On The Road Again

Ugh, I'm tired of commuting. This week I was sitting in my car on the 405 minding my own business hoping that traffic would start moving when BAM! A motorcylist stupidly tried to pass a bus in the carpool lane and knocked into my car breaking off part of my sideview mirror. Of course the guy didn't stop. Just kept right on going 70mph as I watched. And of course I didn't give chase. My lane was going zero mph and, as much as I love my vehicle, it's selling point is not that it can go from 0 to 60 in 60 seconds. So that would've been an exercise in futility. Plus as a general rule I feel it is a bad idea to illegally swerve into a carpool lane. Those double yellow lines demand respect. And I was by myself in the car. So...double jeopardy. I would've been fine.

On the upside this week in the car I was so bored with the usual radio stations that I flipped to a country station and decided to listen for a bit. It was fantastic. It's like a bunch of 2min stories about everything from growing up country to losing your girl to punishing your cheating boyfriend or abusive husband. I found it highly entertaining. But sometimes I felt like the songs strayed from their storytelling ways and tried to wax philosophical. And that's where they go terribly wrong (in my opinion). Take the following line for example: "tryin' to make someone care for you the way I do is like tryin' to catch the rain."

The implication to me is that both tryin' to get this girl to love you and tryin' to catch rain are impossible activities. (And sad ones). But....isn't catching the rain possible? I feel like it's not even that hard to catch rain. I mean...weren't rain barrels created for that express purpose? To catch the rain? Can't I walk outside with a bucket while it's raining and trap myself some of that water? I don't know. Maybe I just don't speak country fluently.

Which brings me to the deepest line of that song which - incidentally - is also part of the title of the song: "and if love is really forever, I'm a winner at a losin' game." ....What? What does that even mean?

I feel like one guy came up with that line and then his friend/bandmate was like "ooh, that's good. Yes." and the drummer chimed in "wow. Profound. Seriously, that is amazing." And then later the guy tried the line out on his girlfriend and she told him it gave her chills and even showed him her arm to prove it. But...so....love is a losing game? And you're winning because....you'll always be in love? Lame. I still say it doesn't make sense. It's totally an emperor's clothing situation. People have just accepted your non-sensical ramblings because you have a catchy tune and a nice warble. But I see through you! There are no clothes at all! You can't fool me! (and this is where I break into a semi-maniacal laugh in my car).

But...like I said. I'm a country novice. Maybe in a few weeks I'll be amening those kinds of deep observations with the best of them. And also I'll be wearing a cowboy hat. ....I spend a lot of time in my car.