It Has Been Said; When in Rome......

So I have traveled around some in my life. Not as much as many, but more than most I guess. I have yet to travel Europe, Africa, The Eastern Block, Australia much of Central and South America.... as well as most of Canada, the Arctic and Antarctica. Most of the rest of my family has traveled and lived in many of these places as my father was in the Airforce ofr over twenty years.

I have traveled much of the U.S., some of Canada and a very small amount of Asia... being parts of Japan and a layover in Korea.

I have done much of the traveling of the U.S. with my father in my younger years.... and the rest of it myself and mostly back packing.... which has found me now in Boston, Ma.

Something I appreciate about packing around the country is that the perspective is rather unique in comparison to what the average traveler get's to see. You really get more of the experience of places when you travel in this manner.

Something I just can't help but to notice about people in Boston, is that the act of talking to one's own self is rather far spread here. It seems to be very common. I have always associated such an activity with older people.... having had a Great Aunt that seemed to enjoy her own company quite a bit in that manner.

It is quite odd, when I look at it from my experience..... it isn't uncommon to happen upon someone strolling down the street in very near a full blown conversation with themselves.

Another commonality that I have noticed here, is the overbearing fanaticism pertaining to the Marx Bros. It isn't overbearing in the way of propagation in the media, or art work or even any over bearing social elements such as impersonators and the like.... only that one of the most common statements you will find from any given example of "self conversationalists" here in Boston, is the "catch phrase" that was used quite often by the Marx Bros.; "So now you know."

It seems to be what "heeeey!" was to the Fonz..... What "Well, I'll be!" could be seen as in the southern regions of the U.S. What "Isn't that special!" is to SNL Church Lady fans.

What I find wonderfully interesting about this, is that the Marx Bros. aren't necissarilly the most popular cultural icon of our modern day. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find any reference to them in the modern media in any form.

Something else I would like to note, is that the cab drivers here... though most being from some other, obscure country.... love to honk their horns. What this does is provides a rather sureal and very subtle social element in the public environment..... it really does almost create the illusion of an attempt to mimic the Marx Bros. in even a more thorough way than does your average "Church Lady" or "Fonzi" fan in what ever may be their most common element. This mostly because EVERYONE in the city is a participant in the production of it.

"So now you know...." everywhere you turn.... with a guaranteed honk or two somewhere near by... no matter where you are in the city. It's almost as if there is a perpetual Marx Bros. punch line that just happened.....


"NEXT!"
(to themselves) " ....so now you know.. "

"I'd like cream and sugar in that please...."

"Honk... Honk... Honk..." (as a cabby drives past in the background)

"That's a buck seventy five..."


"...so now you know."


It's kind of a shame that Harpo got relagated to the cabbies, though.... there's no way they can handle a Horn as good as Harpo. Just no freakin' way.

It Has Been Said; A Deal's a Deal!

The Metro this morning;

"I said I'd cut my balls off if we won."

Rugby fan Geoffrey Huish, who performed the impromtu self surgery after his beloved Wales recently beat World Champion England. According to "The Australian," he then put them into a bag and took them to his favorite social club. He then collapsed from blood loss, and is now in a psychiatric ward.

What more is there to be said? The gentleman is most definitely of upstanding and forthright disposition. Definitely a man of his word, and proven beyond any doubt.

What would just be horribly comical about this situation, is if during the physiological and psychological changes that normally accompany the act of castration... that the gentleman then became a pathological liar.

This one kind of puts the Psycho Lesbian Nut Hunters in a snit as well I would imagine, as it was performed in homage to a very masculine sport and accomplishment. Done so, as is obvious, in the course of a committed exchange and deal with one's own self in celebration of masculinity. Testosterone is simply oozing off of this one.... and every drop of it is in celebration of being a man!

What a salute, huh. "Boy's, if you bring this one home, you can hang my balls over the mantle piece! To insure it ne'er be forgotten."


What the fuck was this guy thinking? Dedication is one thing..... cutting your balls off is entirely a different area. I could see maybe getting a set from the local sheep or cattle rancher for what ever price and presenting them at the pub... to carry on a good celebration... but to actually remove one's own testicles.... man, you just got to hand it to the guy.

Maybe it is that he reckoned it out? Perhaps he reasoned with himself in the light of his age and direction in life.... justifying no longer actually needing them? Mayhaps it is that he has found his bliss in watching rugby and drinking beers in the tavern.... knowing that he won't ever have any interest in the use of such as his own nut sack anymore?

Maybe.... if he gets to missing them some, he can just get some of those prosthetic testicles that a person can get for their pet when they castrate them....

...if it were me... I'd get the biggest ones that they have available! Soft ball size... maybe even bowling ball size... just as a conversation piece around the pub. Think about it. That's about all he's going to have in that area from here on out... it might as well be a dooo-zy!

It Has Been Said; The Devil, You Say?!

Here I am walking down the same street I've been walking down for nearly a year now, and I look over at one of those city map type of things that a person can find in "areas of interest" in just about any city. Sure, it's the same city map that has probably been there for years.... but this day would prove to be different.

Though I am sure that the ad agency which put together the campaign running this advertisement didn't necessarily mean it or mean to.... but they have, without a doubt "fronted" on none other than the Devil.

Coincidently this city map/advert sign is within feet of the finish line for the Boston Marathon, as well.... so in that, they have doubly ratted out the Devil. Fortunately enough for the Devil, I suppose, modern society really has very little capacity for noticing the glaringly obvious.... everything has to be pointed out to them... and comically enough.... which may very well be part of the over all joke here.... such a lack of attention is due largely to the very same type of entities which put forward this current ad campaign that has disclosed the official where-abouts of the address (one of them anyhow) of the Devil.

On one side of this sign, as I have mentioned is a city map to guide tourists or any other that happen to need a map of the local terrain.... on the other side is an advert... seemingly quite direct and simple in nature... seemingly that is.

Upon closer, though subtle observation a person can see exactly what I am talking about. The advert has the words "Childrens Literature" next to an arrow that suggests it is pointing to the Boston Library several feet away on the same side of the street. I say "suggests" because in all reality it is actually pointing to much more than meets the eye immediately.

Yes, it does point to the library.... but it's what else it points to that isn't so obvious, where in I find the humor coupled with the fact that it uses the "childrens literature" section of all things to denote and suggest reading material, and to elude to the library...... as well as something else on the sly.

I should mention that part of this advert uses the same method to point out the finish line of the Boston Marathon as well... which is another interesting aspect.

When a person then looks directly across the street from the position of the sign, and happens to notice the addresses on that (the 'odd') side... my point begins to become much more clear and very amusing on several levels.

It is quite factual that the map/advert sign is placed directly where the street address of 666 Boylston street would be, if it weren't for the size of the library... as the sign itself, lines up directly between the odd addresses across the street of 665 and 667.

This means that not only is the Boston Marathon finish line straight across Boylston street in line with what would otherwise be the Devil's Doorstep, but in this advert, it is suggested subliminally that all of Children's Literature is located at the Devil's house/address. One of them at least, as I am sure that the Devil must have a few "pads" here and there.... it's the Devil for cryin' out loud. If someone like Trump can have more than one residence... I would imagine the Devil does as well.

Further in this amusing and very factual situation, is what that then suggests about authors of the Children's Literature genre' of books?

Does this then suggest that the top selling childrens author, is somehow the Devil? Or perhaps just really "in" with the Devil? Does it make them inherently "evil?"

Perhaps it means that chilrens literature is nothing more than a "hell hole" with a faucet on it? The faucet being the various authors only letting so much of it out at one time?

Though it is that anyone with the ability to influence and control the mind of your child to any degree could be seen as a threat.... I just can't bring myself to think that they would rank as the Devil.... maybe minor demons, even on the best seller list.... but the Devil himself? Not a chance.

How could they be more of an influence than the media itself? No chance of Dick and Jane being the Devil... sorry... just isn't going to happen, J.K.... Jim Carey; stop kidding yourself....

No offense.... but my grandma was scarier... and all she did was "expunge" and read tea leaves.

But maybe they think that is part of their advantage as such "wicked" creatures? Looking all nicey nice.....

Not a chance.

With that, I guess I would have to discern that perhaps childrens literature has a special place in the Devil's collection... and of course, that childrens literature resides at 666 Boylston Street, Boston, Ma.