[Seth Says] How does a toddler eat oatmeal?

Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Yes, last week I finally got around to watching the winner of this year's Oscar for Best Picture and countless other awards. I say "finally" as if it's expected that I will see each year's best picture winner, which it certainly shouldn't be; I think prior to this I've seen 2-3 in the past two decades. I'm not usually big on drama (also why I'm not on NextDoor), and drama is usually what wins. But a sci-fi action comedy drama is something I'm always willing to watch, and any movie with good pacing that makes me laugh and cry is a win in my book. So, hooray for that.

All of last issue's complaints still apply, and of course when a few people in TN actually tried to do something about the ceaseless barrage of shootings, they were expelled from the state senate. I saw an amusing "No Justins, No Peace" meme on the Internets, and if you've clicked through any of the videos to hear said Justins speak, I imagine that you will join me in suspecting these young men have a bright political future. (Also, imagining suspecting is prime meta-cognition, really have to work out our human brains to avoid being replaced by AI.)

Meanwhile, Trump finally had a day in court, although the much bigger news may be the activist judge in Texas trying to overrule the FDA. A friend said that TN and TX are clearly waging a battle to see who can be the worst T-state. But I think both are connected in that it's becoming increasingly apparent that their goal is to overturn the will of the people (Will Rogers?).
 

The thing is, in spite of the fact that this country is more polarized than an Arctic magnet factory, there are still some things that most Americans across the country agree on, and which these Republican state officials are against. Indeed, I wrote about some of these agreements in my latest column:
 

As mentioned, birth control is very much one of those things, because it turns out that people would like to have sex without having children. Logically, -- and I mean LITERALLY logically, as in (P->Q)<->(~Q->~P) -- ("Are you logical propositioning me?") in a true democracy, the will of the people is enacted, so if the will of the people is not enacted...
 

Hey, it's Spring, when a young man's fancy turns to walking. I've been trying to start getting out on a daily basis again, even if only for a very brief jaunt. I am hopeful that I will reconnect with some local friends for walks I've been meaning to get around to with. ("Are you prepositioning me?") But getting out for a walk is a great antidote to the troubles of the world. (And if you have a friend tell you a fun story at the same time, it's a great anecdote to the troubles of the world.)

Also, poetry.

April is National Poetry Month, and as is my habit (with a little prodding from the good people at WordXWord), I write a poem a day during April. This has only become more important since I became a full-time freelance writer, since I often find after writing creative things for paying clients all week, I have little motivation to write my own unpaid creative works. (Frankly, I can't afford me.) So the daily poems in April are good for me. While I ended up putting my favorite poems from 2020 and 2021 into a chapbook, it's possible that I'll try to go the more traditional route with some of the more recent ones and submit them to poetry journals. But it's also possible that I'll get lazy about it after a spate of rejections and not do that. (Historically likely, even.)(I wonder what percentage of my parenthetical asides should be read in the voice of Snagglepuss?)(Once again, be thankful this newsletter isn't a podcast.)(Heavens to Murgatroyd!)

Regardless, here's a poem I wrote last week that you might enjoy:

*_*_*

"Glue"

Blessed are the multitaskers,
the jugglers, the plate-spinners,
the balance-beam-walkers,
the captains of the even keel.
Beset and besieged by 
whatever the bejesus is going on,
still they look to the horizon.
A brighter tomorrow,
even if the floor is lava today.
Amidst a mad dash of
every man for himself,
they find time to hold space
find space to hold time,
are found holding the universe together
as best they can,
as best they can.

*_*_*
 

It's conceivable (though also abortable) that next issue I'll have a poem with some rhyme in it for you. Guess it depends how I feel next week, whether there's any Spring in my step. I think Jesus didn't see his shadow today so there shouldn't be six more weeks of winter. (Hey, why just an Easter joke, are you going to Pass over other holidays? Well, I didn't realize it was Ramadan already; too fast!)

For now though, I made myself a lovely spring chickpea salad that I'm thinking I want more of, and I'm thinking I'm thinking correctly. (Gotta keep up that meta-cognition so the AI doesn't eat me!)  Thanks for reading, and back in two weeks with another column. (And possibly another poem, even.)


Exit Stage Left,
Seth