I am listening to a song I have never heard before, titled ‘Pissing’. It is the work of Carla Bozulich. Bozulich used to be in an avant-garde punk/country band called The Geraldine Fibbers who I liked a lot; particularly their second and final album ‘Butch’, which I have been asked to turn off on a number of occasions. I recall a music reviewer, at the time it was released, stating that, while they were glad that the record existed, they didn’t necessarily want to hear it too often. At six minutes and four seconds, ‘Pissing’ greatly exceeds the length of the average urination, which Grok (Elon Musk’s pet AI) states lasts between 20-30 seconds in healthy adults. You could comfortably piss a dozen times before ‘Pissing’ resolves itself. The song is built around a sinew of church organ that randomly increases and decreases in volume and is eventually paved over with abstract guitar feedback. Buried in all of that noise, Bozulich sings about pissing on her toes which, relatively speaking, is better than stewing in your own shit. I have colitis and I am grateful when it comes out solid, Every so often I have a colonoscopy where, in the report, my bowel prep is always described as ‘adequate’. It is never ‘exemplary’ or ‘peerless’, regardless of what I do. Last time I didn’t eat for two days prior to the procedure and it was still 'adequate.' I believe I am being gaslit by the NHS.
I am now at an age where I need sleep but I don’t get enough of it. I have become biphasic. I wake up after two or three hours and then, because I am bored, I get up and I do something. Last night I got out of bed, got dressed, read a chapter from Dracula out loud, then made a lid for a cardboard box that I am using to store compact discs. Later, I woke up on the carpet next to the lid.
Everything thing you write is so true. All those little things which make our life satisfying and reassuringly predictable; going to the loo, making coffee, lying next to a warm body that you love. I am sad that you can't lie next to Isabella anymore. But when you wake up during the night you must know that lots of people, including your readers will be thinking of you. You make many people's lives much richer.
My relationship with food and eating has changed forver since I developed a chronic orofacial pain condition 5 years ago.
Being able to eat without worrying about pain, about whether the food temperature is perfectly lukewarm, whether it's soft enough to not require much chewing, and whether it's completely devoid of any sort of spices is something I never thought I'd consider a luxury
I was moved by your post today about shitting, sleeping, eating and masturbation. As I grow older, I am more and more grateful for the small pleasures life grants me. And oh so aware of how easily all that can disappear.
Thank you for this reminder!
And do you (as I read on Google) dictate all your posts to Isabelle? Or how do you manage to write? And especially to edit?
Substack is very erratic, it does weird things over which us authors have absolutely no control, a bit like Hanif in fact, so maybe that's why it's appeared twice?
I am listening to a song I have never heard before, titled ‘Pissing’. It is the work of Carla Bozulich. Bozulich used to be in an avant-garde punk/country band called The Geraldine Fibbers who I liked a lot; particularly their second and final album ‘Butch’, which I have been asked to turn off on a number of occasions. I recall a music reviewer, at the time it was released, stating that, while they were glad that the record existed, they didn’t necessarily want to hear it too often. At six minutes and four seconds, ‘Pissing’ greatly exceeds the length of the average urination, which Grok (Elon Musk’s pet AI) states lasts between 20-30 seconds in healthy adults. You could comfortably piss a dozen times before ‘Pissing’ resolves itself. The song is built around a sinew of church organ that randomly increases and decreases in volume and is eventually paved over with abstract guitar feedback. Buried in all of that noise, Bozulich sings about pissing on her toes which, relatively speaking, is better than stewing in your own shit. I have colitis and I am grateful when it comes out solid, Every so often I have a colonoscopy where, in the report, my bowel prep is always described as ‘adequate’. It is never ‘exemplary’ or ‘peerless’, regardless of what I do. Last time I didn’t eat for two days prior to the procedure and it was still 'adequate.' I believe I am being gaslit by the NHS.
I am now at an age where I need sleep but I don’t get enough of it. I have become biphasic. I wake up after two or three hours and then, because I am bored, I get up and I do something. Last night I got out of bed, got dressed, read a chapter from Dracula out loud, then made a lid for a cardboard box that I am using to store compact discs. Later, I woke up on the carpet next to the lid.
Thanks for the ideas about what to do at 3am when sleep ends as it does for me most nights. Arts and crafts and Dracula sound good to me.
You know so much about so many different things!
Get the adequate comment 😂
An uncomfortable reading experience of Admiration and gratitude. X
My every heartfelt sympathy . I know that the world of the infirm is completely different place to that of the healthy. Once again, my sympathy.
Everything thing you write is so true. All those little things which make our life satisfying and reassuringly predictable; going to the loo, making coffee, lying next to a warm body that you love. I am sad that you can't lie next to Isabella anymore. But when you wake up during the night you must know that lots of people, including your readers will be thinking of you. You make many people's lives much richer.
Suzan told me to read this. Missed it for some reason and it’s brilliant Hanif! Funny and totally lacking in self pity.
My relationship with food and eating has changed forver since I developed a chronic orofacial pain condition 5 years ago.
Being able to eat without worrying about pain, about whether the food temperature is perfectly lukewarm, whether it's soft enough to not require much chewing, and whether it's completely devoid of any sort of spices is something I never thought I'd consider a luxury
I was moved by your post today about shitting, sleeping, eating and masturbation. As I grow older, I am more and more grateful for the small pleasures life grants me. And oh so aware of how easily all that can disappear.
Thank you for this reminder!
And do you (as I read on Google) dictate all your posts to Isabelle? Or how do you manage to write? And especially to edit?
Keep well, and thank you for the inspiration.
Audrey
HELL Described, Aptly … 😵💫
Why are you posting this again? It came out less than a week ago, more or less.
Hi Helen,
I am posting it again so all subscribers can read, not just paying.
Sorry for the spam,
H
I think this new posting is open and sharable, more than the other one, or something.
Substack is very erratic, it does weird things over which us authors have absolutely no control, a bit like Hanif in fact, so maybe that's why it's appeared twice?