Sliding Knees First into Second Base

Been battling labyrinthitis since July 10. Taught all semester with only five missed days. Thought I was a stud. Once school was out, went into somnambulent state: wake up at 8 (my usual is 5), drink coffee, read, nap, nap, nap, eat dinner, nap, watch Stewart/Colbert if I am lucky, repeat. After three days of zombie-ism, finally righted myself yesterday, woke at 7 and powered on all day (Philly soul, Bloody Marys, valium, tamale-makin', and good company helped). I guess this is called old age, but really 45 is young, though Coltrane, King, and Kennedy were already dead (just watched a skewed History Channel "case closed" doc on the Kennedy assassination--come on fuckers, you have to do more than parade out Oswald's family and peripheral Warren Commission and CIA experts to put it to rest!).

I see Christmas time non-religiously. Just a time to be thankful for what I got: totally cool spouse, library of music, film, and lit, supportive close friends, intelligent peers at work, living and vital parents. One lucky SOB, I tell ya. My last ten years have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. "The first days are the hardest days/Don't you worry anymore/When life looks like easy street/There is danger at your door." The Grateful Dead...soft? I don't think so, at least until Pigpen died.

I still have faith in human nature, but we've gotta see through the relentless shit that's rotting our guts and minds and make like a master fencer and parry. Not a bad definition of life if I do say so myself.

Keeping me alive:
READING: Dominic Piore's RIOT ON SUNSET STRIP, Harvey Pekar and Heather Roberson's MACEDONIA, new Gram Parsons bio, DOOM PATROL early '90s collections.
MUSIC: Coltrane, Lil' Wayne, Sinatra, Sharon Jones, Todd Snider, the Spinners, Ghostface, Burnt Sugar, Horace Silver, Southern Soul, '50s vintage Staples Singers.
FILM: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. And, as always, Errol Morris' FIRST PERSON (also, his fascinating NEW YORK TIMES essays.)