It's a testimony to how little regard he has for his real friends these days.

I


don't take back anything I've said about Matthew Hart. Here, let me explain. This morning after I came in from Comet, the ISP where I "work" the night shift, I ran across Deya in the kitchen as she was drawing a bath. Guess what news she had to break? Matthew is moving out. Okay, no surprise there. But guess what replacement he has lined up? You'll never believe this. It's a testimony to how little regard he has for his real friends these days. The replacement he has lined up is none other than Theresa Venesian, the less rational older sister of Matthew's current girlfriend Angela. Any who have been following these musings will remember the problems Theresa has caused simply while visiting. Just for one example, look at this little snip of video documenting her in one of her increasingly common drunken frenzies.

The kind of trouble Theresa would bring isn't worth any kind of rent she could pay.

There was a time when Theresa wasn't too bad, back when she stuck to marijuana and largely avoided alcohol. But lately she's been drinking excessively and causing problems to everyone around her. She's been staying at Angela's place, making life difficult for her and Matthew. They've evidently decided to cure two of their ills at once: paying half of their rent load while getting rid of Theresa.

The only thing is, no one bothered to consult either Deya or me. Matthew simply showed up last night while I was taking my prework nap, Theresa in tow, and announced to Deya the new plan. What could Deya say, Theresa was standing right there. Deya doesn't want to live with Theresa. I don't want to live with Theresa. The kind of trouble Theresa would bring isn't worth any kind of rent she could pay. Instead of, for example, having to endure Persad (her on-again/off-again stalkerly gothic natureboy-boyfriend) hanging out around here (and their unceasing fights) I think I'd just end my suffering and shoot myself in the head.

It seems he's been taking classes at the Rory Miller Institute of Friend Maintenance.

So, to summarize these feelings, it ain't happening. Theresa isn't moving in. I'm smart enough not to buy into that kind of trouble. Heaven knows, I've had enough experience with housemates who cannot make their points without breaking things in the process.

As I said to Deya, "Matthew must really not like us very much." I'm shocked. I'm also hurt. I've been a devoted friend. I supported Matthew when Rory stole his old girlfriend Leah. It's really sad to see how low Matthew has sunk. I sure hope he's happy with Angela, because he's alienating everyone else. Matthew might still be pissed off at Rory, but it seems he's been taking classes at the Rory Miller Institute of Friend Maintenance.

You know, if it wasn't for Rory, I'd accept Leah back into Kappa Mutha Fucka with open arms.

I'm looking for a relatively quiet, considerate, intelligent non-smoker who'd like to live with two of the same.

What it looks like I'll have to actually do is find an acceptable new housemate on my own. Sure as shit, Matthew is too busy wallowing in Angela to go out and find me one. I'll ask around at the Downtown Artspace during Friday's opening. If any of you readers need a room in Charlottesville, send me email. I'm looking for a relatively quiet, considerate, intelligent non-smoker who'd like to live with two of the same. Rent is $267/month plus utilities. Must be willing to take the role of a character in an ongoing published drama. Live-in computer tech support is provided free of charge.

---

Wide exposure is one of the worst of the possible bad things that can affect the quality of any given journal.

I


'm all excited from making the front page of the Netly News today. I did the interview never really considering where exactly the article was going to be posted. I've noticed that this web notoriety thing is an exponentially-growing process. I'm particularly pleased that the article mentioned Alan of heinovision. His site deserves more exposure. It's nice to see that people with bluntly non-mainstream views aren't ignored on the web (as they are in all other media). That said, wide exposure is one of the worst of the possible bad things that can affect the quality of any given journal. I'm a little surprised Alan allowed himself to be interviewed. He usually avoids that sort of thing. He's not exactly a publicity hound.

Best of all, Walter Miller (of Walter Miller's Homepage) sent me a cungradulitory email. Walter, by the way, has a regolar colem in the Netlee News.

---

This news just confirms the suspicion I've had that none of these Philadelphia kids ever really recovers, that any celebrated improvement is just a revolution along the downward spiral.

J


essika just called with news. Shira has died at the age of 20. Shira used to live on the first floor of Big Fun.
She used to want to be a mother.
She used to make little high-relief collages and put them on the wall.
She used to conspire with Sara Poiron in ways they tried not to reveal.
She was involved for a while with Matthew Hart.
What killed her: overdose, Philadelphia stylee. I saw it coming, or I did once, but I'd been led to believe (especially by Matthew) that she'd recovered from her problems. This news just confirms the suspicion I've had that none of these Philadelphia kids ever really recovers, that any celebrated improvement is just a revolution along the downward spiral. Now I can say I knew someone well who died substantially before her time.

I'm glad Jessika has had enough sense to avoid the madness of heroin addiction, even though it has devoured many of her friends.

Elizabeth and Catherine DeGood, two of the Blond House girls, came over randomly. They aren't regulars at Kappa Mutha Fucka (no one is; Deya and I have allowed our social connections to whither and die), so it was nice of them to drop by. They came bearing a "low-key" social invitation. I guess that means I shouldn't say what it was in here. Anyway, I'll be there when "it" happens.

I remember for a while Shira was on a campaign to get more references for herself in the Glossary. Maybe she subconsciously knew that it was to be her afterlife.

I spent much of their visit bitching about Matthew's latest scheme to dump Theresa upon us, and about how sadly Matthew has declined of late. We also discussed Shira's untimely demise. I haven't seen Shira in so long that I don't find her death affecting me very much, and that makes me feel sort of guilty. She was an important person in my life once, but now her absence from the world seems to make very little difference. I guess this is an indication of the similarity between the ways the mind classifies death and separation. This is why people hug each other when they say good bye. It seems like such a forced ritual, but you really never know if you'll see that person again. I think I hugged Shira last time I saw her.

I remember when Lisa Joy Powley broke up with me, I experienced it as though she had died, and I grieved for months.

Shira was never very happy with her definition in the Big Fun Glossary. Neither was Sara with hers. I remember for a while Shira was on a campaign to get more references for herself in the Glossary. Maybe she subconsciously knew that it was to be her afterlife.

In Heaven, everything is fine.

After Elizabeth and Catherine left, Deya and I drove to Angela's apartment looking for Matthew. We arrived with two unpleasant missions: to break the news of Shira's death and to refuse to accept Theresa as a housemate replacement. I was edgy from the uncomfortable business at hand, and was relieved to find them absent. Deya left a note on Angela's door saying that they needed to stop by to discuss the housing situation and some "bad news." Hopefully this will give Matthew some preparation for the uncomfortable conversation that needs to happen.

one year ago

For linking purposes this article's URL is:
http://asecular.com/blog.php?971204