descent into misanthropism

In 1930, J.K. Leopold penned the following letter to an unnamed confidant:

I tire of seeing people around every corner. No place can I go where there aren't hordes of people doing the same damn thing that I'm doing. It's like a gathering of ignorant beasts I tell you! Less so, like a swarm of insects. mindless insects never questioning their existence.

I have no doubt that if i took the time to get to know most any one of these individuals I'd probably grow to like them. I might even love a few. However, for the most part, it is not the individual that chafes but the mass of individuals.

Every year the population grows in leaps and bounds. I have a secret wish that there will be a report one day soon that the population is actually shrinking. This would clearly mean that more people died than were born. When a tragic accident occurs and is broadcast on the radio and written in the papers, I hear the numbers of those killed and think "that means this counteracts the X number of babies born". Again, my hope being that more will die than are born. Horrible, yes?

-J.K. Leopold

confessions of a tree-hugger

i have always been a big fan of trees. i climbed them when i was about 3 or 4. i once ran away into the forest when i was about the same age. this has been rather constant. as an adult i try to jungle-ize my yard with trees. one of my favorite things at disney...swiss family robinson tree house. plus, i have always hated how developers move into an area and cut down all the natural trees to build houses and walmarts. beautiful areas of natural beauty cut down for progress and for paper. on a less global scale, when anyone tells me they need to cut this tree down or that tree down, i usually say "why? youll miss all the shade it provides."

the other day on a cruise boat i had an epiphany.

i was in the bathroom. i finished washing my hands and i had the option for paper towels or air-dry system to dry my hands. i thought "what does the ship do with all the used paper towels?" well they must dump them or put them somewhere. then i thought the obvious...trees are cut to dry my hands to be dumped in a landfill.

im part of the problem. every time i use a paper towel to dry water off my hands im supporting the over-killing of trees. how many trees get cut just to dry my hands?

"my hands must be dry dammit all!

if you think about it, its really kind of effeminate and weak and silly.

"i must wipe the icky clean water off my hands!"

its madness. i decided on that very cruise that i would cease and desist using paper towels after washing my hands. i'll use the air-blower if available and if not i'll just wipe my hands on my pants.

afterall, its just water.

the cast

hero: maybe a forlorn monk or maybe a lonely travelling mystic.

damsel: good, sweet, & innocent, given in marriage to an evil, unruly and drunken king.

damsel's father: retired warrior, good natured, kind-hearted

damsel's mother: dark, mysterious, uses her dark magic to sow chaos and discord. she often wears a saintly habit to hide the darkness beneath.

damsel's siblings: 2 brothers and a sister all of varying evil nature.

villain: evil, unruly, and drunken king

premise: the damsel marries the villain unbknowing of his evil nature. together the damsel and the villain have two children. a mix of good and evil is present in each child, but which side will prevail? the good or the evil. the damsel gets away from the king and in hiding raises her children on her own. enter the hero. he falls in love with the damsel and takes her on with the two children. as the children grow their nature becomes more apparent...what will happen, im on the edge of my seat!


P33, your thoughts?