Jonathan Carroll's Blog, page 73

CarrollBlog 10.12

I heard this story a long time ago from someone who lied too much, but it's such a good one that lie or not, it's worth retelling. He knew a man who was the most conflicted human being he had ever known. The man was very gay, very ugly, very Latin looking (he was from Brazil), a cross dresser, and now and then a male prostitute. He had two hobbies that he was devoted to-- photography and Claudia Schiffer. He always carried a cheap camera with him and incessantly took pictures of chic looking ...

CarrollBlog 10.11

She didn't want to think about him now but that was almost impossible. Joy, real joy, comes so rarely in life that we mourn the death of it a long time. In the beginning of their relationship she said to him, "Where have you been? Where have you been all this time? It feels like I've been holding my breath for years, but now I can finally let it out."

They were lying naked on the couch when she said this. To her great surprise and consternation, Ben got right up, walked into the kitchen, and ...

CarrollBlog 10.10

Someone once said something about new love that has often come back to me over the years because of the rightness of her observation: The best part of a new romance is the waiting. Waiting for the phone to ring, the letter (or email) to arrive, for that moment when they finally say those words you have wanted to hear. What is better than waiting for them to meet you for one of those very first dates. Arriving at the rendezvous spot early, your heart is beating fast, you're breathing...

CarrollBlog 10.9

I bought your new book yesterday when I was downtown and had the perfect place in mind to begin reading it. At the Museum Quarter a few minutes from my apartment, there is a vast open piazza-like space between the two museums. A favorite gathering place of the Viennese in nice weather, it's so big that there are several outdoor cafes and restaurants, a pool where kids and dogs wade when it gets really hot, and lots of benches scattered everywhere so there's always a place to sit even when...

CarrollBlog 10.8

A man I know had been having a very good and satisfying affair with a woman for some time. As a sign of appreciation, he decided to invite her over for dinner at his apartment-- something he hadn't done before. He liked her very much and decided to do the whole thing right: candlelight, linen tablecloth and napkins, nice plates and glasses, etcetera. And of course cook something great. She arrived and they chatted while he put the finishing touches on the meal. But as they ate and time wore ...

CarrollBlog 10.7

I used to walk the dog very early in the park across the street. Punks had set up camp in one corner of it (right near the 'Amnesty International Torture Museum,' ironically enough) and there were always a bunch of them sleeping in an amorphous pile. Their staked out corner was right near a park entrance. That morning a bunch of prostitutes were standing nearby, chatting loudly. Really dressed to the nines-- waist high white boots, Dolly Parton hairdos, purple or orange micro-minskirts, the w...

CarrollBlog 10.6

When I was in Italy a couple of weeks ago, a magazine interviewer asked a question I thought was intriguing: A UFO lands in your backyard and the aliens knock on the door. They ask you to suggest one book they can read that best describes Mankind and the Human Condition. Which one would I suggest that gives creatures from another planet a good idea of who we really are? I mentioned the first thing that came to mind and to this day I stick with the suggestion-- the children's book "Goodnight M...

CarrollBlog 10.5

"Once again she smelled more than three decades of her fear, failures, lies, and self-deceptions. Those things *do* have an odor: It is common, metallic, and not unlike the smell of fresh blood. It is fresh but it is also old, ancient even. Everyone knows the aroma but does not admit it because we have smelled it on ourselves too many times. It is foul and deeply embarrassing. New love, the best intentions, hope and wonder reborn… This time it will be different! We are so convinced it will w...

CarrollBlog 10.4

Wouldn't it be great if at difficult times in our lives we were able to turn to younger versions of ourselves and ask them for help? For example, you're frightened of something now because you've learned from past experience that there are good reasons to be scared. So you turn inward and ask 27 year old you to take over now. Because at 27, you were afraid of little in life (for better or worse). 27 year old you had a sureness and confidence that for many reasons you lost along the way to...

CarrollBlog 10.3

The severely hunchbacked man walks into the restaurant and chooses a table nearby. Carefully lowering himself into a chair, with his singular body you know it must be done just right or he will be uncomfortable. He is dressed in a suit and carries a briefcase. The waiter knows him and gives a cordial greeting when bringing the menu. "The usual?" he asks and the hunchback nods without looking up from the menu. A few minutes later the waiter returns with a large mug of beer, a shot of...