"The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid."

J.D. Salinger died today.

And like nearly everyone else who ever read Catcher In The Rye, I am saddened by this fact. J.D. Salinger was one of my favorite authors; Franny and Zooey is one of my favorite books - I've bought at least five copies over the years just because they're necessary to have around and give to people. (In my mild defense, I hated Catcher in the Rye... everyone should read Franny & Zooey and Nine Stories instead. Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters/Seymour: An Introduction is great too.)

I hope a) nobody tries to make a goddamn phony movie out of Catcher in the Rye and b) that Salinger has a few manuscripts sitting around that might get published posthumously.


Though I try to keep up with the news, I'm not always very good at it. The internet makes it too easy to ignore these things while they are happening, because an instant replay or a succinct summary is always available. I skipped the State of the Union yesterday - I can always catch the important parts on YouTube and Hulu right? - to drink a box of wine with some friends in the art studios.

This might have been the most pretentious thing I have ever written. I'm sorry, friends.