far too much writing, far too many photos

runswithscissors


Sunday, October 14, 2007

[continued from previous entry]

I've been to politically-themed events here in the past, and while this happening had nowhere near the turnout of those, it became clear as I made my way through the crowd that the atmosphere was prickly enough to rival, if not surpass, any of those events. Not exactly what I would call congenial, despite an abundance of couples and families. So uncongenial that I found myself wanting to leave almost as soon as I'd arrived.

But I didn't bail immediately. The crowd ranged along el Paseo, behind them stretched a line of stalls -- part of a book fair -- that flanked a broad walkway and a long, cascading pool of water. No one walked there, the stalls hid the crowd by the avenue, that combination provided an illusion of relative peace.



I strolled, listening to the sounds of the hundreds and hundreds gathered just out of view, feeling strangely uneasy. At the other end of the stalls, I found myself where the parade review bleachers began and stood watching and listening. I'd seen very few flags about, which had me wondering if I hadn't been the only one to find Rajoy's address giggle-worthy. But his (and his party's) general stance of hostility toward any who do not share their exact perspective seemed reflected in the general vibe, and as I stood there a volley of boos and derisive whistling began, likely directed at the country's President -- José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, one of the habitual targets of the PP's ongoing scathing commentary and namecalling -- who was in attendance. Something about that sound rising into the morning air felt so ugly that I finally gave in to the desire to book, heading down a sidestreet, away from el Paseo and toward home, the sounds behind me fading as I walked.

Yesterday morning's day-after news stories about the event detailed what I'd witnessed, mentioning that armed forces higher-ups who had been in attendance were livid about the show of ill will toward the president since those engaging in it apparently chose to do so during an homage to armed forces personnel killed during the last year. Rajoy avoided criticizing booers/whistlers when pressed by reporters afterward, saying instead, "I'm always in favor of no one messing with anyone else. I don't do it and would never do it." Which had me falling about with laughter, since his stock in trade is constant criticism, name-calling and attempts to provoke.

There are times when brazen dissembling makes me feel strangely affectionate toward the dissembler -- this is one of those times, though I'm not sure I can explain why. Maybe it was the wonderfully shameless right-out-thereness of the fiction. Or maybe it just seems so human. And really, who am I to point a finger? I am far from being an angel (angelically adorable bum notwithstanding), I have no footing to judge anyone else. The best thing would likely be to spare Sr. Rajoy, me and the rest of the world from the boring tyranny of my opinions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note to self:

Should you, at some point in an imaginary future -- and this is purely hypothetical, of course -- ever be looking through a kitchen cabinet and come across a can of tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes that's gone visibly bad, and you think it might be a good idea to open it before throwing it out so that it doesn't, say, explode in the garbage...

...no matter how many precautions you take before you open it and no matter how careful you are when you begin opening it, it probably won't be enough.

Just something to think about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A genuine headline stumbled across while prowling about the web:

Not just a natural D-cup, but a philosopher as well.


España, te quiero.

rws 3:28 AM [+]
Comments:
I hope there was a picture to go along with the headline!
# posted by Blogger mad : 12:39 PM
 
Keep in mind that the "V" shaped scar on my left palm, all 3 inches of it, is from a can exploding under the pressure of the ptomaine growing within. Like opening a switchblade into your palm, it was. Miserable bugger took months to heal, too.
# posted by Blogger Wil : 9:57 PM
 
mad: no photo, just text -- leaving us to do all the work of conjuring up an image.

wil: noted.
# posted by Blogger rws : 3:38 AM
 
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BLATHERINGS

August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
December 2001
January 2002
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November 2002
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December 2006
January 2007
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June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
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March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
June 2009
July 2009

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


MORE FOCUSED BLATHERINGS


Travels:
London '01
Pamplona
Italy '03
U.K. '03
Sevilla
Casablanca
Stoke-on-Trent
Barcelona
Québec/Ottawa
Boston/Lisbon/Madrid
Italy '04
Montréal
La Sierra

Events:
Madrid -- arrival
9/11
Emergency Room I
Holidays 2001
Holidays 2002
Holidays 2003
Holidays 2004
Holidays 2005
A neighbor's passing
Madrid -- March 11 bombings
  and aftermath
Emergency Room II
Israeli friend/Madrid Marathon
Madrid -- Royal Wedding
The DELE exam

GONE, a novel:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

THE BASTARD CHILDREN OF
JOE ROCCO, a novella:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3

BURBANK SHRUGGED,
a screenplay:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3
-- Part 4

Short stories:
Murphy's Wife
Another Autumn
La Queja de Una
  Hermanastra Muy Conocida

Autobiography
-- Personal History
-- Hormones On Parade
-- Accidents, Random Mishaps,
    Personal Problems

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


OTHER SOURCES OF WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT

People/Weblogs:
dooce
foxvox
fudge it
fear not
rebekka
bookslut
802online
idle words
madhaiku
wockerjabby
grow-a-brain
rebel market
letting me be
out and about
kung fu grippe
fanatical apathy
baghdad burning
wfuv's music blog
kexp's music blog
mimi smartypants
between the miles
just a hippie gypsy
the impossible cool
tomato can brushes
vermont homestead
sugar mountain farm

Good Clean Fun:
gizmodo
futurismic
postsecret
dave barry
human clock
mcsweeney's
spaceweather
book-a-minute
internet archive
self-portrait day
my cat hates you
out of context quotes
surrealist compliment
  generator
strindberg and helium

Makin' Musical Whoopee:
last fm
stereo8
pandora
soma fm

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


ABOUT RWS/CONTACT





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