The Mystery
They say write about what you know and I guess my uncle's car lot would be a good place to start. Vic Hansen & Sons is in Beloit, WI and I have an odd fascination with how my family has preserved this gem for nearly a hundred years.
Vic was the originator. I never met Vic... but I met the sons. They are my 2nd uncles. Then, in an odd twist of fate, THEY had sons who have run the business for the last ten years or so. Three from one uncle, one from the other.
The three kicked "the one" out about two years into the deal and he's been bitter ever since. I suppose I don't blame him, but it makes for interesting Thanksgiving dinners. That is, of course, if everyone shows up. We have a fragmented holiday heritage.
I used to drive into the auto auctions with the sons' sons and pick up cars like GMC Pacers and AMC Gremlins. They moved quickly. Those and Cadillacs.
The brothas liked the family lot. The Hansen's were early adopters in the finance business. That's really where they made their money. Taking people the banks wouldn't and charging a "tiny bit more" for interest.
Anyway, I'm sure you're probably more curious about my venture into the Liquid Kosmos. It has been an interesting ride, but you'll be happy to hear, after months of introspection and deep dives into The Mystery, I am ENLIGHTENED! Cool, huh? Yeah, I thought so, too.
I meditated, recited chants, banged pots and pans, and ran up hills waving ceremonial flags, but none of it rose me to my heightened state. It happened one day when I was laying in bed. I stared at the ceiling and wondered why on earth I couldn't figure out the meaning of life. It was a painful moment. Like a passing a kidney stone through my brain (I guess that would technically be a brain stone). I wasn't moving, but sweat rolled from my forehead. I searched for God, Buddha, Confucius, David Carradine -- anyone with a spiritual bend. Something was happening, but I didn't know what. Like I was sick, but felt fine (other than the rock slamming around in my noggin). Was I having a breakthrough? I must be. Then it hit me. Everything you need, you already have.
Life is perfect, even (and especially) with its imperfections. When my ass stinks, I know I must have either eaten something rancid, chewed too quickly, or accepted bad energy from something or someone. All three are clearly avoidable, but sense I didn't avoid them, all I have to do is realize they were. Simple, huh?
On a slightly different, yet tangent connection, a good friend of mine, Stuart Davis, wrote an interesting comment on my MySpace page the other day. He is the finest lyricist I have ever known and a full-time musician, but after reading what he wrote it forced me to think about what is coming next in the world of art, music, and us:
"I think it's GREAT you guys are so into music. If only its popularity were more enduring, or perennial. And I don't just mean its surface features, the ornamental particulars that characterize an given musical era or epoch. I mean MUSIC itself is the vestigial organ of our aural capacity. It's simply dying away, all genres, every medium, evaporating from the human field of interest. How sad, just now, as you've begun to generate great sonic structures, humanity is outgrowing them. Start sculpting."
-Stuart Davis
Pretty heavy, huh? If you're in the mood for mind expansion, I highly suggest reading his Road Journals, but be forewarned, he pulls no punches and may shock even moderates with his transparent and unrelenting exploration of humanity and its evolution.
I have a friend who just moved to town and is looking for a job. He knows his way around printing, photography, and music. He's a hell of a guy, too. If you hear of anything, let me know.
I have a friend who just moved to town and is looking for a job. He knows his way around printing, photography, and music. He's a hell of a guy, too. If you hear of anything, let me know.
Blogging is fun.
Breathe deep.
posted by The Oscillator @ 7:20 PM
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