January 17, 2000

frogs

Saw 'Magnolia' yesterday. Was going to look for the Exodus reference, but forgot to do it and only noticed someone with a sign in the studio being hustled out. Was the title from the street name? What do frogs have to do with it? Nothing. Everything. You haven't seen the movie? It's long. Everybody's life seemed in danger. I thought I was going to die before it was over. Went with SuRu and Forrest and sat with a couple of friends of like age group. Rush to the bathroom afterwards. Too long for boomers.

At work today I gave my presentation I am working on to some sympathetic colleagues. It's still pretty rough. But if I get it polished, I'm going to forget it by the time May rolls around which is when I officially give it. Time to do a few other things at work. Nothing much one can say about work in a public forum. I realized that next month I will have been working in some kind of computer-related job for thirty years. Thirty years! I still know nothing about them. That's too strong, of course, but things change so much. I know a lot about a few areas. Nothing about some and am a useless generalist about a lot of others.

Ah, here it is: "And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:" Which is Exodus 8:2. Although the next verse is rather more vivid. "And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs:" To me, it's the cute conceit of a novice film maker. And remember, I liked 'Delicatessen.' When I saw that one, a yuppie couple in front of us walked out during the frog scene. Which is odd because it's the least offensive scene in the whole thing in some ways. Of course, we were in the uncomfortable chair theater, aka the Village, so maybe their butts just got tired.

I am in this rut where I come home from work, go on an eXtreme dog walk, eat what Forrest cooked, wash up a few dishes from the meal, sit in my easy chair and read the papers.

I am so upset. It's Monday. And I could not finish the New York Times crossword. Monday is the easiest day. Dang. I look forward to Monday because I can usually do them.

Life is all about how you spend things: time and money and mental energy, isn't it?

"It was the saying of Bion, that though the boys throw stones at frogs in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest."

Plutarch, Which Are Most Crafty, Water or Land Animals