June 2008 Archives

The following poem is something I wrote about 18 years ago.  Hope you like it.

To Click

To click or not to click, that is the question
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
These banal advertisements between trances
Or to bring to bear the remote control,
And then, by bearing, end them.  To change, to switch
Once more, and by switching we say we end
The yearning, and the thousand credit checks
Such yearning brings.  'Tis a condemnation
Of our peace of mind to lend ear to such fiends!
To change, perchance to miss, ay there's the rub,
For in changing channels, what might be missed
If our eyes are not steady upon it?
They give up pause--There's the respect
That makes hatred of so long pauses:
For who can sit through such pauses and not
Think?  And then, upon the realization
That we have nothing to think about, bring the
Truth of the situation fully to bear.
Being forced to think and original thought
Is a cross to be forced on no man,
Be he doctor, lawyer, or writer.
And in such case, pointedly writers.
An original thought by a penman
Would surely spell the doom of all we know
And once again we would be plunged into
A world with no advertisements and no choice
Whether to click or not to click.
I, as myself, choose then to click
And in clicking avoid thinking.
For in so doing save myself from the
Ravages of infernal original
Thought--And in so doing, save my progeny
The torture of forced original thought.
So, Prometheus, seek not to enter
My home in the guise of ads.

I am not usually one who recognizes celebrities out of context.  Take them off the silver screen or the tv and they become normal people to me, and I nothing triggers a memory of celebrity.  I can think back of only one exception, however.  I met Mark McGwire at the grocery store the day his record breaking home run ball was sold for a million bucks.  Shook his hand congratulated him.  (He was buying eggs and laundry detergent, btw).

Yesterday, however, I actually spotted a celebrity on the street and recognized him.  This brings a grand total of 4 celebrities that I've 'met' since moving to the home of all celebs, Los Angeles.

As many of you who have been keeping up with my blog know, I am a big KISS fan.  So I have been watching Gene Simmons' Family Jewels. At first I was excpecting to see a clone of "The Osbournes" with foul mouthed spoiled kids, but was very pleasantly surprised to find the Simmons' family well behaved and *gasp*, a close knit bunch.  Well into the third season now, my wife and I are still devoted watchers.  Our favorite bits are always with the witty Nick and charming Sophie (Gene and Shannon's kids).

So anyway, back to the celeb siting.

Yesterday, about 4pm, a colleague said she needed a break and we decided to go grab some coffee across the street.  As we are walking into the shop, I notice this TALL kid leaning against a light pole talking to a cute blonde.  First thing I think is, "Damn, he's tall."  Then I take a closer look and it dawns on me, it's Nick Simmons.

I usually think of celebrities as normal people and want to give them their space, but I had something legitimate to ask him.

I walk up and say "Nick?"

He looks at me warily and says, "Yeah?"

"Sorry to bother you, but I have to ask you something."

He's still looking at me as if I'm going to explode about how cool KISS is, or how I'm such a huge fan and can I have his autograph. "Oohhkay.."

I've been waiting on a comic book that he was writing and drawing himself that's been very very delayed. "What's up with Skullduggery?" I ask, "When's it coming out?"

His eyes light up immediately.  He smiles and he goes on to talk to me for a few minutes about the status of things, that he's happy that there is interest out there for it.  I tell him that I'm looking forward to it when it does come out, and thanks.  And I leave him be. 

Just have this to say about him.

Nick Simmons really is the nice guy that you see on Family Jewels.  Very down to earth and friendly.  It's not an act.

Thanks
-e