I was driving around on Sunday, heading into Pixley to do my weekly shopping, and had NPR on the radio. Studio 360 was, for some reason, doing some sort of an in-depth story on Nirvana (not the place we all hope to go to when we cross over, but the band that was a big deal to angst-filled kids back in the late 80s and early 90s – I was still more or less a kid back then, but I somehow missed the boat to Nirvana – story of my life – and am more or less totally unfamiliar with them, except to say “Danny Goldberg sucks!” Guess I was just living on the wrong coast). Some guy said something to the effect that it was very apparent in all of their lyrics that they were “so messed up inside they could explode at any moment.” And then they played a song to illustrate that fact.

The only thing that was apparent to me was that I couldn’t understand a fucking word they said. I’m not judging it good or bad (although it sounded to me like one of the white noise settings on a Sony “Dream Machine” or something). Just saying I had no clue what they were droning on about (maybe if they played it backwards?). The words were probably at that frequency that old people can’t hear. I’m sure that if I were to read the lyrics, I would think they were brilliant.

It’s similar (yet different) to Marilyn Manson. Somebody I know saw a CD of his in the back seat of a car we were riding in once, thought the lyrics were very interesting, and asked to hear it. A request she no doubt regretted rather quickly (I know I did). Not only could I not understand what the dude was saying, it was like somebody screaming at me – or more like a blender filled with rocks screaming at me. Just not my cuppa tea.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. There’s plenty of music that I like that other people think suck, and I seem to recall my mother tapping lightly on my bedroom door asking politely, “honey, would you mind turning that down just a wee bit? Or would you prefer that I shove a steak knife in your eye the next time you leave your room?”

My mom, being an Irish broad, was of course very delicate.

To be honest, there’s music I used to listen to back when I was a “yoot” that I probably wouldn’t wanna listen to now. But I think I could always understand the lyrics (maybe not; could be selective memory).

Of course, back in my day, lyrics were much more deep. I mean,

Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
Yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies
Yeah Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes,

I mean, wow, right? Just wow.

It might also be that the reason I can’t hear shit now is due to the volume at which I used to listen to, say, Black Sabbath, Mountain, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin (sorry Jim), and Jethro Tull.

Anyhow, Day Two of the work week beckons. Yesterday was a tough one. I really didn’t feel like being there (even more than usual), and I want out, but can’t think of a way to do it. It’s like being trapped in the back seat of a car blasting Marilyn Manson. Except in the car, you can at least jump out at a red light.

I made out my school taxes last night. Enough to buy a backhoe (or to heat my house with pellets for about five years). Sorry, but I can’t help but find this very annoying. I feel like a blind hemophiliac in a porcupine petting zoo. I’m gushing money, and I can’t find my way out.

On the bright side, “DADT” has finally been officially repealed. Or ended. Or whatever it is they do to really stupid ideas that should never have seen the light of day in the first place. Not that this does anything for me, personally. I’m too old to join the military (and the thought never actually occurred to me when I was still young; I would have scurried off to Canada in a heartbeat, had they decided to draft me).

But it’s one small victory in the War on Stupid. We don’t get a lot of wins (case in point, “Dancing with the Stars” debuted last night, apparently, though with Nancy Grace and Chaz Bono, it could have been called “Dancing with the Cows.” OK, that was cruel. And wrong. I apologize – to Chaz), so we gotta take it any way we can.

Which is also something you’re now allowed to say if you’re in the military.