Globex Corporation Newsletter

If I had my way I would know everything. I've been collecting knowledge for my entire life and seem to let very little go. When I was in high school, this was decidedly not cool. If a weird fact came out of my mouth everyone would ask, "how do you know that?"

It amazes me that I was somewhat ashamed of my ability to hang onto facts. It amazes me that I would actually hold back, that I'd try not to act "so smart."

There's a difference between having knowledge and being a "know it all" I realize. I know I've crossed that line before and undoubtedly will again. One of the hardest things for me to admit is that I don't know something, a close second being that I don't have an opinion about something.

When it comes right down to it, though, I know it's impossible to know everything. I imagine that more is learned every day in this ever changing world then I could ever fit inside my skull. I can never know it all. While I accept that, it sort of bugs me.

Honestly, the only area that I can be totally infallable about is very personal, the things I like. Even that, though, is changing. I like things today that I didn't realize that I liked when I was younger or even a year and a half ago when I moved to Cheyenne. But in whether I like something or not, particularly after trying it, I can never be wrong. I know that completely.

I was walking across the bridge at USSB one day and I thought I heard Glen Purdie say, "what was the question?" It was part of a conversation that I wasn't in on, I hadn't heard any of the rest of the conversation, I was just passing through on my way to Control Room B (the one with MTV in it...) but hearing that made me think for some reason.

What was the question? I don't know, but suddenly I wanted to know the answer. It's funny how something will stick in you brain and just won't get out. Plus I'd be sitting in the same room for the next 8 hours, and it would stew inside my head until I had to drive home.

Beer is the answer, the t-shirt reads, what was the question? Of all of the truths in the universe, one that I am completely confident in is how much I like beer. I know a lot of things, but I don't have first hand experience with them.

I know that the Mississippi River flows from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico south and east of New Orleans. I've read this in books and seen that this is the path of the river on maps. I know the Mississippi River exists, at the time I was living really close to it. But I'll never know, actually know for myself that this is true until I visit both of those places. Moreover, I can't know it is completely true until I travel the entire length of the river from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.

I do know, without any shadow of doubt, that I like beer. I don't have to take any of that on faith. It's simply true. Everything I read, everything I see requires scrutiny on my part. Yes, some beers I don't like. Most, however, I do.

So all of this stuff stews in my head for a while and it starts to come out much more poetically that I've spent a whole lot of words just now trying to express:

Lots of questions in life lots of things to know
I wanna learn 'em all before my time to go
I got questions about death and the dearly departed
I got questions about women, man, don't get me started
I can tell you what I've learned in just one easy lesson
Beer is the answer, what was the question?

From the factual to the metaphysical to the stuff that relationships are based on, I have no idea. I'm clueless. I'd love to know everything, but I never will. But there's one thing I do know.


They told us in school that knowledge is king
But when it comes right down to it we don't know a thing
We got Atlantis and Big Foot and alien abduction
No answers just heresay and powers of deduction
But there's one thing I know 'bout the rest I'm just guessin'
Beer is the answer, what was the question?

Tony Olson worked at USSB and was absolutely certain that aliens were here. I don't buy that at all, but, well, I can't be completely certain that they don't. Nobody can prove that they don't. I don't buy it, but I could be wrong. It's just one more thing that I'll (probably) never know.

Being a linear songwriter, it was hard for me not to begin with the chorus, which was the first thing that sprung to my mind. The chorus and this final verse were the first things I wrote in Control Room B that day. The two verses above took a long time and came much later. I have a chorus to a song that I wrote back in October that I still haven't done anything with. I'm sure I will someday, but I can't force it. The same with this:

Well beer is the answer, what was the question?
I ain't got none now but I know where to get some
A tall glass of brew is my only redemption
Beer is the answer, what was the question?

Life is a test it ain't multiple choice
It ain't fill in the blanks it ain't true or false
There ain't no time limit it don't grade on a curve
You do the best that you can and get what you deserve
I've been studyin' too hard and my brain needs some restin'
Beer is the answer, what was the question?

I'll never know everything. For me, that's pretty humbling. I take great comfort in being completely sure about something.

I also like the way beer tastes.

BOJ

Labels: Positive Tuesday