Day in Fog

I know, not as bad as Night and Fog, and I'm not referring to the brilliant Alain Resnais' 1955 film by the same title, but rather how time passes. Similar to shadow figures cavorting on the walls of my private cave. Enveloped by exaggerated ego, sound the trumpets for the arrival of the Captain Buffoon.

Have you ever known anyone that will listen...not so carefully to what you're saying. Digest it partially from a distance. Then, repeat exactly what you JUST said, but slowly and deliberately as if they'd just thought of it? Making your observation their own? That could actually be a bit of a compliment, but it's insufferable when that someone repeats some philosophical notion, abstract idea or intellectual analysis that you JUST said to them...regurgitated back to you...slowly and deliberately because they somehow need to make you understand?

For instance, the Norseman and I spent the day pillaging together yesterday. I took him to a particularly nice part of Old Town Pasadena, where I know of a new condominium complex, small...well built...right in the heart of restaurant row in Old Pasadena and reasonably priced. Get 'em while they're hot, won't last long, mixed use upscale and bohemian chic. It has been my contention from the first time I saw this building some time ago, that it would be a great investment, although I personally wouldn't like to live in a condominium. Mostly because I don't want belonging to any group...but probably MOST specifically an HOA. OR Home Owners Association.

Anyway, I explained to the Norseman all the positive attributes of the area. Parks, everything you need within walking distance. Historic buildings...the aforementioned fantastic restaurants, great shopping, magnificent theatres. Old Pasadena really has everything. I thought these condo's are the most value for money, and likely to increase in value more than any property we'd looked at in the greater Los Angeles area. The Norseman agreed.

When we hopped back in my car, heading for Hollywood Blvd, to take a look at some more mixed use condo conversions aka "lofts", the barbarian from the North started telling me...as if I'd never thought of it, how those Pasadena Condominiums were great value for money and are sure to increase in value over the next few years more so that most any other property we'd looked at thus far, and how the area of Old Pasadena was a draw in and of itself...and on and on.

I had to move my own ego in to the back seat of the car and bite my tongue as the Norseman unveiled his brilliant investment strategy to me. Push it down, swallow that pride. Let 'er go.

Later that night we decided we were going to watch "Triumph of the Will" Leni Riefenstahl's 1934 documentary film about the Nazi Party rally organized in Nuremberg. The film has been called the greatest Propaganda film ever made. Any historian would realize the film was made before Hitler went mad with power and committed those heinous atrocities...the worst of course being "the Final Solution". But, this was 1934. Germany had been reinvigorated by Adolf and the Nazi's. The autobahn was being built. Every body in Germany at the time was employed again (the depression of the 1930's was world wide, not just an American phenomenon), there was hope and promise and even though Hitler ended up being the scourge and most evil cloud of the twentieth century...at the time nobody knew that. After the war, Leni was thrown in an internment camp and treated as a criminal of war for making the film. Personally I think she was treated unfairly. (You want to study an interesting person? Look in to the life of Leni Riefenstahl).

The man from Scandinavia is well versed in Germanic history, but he had never seen "Triumph of the Will" in it's entirety. So...we own the film on DVD, we watched it together. Then he started explaining to me, everything I had told him before we put the movie in. Furthermore, we would read the subtitles...and the Norseman would then tell me in his own words...as if I hadn't also read the subtitles...exactly what the English Translation had just read. It was driving me nuts. Although I have to admit it was rather interesting when my compatriot would break in to the German Work songs that Leni used to score the film. In German.

I suppose I'm being petty here. I'm kind of a shallow guy. But three weeks (almost) is just too long to be occupied by an invasion force of one...like the new commercials for the Army...Be an Army of ONE? What the hell? I don't think so. OK...time for a unilateral attack on an enemy encampment...is the ARMY mobilized...can we send in the troops. Oh...you mean troop. Our Army of one. Eddy...are you ready? Go man go.

I gotta go. I have "miles to go before I sleep".