Me Myself and I and Happy Fucking Holidays.

Am now decompressed, which is nice.  I spent the immediate post exam period taking care of all those little things (personal grooming, etc.) which had somehow slipped by in the weeks of finals.  Then, early, early, early, on the 18th, I boarded a plane to Atlanta, with only minor security mishaps.  After sleeping in, Lyco and I had breakfast at The Flying Biscuit, followed by a quick tour of Little Five for odds’n’ends type of gifts.  I got a pack of Nihilist Gum (“We Don’t Believe in Flavor”) for a friend. 

Since then, we’ve seen The Climber over bad Mexican, and heard of much legal drama (nothing that pertains directly to her).  It’s kind of interesting to be able to cut out the non-legal factors from the stories.  I’ve been able to do this for awhile, but it’s still interesting how many people think the “entire background” situation is brought to bear in a legal dispute; it’s a very equitable way to think about the law. 

We also shot out to Warren Wilson and Black Mountain in NC and spent a few days there – I’ve wanted to see the campus for a long time.  We hiked quite a bit and stayed with the Forrester Goddess and her beau in Asheville.  FG has a hot tub (and legal drama) which was pretty much a necessary indulgence, given the hiking, the low level cold Lyco and I are running, and the temperatures.  FG’s house was awesome but cold.  In fact, this has been the vacation of the cold room, given a burner failure in Atlanta and FG’s fireplace only log cabin.  But one endearing plus as far as FG’s place was her two found kittens – Einstein and Lucy.  Einstein would hide under the covers and Lucy would attack him.  It was very cute.  I’d be tempted to pick up a companion for El Gato Perfecto, as I’d like to have someone around for her to play with during the day, but house-uncertainty is something to take into account.  If I knew I’d be in one place for a long time I think it would be good to socialize El Gato a bit.

I found a nice gift for Mr. Scheule (no longer a *real* libertarian, apparently) in Asheville.   

The food has been fabulous – certainly the breakfasts in Asheville and ATL: real girts, toast, eggs, jam, biscuits.  I’ve also had some good Americana (smelts, fried green tomatoes) since I’ve been here, as well as some good sushi.  I can’t stand the drip coffees I’ve had since I’ve been here – it’s one of the few times I’m grateful for Starbucks (when there’s not a local coffee option available.)

**

Being in the South again is weird – and it’s not just the amalgamation of used car places, pawn shops and churches, crowding the yellowed grass on the long state routes.  There are of course the memories, both good and bad, that are called forth by that kind of surrounding.  But I’m also struck by the people, the culture.

Neo-cons will be pleased to note the south has totally regained X-mass (as if they ever lost it) by constantly saying “Merry X-mass” to everyone who passes.  It’s that kind of outward looking forceful application of “tradition” and “local culture” that is particularly obnoxious.  As far as I’m concerned, it’s fine that Bob and James are practicing Christians, and it’s perfectly fine that they’re proud of one of their important religious holidays, and it’s normal and expected that they’re to be somewhat excited about it.  And while it’s also fine that they might wish someone in passing “a Merry X-mass,” there’s a subtle and coercive difference when they say it at the start of a conversation with a stranger, then stare expectantly, waiting for the return.  I’ve been saying “You too,” as a kind of neutral response.  I haven’t yet pulled out the big gun, which I probably will before the end of my stint here – that involves looking said wisher in the eye and saying, “Ah, but I’m not a Christian.  You have made me feel quite bad.  Why did you do that?”  The conversation that follows is predictable, but I like to tender it as doing my small bit for civic republicanism and democratic discourse. 

Actually, the South is profoundly depressing for it’s homogeny.  I look around and think that these are the people who, despite bald faced lies, have screwed up their eyes and elected Bush.  In many ways the prevailing mentality is appalling.  I’m completely able to regulate a certain level of political discourse and disagreement to “rational people disagreeing,” but there comes a point where to hold a particular belief one must be irrational, or at least, one must privilege a skewed or logically-suspect “personal” position above one that takes our multi-cultured society into account.  Sadly, we’re at the point where the Southern bloc should be up in arms over the a) pointless and illegal war for the enrichment of the elite, b) spiraling local taxes due to federal funding changes, c) random federal telephone monitoring, d) repeated lies told by the administration that result in dead bodies piling up.  I mean, if the South was going to get bent out of shape over Clinton’s social conduct, the least they could do is play their “principles” card consistently and abandon blind partisanship for those principles. 

My apologies to the minority of Southern Progressives, Liberals and practicing, actual, Christians.  Seeing the impassioned war rhetoric next to the omnipresent Christian presence (Church and Billboard and T-Shirt and Bumpersticker and Radio Spot) it’s hard not to think of Nietzsche – “The last true Christian died on the Cross.”

I’ve been working on a post about Fantasy and Narnia that keeps spiraling out of control. I’ll cut out some chunks of it and try to post it later in the ‘oliday.