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objective look at the virginia tech massacre; theories on how to reduce pain/suffering most efficiently
“I remember the movie Independence Day. I saw it. I didn’t want to see it. The premise struck me as ridiculous, from the previews. But then the movie became a huge hit, the runaway hit of the summer, whatever summer that was. So I broke down and saw it. With a not so slight sense of irony, my wife and I decided to see it. That’s how we bought the ticket, the way you buy junk food or sit down to watch bad television. You’re giving into something you’ll later regret, and this is bad, but maybe only a little, and really, what’s the big deal? It feels good at the time, and there are health benefits to be had from such easy, immediate pleasure. And so I’m watching the beginning of the movie with a semi-embarrassed grin, but really I’m waiting, because I know what’s coming, everyone does. About a third into the movie there are going to be some events represented that have never as such been represented in film: the sudden and complete obliteration of national icons. A bright beam and then instantly, boom, the White House, the Empire State Building, a Southern Californian skyscraper, all gone. Some of these images we had seen in the previews. At the time, out of context, it was funny. My limited fascination during the previews stemmed from wish fulfillment, from agreement, yes, please let’s pretend that powerful, hostile aliens come to earth and for no reason destroy the White House, because if they don’t have it coming, then I don’t know who does. During the previews, in no way did I identify with the victims of these special effects. I identified solely with myself, the spectator.”
The End of Larry’s Wallet by Todd Hasak-Lowy
Jordan Castro asked if I wanted to go on a four-day reading tour with him, Mallory Whitten, Scott McClanahan, Sam Pink, and Mike Bushnell. I said I did. A reading tour is like a music tour but with writers who know each other from the internet instead of musicians who know each other from bands. I asked everyone to live blog the tour so I could compile our accounts into something at the end. Jordan, Mallory, and Scott emailed me their live-blogs (Jordan’s entire live blog, Mallory’s entire live blog, my entire live blog). Here is what we wrote.
Thursday, September 27, 2012: Columbus, Ohio
Feel very confused about why we stopped at loft apartment of Jordan and Mallory’s friend Andy. Wandered around apartment complimenting things until Mallory drove Sam and I to a pizza place where Mike Bushnell was waiting. Returned to Andy’s with Mike. Jordan said one of us had left a door open and Andy’s cat ran away.
-Megan, 7:21PMText from Mom: You sound like you are high or drunk or something. Please don’t be stupid.
-Jordan, 7:43PMSmoked three hits of marijuana from a device that looked like a grocery bag, more hits from a bowl passed around table.
-Megan, 8:02PMNauseous. Nodding out a bit. Reading doesn’t start until 11 PM. Incredibly tired. Can’t decide whether I should take more Adderall, drink a Red Bull, or take more Adderall and drink a Red Bull.
-Jordan, 9:37PMJordan just asked if I was liveblogging. Someone fed me more Adderall. Extremely affected by marijuana and Suboxone maybe.
-Megan, 9:41PM
I didn’t understand something.
-Megan, 9:52PMThese walls look 39 years old.
-Megan, 10:24PMMegan seems more and more deaf as she smokes weed, completely misunderstanding multiple sentences, seems funny.
-Mallory, 10:27PMI just went into the wrong building looking for the reading. The security guy started walking towards me and shouted into his walkie-talkie: “Intruder in the building. Intruder in the building.”
-Scott, 10:30PMNeeded something to be repeated several times before I understood. Standing next to Mallory while Jordan’s band plays. Sam is behind us and looks wet/feverish.
-Megan, 11:15PMDespite amount of Xanax I ate, felt very nervous about Sam sweating a lot from drugs.
-Mallory, 11:41PMGuy is belligerently playing jazz drums alone in room where Jordan’s band played.
-Megan, 11:43PMPerson in charge of reading said audience was getting impatient. Feel like I can’t stand up.
-Megan, 11:58PM
Friday, September 28, 2012: Columbus, Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky
Woke up to Scott drinking Busch Light sitting at a table with Sam and Mike who were not drinking Busch Light.
-Mallory, 11:04AMAte 15mg DXM in backseat on the way to Louisville. Jangled pill bottle between Mallory and Jordan and said “Drug refills? Anyone? Xanax?”
-Megan, 3:18PM
Little Rock
mybedisapoolandthewallsareonfire:
Her apartment began to take on a claustrophobic quality, and she retreated daily to a nearby park where she watched people walk their dogs. Something was comforting about strangers—it seemed like they would exist forever as the same, unknowable mass.
—
Megan Boyle
