The Continuing Adventures of Alex and Cati*

Ever notice how we sometimes resent the things that are closer to what we prefer than the things that are farther. It’s as though we feel there is a sick perversion to getting close but not quite there. I have often chuckled about football hooligans who beat other football hooligans at a match they both attend because one of them favors a team based 90 miles away from the other. Wouldn’t they both be more productive to collude and kick the living snot out of, say, baseball fans who don’t like soccer at all.

Sometimes Cati and I will squabble like two old crows over some fine point in an argument. It’s as though we are saying, “How can you be so ‘almost right’ and not ‘get it.’ You must be particularly, ahem, ‘impaired’ to not see the OBVIOUS CONCLUSION upon which you have practically landed. Your inability to make the right conclusion is an affront to my thought process and cheapens my perspective. AAAARGH!” Of course we are never that civil and articulate in the throes of a heated debate. Especially if it’s a dinner conversation with wine. :)

I even notice this phenomena with little personal preferences like when I hear a song I like. Then, for no good reason, in the middle of this otherwise perfect song, there’s a wailing saxophone solo, or some other terrible intrusion, and I’m like “WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?” And I immediately dislike the song strongly. It’s 95% right, but terrible. It’s a funny thing, innit?

It’s particularly obvious (and not funny) when adherents to Abrahamic religions kill each other.  It’s like– “Guys, you practically agree!” But it’s the difference in the details that makes all the difference sometimes. Like the old saying goes, “Don’t make ‘perfect’ the enemy of ‘good’.”

Speaking of things I don’t hate– this song/video makes me nostalgic for the ’70s. Actually several Stranglers songs have this effect.

It makes me miss something I never really knew. Not sure what though.

Looking at this video it’s easy to see from where the Star Wars set designers drew their inspiration, eh?

That is all.