Posted on by Pat Coakley

What’s The Friggin’ Point?

It’s the end of an emotional week. Some things you know about, some not. It is the same with all of us, I suspect. We bloggers, only partially known, but what we do know, we know brilliantly and perhaps better than some in our earth lives.

So, I woke up sad this morning from the losses of this week, some by choice some not, and it was simply pure sadness. Not black scary sadness, not feel sorry for me sadness, so don’t write and tell me to cheer up. Not sad like I’m going to bash your head in sad, either, but simply, purely sad.

It is perhaps the most unsettling of the diverse world of SAD. There is simply nothing to be done. You can’t exercise it away, eat it away, dance it away, drink it away, talk it away; just have to feel it.

One of the blogs I visited briefly this morning, mackink, reminded me of a quote by Toni Morrison whose book “Beloved” I called in sick to work (many many years ago) so I could finish. Her quote is this:

“It is sheer good fortune to miss someone long before they ever leave you.”

I am missing someone who has not left me but pointed me in another direction. It is my sheer good fortune to miss him. But, it’s also sheer freakin’ sadness. When we lose a witness to our lives, we also miss a bit of ourselves as well.

So, feel it I have for several hours now, in to the pool, out of the pool, watering the plants as well as my neighbor’s garden, boiling my egg and pouring my coffee and perusing some of my blogs, I have felt it.

And, I’ve totally and utterly had it with feeling it. So, Frig it.

So, I am starting a new series called, “What’s the Friggin’ Point?” in its honor. And, I’m using a new font called Ransom that I downloaded from Fontstruct.

Join me won’t you? Look around in your lives. Take a picture of something or tell us about something that simply screams:

WHAT’S THE FRIGGIN’ POINT?

I’m starting with the toothpaste aisle. Who knows where I’ll stop.

©2008 Pat Coakley

PHOTOGRAPHS CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION

21 Replies to “What’s The Friggin’ Point?”

  1. There is NO point and that’s the point.

    Funny you should have a picture of toothpaste.

    I was in the supermarket today looking at all the different toothpaste on the shelves and I found my self thinking about all those poor souls spending their time and talents on trying to figure out ways to differentiate their product from everybody else’s and the end result was visual confusion. I couldn’t really see anything in particular and it took me an age to find the one I usually use. Yep, your right, some stuff is so pointless.

    I put up a response to your “Local knowledge necessary” on my blog.

    By the way, keep in mind that other people won’t be able to see your new font on this blog unless they have the font on their hard drive.

    HTML (the code that runs what we see as a webpage) just refers the web browsers to use fonts that are on the viewer’s hard drive. If the person who is looking at your blog doesn’t have your new font on their hard drive they will just see the default font of their browser.

  2. You always get the point in the “end”. Thats the point. And we are all there with ya sister. Trust me here. So I raise my cup of coffee to you and say wtf right along with ya!

  3. Wait… WAIT just how many different brands of toothpaste do you guys have??? No I am not kidding, how many? We have a total of four brands, very impressive, guess it makes it easier to choose when you have limited options available. Lots of symbology in the photo but not going to get into it because I am still stuck on how many brands you guys have.

    I guess what is the point for some is amazing for others it all depends on where we are at both physically and emotionally.

    P.S. Here in Africa we use beach sand to clean our teeth, it makes them brilliant white in no time at all… sadly again I am not kidding, least its not the ME they use twigs!

  4. Ode to American Consumerism Pat. I’m surprised someone didn’t come up with a box and label it, and inside there was just baking soda. directions: add water for a healthy smile.

    Now here is a challenge I can get with…Photography! Bam! right up my alley. I might even make my Sunday Photo Essay about this challenge.

    Well, yes we are all no stranger to sadness. If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then sadness makes us stronger. At least it has a purpose, and “this too shall pass”

    keep writing and clicking. ((((hugs)))) Sweetie

  5. I counted 32 different kinds of toothpaste, Sanity. I am not making this up.
    Who would? Your comment is hilarious.

    Amber, let’s switch from coffee to scotch, it’s 5:30 here, and I don’t even drink really. One drink and it’s hula time so I usually pass.

    People, do one thing go and see Razzman’s response to the Local Knowledge Necessary challenge. He took it to another level, which is the unbelievable joy of this damn blogging community.

    http://blog.allthedumbthings.com

    And, would someone figure out how I can manage all these challenges that I put out? Memes are sort of a pain, but I understand the impulse. Let’s put our heads together. This is very creative, unique stuff and we should figure out a way to organize it so it’s accessible. I’m not kidding I see a book, you guys. A speaking tour. Just like “This American Life”. Let’s dream together, too.

  6. Holy Crap and I was told you guys even have a cinnamon flavoured one! I’m not wanting to move for the guise of sanity any more it’s for your toothpaste!!! Phew

  7. You nail it every time. The volume of products we are barraged with is an embarrassment and leaves me outraged.
    A speed reading course is required to select shampoo.

    I invite you to view, if you haven’t already,

    http://www.storyofstuff.com/
    narrated by Annie Lennox.
    It’s all of this and more.

    The only font that I need is the endless one in your brain that produces what has become one of my favorite blogs.

  8. You nail it every time. The volume of products we are barraged with is an embarrassment and leaves me outraged.
    A speed reading course is required to select shampoo.

    I invite you to view, if you haven’t already,

    http://www.storyofstuff.com/
    narrated by Annie Lennox.
    It’s all of this and more.

    The only font that I need is the endless one in your brain that produces what has become one of my favorite blogs.

  9. Bonnie

    That link was really fantastic. I’ve always known all that stuff but it was so good to see it so lucidly well presented. Thanks

    Oh, and by the way her name is Annie Leonard. Annie Lennox is a slightly different kind of fantastic but I’m sure she would agree with Ms Leonard.

  10. Ok, if I could be converted instantaneously into someone in this world it would be as Annie Lennox. No kidding..a slightly different kind of fantastic, but fantastic nonetheless. And, I’d be her at her current age, too.

    Uh.Oh. I feel another series comin’ on. “Who’d D’Ya Be If Only”, is my working title. Someone please get the hook.

    BonnieLuria, that link was fantastic. I Played Annie Lennox from my ITunes to compensate. I write down your compliments and put them in a box. Anytime someone comes over and disses me, I’m bring them out.

    Sanity, if you want, send me your SA Address in an email and I’ll send you some cinnaomon toothpaste!

    Sweetiegirlz! I’ll be checking on Sunday to see your Sunday Photo Essay! Yea!

    Goodnight, all.

  11. Razz ( hope the truncated version is ok ) thanks for the correction. The mind is an unknown globule. It has a mind of its’ own!
    That video ought to be mandatory in every classroom. Period.

    I read Annie Leonard, saw Annie Leonard, and yet, I wrote Annie Lennox.
    Thankfully, I didn’t juxtapose on a prescription pad!

    Pat, how could anyone diss YOU? How would they even get through your front door.

    PS- don’t know how my previous comment wound up there twice.

  12. Well Pat…and others, I just finished the Local knowledge necessary Challenge. I’m ready for my grade now. See ya, Sunday for the what’s the friggin point challenge.

  13. Thanks Pat but I fear that what with Amazon blacklisting our post office the staff might see the word cinnamon and use it on their pancakes! I can just see it now “Post Officer dies from eating whole tube of mystery cinnamon toothpaste”
    Thanks for the offer though huns, you are a starball!

  14. awww…can i join you? i have been feeling sad too. i changed my site completely with a new address. it is silly but i like the idea of a new beginning.

  15. Awww, sweet girl, you sure can join us! In fact, I am directing you to be the first one to rise to my latest series challenge talked up in today’s blog entry, called PhotoStories. It is titled, “Who’d D’Ya Wanna Be If Only”. In other words, what cool person in the world would you like to be if you could? Text but image, too, would be great.

    Ok, I’m telling the world you are doing it. World, sweet Meander with her new site and new beginning is the first one. I’m holding off on mine until you post yours, so hurry the frig up, sweet girl. I’m Annie Lennox and I am so very fantastic.

  18. Pat I have an entire wine cellar…. come on over! We’ll share a glass or 5..lol

    Two sips and Im anyones!

  19. well how’s about if i go for your first challenge and write about fear? i have so many fearful things to choose from. i will post it now in your honor.

  21. I have just read your essay. Ready? Oh, yeah, it’s ready. People, go and read Meander’s essay.

    http://newbiewritertales.wordpress.com

    But, only do so when the day is done and you are emptying your mind of all unnecessary things. Or, the day is just beginning and waiting for something new.

    There are some images and emotions in and evoked from this essay that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Comments are closed.