Thanksgiving night, around 11:30, I was sitting at a friend’s drinking wine. The conversation shifted to An Elemental Thing by Eliot Weinberger, which is easily in my top five out from New Directions. A has been reading it off and on for the last month. After a small discussion about whether or not the collection was about the whole effect, she asked me what my favorite piece was. I said the seasons cycle, especially “Fall,” but also the essay that has a whale in it. I couldn’t remember which essay it was––”the one with the lines”––but I was sure, sure, it was on page 82. “I could be very wrong,” I qualified, “and I’ve had a lot of wine, but I think it’s on page 82.”
I’d forgotten this conversation until just now, when I thought to double-check page 82 of my copy. Something is off when I can remember an exact page, but not the name of the essay (for reference, it’s “The Desert Music: South”).
Anyway, this is probably my favorite Weinberger sentence, for some unknown reason:
“One entered the whaleness of the whale by walking the whale.”
File this under ‘things you might think I’m lying about but am not’ and ‘things I should probably not admit to.’
Today in “awesome things gifted to me” / “my friends know me so well” / “whales” / “remaining predictable.”
Mount Greylock from Melville’s study.
If I write you a letter, there’s a good chance I’ll include a sketch of Moby-Dick fighting (my cat) Ahab. Probably like a 75% chance.
I tried to not post this, because maybe this many whales is too many whales. But I couldn’t not. I mean, look at these! Sperm whale platters! My mom sent them to me today, along with a few other things, cause tomorrow’s my somethingsomething. I guess this means she’s not so against me and this cult.
Not pictured: the whale coin purse, the whale paperweight, and the margarita.
Mariachi Band Serenades a Beluga Whale.
I could watch this all day. And I think I will.
I’m reluctant to say that the whale is “dancing” but damn if it doesn’t look like it is having a good time.
Here is a story.
Last summer, sometime in July, my friend and I rented a car and drove two-ish hours to an aquarium in Connecticut, because the aquarium had belugas and we wanted to meet them. Belugas are like puppies. They squeal and dance and play and grin. Probably the cutest whale, of all the whales.
And this beluga is one of the ones we met! At the aquarium in Connecticut! Realizing that made my morning. What a small, beluga-ish world.
Also! fun fact: Beluga comes from a Russian word meaning “white.”
They are happy Russian white whales.
(Source: youtube.com)
in which my friend knows me so well, gives me the best gift ever.
