Defiantly, Joyously, Contrary...

There is a certain pleasure in being defiantly contrary. You know, the things we love help define us, the things we don't love help define us too. Yesterday, a big Holiday for everyone, I was working, occupying the large mansion on the lake, protecting it from the invading hordes. Right off the bat, out of step. Plus my beloved lakefront was alive, and frankly, over-run with an over-stuffed cornucopia of humanity. It was all too much. No way could you take a bike ride, and even a leisurely walk out on the paths was out of the question. Bodies everywhere, every shape and size, every hue and color, every nationality and persuasion. There was loud thumping music, a DJ relentlessly working his mind-numbing, booty-shaking, playlist; a throbbing, grooving, cacophony. There was smoke, and the aroma of burned flesh wafted over the park from the BBQ pits dotted all across the grassy knoll. And there were troops of folks flocking down the long, meandering trail, staking out a place to watch the big fire-works display scheduled to begin after sun-down. 

My partner rode her bike over to join me in a house of luxury. She came in with her face-beaming,  telling me about all the beautiful faces she had encountered on her way over; smiling, joyous, humans, all sparkly, alive, and excited to be alive. I had to laugh. Life: it's all about each individual's particular perceptions. We settled down for an inspired song-writing session. A new song was alive on my partner's lips, and in her head, I brought a guitar out and we tried our best to bring it to the light. We captured the essence of the song on a little digital recorder. It felt so good to have a new song in our sights. You never know when inspiration will strike, the best songs seem to just appear out of the ether. We celebrated our creative inspiration by sipping ice-cold, deliciously-invigorating, grape-flavored kombucha, and then we binge-watched The Bear  (yes, it's hilarious and great, and a beautiful ode to Chicago), on Hulu. The series is excellent, and the soundtrack is too. So happy to hear that great, Chicago-based band, Wilco featured throughout. Soul-stirring, ear-pleasing and just wonderful.

By night's end it sounded like an all-out war out there on the Eastern front. Bombs seemingly going off in every direction. The dark sky lit up by colorful, exploding ordinance. It all seemed so grandly silly. What a strange, pointless, ritual. Blowing shit up for no reason. We did our best to tune it out, but the Chinese-made fireworks fueled an imaginary Revolutionary War that raged away in the dark. God Bless America. Our own private day and evening activity seemed so much more fulfilling, soul-enriching & fun. A lot less sound and fury, more laughter and wonder, in tune with our happy, creative mood. Defiantly, joyously, creatively contrary. That's the ticket.