Thoughts by Richard Bleil
Such an odd assortment of thoughts is running through my mind today. It’s not unusual. My mind is often running rampant with thoughts keeping me awake and filling my day. Last night, for example, we had our “Dusk ‘til Dawn” Horror Movie Marathon. My boss chose one of the franchises, which typically run through about seventy or eighty sequels these days, and just played them, in order, until the sun made it too hard to see the screen. True fans probably stayed the night (but not necessarily awake), although many people left after the first and second film. So, as the movie was playing and I was working the booth for late arrivals, I got to thinking about horror movies today.
There’s a recipe for modern horror films (mainly slasher films with lots of gore). It goes like this; sex, sex, sex, someone dies, sex, bad guy, someone dies, sex, running, someone dies, sex, fight back but he doesn’t die, someone dies, sex, they kill him, turns out they didn’t, sex, kill him for sure this time, sex, he’s not dead, someone dies, they kill him again, movie ends, but his body disappears. Why is it that the first time he doesn’t die, the second time he doesn’t die, in fact he never dies through multiple attempts until, suddenly and for no apparent reason he dies? Or, at least until his body isn’t where they left it for the sequel. In some of the worst movies, the way they kill him at the end is the same way they tried to kill him many times before, but it never works. Until the end.
Like I said, just strange thoughts.
Scuba divers are taught not to wave to greet people on the shore. The reason is that when we are in peril, we tend to wave. We’re trying to get somebody’s attention, so we wave. But peril isn’t the only reason to try to get somebody’s attention. The easiest way to be seen is to wave, so waving is a typical greeting as well as a signal for help. No wonder so many people die. Scuba divers, to greet people on the shore, are taught to kind of point at their head with an open hand. If you make a “swan” with your hand arched, it’s like that, but oriented so the middle finger is touching the top of your head. We’re taught that, but, of course, nobody does it. They still wave. I’m not sure if its because they think the correct signal looks strange, or if it’s just habit. So how would they signal if they’re in trouble?
On my social media today, I had a memory show up from nine years ago. My favorite fast food “Mexican” (but not authentic) joint had brought back, then, a discontinued item that was my absolute favorite thing on their menu. They do that a lot, actually, coming up with delicious menu items only to discontinue them. In my post, I wrote, “I believe in God again.” Today, I reposted it saying, “They discontinued it again. There is no God.” This gave rise to a question as to whether or not we actually are in Hell.
My thinking is that, in Hell, there would be good things. Not for long, just long enough to remind the sufferers of how good things could be had they not ended up in Hell. So, here’s a delicious Mexican treat, limited time only. Just long enough to miss it and suffer when it’s again removed. Of maybe it’s just a personal Hell, just for me, which would explain why I have the sex drive of a bull elephant but am actually living the life of a monk.
Apparently, if you want to feed peanuts to crows and keep the squirrels away, you’re supposed to sprinkle hot sauce on them. It doesn’t work though. I tried it. Now whenever I put nuts out, there’s a tiny little knock on my door, and when I open it a squirrel is standing there holding peanuts and asking if I have any hot sauce.
Airport runways are numbered according to direction. Runway 18 is facing 180 degrees on a compass, or due south, while runway 9 is at 90 degrees, or due east. I’ve had a lot of strange training in my life. I have my scuba license, and I took pilot lessons although I stopped when I realized that, because I am technically a diabetic (which I argue I am not, I’m just naturally sweet) I would not be able to actually obtain a pilot license. Interestingly, though, you don’t need a pilot’s license for “experimental” planes. It seems like those planes should have licensed pilots most of all.
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