M Train

I’m reading M Train by Patti Smith and I really admire/covet/am jealous of/am envious of her ability to get her thoughts down on paper with such ease and grace and her talent to communicate. I read her Just Kids on a whim after I received an xmas gift card for Barnes and Nobles from a boss that would later, um, remove me from my job. Turns out, this gift card and her advice that “he/she that has data, wins” would be the best two things she ever gave to me.

M Train isn’t a story with an arc, it is a collection of memories and musings but it doesn’t matter. Smith enthralls with little tidbits and anecdotes covering everything from coffee to Michigan and everything in between. Maybe enthralls is too strong a word…Smith “entertains” rather with these words and paragraphs, displayed on pages and rolling along freely associating asunder as asynclitically assembling assurances and asymptomatically ascertaining agave and agape audacity as ants and aardvarks artfully attempt assumption and as Ashley ashes away any astral allusions atilt awfully away, arguably anointing Adam as  apple’s adjudicating admirer always, always, ascribes aster, asses, abdications, …

I just got back from the registrar and they weren’t too impressed with my Al Pacino impression.

“Ranger choke hold Charlie!”

So to wrap this up: If you are an artist you must, have to, are required to read Just Kids. Do not pass go do not collect $200. 

Lastly, He/She that has data wins.

Wins what?