Must be something in the air

While I was driving to work this morning, I heard the new John Fogerty song "Deja Vu All Over Again," a fine, straight ahead protest song that few seem to actually be noticing because it's laid back, laconic and so, so hummable. (Listen to it online here.) My favorite local station KMTT has been playing it pretty regularly; I believe the disc, if it's not out already, is supposed to be in stores tomorrow. I've never listened to Fogerty regularly, but it looks like it may be worth seeking out.

My point, however, is that while I was listening to the song, I found myself idly wondering what John Lennon would be up to politically if he were alive today, thinking that we need John now. When I came into work, I found the following two items in my In Box:

FBI Ordered to Turn Over Lennon Files
John Lennon Musical Set for Broadway

One is pop, the other political, just like John. Kinda diggin' it.

The Debate

Just a few thoughts here:

It seems as though Bush was instructed and rehearsed to do one simple thing: repeat the same few sentences over and over again. It's the Big Lie theory of rhetoric: say the same thing over and over again in an effort to make people think that it's true. But it made him look as though he'd stopped thinking about the issues: He'd made up his mind and that was the end of it.

John Kerry presented more nuanced thinking, a more sophisticated approach. I got the feeling that his thinking was more nimble, able to adapt to changing conditions in the world. This is key for a world leader.

I was delighted when Kerry slammed Bush by quoting Bush's father on the Gulf War. I was pleased to hear Kerry hit Bush with the idea that it's one thing to be certain and stuck versus to be certain but able to adapt to new situations.

I was flabbergasted when Bush didn't understand Kerry's point about Bin Laden using the American occupation of Iraq as a motivator for terrorists. My mouth dropped open. Bush's response to Kerry's point was almost unintelligible.

I would have liked to see Kerry really hit Bush harder, corner him on the issue of not working with the UN on Iraq but insisting on working with the UN in other parts of the world. I would have like to see Kerry slam Bush on the whole business about the International Court, about international treaties.

Overall, however, I still think that tonight was key for Kerry and that in the end, Kerry made a better showing. I suspect that America is a little tired of Bush-as-Johnny-One-Note, and I think tonight Kerry showed America what it's like to listen to a more sophisticated musician. Tonight it was Bush-0 Kerry-1.

I'm looking forward to the Vice-Presidential debates next week. That's gonna be good.

Time to try something else

Mentioned recently that I was working on a revision of a story I wrote earlier this summer. This morning, after two hours of agonizing over the manuscript (in the wake of several mornings doing the same), I decided it was time to move on to another project. I know I told a couple of people that I wanted them to look at the story, but the truth is that I know what the fundamental issue is with it without other eyes: I know what happens in the story, but I haven’t really figured out what the story is about or how to really convey that. Until I figure that out, I can’t move forward with it.

Which sucks. I’ve put hours and hours into this thing, and I think there’s some really good writing there, but every time I get to the end, it’s clear that I haven’t brought things to a decisive, satisyfing conclusion. And no matter what I do with it, I can’t seem to get there from here. So, off to something else.

I hate this feeling, though. I hate feeling as though I’ve left yet another piece unfinished. My dear skidspoppe tells me he thinks it’s the sign of a maturing writer to know when it’s time to let something alone for a while, and I love him for it. Maybe if I tell myself that enough, that just by recognizing this I’ve learned something, it’ll be enough. We'll see.

In the meanwhile (::sigh::), on to something else.