ajar

A jar is heaven for pickles.

I got to thinking yesterday about the two singles released by Duran Duran in the early 90's. I believe one was called 'Ordinary World' and the other was called 'Undone,' perhaps? Anyway, I liked those songs then, but have only now started to put them into perspective. They're very different than the songs DD released in their heyday. There are no signs of hedonism or songs about reckless good times. These songs dealt with a bit more than that. 'Ordinary' seems to be a song about someone who has lived the high life, but now has to figure out a way to survive in a world where they are not all-powerful. The glow has worn off and they seem to be somewhat adrift. They want something, and what they want is a way into the world we ordinary folks inhabit. For a rock band built on the celebration of carousing and good times, to express a wish like this is almost unheard of. It's practically revolutionary.

Then we come to 'Undone'. Undone takes it a little further. Undone is written from the perspective of someone who has fallen to earth: Lost/in a snow-filled sky.. Who do you need? Who do you love? When you come undone?

Again, no glamor here. Just a bare-bones account of a fall from grace. Still, being Duran Duran, the song sounds terrific. It's kind of like sand -- both gritty and smooth.

Sometime I'd like to get the album these songs came off of and compare it to some of their classic stuff. I think the latter tunes hold up pretty well, and show evolution. And that's a thing I always like to see.

the one after 400

I was in a meeting yesterday. I was in a lot of meetings yesterday. I stayed present for as much of each meeting as I could, but as it will, my mind got to wandering throughout the day. A central question it grappled with was this: If we are all silverware, which am I -- a knife, a spoon or a fork? This is a question we all ask ourselves at various points in our life, and at different points in our life we've probably all been all three of those dining implements. However, taking the long view, I have to say that I am probably...a spoon. Yep. A spoon. Generally harmless, handy in very certain situations, and never one to cut into more than I can chew.

Now I know a lot of people would say I'm a fork. Indeed, a lot of people have said I'm a real fork over the years. Only they didn't quite say it that way.

Forkers.