Well, I reniged on my anti-cigarette pleage tonight. I officially quiet back in January and have been doing pretty good, but I had one tonight. I knew I shouldn't have, but it was a strange day and I really wanted one. You see, when I quit cigarettes I switched over to cigars. Those of you who have beaten a nicotine addiction are already rolling your eyes at me and muttering "You can't just change from one to the other, you have to quit entirely! Moron!" And, you know what? You're completely right; but I really like cigars and I'd been hoping I could still use them occasionally and beat the addiction at the same time. Stupid? Certainly, as I found out today, but it made sense at the time.
So, I ran out of my cigars yesterday; I'd placed an order through my shop on Tuesday and the box should have been in today. The proble, however, is that the Alaskan Post Office hates me guts. Oh, yes, they are very polite when I go to the local post office; but how else can you explain the fact that, no matter when I place my cigar order, the box never arrives until several days after I've run out. It never seems to matter when I order; if I ordered weeks in advice (and I've been tempted from time to time), it always arrives in the post office two days after the last stogie has been smoked and tossed away. For someone who is doing his best to stay away from cigarettes, I find this utterly inferorating as I'm sure you can guess.
Even this wouldn't have been a problem; I've gone days without a cigar before, and suppose I shall do so again in the future (at least I hope so! I really do want to cut back this summer, after the stress of teaching has disapeared). To take my mind off of things I went over to my former roomate's to watch some movies; I'll be leaving this village for good in two weeks, so my chances to hang out with the friends I do have up here is growing short indeed.
I left the house at 7:30; I returned at 9 to get a Diet Pepsi before we started the next movie. It was then that I noticed a very large problem; I couldn't get into my house! The outside doornob was turning, but the latch itself had apparently decided that this was some form of suggestion and not a direct order! I responded by trying to force the door open with my shoulder, but my brute force abandoned me! Grumbling, I returned to my ex-roomate's place to call the local maitenence men and get some help.
They were both gone hunting.
To make a slightly longer story story shorter, I had just arrived at the school, where I planned to be spending the night, when the phone rang: one of the maitnence men had returned, heard my phone message, and was rushing over to help I ran from the school, avoiding the kids hanging out by the front enterence (the village curfew is 10 pm, but its rarely followed by anyone, apparently.), and returned to my house. Luckily we were able to force the door open this time and life was good.
Sadly, after all of that, when he offered me a cigarette I had a really hard time saying "no". So I took it, I smoked it, and now I feel horrible. I tell myself the buzz has taken my mind off of the pain in my mouth, causied by the dozen or so cavities I need to get filles when I'm back home (in the 2 or 3 days before my insurance runs out).
*sighs* Oh well, at least I can sleep in my own bed tonight! I realyl was not looking forward to the staff room's couch
.
Um, smoking isn't good for cavities.
I quit ciagrettes last year but I did have a Cuban cigar not long ago. Still don't feel the need to start smoking again. Just occasionally when around people smoking.
You know, I sometimes think that "Isis" is my favorite Bob Dylan tune, although it is in some stiff competition with "Desolation Row".
I'm not surprised. I would expect the imagery in both would work for you. If you haven't heard it, I'd recommend "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" from "Blood on the Tracks." Very odd song. There are several concurrent storylines, one of which is apparently a stage production, which can make the deciphering confusing.
The Cabaret was quiet except for the drilling in the wall.
The curfew had been lifted and the gambling wheel shut down,
Anyone with any sense had already left town.
He was standing in the doorway looking like the Jack of Hearts.
He moved across the mirrored room, "Set it up for everyone," he said,
Then everyone commenced to do what they were doing before he turned their heads.
Then he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin,
"Could you kindly tell me, friend, what time the show begins?"
Then he moved into the corner, face down like the Jack of Hearts.
Backstage the girls were playing five-card stud by the stairs,
Lily had two queens, she was hopin' for a third to match her pair.
Outside the streets were filling up, the window was open wide,
A gentle breeze was blowing, you could feel it from inside.
Lily called another bet and drew up the Jack of Hearts.
Big Jim was no one's Fool, he owned the town's only diamond mine,
He made his usual entrance looking so dandy and so fine.
With his bodyguards and silver cane and every hair in place,
He took whatever he wanted to and he laid it all to waste.
But his bodyguards and silver cane were no match for the Jack of Hearts.
Rosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town,
She slipped in through the side door looking like a queen without a crown.
She fluttered her false eyelashes and whispered in his ear,
"Sorry, Darlin', that I'm late," but he didn't seem to hear.
He was staring into space over at the Jack of Hearts.
"I know I've seen that face before," Big Jim was thinking to himself,
"Maybe down in Mexico, or a picture up on somebody's shelf."
But then the crowd began to stamp their feet and the house lights did dim
And in the darkness of the room there was only Jim and him,
Staring at the Butterfly who just drew the Jack of Hearts.
Lily was a Princess; she was fair-skinned and precious as a child,
She did whatever she had to do; she had that certain flash every time she smiled.
She'd come away from a broken home, had lots of strange affairs
With men in every walk of life (which took her everywhere)
But she'd never met anyone quite like the Jack of Hearts.
The Hangin' Judge came in unnoticed, and was being wined and dined,
The drilling in the wall kept up but no one seemed to pay it any mind.
It was known all around that Lily had Jim's ring
And nothing would ever come between Lily and the King.
No, nothing ever would - except maybe the Jack of Hearts.
Rosemary started drinking hard, and seein her reflection in the knife,
She was tired of the attention, tired of playing the role of Big Jim's wife.
She had done a lot of bad things, even once tried Suicide,
Was looking to do just one good deed before she died.
She was gazing to the Future, riding on the Jack of Hearts.
Lily washed her face, took her dress off and buried it away.
"Has your luck run out?" she laughed at him, "Well, I guess you must
have known it would someday.
Be careful not to touch the wall - there's a brand-new coat of paint,
I'm glad to see you're still alive, you're looking like a Saint."
Down the hallway footsteps were coming for the Jack of Hearts.
The backstage manager was pacing all around by his chair.
"There's something funny going on," he said, "I can just feel it in the air."
He went to get the Hangin' Judge, but the Hangin' Judge was drunk,
As the leading actor hurried by in the costume of a monk.
There was no actor anywhere better than the Jack of Hearts.
Lily's arms were locked around the man that she dearly loved to touch,
She forgot all about the man she couldn't stand who hounded her so much.
"I've missed you so," she said to him, and he felt she was sincere,
But just beyond the door he felt Jealousy and Fear.
Just another night in the Life of the Jack of Hearts.
No one knew the circumstance, but they say that it happened pretty quick,
The door to the dressing room burst open and a cold revolver clicked.
And Big Jim was standing there, you couldn't say surprised,
Rosemary right beside him, steady in her eyes.
She was with Big Jim but she was leaning to the Jack of Hearts.
Two doors down the boys finally made it through the wall
And cleaned out the bank safe; it's said that they got off with quite a haul.
In the Darkness by the riverbed they waited on the ground
For one more member who had business back in town.
But they couldn't go no further without the Jack of Hearts.
The next day was Hangin' Day; the sky was overcast and black,
Big Jim lay covered up, killed by a penknife in the back.
And Rosemary on the gallows; she didn't even blink,
The Hangin' Judge was sober; he hadn't had a drink.
The only person on the scene missing was the Jack of Hearts.
The Cabaret was empty now, a sign said, "Closed for Repair,"
Lily had already taken all of the dye out of her hair.
She was thinking about her father, who she very rarely saw,
Thinking about Rosemary and thinking about the Law.
But, most of all she was thinking about the Jack of Hearts.
The "Isis" lyrics I posted have just a minor lyric change, as my band will be doing it based loosely on the arrangements on recordings from the Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975-6. That is in many ways my favourite Dylan tour. Of course, with Mick Ronson (from Bowie's band) and Scarlett Rivera, how can you go wrong?
I'm not too familiar with them but . . . I've heard only half of one Dresden Dolls album but immediately decided then I needed to obtain it.
I did not, however, immediately buy the album, and in fact, I have not yet obtained it. I'm collectng live and unreleased stuff so much I ofttimes neglect artists' studio work. I do need to get it - I'm also gonna ask around in my trader circle for live Dresden Dolls.
I'm actually have the Demons & Wizards album. I also have the Uriah Heep song by that name.
I'm sending my email address.