AbsurdMurmurs.com

I found a business card at work for a paving and curbing company in southern California. It had the usual contact info plus this vague job title below the contact name: lifestyle enhancement provider.

I saw a bus yesterday that announced the smoking ban with a billboard that read: fresh air coming to bars and restaurants near you. Seems a little odd coming from a bus. The smoking ban in Minneapolis, Bloomington, and St. Paul went into affect March 31st. I think it’s lame, cityhall (or whoever) trying to impose “clean air” into venues where it doesn’t belong. When I go to a bar or nightclub, part of the experience for me is the second hand smoke. I’ve dabbled in smoking but it’s not a vice I took up fulltime. I like the smell of smoke and appreciate the additional filter second-hand smoke provides. Plus, smoke disguises the rank of sweaty drunkies at nightclubs. Now, people have to go outside, where at least before it was contained. I think fresh air is important on the outside. I would rather wash the cigarette smoke out of my hair and clothes than hear about another air quality warning where delicate lungs should stay indoors. If people drove less gas-guzzlers, clean air might have a fighting chance. But the people like their large cars, they’ll do anything to keep them and still believe in clean air. So the smoking ban it is.

Last night we watched Harvey (1950). I’ve watched this Jimmy Stewart movie numerous times, last night I really noticed how taoist the protagonist, Elwood P. Dowd is. Elwood is a child-like guy with a 6′4 Rabbit (Harvey) as a best friend. In the first scene, he accepts an official letter from the mailman while saying that everyday is a beautiful day, then Elwood casually tears up the letter without opening it; his mind so empty, he’s like an idiot. Both Harvey and Elwood enjoy their martinis. The drinking and the embarassment of him having an imaginary friend has motivated Elwood’s sister Vita to try to institutionalize Elwood. This turn of events really brings out Elwood’s taoist nature. He doesn’t reject anyone, he doesn’t take sides; Elwood welcomes saints and sinners alike (he invites nearly everyone from a ex-con to a psychologist over for dinner). He gets to know the taxi driver while Vita is inside signing the commitment papers. Vita is emotional and neurotic, Elwood is calm and content, acting without expectations. He chats with the nurse, then another nurse, he has nothing to prove so people trust his words. Elwood doesn’t force things, while there is much confusion among the psychiatric staff about whether it is Vita or Elwood who needs the help, Elwood continues to be approachable to everyone, leading without imposing his will, and the plot unfolds through the nonaction of Elwood. He gives them nothing to oppose. He lets the demands made on him come and go, without desire. He also seems to work with the mind of others, recognizing the amorous connection between the nurse, Miss Kelly, and Dr. Sanderson, the psychologist. This mild matchmaking is also done without expectations. Despite the attempts of others (perhaps with a bit of help from a taxi driver) Elwood endures as a martini drinker and a very plesant person.