Conflicted and Confused

The photos from this most recent series have been well received.  I must say that I like them, too.  If I continue in this direction, the images will end up as encaustic pieces that are waxed, scratched, scrawled, and painted.  Perhaps I was too inculcated with a Puritan work ethic in my youth.  If it is good, it has to be earned through hard labor.  It was the "curse" against which a generation rebelled.  My argument, however, is often with everyone.

And that is what led to yesterday's expurgated rant.  I was rankled by the two interviews I listened to on NPR.  I have not had a radio in years.  But now, driving around in my new Bohomobile, I do.  As well as all the other amenities known to contemporary luxury automobiles (I can control the stereo from the steering wheel without ever removing my hands, for instance!) for which I feel terribly guilty even though my car is already six years old.  Anyway, imagine my excitement to be able to drive home in the afternoon traffic listening to all the cultural and political things that I've been missing.  But the easy, predictable ideology that suffused the otherwise enjoyable programs made me itch, the smarmy tones in which the easiest of PoMo banter was levied reminded me that I had tired of this before when I did still have a radio in the car.  It bothered me more than the opining of conservative bobos because these are the "smart" people.  Just listen to the two programs (1, 2) and see if you can guess what I mean.

Or don't.  You can probably guess without listening.

It's not them. . . it's me.  That is supposed to be "it is I" I'm certain, but I am of the people.  Smiley face.  Like this XD.  Someone wrote that to me and I had to look it up in the online the texting dictionary.

And while I'm rambling and ranting, how in the hell did Facebook become popular?  It seems to me something invented by the police.  It is a surefire way to get caught whatever you are doing.  It is like living under surveillance, I would think.  Even if you have not been doing anything, you will be implicated to have done something.  Otherwise, it is like walking around with a perpetual smile glued on like some retarded homecoming queen.  I suppose I should feel unhip and left out, but seriously, I don't get it.

O.K.  All you come away with today is that I am conflicted and guilty and use phrases we're not supposed to use.  There may be more (inelegant, oafish, contrite, challenged. . . ).

But at least I have provided a probably wonderful picture.