Carnivals and Magic

From the top of the ferris wheel, I can see over Lake St. Clair in one direction, and far past the confines of the carnival in any other; it’s a hazy, hot afternoon and up there, I get a little lurching feeling in the pit of my stomach if I brave the notion of looking down rather than out, over. I can hear the blings and blips of the midway below me, so much quieter up here than down on the ground, amidst the throngs. Up here, the wind is stronger, cooler, and I think I’ve actually stopped sweating (because I’ve cooled off enough, not because I’m dehydrated). The gondolas are old and smell slightly of urine and bleach and the smell of dead fish – or rather, dead fish flies - is as strong as the smell of malt vinegar on French fries, or the hot oil used to fry elephant ears and Belgian waffles.

In the down sweep, I come perilously close to the funhouse that’s set up right next to the ferris wheel – my older daughter is on the upstairs balcony of it, waving and yelling my name as each boat goes by her; when she actually sees me, her face lights up and I can’t help but smile.

On the way back up, I’m very careful to look at the lights, the bench across from me, the sky – anything that keeps me from realizing that instead of getting off, I’m going around again.

Ferris wheels are far more frightening than roller coasters, I think. They take longer, and unless you’re kissing (or doing other things, which I have) a significant other, it seems like you’re floating through the air on a flimsy bit of tin foil and cardboard for hours. Give me the significant other any day – but today, I’m alone. I don’t remember why.

Finally, the ride lurches to a stop (my stomach rises to my throat), and I’m about a third of the way through the down sweep. At least I’m not all the way at the top this time – it only takes a few minutes for my gondola to stutterstart to the bottom so I can get out and meet back up with my friends and children, to go play a game, or perhaps ride a different ride.

I can’t remember when I forgot how to believe in magic – the magic of the carnival, the magic of anything. I used to talk to the faeries, like my daughters do. I used to be able to see things that no one else could imagine. But today? Today, I’m hot and thirsty and my feet hurt, and the shouting of the barkers and the now louder blings and blips are giving me headaches.

Today, I just want to go home.

Quizzes

You Should Be a Song Writer

You have the ability to evoke emotion, tell a story, and hook someone... In a very small amount of words, perhaps with some deft rhyming. Even if you can't write music, you can sure write compelling lyrics. Lyrics so good, people will have them stuck in their heads!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort. You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it. You believe that people see you for how you are, not how you look. But deep down, you know that's not exactly true. Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it. For you, falling in love has never been easy. You can only fall for someone who is very patient and persistent.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

Yay, Lyrics!

K'wyn and Yena's fault
Step 1: Put your MP3 player on random.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play.
Step 3: Ask everyone to guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: Strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Step 5: No cheating. (Note: Google is cheating.)

1. David Bowie, Changes
Oh yeah / mmm / still don't know what I been waiting for
Corey

2. Tal Bachman, She's So High
she's blood, flesh and bone
DD

3. Afghan Whigs, Hated
I smoke a pack a day
Corey

4. The time to rise has been engaged

Extra Credit 1: Só danço samba

5. Hey mom, there's something in the back room

6. The Heads, The King Is Gone
They came from the second city
Corey

7. Ain't had no fun all the time

8. Prepare to go forth

9. You're running fast and missing but cannot help convincing.

10. The Who, My Generation
People try to get us down
bonus points if you know more than one band who's covered this
Thess, who also got the extra credit

11. They Might Be Giants, Number Three
There's only two songs in me and I just wrote the third
Rob

12. The Pixies, Wave of Mutilation
There was a guy / an underwater guy who controlled the sea
Rob

13. Baby I don't like to tell ya

14. Smashing Pumpkins, 33
Speak to me in a language I can hear humour me before I have to go
Rob

15. Ani DiFranco, Company
Tell me what's the point / of all this pointless proximity
Alan Turing

16. Motley Crue, In the Beginning
In the beginning / Good always overpowered the evils / Of all mans sins
Corey

17. Tom Waits, What's He Building
What's he building in there / what the hell is he building
Rob

18. Once upon a sign I read a warning and it said

Extra Credit 2: ya sé que no vendrás

19. The Arcade Fire, In the Backseat
I like the peace / in the backseat
Rob

20. Here I lay motionless / catch me if you can

21. Beatles, Sun King
Here comes the sun king
Rob

22. Long legs don't give me no head rush in the morning

23. I didn't ask for as much / as maybe I oughtta

24. The Fray, Over My Head (Cable Car)
I never knew / I never knew that everything was falling through
K'wyn

25. Hey there / I know it's hard to feel