the compulsive newYorker – 090222

I’m getting a late start on today’s Friday video-blog. Why? What could take precedence over a hopefully well-thought well-felt written dialogue with you? Two reasons, one minor one major. I needed to make an appointment with an ENT specialist, ‘ear nose & throat’. I’ve had hoarseness for years and my GP, Dr Patel, Girishmar Patel, prescribed a consultation with Dr Nilesh Patel. Indian Patels to American Smiths. That took but 5 minutes; but the major reason which I would like to invite you to understand how important, likely quite insignificant for you, it is for me the three hours work I really wanted to complete because it terminates months of work sporadically over two years.
Sorry. Please don’t laugh. Or do laugh. My …forever my and me and I, my audio-journals are my strongest most insightful and stimulating product. These monologues are recorded without leaving my bed, on awakening mornings after sleep after dream, and without and before the world around me, such as I interpret it, in psychical health or neurotic projection, overwhelms me with feelings such as ‘I’m not good enough’ and ‘what can I do to deserve your attention in this writing’. So what I’ve just finished editing is the last month, December 2011, what I call audio-snaps, 5 min excerpts on single focus subject, from my 60 min multi subject associative audio-journal monologues. And this work has resulted in 817 episodes from the ten years 2011 to 2021. They will create ten audio-books.
If you are one of the ones who have followed my autobiographical works for months or years, I risk boring you by repetition. For you who is reading or hearing or seeing my ‘stuff’ for the first time, I present myself as follows in an elevator pitch to validate my credentials as an experienced, intelligent and expressive human being – 1. I’m seven months from being 90 years old 2. I am a Euro-American immigrant 3. I’ve had five major professions in my long life, architect, modern dancer, fashion designer & manufacturer, documentary filmmaker, and now, totaling nearly 50 years, I’m a journal-maker artist 4. I’ve had 1000 psychotherapeutic sessions, 20 years over the course of 60 adult years, hah hah, which might be interpreted as my being a deranged human being, by contrast I like to cite that as a valuable physiological asset to my longevity, whether psychically healthy is still an open question 5. I’ve been blessed with ten female romantic companions and one male during those many years 6. I have a common-law interracial marriage bringing two daughters, two grandchildren and two great-grands into the world. I rest my case.
Now that I have your attention, at least your curiosity, as to whether I can deliver the goods that adds meaning to the human condition, some further explanations to amplify your grasp of “to be or not to be, that is the question”.
In my simplistic caricatural view of American politics, one side of the battle is an unholy alliance of three disparate interests – the parasitic families of generational wealth of robber barons, the non-Christian bible thumping Christian Right, and the gun-toting, opioid addicted couch potato White Nationalist. The other side, 60% of the population, is a decent, well meaning ethnically diverse citizen thankful for the mineral riches of America’s fertile lands, its religious freedom, its vibrant artistic energy, its entrepreneurial drive nationally and internationally. And its constitution that inspires to constantly strive to fulfill the intended goals of an ever-more egalitarian democratic society.
Today, two hours ago, Congressman Peter Welch from Vermont, interviewed on MSNBC, that I listened to during my breakfast lunch, asked: “Can’t we resolve our differences and see we are together in the same boat? If we fight, we sink, we both sink. If we sail on together we will all get to a safe and sound home.”