Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Unemployment and other matters




On the first full day of unemployment I got the news that it won't be for long.

This is good, since I won't have to make pizza. And bad, since I was looking forward to a minor period of loafing.

In the meantime, a couple of guys from the Ask Andy Trad forum have launched a new one called The Curriculum.

I need another clothing forum to fart around on, I really do. But they were nice enough to ask, so I signed up.

I continue to lose weight, and have punched new holes in all my belts.

I am listening to the following records, which tend to dictate the mood as I push along on my spring cleaning in the fall:

The Apples In Stereo, Discovery of a World Inside the Moone (upbeat)
Van Morrison, The Healing Game (introspective)
Elmore James, Best of (ballsy)
The Lonesome Brothers, Mono (rootsy)
Velvet Underground, White Light/White Heat (decadent)

I continue to consider moving to Portland, Ore., which has the incredible virtue of being a town where nobody knows me besides my old college buddy and his wife. And they know how to keep a secret.

I read Jack Kerouac's On The Road for the first time in at least a decade. I don't believe I ever read it sober; it's pretty bad.

I might go upstate in New York in the next few days to fish for steelhead.

Life could be better, but it could really be a hell of a lot worse.

Here is Pensive Trad, caught at a moment of combined irritation and uncertainty. I think it was Kerouac that put me in this mood.

I don't do casual well. I hate not wearing a tie.






Bill's M2, old J and M rubber-soled beaters I found in a thrift shop, new LE tattersall, McGregor Drizzler jacket, NY Giants baseball cap (same as the Mets but with a black body) in reserve.

7 comments:

Giuseppe said...

Unemployment is for chumps and hippies. I've been on the dole for three months now. While I admit that it has been fun taking my young son to the beach repeatedly, I too miss my ties, and not feeling like a bum.

If you find a job, put in a good word for me, will ya?

Charles said...

Congrats on the job offer. Move back to Albuquerque. Lots of sunshine. You'll feel better.

Is this curriculum invitation only?

Patrick said...

The Curriculum site is invitation-only, and I see the mods are not accepting any new members at the moment while they work out some bugs. (Probably trying to keep The English Patient out.)

I see it as a more purist approach to "Trad," whatever "pure" means in this lax, postmodern climate.-

I remain loyal to the Ask Andy site, however, although I don't post there much anymore. I don't have much left to say, really.

Charles said...

A trad site run by trads. Novel idea. Put in a good word for me would you?

Dustin Deed said...

the migration to and fro the various trad boards is beyond comedy...especially since they all end up posting the same topics and articles.

i thought the shark had officially been jumped with this 'talk ivy' business but 'the curriculum' has lopped off it's dorsal fin and left it to die on the ocean floor.

i mean no offense to you patrick as i know you also have a sense of humor about these things, but a forum with the likes of duck as moderators is squaresville at the frat house mona.

Tony Ventresca said...

Can you indicate what the new job will be? No specifics obviously, I was just wondering if you've gone back to journalism.

Patrick said...

Yep, I'm going back to the paper I left, but in a vastly different frame of mind.

As to the appearance of another clothing MB devoted to the Trad aesthetic, I say, "Why the hell not?"

If you find it silly then don't read it. I enjoy this stuff, in moderation. It keeps me off the streets.