<\/p>\n
this blog began as a section on my site called “Infinite Diarrhea” which I took down very shortly after starting it because \u2026 people were reading it. This, in turn, was causing problems in my already failing marriage \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last week: a new book from Edward Gorey (Amphigorey Again) and a new CD from Frank Zappa (Trance Fusion). Thank god for the productivity of dead men.<\/p>\n — — —<\/p>\n 18 months or more now, out of the blue, a distant friend sent me an absolutely fabulous Japanese vinyl I coveted, with almost no hope of locating for purchase.<\/p>\n “Temporary-permanent loan” he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I wasn’t sure what he meant by this, only that I was overjoyed, somewhat taken aback, and in love with the toy.<\/p>\n Now, of a similar sudden, he has requested it back.<\/p>\n I do not begrudge him this request and, to a great degree, feel relief as I was never sure how or why I rated such an incredible favor and was, despite obvious opportunity to return the favor (I am in possession of a vinyl he covets greatly), never made any pains to repay him in kind. Still, at his reasonable and imminently just request, I feel pained.<\/p>\n Despite my inability to afford such silliness, I am now on a hunt for a replacement for the toy and even offered him a ridiculous sum for the one presently (but all too fleetingly) in my possession, an offer he correctly rejected.<\/p>\n So back it goes (with a treat for him – finally I have learned my lesson: the greatest favor is one returned in kind) and I am struck at how this one defeat (if one must look at it that way, and I strangely do) has me eyeing the whole wretched hobby of collecting the useless as just that: useless, empty, dead.<\/p>\n Do I sell it all and sit in an echoing chamber, or shall I await the day that I can continue to fill the space until nothing can be seen of me but wisps of thinning hair?<\/p>\n — — —<\/p>\n Finally I am getting “my” room together – nearly all things vinyl are unpacked (records, toys – oh, joy) but there is a long way to go and the room -my life!- is still a jumble of unpacked boxes, many of which are full of things I no longer wish to own.<\/p>\n Oh, for a fire!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" this blog began as a section on my site called “Infinite Diarrhea” which I took down very shortly after starting it because \u2026 people were reading it. This, in turn, was causing problems in my already failing marriage \u2026 Last week: a new book from Edward Gorey (Amphigorey Again) and a new CD […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[46,512,511,894],"class_list":["post-1231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autobiography","tag-collecting-2","tag-edward-gorey","tag-franks-zappa","tag-toys"],"yoast_head":"\n