't happen, that's okay too. Nobody owes you a roll in the hay. If you're married, be kind, be pleasant and keep your dangly-bits at home. If you aren't happy there, either work it out or get out. You owe your spouse that much honesty.
(I'm a married old straight dude. I write what I know. Feel free to adapt this advice to your particular object of desire.)
On Song: Sing whenever you can. If you get arrested in the state capitol rotunda, you are doing it constitutionally right. Sing louder, sing better, sing when you feel like weeping, when you want to scream, and stomp your feet. When somebody else sings, listen. Let their song lift you, fill you, inform you, find your mind, and feel it make you better.
In lieu of a poem, below the impressionist cheese doodle is something to sing. If you can't read music, I've included an instrumental version of the melody for you to puzzle out. I wrote the lyric to a public domain melody from an old church hymn. I want to hear somebody sing it. It has two popular church lyrics, Dearest Lord Jesus and Beautiful Savior. The tune has an anthemic quality that I think will be emotionally persuasive. I hope my lyrics will live up to the melody. I trust any hard-core atheist comrades here at DKos to understand my purpose here. I wrote it for my fellow cheeseheads to rally around in some dark times. I call it Wisconsin Home.
Click for larger lightbox view.
If you need to sing along, here's a vocal rendition of Beautiful Savior.
We write manifestos and broadsides to print in the paper and nail to cathedral doors.
We sing songs to rouse the masses.
We schmear ashes and blood on a bedsheet to lead the march.
Here's a song, go find us asheet, some matches, and a razor.