Can we put an end to this “I’m too lazy” business? As in, “I would take up guitar, but I’m too lazy.” or, “I could be getting a 4.0, but I’m too lazy.”

See, the thing here is that it’s not about laziness, because most of the people who say this clearly aren’t lazy. It’s just that they’ve put other priorities above whatever it is that they are “too lazy” to do.

Maybe it’s a last line of psychological defense- like “I could beat you at basketball if I practiced every day, but I’m too lazy.” Affirming that you’re better than the other person, except that the other person puts in way too much time, and his ridiculous obsession with basketball is the only thing keeping him better than you. Guys, this is weak. The other person put in more work, he deserves to beat you. Unless you believe that your God-given gift of basketball skill should make you win every time, no matter how hard he works- in which case, what’s the point of ever trying at anything, because someone with more inherent talent will just beat you.

I can only hope it’s that, because the alternative is that you truly are lazy, and take pride in it.

I just got a medicine that burns away canker sores. I’m not going to bow down and scream praises to God Almighty, but I might toss a little thanks to a minor deity- like Graddar, lesser demon of oral annoyances. Canker sores are a bummer, and I may be officially free of them now!

Oh shoot, I got tagged by Joe on this little music dinghy. What? I don’t do memes! But I’ve been targeted, and I get a chance to talk about music, so here goes:
6 current favorites:
1. “A Good Man is Hard to Find”: Sufjan Stevens + Flannery O’Connor = very pretty. I greatly enjoy Sufjan’s music.
2. “Miracle Drug”, A.C. Newman. Is it a bad idea to buy a CD based on one song? Probably. How about download it? I think I will, thank you. Anyway, the New Pornographers member turns in a 2:19 power-pop gem.
3. “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine”, Spoon. See above.
4. “Highway Chile”, Jimi Hendrix. Okay, it’s kind of an overplayed classic. But I love it. I don’t normally go for classic rock at all, but Jimi Hendrix is so compelling, even on a CD recording. Talk about swagger. If I could meet one dead musician, I’m pretty sure it’d be him.
5. “Pick Up the Phone”, the Notwist. You probably missed their 2001 recording, “Neon Golden.” I did too. You may not have ever heard of them. I hadn’t either. This is soothing and poignant, check it out.
6. “Night after Night”, Dan and Jean. This song is hilarious… Ram, Aaron, and Alex, you are my heroes. But it’s also terribly catchy- I’ve heard it exactly twice, and I can hum it in my head. I mean, I think in one song, you’ve hit “pop” much better than most “pop” artists.

6 all time favorites:
1. Ted fucking Leo, Walking to fucking Do. If I could meet one live musician, it’d clearly be him. And I actually think Walking To Do over Me and Mia, they’re both so good. Or Bridges, Squares.
2. Cake, Short Skirt Long Jacket. Incredibly fun song, and wonderful lyrics too. If I could write a song, I’d like it to be this one.
3. Oh dammit, Death Cab for Cutie, Photobooth. Like the entire CD “We have the facts and we’re voting yes”, it almost hurts to listen to it.
4. Ekoostik Hookah, Thief. Go to their website and download it, it’s free. This song is “summer” like no other song I’ve ever heard.
5. Weezer, Across the Sea. Incredible climactic moment at “Words and dreams and a million screams…” It’s good enough to make me forget that everything post-1995 ever happened.
6. I think for a serious answer, the Dismemberment Plan, the Face of the Earth. However, Wesley Willis’s Rock and Roll McDonalds belongs on here, because I think I have good memories of almost all of my friends in regard to this song, somehow or other. Shoot, Hey Ya belongs on here for the same reason.

I feel remiss for not including the Arcade Fire and the Fiery Furnaces. I think, though, that to pick a single song out for either would diminish the rest of their work. Look, I could gush about music all day (or have a serious conversation about it… basically if you ever want to talk music, let me know, I’m always looking for new ideas.) but now I’m done, and it’s up to:
1. Connor (still… I’m genuinely interested in what comes up)
2. Ram (Corn Mo better be on there)
3. Alex A. (what music inspires someone to become a pop star?)
4. CourtK (you were tagged a while ago I think, and missed it)
5. Julie Brown (probably some swing music of sorts?)
6. Scoot (obviously the music-meme-loving type)

Comments:

Catherine - Jul 5, 2005

“it’s not that i’m lazy; it’s that i just don’t care.”

by the way, my blog is www.ihavethisfluffy.blogspot.com.

you don’t have to read it; i just want a cool icelandic middle name.

catherine