You know, I had plans to write a poignant piece today about personal loss. But frankly, I already wrote about that here, so there's no need for me to write about it again.
And then I thought, I could write about family issues, or growing up never meeting or knowing my father, but it never does any good to hash up that old shit, either.
I suppose I could write about the death of a friend or mentor or student, but GAWD is that a downer (not to day the others aren't)
And honestly, while these things are with me always, they are not things upon which I linger constantly. They all cross my mind from time to time, occasionally get more than a fleeting glance, but usually stay filed away, shaping my subconscious, making for the occasional strange dream, and creating a breeding ground for the next great american novel. Or tv mini series. Or perhaps a strongly worded letter.
So, I am going to write about the things I really wish I could forget: the useless facts that I have collected over the years, taking up brain space. Hell, I could have been a doctor with this kind of retention, had it not been for the poor math skills and the COMPLETE lack of bedside manner. So here are the things I would like to forget:1) the Inuit peoples of the north would use the bone of a walrus penis to club baby seals. I actually saw one of these things on Oddities (a new favorite show) and it was impressive. And scary.
2) If you give any liquor to a scorpion, it will go crazy and sting itself to death.
3) Ingrown toenails are hereditary. And yes, Ben has inherited mine. Thanks mom.
4) The favorite form of execution of Ivan the Terrible was Defenestration
5) Turtles can breathe through their butt.
6) I can recognize a myriad of orchestral songs, and tv jingles just from a few bars. I can still play a bunch just from memory too…(but not my school alma mater…)
7) A cockroach can live for a few weeks with its head cut off.
8) You can lead a cow (and a horse, I think) upstairs, but not down.
9) tigers have striped skin-not just fur
10) I can recite "Jabberwocky", and "The Walrus and the Carpenter"--although it takes me a minute to really access that file...
This is just a list of what I could thing of right now. I'm not as prolific as some folks who have entire websites devoted to this kind of thing. Most of my head is filled with words (poetry or literature) or music, with the odd cooking or sewing fact strewn in. Like how to attach a waistband, or the ingredients of a fuzzy navel. Those are things, however that I do NOT wish to forget.
