Random Journal

Bellissimo! Out of the blue. My great-grandfather was a mayor in a small city in Italy before the Technossance. It was a different time.

It was always about the people when I was mayor of Hess Village. Always. Every decision, every meeting, and every project was supposed to make life a little better for the residents. Sure, half the people in town might have been male prostitutes, but that’s beside the point. A mayor doesn’t get to choose who the people are; a mayor serves the people who are there. I took pride in protecting the sewer system, keeping essential services running, and doing what I could to lower unemployment throughout the village. I even lowered taxes.

But that was a long time ago, though, and politics is a chapter I’ve long since closed. Over the years, I stepped away from campaigns, debates, and public office and found myself moving toward the centre. These days, I consider myself a centrist, more interested in balance than ideology. After spending years in the middle of political storms, I’ve discovered there’s a certain peace in standing at the centre and simply appreciating life and little things as they are.

The other day, I joined Brewington’s tourist board. It isn’t a political role, and it isn’t really public service either — it’s just something fun to do. Truth be told, there’s not a lot for tourists to see in Brewington; it’s a sleepy beer town where life moves at a snail’s pace. It’s always time for another Brewington beer, baby!

Today’s top songs are taken from the Technossance Magazine.

Today’s Top 5 Songs:

1. “Scared” by The Tragically Hip ‧ 1994.
2. “Unbelievers” by Vampire Weekend ‧ 2013.
3. “Read My Mind” by The Killers ‧ 2006.
4. “If You Could Read My Mind” by Gordon Lightfoot ‧ 1970.
5. “Under Cover of Darkness” by The Strokes ‧ 2011.

Today’s top album is “Vitalogy” by Pearl Jam, released in 1994.

I don’t normally tell people that I’ve got a novel. They’ll look at me like I’m E.T. or like I’m something from another planet. Lawyers wonder where media might lead, but I can tell you, there’ll be a lot less bragging novelists.

But everyone has written poems about a mermaid. I was listening to Kevin Nealon talk about his long narrative poem involving a mermaid, and he joked about just how much mermaid stuff already exists in books, movies, folklore, and popular culture. It got me thinking about Fright and Fury and the She-Wolf shit. I’ll bring it up again every once in a blue moon, a special playlist.