It is, surely, a question that many of you have not pondered. I know Mr. P has openly questioned just what would happen to this bog of irrelevance and pith when the life of your humble author could no longer be judged misspent.
It is surely true that as time has progressed this site has gone through its share of growing pains and metamorphoses. From the early days of daily reflections and ruminations, to the halcyon days of trenchant commentary and analysis, to what has now become something close to senility.
I have continued through a easily observable lack of material for a simple reason, and that is this site's serving as something of a playground for something of a higher-minded readership. This is a place where you don't expect to read about art or politics or international affairs. There is something very pleasing, in real life and as Misspent, in playing the fool. Much like the man who refrains from using harsh words for those times when a few well-placed expletives will have the greatest impact, I find myself happiest when I am free from any expectations to be always on, to be one of those bloggers that needs to constantly have wise insight into whatever the New York Times happens to splash on their front page. This has served me well when I have not had access to or the time to read newspapers or watch any sort of newscast.
But, whatever insight or analysis I do proffer on this blog has to do with the angst of being a young man struggling to find "things." I do not want to use such heavy words such as "himself" or "a purpose." To do so would be to impart an unnecessary and inappropriate level of seriousness to whatever it is that is done here. Contrary to popular opinion, I am not some existential Werther-like figure pining away for things like Love and Beauty. I am rather more practical that than. If I am pining for anything, it is the opportunity to find a better outlet for my pining.
All this being said, what happens when I move on to graduate school? Will my life continue to be Misspent? Hasn't all this angst been just working up to my matriculation? Well, I should say that your fears are misplaced. I am predisposed to feelings of Misspentishness and no matter where I go I will always be somewhat Misspent. You see, to be misspent does not have anything to do with the future, but it has everything to do with the past. I have been Misspent and will thus always continue to be at least in part Misspent.
The one thing that you do need to fear, however, is time. It may be that I will have to go away because I don't have the energies or resources to throw even the most ridiculous inanities up for your reading pleasure. But, you may say, if you don't have time for this perhaps your life will not be so Misspent after all? To that I say, if I no longer have the time to be Misspent then my life is being most assuredly misspent.
Isn't it interesting that so many blogs have come and gone, but you, Misspent, roll on?
I think that the secret of your success is that everyone can be themselves (or anyone they feel like being) without fear of not having sounded profound enough.
It's just fun to have fun. And your blog is where everyone loves to come to do that.
Posted by: Cardinal | 22 March 2005 at 05:19
Those words sound like a song Misspent would listen to.
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium | 22 March 2005 at 05:26
Misspent, you have a great blog. You also have a great job, a great family and some good friends. What happened? Did someone send you some hate mail or perhaps critical mail? I thought your post was going to announce that you got into Georgetown or better yet (for us) Michigan. Living in Michigan would be considered by some to be a fate worse than living in NJ. And there is not a decent pizza place in Ann Arbor...By the by, John Delorean died in the very same hospital in which I was born; Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. Are you in Atlanta and taking the Princess out for a birthday dinner?
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium | 22 March 2005 at 05:37
John Delorean lived in a house on our street at one time.
Posted by: the Cardinal's wife | 22 March 2005 at 06:11
If you don't have time to keep a diary then you are in serious trouble. You should ALWAYS keep a diary, even if it is just a litany of nonsense like mine or the Jacksons', because it is a record of things you thought and felt at a particular time, and these will be things you will need to check up on in the future - or else your soul will stagnate.
Posted by: stephenesque | 22 March 2005 at 06:19
I just had a few minutes today and thought I'd write something. I am not in ATL but made sure someone took her out to lunch.
Posted by: Misspent | 22 March 2005 at 06:21
You know, I've never seen Mr P and John DeLorean in the same place at the same time?
Hmmm...
Posted by: Roger Smith | 22 March 2005 at 06:29
Today is my brother's birthday too. And you know what, I've never seen him and the Princess together. Never.
Hmmm...
Posted by: Cardinal | 22 March 2005 at 06:33
I'm glad to know that Stephenesque doesn't think our (the P's) souls have stagnated. He just thinks the rest of us has...Anyway most intriguing about the Deloreans being your former neighbors Cardinals. His wife Christina said that the way she controled her weight was to dine naked at home of course. I would think that if wifey was in her birthday suit so would her hubby. Is this why the Cardinal used to walk the dog so frequently at night?
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium | 22 March 2005 at 06:50
Delorean lived there with his first wife. And this was
before we moved in. His house had a beautiful view of the driving range.
Posted by: the Cardinal's wife | 22 March 2005 at 07:07