Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
It started out innocently enough. I began to think at thingytail parties. Now and then -- just to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker. I began to think alone -- "to relax," I told myself -- but I knew it wasn't true. Thinking became more and more important to me, and finally I was thinking all the time.
That was when things began to sour at home. One evening I had turned off the TV and asked my wife about the meaning of life. She spent that night at her mother's.
I began to think on the job. I knew that thinking and employment don't mix, but I couldn't stop myself. I began to avoid friends at lunchtime so I could read Thoreau and Kafka. I would return to the office dizzied and confused, asking, "What is it exactly we are doing here?"
One day the boss called me in. He said, "Listen, I like you, and it hurts me to say this, but your thinking has become a real problem. If you don't stop thinking on the job, you'll have to find another job." This gave me a lot to think about.
I came home early after my conversation with the boss. "Honey," I confessed, "I've been thinking ..." "I know you've been thinking," she said, "and I want a divorce!" "But honey, surely it's not that serious." "It is serious," she said, lower lip aquiver. "You think as much as college professors, and college professors don't make any money, so if you keep on thinking, we won't have any money!" "That's a faulty syllogism," I said impatiently. She exploded in tears of rage and frustration, but I was in no mood to deal with the emotional drama. "I'm going to the library," I snarled as I stomped out the door.
I headed for the library, in the mood for some Nietzsche. I roared into the parking lot with NPR on the radio and ran up to the big glass doors.... They didn't open. The library was closed. To this day, I believe that a Higher Power was looking out for me that night.
As I sank to the ground, clawing at the unfeeling glass, whimpering for Zarathustra, a poster caught my eye. "Friend, is heavy thinking ruining your life?" it asked. You probably recognize that line. It comes from the standard Thinker's Anonymous poster.
Which is why I am what I am today: a recovering thinker. I never miss a TA meeting. At each meeting we watch a non-educational video; last week it was "Porky's." Then we share experiences about how we avoided thinking since the last meeting.
I still have my job, and things are a lot better at home. Life just seemed... easier, somehow, as soon as I stopped thinking. I think the road to recovery is nearly complete for me.
Post by ClarkGriswold on May 13, 2005 1:49:13 GMT -5
Excellent food for thought Bella. I thought about this a bit, and I must say your eloquence absolutely blows me away. I think Nietzsche would agree with your thought process. I think I’ll have to think about giving this a try. Yes indeed good times. Good Stuff
Well I'm *thinking* that Bellakey is harshing unnecessarily on my fellow Repubs and that ClarkG is an obvious idiot for commending "eloquence" on an obvious Internet cut 'n' paste.
If I hear Bobby Weir open his gray-grizzled yap about "voting to change the way things are going" again, I'll puke (Hey Bob - fat and gray-bearded worked for the other guy; not you. Go back to the LaCoste shoppe)
Post by bellakabey on May 13, 2005 19:30:51 GMT -5
Jellyfish said:
Suck my big fat thingy.
Ouch. ???
I just thought it was amusing. And indeed, an internet floater. So even skipping the last sentence, it's still interesting reading. At least, I think so.
BTW, thingytail party was supposed to be c0cktail party. But why change it now? Maybe I'll plan a thingytail party before Roo, to get me in the mood!
Post by ClarkGriswold on May 14, 2005 0:32:52 GMT -5
Jellyfish said:
ClarkG is an obvious idiot for commending "eloquence" on an obvious Internet cut 'n' paste.
Jelly, I meant that figuratively not literally. I'm offended, but there really is no need for me to define my existence through your acceptance. Have a good ROO.
As a Libertarian, I think pretty much every politician (on the federal level, anyway) except Ron Paul is a sick, twisted, lying SOB who'll do anything to get reelected regardless of what's in line with our Constitution or what is best for the nation. That includes 99.9% of Republicans and 100% of Democrats.
This thread put a similar taste in my mouth, Jelly, although I'd say my reaction was a bit different! Strange that this all came up, though. I thought we were going to Roo to listen to great music, be ourselves, and meet new and interesting people... Guess I was wrong. Can someone please explain why politics have to enter into it? Anyone?
Post by jambandjohn on May 15, 2005 16:55:57 GMT -5
"harshing unnecessarily" ?
It's called humor, gently poking fun at something. No name calling involved or necessary. An amusing story with a twist. An anecdote requiring a bit of thought....
PS - Bobby can yap all he wants because, like ol' Ted Nugent waving around his assault rifle going off about the Bill of Rights, he choose to become involved. Still a semi-free country, deal with it.
Post by bellakabey on May 15, 2005 22:55:38 GMT -5
Sigh. I created this string because I thought the content was thought provoking. I think it's easy to be a lemming and go with the flow ... technology is changing so quickly and we struggle to keep up, people are focused on keeping their families together and attempting to make better lives for their kids, we don't get enough sleep so we get fat midsections and then have a greater chance for heart disease, sex can kill us, and natural disasters keep taking many fine people off this earth earlier than all their families and friends are prepared for. So some days it's easy to be a lemming; it's the best we can do to follow the herd and hope for the best. This email struck me because I used to read more and argue more and act more; it reminded me of what I'm missing by watching too much TV and spending too many late hours on the internet instead of with a good book.
I honestly didn't pay hardly any attention to the last line when I posted this text. I had no intention of it becoming a politically divisive post. Only thought maybe somebody else would be stirred as I was to think about how much thinking we really do. So I'm editing out the last line in hopes of keeping the focus where I intended it to be.
