I used to think that I wanted to live my life as a narrative, removed of all extraneous material, all elements tidily connected thematically, all of it with meaning (profound, tear-jerking, life-altering of course). Now I've realized that what I really want is to life my life as a montage. Not all of it of course; we can slow down for the really meaningful bits, but there are some things where I just don't need to experience anything but the highlights. For instance:
*the looming Canadian winter. Every local I have met has warned me (without prompting) about the terrible winter. One woman told me about how last year her driveway became a tunnel of snow where she had to squeeze in between the car and a wall of ice to get into the car and one slip would land her underneath the car. I also saw a commercial the other day which featured a "Canadian police chase": criminal and police both spinning their wheels in two foot drifts. I know that winter has its highish points, so let's montage those: ice skating on the Rideau canal, a ski trip or two, cozying up with hot cocoa, a blanket, and a book. Music: something from Hem or Richard Hawley.
*my efforts to rid myself of the wedding/ moving weight. It's no big deal really, but annoying, so it screams for montage. Me eating only healthy food (of course), me doing sit-ups (whatever), me running through a flock of geese--all with "Eye of the Tiger" playing in the background.
*my Phd. Look, it's just a hoop people. Let's montage it. Me sitting at my desk, surrounded by stacks of paper and books (I've got the scene all set for that one), me crying late at night because I just can't go on, me triumphant standing before the committee spouting off about things no one really cares about, me with bigger paycheck (ha, ha). Music: The Jackson Five's ABC?
What do you want to montage?
Woven Histories and Modern Abstractions
3 months ago
4 comments:
I don't know what I want to montage now--mainly, I think I just want things to slow down at this point in my life. But where were you with this big idea during MY Ph.D. years? I could have used a good montage back then.
The rest of the f*ing campaign season including tonight's debate and all the commercials I won't see.
Let's just jump cut to election day: map of US on TV, covered in blue, all channels declare Obama the winner, cut to victory speech...and fade out. Whoosh!
Okay, but now it's over.
Let's do the shot where I eat the victory cupcake in slo mo.
I'm mailing you a tarantula to a) add to your montage of desert life and b) to cuddle with to keep you warm at night.
I want to montage my physical preperations for the big ski race/bike race/fight/marathon. It sure makes actual exercise much more enjoyable. You're choice of "Eye of the Tiger" for your weight loss would also be mine. All such montages should end by triumphantly mounting the steps of the Philadelphia Museum and lifting one's arms in victory!
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