How Soon Is Now

Anger is almost certainly the reflection of complex distributed patterns of activity in the brain. The brains and experiences of different people are clearly not the same, and these differences are well explained by differences in their physical brains resulting from varying genes and experiences.
-Ray Kurzweil
"The Singularity Is Near"

I enjoyed a screening of 'An Englishman in New York' with John Hurt reprising his role as 'Quentin Crisp' this past weekend. There was a song I heard that made me think of the 1980s called 'How Soon Is Now' by The Smiths. The lyrics are great:

I am the son
and the heir
of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

I am the son
and the heir
of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and the heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

There's a club if you'd like to go
you could meet somebody who really loves you
so you go, and you stand on your own
and you leave on your own
and you go home, and you cry
and you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
well, when exactly do you mean?
see I've already waited too long
and all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6YHpAgxcNY

Twenty-five years ago today:

May 4, 1984
Friday

I had lunch with Cedric Green, Helen Wong and my brother, Tony, at the 'Gordito Burrito'. We were given a free beer because it is almost 'Cinco de Mayo' and they're celebrating with their customers early. My work day passed quickly. I believe it had something to do with having a beer after lunch.

Once I arrived home I went on my usual bike ride.

Helen and Tony came by the house and we ate chicken and potato salad. Tony cut the front lawn. Helen, mom and I decorated the house for Sherri's baby shower tomorrow. It was fun taping up and positioning the many balloons. The looping of the cray paper was a good idea, too.

Tony and Helen left later to see the "Romancing The Stone" movie.

I hung out at home. By 7:30PM I received a phone call from Chris Cordellos. The call made my day. He called to say he received his black tank-top.
"Are you coming up here?" Chris asked, hoping I was about to get into my car.
"Now?" I asked with a stiff upper lip, "It's funny how you can talk to me now so freely this time."
"I know. I felt bad for the times I couldn't talk. You'd have had fun if you drove up here," Chris continued to urge me to consider it.
"Maybe I'll drive up next weekend," I said, feeling like I gave in to his whims.
"Well, yeah, I just love the black tank-top you sent me."
He was so ecstatic about the tank-top. He's too special.