mychai's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once again, we happen upon Jerry Lewis Day Happy first day of September, everyone! According to this older guy at work who is wise and all around sweet, the first day of September means that the heat of the summer should be about over, and cool days are ahead. He, like I, is a cool weather lover. But with the first of September brings the Jerry Lewis Telethon. I have a theory about Jerry Lewis. I think he's dead. I bet he died not too long after last year's telethon. I'm quite serious about this. "But JP, I see him on my television right now!" I offer up, as evidence, the movie "Weekend At Bernie's." He looks pretty bad. If he's not dead, he looks like he should be praying for the sweet relief that death would bring. I hope when I get old that no one looks back at me and says, "He used to look so nice." As bad as he looks, though, he does a great job at raising money for a worthy cause. I wish there were enough celebrity and money out there to raise money for all of the worthy causes on all of the holidays. But, knowing America like I do, there would be lawsuits and political movements to ensure equal airing of all causes. Taxes would be raised, people would no longer be allowed to "Thank God" because it would offend the extreme minority... Now that I think about it, one telethon a year is enough. I don't know if I mentioned it last year or not. Even if I did, most of you weren't reading a year ago, so it doesn't matter. The MDA telethon has at least some significance to me because a close friend of mine died a few years ago from MD. He died really close to New Year's eve -- the night of or the night before. I like to think he died in his sleep when the disease finally hit his heart. There is another possibility of what happened, but we won't think of that. If I donated money to charity, I would be on the phone. But I made a decision many years ago to not donate money to any kind of charity. I decided that I can't donate to every charity, so to give equal treatment, I give equal amounts to every charity out there. Now, I'm not completely cold-hearted. My charity is the Red Cross. I give bits and pieces of my body to whomever needs it. If someone needed my kidney, parts of my liver, my little toe, I would be more than honored to go under the knife. But if a bum needs a buck so he can get a beer, he can flash his, "Out of a job. God Bless You." sign somewhere else. Come to think about it, I have no clue what Labor Day really is other than the day for an MDA telethon full of ventriloquists, singers, and jugglers. So, I went to the U.S. Department of Labor's website. (I bet Labor Day is the only holiday with a government agency website.) Here is what they say about Labor Day: Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. News to me. Of course, Labor Day has no significance to me because I work in the broadcasting industry, which knows no holiday. In fact, I go into in about five hours. But thanks to Jerry Lewis, I will literally do nothing all day. Well, I should be in bed. But I took another of my ill-advised long naps this evening, so I am now wide awake. I finally spent some money -- albeit not much -- and bought Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. I wish I could be as good a writer as Whitman. I will leave you with one of his poems that I really like. It is amazing to read a poem that completely says what you have felt hundreds of times before. O you whom I often and silently come where you are that I may be with you, As I walk by your side or sit near, or remain in the same room as you, Little you know the subtle electric fire that for your sake is playing within me. 11:30 p.m. - Sun., Sept. 1, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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