Monday, April 14, 2008

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Clichés are so problematic in that they're almost always entirely contradictory. Granted, I use them, though I don't always understand them. For instance, you always hear the age old dictum that there can't ever be too much of a good thing, and in the same breath, that everything is good within moderation.

Then I find myself wondering what defines 'too much' and what exactly is 'moderation'?

How can you tell when you've gone too far, when you've blurred the line between sensible indulgences and major indecencies? How do you decide when to just give something up, put something down, throw something out, or just fucking move on, already?

When one glass of wine turns into an empty bottle in your hands, secured just barley by a weakened grasp, and bison turn into buffalo, turn into bison, turn into happy tears among friends, and torrents of text messages returned or unread, hand crafted with good intentions by the tips of other peoples' fingers.

There are so many things that I should be doing right now – 'right now' of both the literal and elusive variety. I have exams to study for. A trip to plan. A job to secure. And an outfit to find for tonight. Guess which item sits atop my dreaded list of things to do.

Lets just say I'm not working on my resume.

My friends and I have spent a few weeks discussing these conflicting mock-truisms. Are we playing with fire, or are we just getting warmed up. As another cliché would warn, if one plays with fire, then one gets burned. Do you ever get close enough just to feel the heat and retreat to the safe zone, or do the sprinklers go off without warning?

None of us really want to get burned. Maybe just a little bit wet, though.

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