—YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT

 

…I know what I want right now—a freshie.

 

…Why is there that instinct to make things seem better than they are? Maybe it’s optimism? I sure wish I had that gene.

 

…He was embarrassed by this—his need to be needed.

 

…Till the stars grow cold…

 

…I’ve got a good feeling you’re going to be just fine.

 

…I just hope you like it.

 

…And in the end, it’s you—fork high, eating eggs that kill me. 

 

--Am I fucked up?

--100 percent.

 

…Or…maybe you can just stop being such a Dick.

 

…That’s it? That’s all you’ve got? Really? 

 

…Maybe I am a charity case.

 

…I could do without some memories.

 

…That’s how you know.

 

…“She’d forgotten this sound existed. A sound she loved.” Eric Puchner, The Dream State

 

…I looked, and it’s still sunny out somewhere.

 

…Sometimes you don’t know how good, or bad, those apples are until you get home and open up the bag.

 

…“It was dark, like always, but good dark.”

 

…That’s a sign, if I ever saw one.

 

…Every space has its boundary. Sounds kind of heebe jeebe, but I think it’s actually true,

  

…Yeah, I got it. With my eyes closed, I got it.

 

…Whatever you do, don’t rub your eyes.

 

…This looks like an ambush.

 

--Okay, what’ve we got here? 

--Another Dick? 

--Shocker.

…Everyday in the How-the-Hell-Can-He-Get-Away-With-That? category, there’s something. Today’s:

Dell inks $9.7 billion Pentagon contract after Trump acquires stock, praises company Ethics experts say the president’s recent investments in the tech company create a conflict of interest. Trump has repeatedly praised the company at public events, and government disclosure forms show that on Feb. 10 his portfolio acquired stock in Dell Technologies valued between $1 million and $5 million.

 

…What’s The Four Minute Rule?

 

…Five out of ten is not that great.

 

…When you’re told something you’ve created is “stunning,” it’s hard not to believe they’re lying.  

 

…Do I really need to hear that?

 

…Go get some coffee, Doug.

 

…Give it up for the team.

 

…It’s hard not to take it personally.

 

…“I know what I want to say, but it’s hard. I’ve been trying to say it for weeks now. They’re just words, but it’s so hard.” Lisa Ridzen, When the Cranes Fly South

 

…I’m learning to embrace Goodbye.

 

…Well, I bet that’s going to go down soon, just like the sun does.

 

…Muscle memory is overrated.

 

…When I was talking about balance, I meant a tray with drinks on it.

 

…Every time I close my eyes I just see you written in big lights. You know what it says? ‘Stop making this hurt.’

 

…I got a rash on my face from what you wrote.

 

…Granta is one the most esteemed print literary journals there is. Each year they hold a contest, The Commonwealth Prize for best short fiction. This year there were 7,800 (!) entries and the winner was later found to have used AI to write the entire piece.

That’s pretty bleak on a lot of levels.

 

…Is a handful okay?

 

…This way breath. This way life. Through here.

 

…“Believe me when I tell you that everything is temporary. Everything. There’s not a thing in this world that will not change, including you.” Alexis M. Smith, Glacier

 

…I woke up with a hat full of leaves.

 

…What did you think was going to happen?

 

…"If you can find joy playing to nine people in a bar, that never leaves you," Jack Antonoff

 

…Doesn’t matter who you are—no one likes to be second-guessed.

 

…Well, that’s going to go down soon, just like the sun does when you’re south of the border,

 

...I’m not too worried about that, but maybe I should be.

 

…When I was talking about balance earlier, I meant a tray with lots of drinks on it.

 

--Look at those guys. The have to be drug-dealers, right?

--And I bet they’re very good at their job.

 

“It’s a strange product of infatuation, she thinks, to want to tell someone about mundane things. The awareness of another person suddenly sharpens your sense, so that the little things come into focus and the world seems more beautiful and complicated.” Alexis M. Smith, Glacier

 

…I’m aware that my memory lets lets me down from time to time.

 

…Sometimes I just need to have a little rest.

 

…I don’t know what really bad means anymore.

 

…How hard can it be to just tell the truth?

 

…There, that’s the last one.

 

…What did you think? That everything would just go back to normal?

 

…Silence is about the only weapon I have now.

 

…Always push “Save.”

 

…You always knew more about that sort of thing than me.

 

…Stop being such an idiot.

 

…Is it normal to take this long?

 

…I think your census must be wrong.

 

…All these fucking bridges.

 

…I get that, that ground pepper means different things to different people.

 

…“I’m lying here, about to die, and I just don’t know.” Lisa Ridzen, When the Cranes Fly South

 

…I hope you find your way, friend.

 

…That’ll have to do.