Case of the Mondays

I spent more than my usual share of time this weekend re-watching old movies on Comedy Central.

If you read yesterday's blog, "Market Crashers," you'd already know one of the movies. Despite what your mother may have said about how TV will kill your brain cells, I find it useful for creative inspiration. Besides, that's much easier than having to actually interact with anyone.

Although I have no doubt that I am beginning to lose some of those brain cells, I'll never pin it on my viewing habits. One of the really great things about starting to lose some of those brain cells is that regardless of how many times you see a movie or a show, somehow it still manages to surprise. I'm sure that I've written that before, but even then, it's still funny, in a poignant sort of way, to me.

See what I mean.

That was also the case watching the cult classic "Ofice Space," on Comedy Central, the cable station where commercial failures go for new life.

It probably works out that way because it's really hard to smoke weed in the movie theater during the first run of movies that go on to become cult classics. It's also hard to make it to the theater if you started smoking weed beforehand, thinking that the weed is way overpriced at the concession stand.

The cult, in case you didn't know, smokes lots of weed. There's no other plausible explanation for why the mere mention of "TPS Reports" elicits spasms of laughter.

Right.

As opposed to much of the world, and definitely the downtrodden characters in "Office Space," I always look forward to Mondays. In fact, even when I was a contributing member of society, I had nothing against Mondays.

These days, the only Mondays that I don't care for are the Federal holidays, with all due respect to dead Presidents, laborers and others deserving of retail sales events. It's all simply because the stock markets are closed.

Otherwise, Mondays are like a re-birth.

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Forgive and Forget?

A lot is said about the power of grace and the human ability to forgive.

For those that believe that there is a forgiving deity that looks over the lives of all believers it's hard to say whether the power to forgive is viewed as divine or also within the province of mere mortals.

Sometimes it's much easier to believe in a vengeful God, because it seems in that instance, we would truly be made in "His" image. In the case of a forgiving God, human nature makes it hard to measure up to that standard.

I will always remember the words of John McCain during one of those periods in his public life that he was actually credible, in reference to Osama Bin Laden.

"May God forgive his soul, because I certainly won't."

After all, who are we to forgive?

Whether it is the private confession of sins or congregational prayers for forgiveness we are all flawed and we have all introduced sorrow and harm into the lives of others. Whether through passive or active positions, we could all benefit from forgiveness.

To a large degree, being able to forgive is self-serving. The animus or grudges held over being wronged can keep the aggrieved from moving forward and making decisions and taking actions to benefit themselves. Breaking the chains that shackle may begin with the single act of forgiveness. How else do you get on with the rest of your life?

What better way to thumb your nose at your tormentor than to move forward and prosper?

But what about the latter half of the old saying "Forgive and Forget"?

Why Am I asking so many questions?

So many in response to horrible acts have adopted the mantra "Never Forget," in response to man's inhumanity and the pains suffered.

To forget is to repeat. You don't have to be Santayana to realize the logic of that concept, although if you also buy into the concept that history repeats itself, you're doomed regardless.

I've never met an historian that doesn't remember history, other than Newt Gingrich.

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