2020
In the beginning…
Yeah, the beginning of the year. Remember just five months and something days ago, when we set out on this year? Many were joking about the significance of the year’s number. The roaring twenties were called to mind for many New Year Eve parties saying farewell to 2019. I took up the idea of 2020 and having clear vision. Use the idea to create your vision and pursue your dreams.
Hah.
Although pandemics are part of life, none of us were looking ahead and suggesting, “Looks like we’re going to be staying in the house, wearing masks, and avoiding one another for a while this year.”
A hundred years from now, will anyone use 2020 and the year of COVID-19 as their theme party? I can’t imagine that, but then, I’ve demonstrated that I really suck when it comes to seeing the future.
The Aliens Dream
It’s a frustrating dream, at once very clear but not understood. I dreamed it twice.
The first time I dreamed it, paperwork was being hunted for me. As Fred discovered it and brought it to me, I had my pecker out and was looking for somewhere to pee. Taking a hint, I woke up and went to the bathroom.
While awake, I reflected on the bizarre dream. People had been telling me that they’re been a day when aliens had contacted some. I was incredulous. It was like a big, open secret among these people.
When I returned to sleep, I dreamed it again.
I was at a friend’s home, having a beer. Somehow a conversation took place where they revealed there was a day when aliens contacted them. They’d documented it. Three primary people emerged: Pat, a person who I used to work with; Fred, father of a childhood friend; and Greta Thunberg. There was also a larger group of people that I knew but who remained vague in the dream.
Pat was a big, jovial smart guy who worked in Intel for the USAF and the NSA and DIA. Fred, my friend’s father, was also a big guy, quiet and solemn, who worked for U.S. Steel. You’re probably familiar with Greta. I’ve never her, but have seen and read about her.
A fourth person was the one telling me about it. He had a chart on graph paper showing when the aliens contacted him and what happened as a result – weather and stock market changes. There’d been a twenty-four hour period when the aliens were with humans. Most humans were completely ignorant about it.
Fred, coming in to give me another beer and ask if I was hungry, confirmed what the other guy said. Fred had also been contacted. He had written about it and had a graph like the first guy. I asked if I could see it. He agreed.
This kept going like this. More people came forward with the information, telling me the same thing. Then Pat dropped the bombshell: the aliens had contacted Greta.
I was eating and drinking beer as all of this was taking place. I wanted more information. Someone gave me an information packet that they’d put together. I asked, “Has anyone put together and contacted an entire list of who’d been involved with the aliens?”
Either no one could or no one would answer the question. As I put information together for myself, I discovered a pink sheet of paper. I noticed that everyone had charted their own involvement in a green sheet of graph paper; the pink sheet of paper on top of the package in my hand was a summary.
I sat everyone down. Twenty-two people were present. We were in a large commercial dining room with round tables. A friend, Shari, had joined us. She confirmed that she’d been contacted. I read everyone the pink summary. I can’t remember a thing that it said but all agreed that it was right. I asked if anyone had ever compiled the graphs and analyzed them; no, they all agreed.
That floored me. I decided I would do that. But, the place was closing; everyone needed to leave. They all began departing. Pat was at a table. He was making calls to find more information. I went in and used the restroom. When I returned, I began singing Joe Cocker’s cover of “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”. Pat, sitting at a table alone, sang it with me. We sang the verses, “Didn’t anybody tell her? Didn’t anybody see? Sunday’s on the phone to Monday. Tuesday’s on the phone to me.”
I left the building. It was a long, two-story place like a U.S. motel. My car, a dark blue sedan, was parked on the street. I was in a happy mood as I walked across the unpaved parking lot and looked at the gathering dusk.
The dream ended.
Floofpaper
Floofpaper (floofinition) – 1. Essay, blog post, circular, or information site focused on information pertaining to animals.
In use: “Perhaps inspiring greater interest in animals and their treatment and rights, many digital floofpapers have sprung up on the net.”
2. A paper put down for an animal’s use, or taken over by an animal.
In use: “Many people discover that as soon as they open a newspaper on the table or floor, a pet — especially a cat — will turn it into a floofpaper.”
Future Uncertainty
Stumbled across this post I wrote about future uncertainty in 2017. Bannon is gone from the WH. The novel coronavirus pandemic has heightened the uncertainty surrounding many of my other future uncertainties. I’d say that time will tell, but given what’s happened, it’ll take a long time to resolve these future uncertainties.
Steve Bannon faces some future uncertainty. Comments by the POTUS caused the uncertainty.
I feel for Mr. Bannon. His dire situation prompts me to confess: I, too, face an uncertain future.
I’ve been uncertain about whether to go public with my future uncertainty, but my uncertainty has been mounting. I’m so uncertain about my future, I’m not certain what I’ll have for lunch, or whether I’ll have a beer tonight. I’m also uncertain about the source of pain in my head. I’m uncertain about whether the current W.H. occupant will start a nuclear war or another American Civil War.
I know that I’m not alone in my future uncertainties. People are uncertain if they can find something to eat today or a safe place to sleep. They’re uncertain that they can survive another day of pain. Black Americans are often uncertain whether they’ll survive a traffic stop. Police officers are…
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Mötley Floof
Mötley Floof (floofinition) – American heavy floof band originating in Floof Angeles.
In use: “With songs like “Doctor Feelfloof” and “Barfin’ in the Boys Room”, Mötley Floof has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.”
The Typist
I sit down to write each day with little idea of what’s going to happen. This terrifies me.
Then I read a sentence or two of what I’ve written the day before, sometimes a little more, and the story takes off. In the space of ninety minutes to two hours, I’ll add two to three thousand more words, then stop and edit a little. Few changes are required; the story is coming to me so fully complete, I’m just the typist.
I know where and how the story started and where it’s supposed to be going. I lack all clues about how to get it there. I just followed the muses. They’ve presented this character that I don’t understand. He’s erratic. I know the reasons he’s erratic, as more of his backstory comes to me after I’ve written about him. After I write, I walk away and think, why did he do that? What’s wrong with him? He’s so inconsistent, I worry about it; I want to fix that, and make him consistent. But I suspect that if I attempt to fix him, he’ll just stop and the muses will walk away.
So…I let it ride, accepting my role as typist. The story sometimes entertains me, but more often baffles me. I’m writing mostly to see what happens next.
It’s a weird, odd role, being the typist. I know some writers insist that what I’m describing is complete bullshit, muses and characters don’t just take over.
Yeah, but here I am, with my coffee, about to do it again. It really is writing like crazy. It’s gotten me to seventy-seven pages so far. Guess I’ll just hang on and try to enjoy the ride.
Onward.