dyspepsia

[sanpaku_backup]

On our recent trip to Philadelphia, we were graciously invited to a synagogue dinner on Friday night, and I ate a delicious piece of chicken. Around 2 am the following morning, I started experiencing severe gastrointestinal distress, manifesting itself in unpleasant ways including a general nausea at the thought of savory food. It comes and goes but generally has still not abated. I'm not saying that the chicken caused all this, but the association in my mind is always there, perhaps because I eat meat so rarely.

That's where I am these days. Perhaps on account of that I find myself longing for a LiveJournal Dislikes tool of the one that verbminx has on her User Info list. (Many of which I agree with, incidentally -- the disliking of them, that is.) Alas, the Web tool has since disappeared, though it's one of those things that would be pretty easy to craft with some dedicated HTML time.

I have thought for many years (and even written, I think) how much more a Dislikes list would reveal of me than my Interests list. This would also save me the trouble of engaging in rants in other people's journals, where I really can't help myself. Someone writes about Richard Dawkins and I feel duty-bound to explain that I hate, despise, and mock sociobiology. And just now I unburdened myself about that fucking nimrod David Brooks to someone else, as though anyone cares about my personal Weltanschauung. I could go on, but why? A Dislikes list would simplify everything. And so many otherwise nice people enthuse over at least one thing that makes me question my own presence in the dark void of existence. I know that listing of Meat Loaf (or whatever) on your Interests list is not something I am ever going to comprehend, much less change through imprecation. So we would just get that all out of the way, and you would have a license to reflexively dismiss my crankiness, and we could get on with the rest of this here Mutual Admiration Society.

This would offend only slightly fewer people than my other grand LJ plan, spurred on by my recent post about my own personal Newman, of writing up synopses of everyone in the world who, legitimately or otherwise, I think hates my guts. Each story would be interesting. But somehow every time I warm up to the subject I am far from the keyboard. Don't worry; I'll never do it. Dyspepsia, as I said. Pay no mind.

Comments

gonzo!

[flw.livejournal.com]

First of all, how did she do that?

that's out the way. Do you really want to define yourself negatively? No, you don't. Also, when you go on tirades in other people's journals, please, please post the results in your journal. I'd be most interested. Then I can get out there and back you up with some genuine HST style gonzo writing. I'm even better at it than he was, if you ask me.

Re: gonzo!

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

how did she do that?

There's a Web tool at some site that's now defunct. I think if you click on the "Dislikes" it will try to take you there, but you get a 404.

I dunno. I don't like reprinting tirades because the implication is something like "not only do I think this person you like is a jerk, I need to reprint it so everyone on my friendslist knows that this person YOU LIKED is a jerk," and that seems mean.

It wouldn't be entirely negatively, since the Interests are still there. But it's a fact: I do define myself negatively, like you, like all of us. So might as well do it as cleanly as possible, is the thinking.

[msmidge.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind if you ranted about David Brooks everywhere. I really don't see why that guy (as well as a few of the other NYT columnists) has a job telling people his opinion, as his opinion is usually stupid.

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

What drives me apeshit is that he pretends it's not partisan, it's just social observation that just HAPPENS to dovetail with the party line. It's his trademark maneuver. E.g. today's column, Democrats love terrorists, real Amurricans don't, ergo Amurricans like Alito and dislike Democrats. It's the last part, the "this is just how Amurricans are, and I'm just describing how they got that way, and if only Democrats would listen to me they would do better" that makes me want to punch him in the head.

I didn't find him so bad as a TV commentator, but his writing is so unbelievably smug. He's contrarian enough on just enough occasions to make me read him nevertheless, to drive myself crazy, I suppose.

[librarygrrl.livejournal.com]

Is that all that happened in Philadelphia, hmmm?

Well, you should know that Jay is now quite taken with your daughter as well as with Mr. Doodles.

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to update! Sorry! I meant to send a note thanking you for the food and the lovely company. We had a great time and Mister Doodles was very grateful that Jay allowed her into the house. She will remember that fondly, assuming she can remember anything.