"Aside from managing to survive until we're put in a nursing home by our children, what are we doing here?" --Dzogchen Ponlop, Rebel Buddha
I'm joined this morning by the lovely, inimitable Brynn Madsen, one of two children who will be putting me in a nursing home some day. We're co-authoring today, live from the Coffee Pod. Brynn, tell our reading public what you see around you.
Well mom, I see this cute little coffee shop. It has a nice homey feel to it. Small, but nice and peaceful.
I see. And how's the muffin?
Oh, the muffin! It's like bitting into a....... MUFFIN!
But I've never had a muffin. What is this muffin of which you speak?
LIAR! you have had plenty a muffin! >:(
OK, but not in a long, long while. PLEASE!! Refresh my memory, for perhaps another muffin will not soon cross my lips. What's it like? Bitter? Soggy? I want all the sordid details.
Fine then. Have it your way. >:P The muffin has a sweet blueberry taste to it. I like blueberries. It is not the best muffin ever, but tis good.
Fair enough. OK, here's what I see--er, first what I smell. That bittersweet espresso steaminess that kind of enveloped us as we walked through the door. Across the street, in the fog, two people stand at a bus stop talking with their hands and probably their voices. The UTA pulls up and carries them away into their gray pre-Christmas Day. There's a few more customers here now, sipping hot drinks, surfing the net, chatting with the barista. There's a totally cute girl sitting in the booth next to me drinking a decaf maple mocha. I figure if I buy her the mocha now she'll choose a really good nursing home for me some day. Your turn.
Well mother, if you must know what I think of this day then you shall know. I think that the world is weird. Everything on it, in it, and around it is odd. Like this morning I was awakened by my big poop of a kitty Argus and saw that his face was oddly human. I kid you not, a human face on a cat. Some may say that I am a high little girl, but I know that it is indeed the cat that is high.
Curious experience, sweet child. Now, you chose the holiday hit for today. Rufus Wainwright singing "Spotlight on Christmas." Do you have an opinion of Mr. Wainwright and his singing? This song bugs you? The one we're listening to right now piped through the espresso steam, "O Holy Night?" Fine. It bugs me, too. But tell me, what of old Rufus and our song du jour?
I think that Rufus Wainwright has a very unique and interesting voice. I like the song we chose because it tells of the true meaning of Christmas without bringing religion into it.
Hmm. Interesting response. Unexpected. His voice does have a melodic--wait, let me check the thesaurus--sonorous quality to it. He can be a bit melodramatic at times, but how good would "Shrek" have been without his haunting rendition of "Hallelujah?" But yeah, this song gets to the heart of the matter, unconditional love, without taking itself too seriously. I also like that he characterizes Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as renegades running from the law. Rings true to my ears--I LIKE the rebel Jesus--the one who stands up to the law and to B.S. But that's just me. I also like spending this morning with you, and I think that's part of what it's all about--what we're doing here on this planet. Thanks for joining me this morning.
This is Brynn Madsen signing off. Now back to you Katie.
Love you, kiddo.
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