AUGUST - EPISODE VIII: SUMMER 2019

WISDOM OF THE SAGES
EPISODE VIII: SUMMER 2019

Hello People of the World;

Now the heat wave hits and people are complaining that it’s too hot for summer. Sheesh. At the time of this posting, the weather has cooled off considerably, and, guess what? Yep! People are complaining about the ‘fall-like’ weather. Omigod!

Here we are with another edition of you favorite web log that no one remembers exists. It keeps me writing, so that is good enough for me.

 All right, let’s get going:

1:[ More barista nonsense. I used to frequent a particular shop in y old neighborhood and there was this barista who was always being the center of attention, chatting with other baristas about all the amazing stuff he was into. He never took time to chat with customers. Which is fine with me. Less chatting the sooner I get the drink I ordered. What stood out toe b is this guy was entirely white bread, if you know what I mean. Yet, when the African-American barista was working with him, this guy never failed to try to impress him with all the “black” things he was into. He was into Dave Chapelle. But he never heard of anything else this other barista would mention – one of those types of into “black” things guy.

Fast-forward: that shop had closed and I moved into the suburbs once again and I started frequenting another coffee shop in one of the northern suburbs, the coffee shop is Starbucks by the way, which explains why this barista turned up at this shop and guess what? Nothing has changed and it’s been years. He is still trying to be the cool dude that’s into all the things and just the other day, when the only African-American that I noticed was on shift too, he was doing the same thing, “yeah, I’m into that. It’s awesome. Never heard of them.” Sheesh. I don’t know why this bugs me, it’s part of my own biases but damn this is annoying. Can I just drink my tea in the relative quiet without hearing your damn voice talk about all the things you’re into that you’re trying to impress the black dude with? Or, maybe I’m just a jackass….

2:[ I don’t think people appreciate or like movies the same way I do. I am by by no means a deep-cut cinephile, nor do I pretend to be. My behavior can come off as snobbish, I admit. But I do like all types of film and I try never to pass judgment on a film until I have either seen it, or done enough research to get a sense of its quality, or use my prior experience to have an informed understanding of a film. People I know typically do not like the films I like and I find I don’t really care about many films that my friends like.

Lately though, when I suggest films to watch, I am greeted with this palpable reluctance. Though I know the movie to be good either from having watched it before or through enough research to make a pre-assessment. But the most common reaction is that people simply want to watch “fun” movies. This makes me feel left out sometimes as though what I want to watch at home or in the theater is not interesting enough. I mean, I do watch some sad and depressing films at times and I think most times people misjudge the film I suggest as dark and depressing because it is a foreign or independent film, or worse, a Native American-directed film. It is disheartening.

I get something from films I really enjoy, even the dark and depressing ones. Every type of movie offers me something to enjoy, think on, to change a view, or to push an emotion. I love that about moves; even the dark and depressing ones, the not-fun one that most people want ot watch to escape. I wish I could share more of them with the people I love and am friends with. It is like pulling teeth to get fam to watch a movie with me. Then, when it gets so I am feeling like I am being pushy and overbearing, I drop it. It’s fine. Then, if they suddenly want to watch the movie I want, I feel like they are placating to me, and that make me feel bad. I don’t want that. But it makes me kind of sad that I cannot get people to watch the movies I enjoy with me. So, yeah, I don’t think people like movies in the same way I do.

3:[ I went and saw “The Farewell” again for a third time. It is just a funny and charming film. The movie I have seen the most in the theater was “The Dark Knight”. Going back to how no one seems to enjoy movies the same way as I do, I really like seeing movies multiple times in the theater. To me, it is the best way to show respect for a movie you really enjoy.

4:[ I really need to lose weight, especially if I am to continue playing “Hamlet”, but I lack the privacy I had living on the reservation to do long runs. The city is always noisy and people are always around. I cannot exercise in such open viewing of people. It makes me uncomfortable. But I need to lose about 80 pounds or more to meet my physically ideal weight. I was down to 197 at one point, I believe after my first year here. I was 207, when I got to Chicago, and thanks to even less meals and walking everywhere, I must have dropped another 5 – 10 pounds.

But then marriage happened and so did regular meals. Then, when I divorced and lived on my own, I dropped to 225. Which was good. But I really need to find time and space to just run and exercise. I need to do it, not only to open up more acting jobs for me, but for my overall health. I plan on living to be 300, just because I want to see what happens next…

That is it for this month.

Here we are almost at the end of another year. It is crazy how fast time seems to be passing. I am always interested in what happens next. We’ll see.

As always, I invite you to comment, correct, or contradict anything I write here. I am open to a critical debate. Thanks for taking the time to check out what I write here and I will see you in a month.

Until next time, remember “I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control everything really are.”

2019 Ernest M Whiteman III