I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: KATE BUSH-Aspects of the Sensual World (1989).

This was the first CD single that I can remember acquiring.  I got it from the radio station at school, and I felt like I was in on a big secret having all of these bonus tracks.

There are five songs on this disc.  The original “The Sensual World” and an instrumental version of the song.  The three bonus songs are pretty rocking songs that fit nicely with this era of Kate’s output.  “Be Kind to My Mistakes” sounds like it should be a sweet ballad, but no, it’s all percussion-heavy and fun.  And “I’m Still Waiting” is even more intense, with some of Kate’s over the top vocals added in.

The final track, “Ken” is the theme song to The Comic Strip Presents short film The GLC.  It’s a wonderful theme song, even if the film is a parody.  It’s got a singalong “da da da” chorus and fist pumping backing vocals and all sorts of fun things.  You can see the “preview” for the film along with Kate’s song, on YouTube.

This disc is something of a trifle compared to her full CDs, but it’s an easier way to get these tracks than buying This Woman’s Work!  When The Sensual World came out I assumed that Kate cut off all her hair (judging by the cover), but this cover belies that.  I wonder which one is a wig.

[READ: November 13, 2009] “An Insurrection”

This story won the Esquire fiction contest.  I fully intended to submit a story to this contest, but, well, I forgot.  I didn’t write a word for it (although I did spend a few days thinking about what I would write about).  If I had won the contest, I would of course have wanted people to read my story, so I felt it was the least I could do to read the winner’s story.

And I’m a little mixed about it.

I’m not at all certain why there was such emphasis placed on the fact that it was a post- 9/11 scenario.  The jokes about cashing in on people’s insecurities about terrorism were fine but it didn’t really warrant all of the set up about when the story took place.

Really, the story is just about two people growing apart; the time of the story was irrelevant (and yes, I do understand that everyone is more tense with fears of terrorism, but it doesn’t really impact the story).  I found the introduction of the story to be quite compelling.  But when it started to turn into a “she’s going to leave me because I’m fat” gripe, I lost interest.

The story did reverse that trajectory, thankfully, and the final section was gross but interesting.  And I have to say that the final lines (within the context of the whole story) were fantastic.

My biggest gripe however, comes with Esquire itself. They included two pictures with the story.  One references a wet T shirt description in the story (which I needed to cover up when reading in the library).  The second, and yes, I’m writing this in all caps:  THE SECOND PICTURE TOTALLY GAVE AWAY THE “TWIST” IN THE STORY!  And, it came right at a time in the story WHERE PLACING THE PICTURE WOULD GIVE THE READER NO DOUBT ABOUT WHAT THE PICTURE REPRESENTED.

Talk about spoilers.  Of all the things they could have put a picture of, they had to put that one?  Hey Esquire, if I were the contest winner, I’d be pissed if you gave away the (admittedly minor) twist in the end of my story.  So, I hope that Walsh isn’t too pissed (he did win, after all).  But man, it so obviously impacted my reading of the story, that I couldn’t appreciate it for what it was trying to do.

I can’t honestly say how much I would have enjoyed the story if this wasn’t so obviously given away, because I spent much of the last section expecting it to be spoiled.  Pity, really.

I’m being a little dramatic, yes.  I’m sorry.

Overall, the story was good. I’m quite certain that nothing I would have written would have made it into Esquire (I don’t think I’ve ever written a story with the word “tits” in it).  So, I won’t sit around wondering “what if.”  Rather, I’ll just enjoy the story for what it was: a look at midlife crisis (in an out of control environment).

Congratulations Walsh.  Well played.