Go deep, People!
Like every year, I didn’t watch the Super Bowl. There was no malice or judgement in my decision. I didn’t actively not watch it like I was thinking I wasn’t watching it. I don’t watch it or any other football ever. So, it just doesn’t register. I guess there are other reasons to watch like ‘amazing’ commercials or the halftime show but neither of those seemed that exciting either. I just didn’t do anything. Well, actually I went on a confusing hike and got scared. Then I came home to write this and eat air-pop popcorn in my gym shorts.
I understand that Super Bowl Sunday is basically a holiday in the USA. It certainly has more resonance than probably any other holiday especially at this juncture in history. It’s about winning and losing and tribal loyalty. Much like our political climate which is not about governing or belief in America or the Constitution. It’s about tribal loyalty and winning at any cost by any means possible even if it kills people or destroys the system and rule of law. That’s why Super Bowl Sunday is so powerful. It’s becoming aspirational in the sense that there are still rules and if a team loses they understand no one has to die unnecessarily or leave the country because of it and they can kneel at the beginning and not be fired.
I just went up to this park nearby which has some trails. I am not that familiar with it and I was heading up into the hills about a half hour before sundown. Half running, thinking that the trail would be easy. Then, no trail. Or, maybe trail. Seemed harder than it should be. I went up a ravine and something smelled bad, like death. So, instead of continuing I chose not to. As I scurried down the rocks I asked myself if I was being cowardly. What if there was a dead person up there? Then I thought, well, I couldn’t help them. I thought it was probably an animal and then I thought I don’t know what killed it and I don’t want to be next.
I was listening to music through my headphones and I turned them off because I had gotten myself into a mountain-lion-or-crazy-person-in-the-bushes-with-a-knife-panic and the trail was still dubious. As I plodded down a dry creek I must’ve hit play with my keys in my pocket and Elvis Costello’s ‘Beyond Belief’ blasted into my head and in that second I thought it was a rattlesnake and I jumped and screamed alone in the setting sun. When I realized I was okay I put my music back on and Spiritualized's ‘Shine a Light’ came up on the shuffle as I walked toward the setting sun and back into the parking lot. Alive.
I stopped by Seafood City in Eagle Rock Plaza which I believe is a Filipino market. I had it in my head to get my cats some dried fish but all the ones they had there were salted. So I bought them some freshly defrosted anchovies and brought them home and they wanted nothing to do with them. They just played with them and spread fish germs all over the place. The market was intense. There was a lot of whole fishes and vegetables and fruits I had never seen before. I have to get out more. I have to buy a durian.
Today on the show I talk to Riki Lindhome about her show on Comedy Central, starting out in LA, Garfunkel and Oates and other stuff. Also, Laurie Kilmartin stopped over to talk about her new book. On Thursday me and actor/playwright Tracy Letts get into it about all the stuff. Love that guy. Good talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron