Thought for the day

Some people are too dumb to learn from their mistakes. And I seem to be one of them. On that note,

Sometimes I get tired of all this running. My teeny, tiny brain needs a break. On that note, here's Eddie Vedder.

Love junkies?

Found this on a discussion board:

There are some interesting biochemical perspectives on relationship breakups which you might find useful. When a person develops a pair-bonding attachment to someone, the brain produces a chemical called phenylethylalanine, which is a chemical cousin of speed and has similar physiological effects. The intense and irrational feelings that go with what's commonly termed "falling in love" result at least in part because having floods of phenylethylalanine in your system is biochemically analogous to a speed trip. PEA is released in response to interactions with the person of interest to you, and in-between interactions, PEA levels fall, so you mope and write sonnets and stick out your bottom lip and become a general pain. When you interact again, back comes the rush!

Biochemically, a Romeo or Juliet sitting by the phone waiting for their beloved to call is just a junkie waiting for their next fix! (Sorry about the iconoclastic nature of this discussion!!!) And the longer the interval, the deeper the moping phase and also the more intense the rush when you next interact. People living together usually lose the intensity of their feeling as PEA levels fall with constant exposure, and endorphins are produced to take their place (this is the "comfortable" stage). But PEA can be triggered again by separations, and this helps explain why couples living together who are separated for a week or so have these honeymoon effects when they are reunited.

A relationship breakup is basically like withdrawing from a speed addiction. This explains the physical symptoms and the irrationality. And I think it helps explain why people keep returning to abusive or incompatible partners, instead of getting themselves a life and finding a decent person. Of course, once the person is over the withdrawal and biochemically back to normal, they wonder in retrospect what on earth the fuss was all about!

Why all this biochemical hoodwinking? Well, it's all in the name of the continuity of the species, and of course life would be boring if we couldn't live on the edge of a cliff.

Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

Maybe I should have a separate music blog.

What say?

Don't you think you oughtta rest?
Don't you think you oughtta lay your head down?
Don't you think you want to sleep?
Don't you think you oughtta lay your head down tonight?

Don't you think you've done enough?
Oh, don't you think you've got enough, well maybe..
You don't think there's time to stop
There's time enough for you to lay your head down, tonight, tonight

Let it wash away
All those yesterdays

What are you running from?
Taking pills to get along
Creating walls to call your own
So no one catches you? drifting off and
Doing all the things that we all do

Let them wash away
All those yesterdays
All those yesterdays
All those paper plates

You've got time, you've got time to escape
There's still time, it's no crime to escape
It's no crime to escape, it's no crime to escape
There's still time, so escape
It's no crime, crime..

Exultation

The wanderings have ceased
The lost traveller has found his path
Music permeates the very fibre of existence
And elevates the soul into the empyrean

Lyrics here.

Damn and blast it!

Have I mentioned that I love Pearl Jam (before that last couple of albums that is)? If Eddie Vedder gets to be lead singer of The Doors, I wouldn't really mind -that's how much I like his voice. This is one of my favourites, and I just love the tone of defiance in the song. Sampler:

Ill take the firmest path
Oh, and I must refuse your test
Push me and I will resist
This behaviour's not unique
I don't want to hear from those who know
They can buy, but cant put on my clothes
I don't want to limp for them to walk
Never would have known of me before
I don't want to be held in your debt
And Ill pay it off in blood, let I be wed

And here's the video (Sims 2, but the only one I could find that wasn't a live version).