Gliding Along

Gliding. The description of most people's lives. John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." We're all gliding. We go to our jobs, we come home, we eat a similar meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, we watch some tv and we get into the same bed night after night. We're creatures of habit. We can't wait for the weekend so we have an excuse to do nothing. Is that a bad thing? Is the constant desire for travel and excitement actually contrary to human nature? Is monotony actually bliss? Is traveling once a year sufficient for most of us?   We're all just gliding through life in our own little cages, no more significant than a hamster or a gerbil. 

Speaking of cages, I was talking to some friends the other night and the subject of prison came up. Somebody said, "How bad can it be? You get up, eat a provided meal, watch some TV, read a great book and maybe even play on the computer." After giving it some thought, it didn't seem much different from how many of my friends live. Self-employed, staying in their apartments 20 hours a day, plinking away on the computer. Except in prison you get free food, free rent and free health care. Maybe the trick is, once you get to be about 70 and money is getting tight, go rob a bank. No gun, no weapon, no bomb threats. Just a simple note slipped to the teller--"Give me all the money or else." Then slowly walk away and put up no resistance when the police come. You plead guilty and have the rest of your life to kick back in a minimum security prison and relax. Beats an old folks home. And, think of all the interesting characters you'd meet. I'm fairly certain they segregate elderly prisoners in federal penitentiaries. Better yet, buy a one way ticket to Norway where the prisons are supposed to be wonderful. 

I think I've decided on my "elder plan." 

Not long ago at MoMa. People on the outside curious as to what's going on on the inside.

Walking in Central Park I found the very tree type that must have inspired camouflage.

Evidently graffiti artists feel as though their first amendment rights are being violated by not being able to tag (paint) all over every blank surface in the city.