Here we are, Folks.
Alone with our flab. It’s been a long few days of eating and no purging. It is time to begin the great unbuttering.
Is turkey even good? I don’t think it is. I never eat it. Once a year I do. We all do, mostly. It’s not a great meat. I cooked it perfectly this year and it’s just okay. Disturbing really. The texture, the legs, just kind of nasty. I did nail it though. I nailed all of it. I timed it out perfectly this year and tried some new shit.
I made candied yams from scratch. Yams, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, more butter. How could that be bad? I did olive oil and garlic mashed to counter the butter and sugar for balance. I tweaked my stuffing a bit. I made Samin Nosrat’s red cabbage slaw. I made the cranberry sauce and gravy and I got it all done well before people showed up. All I had to do was serve it.
It freed me up to spend time with my relatives. I talked to my conservative, bullying uncle for longer than usual. Most of them don’t really know what they’re talking about or really give a shit about anything but themselves. I think I got him to admit that, more or less. I guess that’s a victory.
I did see the Stones at Hard Rock Live last Tuesday. I reached out to someone I knew within the organization and was able to get a ticket for me and my brother. It was a relatively small venue for them, seven thousand. This was the first (and probably last) tour without Charlie.
People ask me if it was great. It was great to SEE them but it was sad as well. Mick was all in and doing Mick well but he is in his seventies. It’s good. I’m glad he’s doing it but there is a sadness to it. They aren’t sad, but when your heroes keep plugging away they become more like you. Human. Which is fine, but humans are mortals. I’m getting older and they’re older than me. I could see it in Keith. Like a tired warrior of rock and roll. Plodding away, plinking at the strings, lumbering. It was beautiful, but it really feels like this could be the last time. I don’t know.
Watching Keith walking back towards his amp while playing ‘Slipping Away,’ I felt it. He knew it. I knew it. He’s really done all he can and now he’s just riding it out because there is nothing else to do.
The Stones are the authentic item. No pedals. No backtracks. Straight in and straight forward. That’s the best you can be.
Today I talk to Bill Pullman. One of the great character actors. On Thursday I talk to Benedict Cumberbatch, another great character actor. Please watch him in ‘The Power of the Dog’ on Netflix on Wednesday so you can be involved in the conversation. Great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
The Great Unbuttering.
