Day: March 23, 2023

Wednesday’s in the land of the talis is date night. We partake in a number of interesting and off the cuff experiences, but most often we retire to watch movies. Our movie last night was Shakespeare in Love, a John Madden film starring Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow. Let me start by saying this is among the best work I’ve seen these two leads do, and they work very well together. This is not the point of the argument, however. Instead, I wanted to write about love and about the bard and about the muse and all of the things that come together in my writer’s mind.

I first saw this film in my late college years. I was already pretending to be/working at being a writer of sorts. I was a Shakespeare guy at the time and, though my knowledge has faded, was most in love with the idea of love and romance be it unrequited or not. Here is a simple truth. The most romantic love is the tragic love. When those who want each other are kept apart it makes the longing ever so deeper. Such is the way of this film, such is the way of Shakespeare’s work, such is the way of all things that are good and far from abundant. I forget from time to time that desire is the thread that connects us all and connects us each to something ephemeral. Often motivators stress that you ought to find what you love and do that. I suggest you ought to find what you want and pursue that, for it is in the chasing that you find the most pleasure. Thi is as true of work as it is of love, for isn’t it when we are most complacent that we are most lost?

This, I think, is where I have forgotten myself. I became complacent in writing. At times I do become complacent in love. Such things never end well. Instead, I think, the wanting is the thing. The finding new things to want within what you have is too the thing. So, I mean to turn my pursuits in that direction. Love can be deeper, richer, and more meaningful. Such a quest can be endless. Writing can be more visual, more effective, and too, more meaningful. I don’t need to chase Gibson or King. I need only to chase that ephemeral 8 yr old who believed he could write for all the world.

The Jets are practically screaming, “Watch me!!!” They traded away Elijah Moore shortly after signing Mecole Hardman, the erstwhile speedster who could not quite fit in the KC scheme. He does fit the new Jets mold as a field stretcher opposite or even teamed with Lazard, and a host of very scary WR options in what is clearly shaping up as a four wide set. The reverberations of that move can be felt all the way in KC where former NYG WR ‘Joka’ Toney is looking more and more like their guy. I like it. I’m excited to see these fellas excel.

I’m more excited to see my own kids excel. I get the feeling my little one may get a chance to fill a spot on the Varsity roster. The team looks rather thin as is, and while this isn’t a good thing, it is a chance for the coaches to evaluate everyone, and figure out who can play and at what level. I went through the team meeting tonight and enjoyed Coach Molander’s level of preparedness and clearly shaped and nuanced gameplan for the offseason. He is starting from scratch and he’ building traditions and he clearly gives a damn. That is enough and maybe it will be enough to get my kids inspired and team-facing for the first time in a while. It is what they need in order to achieve the success of college offers they so clearly hope to gain.

Meanwhile, I’m just living the good life in my Madden season. I took over the Giants and, after a couple of SB losses, have them rocking an undefeated season with eyes on the big prize at the end. I’m building the dynasty I alway wanted and I’m doing it from the draft–not free agency–so I have cash to resign players. Perhaps not all of them. Some big name trades will be inevitable. Saquon is probably getting traded for picks next season, so the new RBs can get some growth in the system. All of this is fun and games. Sports are fun and games, but we put so much on the process and the outcome.