The Misanthrope – Miscellaneous Musings

We are closer to the ants than to the butterflies. Very few people can endure much leisure.
Gerald Brenan (1894 - 1987),writer and novelist

Holiday Weekend. What a nice holiday weekend. I spent two days imitating a southern hound dog while in Palm Springs. I fell asleep in the sun, I dozed in the shade, I took forty winks on a raft and sawed Zs on the chaise lounge. I can tell you without a doubt that I would never get bored living that life everyday.

Saturday Morning. I walked to the coffee shop, picked up newspapers, took them back to the house, and read them in the backyard before I exerted myself to put lotion on and rest upon the raft.

Reading. Besides the newspapers that reported W had a few regrets, (while the citizens of the country of have a lot because of him), and Cheney addressing a military academy still carry on about terrorists, but doing nothing about it except spying on its citizens and attacking a country that had nothing to do with terror against this country (meanwhile, Bid Laden is planning his summer vacation), I started and just about finished “Everyman” by Philip Roth and it is very good as are most of Roth’s books.

Playwriting. A colleague, who is a very talented playwright, got me started on 10-minute plays. I took a four-week course with her and wrote my first play. I used the Toner Mishap for inspiration and wrote the play on the Urinal Selection post penned by B2. It was nicely received by the class, Neil Simon and David Mamet don’t have to worry, but I had fun. The instructor sent out a notice for a five-minute playwriting contest, which I plan to enter. Jack’s post over at Random Thoughts was my inspiration for my short play with his post on a new multifunctional toilet that provides a gentle spray of water up your tush. I am not a big fan of bathroom humor, but these things just write themselves. We have a reading of our 10-minute play by actors next Saturday. I’ll let you know how it goes next week.