Monday, November 29, 2004
On a recent sojourn back to the old university, I had the opportunity to eat at the campus pizza establishment, Koronets Pizza. While eating the massive slice, I had some time for drunken reflection.
The plain slice used to cost $2. At the time, we considered the extra $1 for a topping so extravagant that our standard bet (a la Trading Places) was a slice with two, count 'em, two toppings. And one of the highlights of the week was when an old pedophilic (not that I blame him) alumnus of my co-ed frarority bought each of us a slice after meeting.
How things have changed. In a timespan short enough for some of my underwear to span it (albeit having aged markedly), we've gone from being happy with $2 pizza and free fraternity beer, to thinking nothing of dropping $200 on a steak dinner and a night of drinking. It's gotten so bad that I've had to have my pants retrofitted with Nomex pockets as a prophylactic in case my Amex bursts into flames.
Is that the sound of you not feeling sorry for me? Well sod off [or whatever is the cool British slang we're using these days].
And I fear things are just going to get worse. I can't anticipate having an attainable amount of money which would be "enough" when your lifestyle adjusts upward to the new equilibrium required by having that wealth. "The G4 needs a new what?" And you can't get off the treadmill, because everyone else will stay on it and you will be a loser. I guess that's really the appeal of Communism to the incompetent and to the lazy college professors. If the treadmill is broken, we won't have to run!
What is that sound? Is it you saying, "No shit Descartes. I don't think you're covering new ground here?" Bugger you, chap!
A stoner I once knew (still know, but don't know how to contact) posited that there is a leisure class on both ends of the socio-economic spectrum. I thought this was wise at first, but now I realize that it is completely wrong. The poor have to spend their time figuring out how to fill out the forms for government cheese, and the rich have to spend their time meeting with lawyers and accountants to figure out how not to have to pay for government cheese. I'm thinking here that the full-time student might be the closest we can come to the leisure class. Also prisoners, but being forced to have anal sex is somewhat less appealing than being convinced by your boyfriend that you'd do it if you loved him.
This is getting weird so I'll stop. Also I have to go uptown and get a slice with 9 toppings.
The plain slice used to cost $2. At the time, we considered the extra $1 for a topping so extravagant that our standard bet (a la Trading Places) was a slice with two, count 'em, two toppings. And one of the highlights of the week was when an old pedophilic (not that I blame him) alumnus of my co-ed frarority bought each of us a slice after meeting.
How things have changed. In a timespan short enough for some of my underwear to span it (albeit having aged markedly), we've gone from being happy with $2 pizza and free fraternity beer, to thinking nothing of dropping $200 on a steak dinner and a night of drinking. It's gotten so bad that I've had to have my pants retrofitted with Nomex pockets as a prophylactic in case my Amex bursts into flames.
Is that the sound of you not feeling sorry for me? Well sod off [or whatever is the cool British slang we're using these days].
And I fear things are just going to get worse. I can't anticipate having an attainable amount of money which would be "enough" when your lifestyle adjusts upward to the new equilibrium required by having that wealth. "The G4 needs a new what?" And you can't get off the treadmill, because everyone else will stay on it and you will be a loser. I guess that's really the appeal of Communism to the incompetent and to the lazy college professors. If the treadmill is broken, we won't have to run!
What is that sound? Is it you saying, "No shit Descartes. I don't think you're covering new ground here?" Bugger you, chap!
A stoner I once knew (still know, but don't know how to contact) posited that there is a leisure class on both ends of the socio-economic spectrum. I thought this was wise at first, but now I realize that it is completely wrong. The poor have to spend their time figuring out how to fill out the forms for government cheese, and the rich have to spend their time meeting with lawyers and accountants to figure out how not to have to pay for government cheese. I'm thinking here that the full-time student might be the closest we can come to the leisure class. Also prisoners, but being forced to have anal sex is somewhat less appealing than being convinced by your boyfriend that you'd do it if you loved him.
This is getting weird so I'll stop. Also I have to go uptown and get a slice with 9 toppings.
