once more i am going to post this quote from herman melville’s failed novel ‘PIERRE’, because in my experience it sums up the totality of human existence . . . which, let’s face it, is a huge steaming pile of absolute horseshit:

Yet now, forsooth, because Pierre began to see through the first superficiality of the world, he fondly weens he has come to the unlayered substance. But, far as any geologist has yet gone down into the world, it is found to consist of nothing but surface stratified on surface. To its axis, the world being nothing but superinduced superficies. By vast pains we mine into the pyramid; by horrible gropings we come to the central room; with joy we espy the sarcophagus; but we lift the lid—and no body is there!—appallingly vacant as vast is the soul of a man!

a few weeks ago i was walking through berkeley at night, and a middle-aged man rolled up to me on a bike with a beer in his hand. he was wasted out of his head. he said to me: “another day in the life, huh? here’s the forecast for today, and every day for that matter: bullshit on top of bullshit on top of bullshit.” i said: “right on, dude.” and then he biked away.