Two-edged swords are everywhere. It doesn’t matter what the activity, there will always be pluses and minuses. Living in the middle of nowhere (perhaps I should say Middle of Nowhere) has some distinct advantages, but there are disadvantages as well. One negative is the distances we have to drive to get to basic things like the grocery store or a doctor. With gas prices so high, travel gets costly. I’m reminded of something the comedian George Carlin once said: “Energy experts have announced the development of a new fuel made from human brain tissue. It’s called assohol.” Would that it were true. We could start with the brain tissue of politicians. Michele Bachman would be a prime candidate for a nice blend; I’d get lots of miles per gallon.
I love where I live. The solitude and privacy are a big plus for an old misanthrope like me. But sometimes, in weak moments, I think that if I had my life to live over again, I’d live over a delicatessen. The wonderful aroma of pastrami and corned beef would float up and, after a whiff or two, I’d be grabbing my wallet and heading down for lunch.
Where I live in south central Utah the only concrete is home foundations. We had a visitor come from back east once a few years ago and as we were driving him around he kept repeating in astonishment, “It’s so brown!” He was used to everything being paved, buildings rising up from every inch of ground, sidewalks crammed with pedestrians. Out here in my area, people think a pedestrian is a children’s doctor.
I guess my two-edged sword is dull on both sides. I’ve grown used to taking the bitter with the sweet. I just spit out the bitter and savor the sweet.