Long Slow Distance
Drinking Wine, Changing Tides, and Mazzy Star
In 2006, The Strokes would release “First Impressions of Earth”, a beautiful record critics would nit pick to obscurity in the bands catalogue. I love this record, it was one of the first vinyl records that I ever owned. Julian would sing on Electricityscape “I wish two drinks were always in me… Take me to the water, make me understand that I was wrong”. I bring this up to say that I’m coming up on three years without a drink, and this past week I have wanted to drink so bad. I haven't, but god, two glasses of wine? Do you have any idea how good that would feel? You probably do, you probably also wouldn’t puke and call your ex- girlfriend like I probably would if I had two glasses of wine.
I was reading an old interview with Jason Dill, professional skateboarder and founder of Fucking Awesome, who is now sober talk about how much he loved drinking. He’s in the ballpark of a decade sober and speaks fondly of his years of substance abuse, speaking highly of the fun but also how much better off he is now. Even almost 3 years removed I look back on alcohol so fondly. I had incredibly nights drunk running down the river banks in Italy, dancing to my favorite bands, making out on dance floors (sorry). That doesn’t mean I should start drinking again, but lord knows I don’t demonize it. Two glasses of wine was always such a beautiful thing to me, enough for that beautiful head rush, food tasted better, the world was your oyster after 2 glasses of wine.
Turns out the world can also be your oyster without wine. I won’t lie, this election shit has really got me down and for the sake of everyone, I won’t continue to spew unwanted political views out into the black hole that is the internet. I’m disgusted, embarrassed, deeply saddened, and above all, mad as hell. But shit talk is what they want, hate is what they want, we can’t do shit divided and they know that. So if this is what we’ve got, then it’s more important now that ever to take care of ourselves so we can take care of each other. That, my friends, is why I will not be drinking despite my romantic view of it. We need love, we need clear minds, we need each other, we need to band together now so the next shot we have, we don’t miss. The next four years are going to be wild and if we keep our heads, the tides can change, and you better believe the tides will change.
I was listening to Mazzy Stars “Halah” this morning as it rained, both of these photos stuck in my head as I did mental gymnastics to get my day moving.
“Halah”
We’ll slow dance
to Mazzy Star
as the disco ball
above our heads dances
in the light.
My cigarette burned fingers
locked in yours,
you hold me close,
When our eyes meet,
our lips lock,
gasping for breath
through our noses
because I wouldn’t dare
take my lips from yours.
I won’t let this moment go,
I won’t ruin it
with words
your heartbeat
tangled in mine,
for what feels like, forever.
This is what we’re going for, sweat, nail polish, jewelry, sun glasses inside, unshaven faces, smiles. My page will continue to be a safe place, we shall overcome.