is there more joy in a winning lotto ticket, a bingo call, or the instantaneous thrill –
or building that wall, brick by brick, no, I do not like that aesthetic, I prefer the old stone walls I see in various states upon these old roads and places here in the north east where I cut my teeth hiking as a kid, I might imagine there is the same in many towns, in other countries, other pastures, other chains of hills, historical lines, or just the outline of a property some time ago, I imagine that first day, looking out at seemingly impossible, wishing, that with the snap of a finger’s snap could all be done, knowing this is not the case, knowing, that some days the will not be there or the sun will bear down and melt you into your shirt, dirt, dirt invading every nook, and each little cut from a shrub, or a little sharp rock, a badger-ous root or two, stacking stones, in a line, in a groove, knowing this might outlast, even you, just the same, a quarter done, you realize that the last bit is not so straight, so you must tumble down, strip down to start once more, but not from total scratch, for now you have more experience to avoid that trap, hopefully, there is a timeline fumbling about in your head, a wondering if you are up to the task, you could just buy some prefab substitute, and most would be none the wiser, but not you, a puzzle of pieces that never quite fit, but only have to fit to sit, in the kingdom of gravity that will rule them hence, this igneous fence that will never quite keep out a soul, or a fox, or who knows, more symbol than function, more monument than form, perhaps the megalithic past is in your bones, where this all began, the plight of task, but unlike the ox under yoke, we can appreciate the tilling and rise, the harvest of effort, to behold.
and then one day the final corner stretch, I think I can now sit and marvel what time has wrought and through time we travel, but yet, might I bother you for that winning ticket, that instant… just to compare to this, for comparison’s sake…

there is something about places like these, at least to me, I have seen long lines of stones like this.. and wondered, was this a house, a fence, a fort, or? mostly in the catskills when I was a kid, but also around various parts on the outskirts of towns, I always wanted to build my own, not some neat landscape trope we see often, a rock by rock wall, something seems so primitive, but yet so human, an the endeavor itself, this wall is not blocking anything, an ant, a snake, a fox.. no… no intruder is rerouted by this simple mount, a call back to our megalithic selves, perhaps… and maybe that is the appeal, the roots, the dirt in your nails, the sun beaming down as the rocks cover ground, the delight in a lemonade in the late afternoon, after you have laid out a monument, of sorts, not for show, not for sport, for time, and maybe to inspire a generation that forgot…

so there you go… a double post, sort of, it is what it is… and on a totally different note (if you read this far) I also do movie/TV reviews.. I just finished Asteroid City, did not post about it yet… let’s just say I love the experience of the movie but the emotional aspect is lacking compared to other of his works… but anyway, that post/review will come…