There are times I wake up and like to pretend that, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., I am a different person with a different life.
Grinding coffee, I think about making my own wine. I grew up on a farm. I could grow grapes. My vineyard would be small, my vintages coveted, my family—all of them—barefoot. And I would wake up each day to the smell of dew on soil.
Cutting fruit for my cereal, I envision life as a produce grocer. My booth would be small and tucked away on a lazy street. It would be infamous because each piece of fruit, every single vegetable, would be hand-selected by me. I would get up before the sunrise each day. I would peddle my wares, joke with my regulars, and make an honest living. And each day I would close up shop shortly after the lunch hour rush, share a fresh mango with my wife, and then make lazy afternoon love to her before my siesta.
And showering, I imagine being an entomologist. Ants would be my specialty. I would spend entire days watching a single colony. Not taking notes. Just watching. My research would be insightful, prolific, studious and careful and loving. And as the sun set and the ants settled into their homes underground or in hollowed trees, I would reflect on my place in this world—small, rambling, and almost harmonious with everything else around me.
June 20th, 2009
by Elaine
Entomologist. Imagining being an etymologist probably wouldn’t be as much fun. I’d think I’d specialize in praying mantises.
Reading the title of this entry, I expected grandiose daydreams. But none of these other life scenarios seems too far removed from your life now.
June 21st, 2009
by chris
you are an inspiration. i like the ant part the best.
June 23rd, 2009
by Heather
Reading this makes me wonder what life number one is being constructed to look like…
I personally can’t imagine you studying insects… but the other occupations- well really, you could do those things with relative ease, couldn’t you?- In conjunction to what ever else you are cookin’ up for dinner?
So where is the disconnect? What else about being a produce grocer is part of the fantasy that maybe you haven’t said? About a vintner?
Also, worth mentioning perhaps- this post was incredibly endearing. So cute. Makes me send out wish-sodden postcards to the Fates begging in your name.
July 6th, 2009
by JB
Maybe you should have kept your old title, Illusions of Greatness. You still think large, but on a small scale, if that makes any sense. Reminds me of many of your most evocative photos which capture small yet evocative quotidian details, often overlooked.
I like the new format.
July 19th, 2009
by Christopher Gorton
As usual your insight to your thought keeps me coming back to your blog and leaving jealous (not only of your honesty, descriptive detail, and unabashed romanticism, but of the design you have chosen to use as well, so much so that I wish to purchase my own domain just to use the same theme).
Nonetheless, your musings are one of my drugs, cheers.