All aboard. People I very much appreciate:

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Ignatz

It began with this. Suze, at Subliminal Coffee, asked for a handwriting sample and I wrote:

Suze's sister has a remarkable skill. I was given the following analysis:

"Next, we have Geo., whose single-word contribution my sister said was a lot of fun to analyze. From that one word, she guesses that he:

  • is just and adept at seeing all sides of an issue
  • is a lover of fine art
  • believes in a higher power but remains in 'search mode'
  • holds a deep respect for all humankind...he nurtures the capacity to take everyone and what they have to offer seriously
  • loyal
  • reverent
  • she also said she sees, 'a lot of happiness' in this person."
I don't know how she came up with these compliments, but I appreciate them. However, "loyal" and "reverent" immediately took me back to Boy Scout Law. Although I have not been a Scout for 49 years, I still remember those laws on page 404 of the Handbook, which means I have retained at least some of the virtues listed there. But why Ignatz?

An enigma!

I have a distant memory of  friend Lee Santos telling me, in 1969, "You and Norma should come by the club tonight --I got Roland Kirk." Roland Kirk could play sax and flute with his mouth while playing recorder with his nose. I thought the hommage de nez was to Ignatz Topolino, but now believe Roland came up with it on his own.

 So, the only direct-route to "Ignatz" I can think of is on this U.S postage stamp:

When I was a kid, I  really liked Krazy Kat and delved into his history, but was ambivalent about his co-star, Ignatz, the mean little mouse. Every episode turned upon Ignatz throwing a brick into the back of Krazy's head, which Krazy took as a sign of affection. Krazy loved Ignatz, and was never less than kind and considerate to the mouse. Ignatz was cute but inarticulate. I only felt sorry for him once. That's when Ignatz had no way of expressing himself  because the brickyard closed down.

It was a strange century to grow up in, kids.

There was great music, A Katnip Kantata in the Key of K.(Herriman, George -1991- Turtle Island/Eclipse Books), Rahsaan Roland Kirk of course, also the Fugs --who announced their songs sung "in the key of metaphysical distress"-- and Roy Orbison, whose dramatic lyrics described a sanity that does not exist anymore. But, except for the guy with the harmonica in his nose, none were Ignatz.

There was only one Ignatz, and he is still an enigma...

...still a mystery. Wherefore Ignatz? As Suze's sister has ably demonstrated, the accomplished graphologist can solve many questions of personality and character. But what is written (or expressed by brick) is more elusive. From tenure in another century, I learned the universe never disposes of a mystery, so it is in our best interest to remain one. Scout's honor!


34 comments:

  1. I saw a documentary once about a person who worked for the FBI and she profiled people based on their handwriting. It was quite fascinating!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, from differences in my own script, I've seen the occupational effects of gardening in all weather for 30 years, and age. A more observant graphologist could doubtless associate it with statistical enclaves as well.

      Delete
  2. While I agree wholeheartedly with Suze's sister's handwriting analysis of my old friend Geo., so far as it goes. I always worry--or, more directly--am suspicious, of 'readings' that show only positive qualities of the one being read, whether by handwriting analysis or whatever is being supposedly used. Immediately, my 'bullshit detector' goes up and I think charlatan, either conscious or unconscious one. The so-called 'New Age' has been rife with these kinds of personable hoaxers, as I'm sure you should know.I want to see what she sees of his or anyone else's 'dark side', for we all have that--and Geo. and I know each other well enough to see some of that in ourselves and others!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Will, I have, as you know, a BS detector that makes all the lights go out in our house. Didn't this time because I really am the nice fellow Suze's sister describes. Really, I didn't use my signature because at some point it degenerated into a sort of loop followed by some things that might be n's, like most everyone else's signature. Either she refrained from describing my dark side or the brickyard was closed that day. I have read some of her other analyses and have great confidence in them.

      Delete
  3. What a fascinating reading (and, as always, post). Would you disagree with her? Which bits? Would your nearest and dearest agree with either of you? And if so, who?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks E.C., I suspect Norma would take issue with the last remark, "a lot of happiness in this person" because I don't get real happy until later in the evening. However, until I dare to ask Norma's opinion, I'll consider Suze's sister's assessment close enough.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have had my handwriting analyzed, my palm read, played with the tarot cards, and been to a physic. They were all truly for fun, but I really wanted to believe all the good things they told me. Why not feed my fragile ego as it is very fragile indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't sell 'em short, Arleen. 44 years ago I had a Tarot reading and the lady said I'd work no more than 10 years indoors, then I'd work outdoors --which I did for 30 years until retiring. There are readers who spare egos, but there are also intuitives in this world. Only time tells which kind one encountered.

      Delete
  6. Ignatz. I'm gonna go with the music.

    I love Roy Orbison, by the way.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My favorite is "The Comedians", where old Roy gets stuck on top of the Ferris wheel!

      Delete
  7. My very first thought was "Why Ignatz?" I'm glad you cleared that up. I've never heard of Ignatz Topolino. I never knew that the mean mouse who konstantly klobbered Krazy Kat was named Ignatz.

    I strongly suspect that you don't harbor a dark side, Geo, so I'm going to admit that the handwriting analysis is right on target.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My dark side is seldom seen because the light's real bad in there.

      Delete
  8. I'm glad the brick yard was closed when she did her reading. Hearing positive things about yourself is good for you...you tend to start acting out the positive (if you weren't already anyway).
    I remember Krazy Kat....hadn't thought of that in so long.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I try to be good. Much of humanity's better nature was learned from Krazy.

      Delete
  9. 'I only felt sorry for him once. That's when Ignatz had no way of expressing himself because the brickyard closed down.'

    For some reason, I really like this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the toon, I think Ignatz learned to make his own bricks.

      Delete
  10. I loved so much of this.

    And anything sung in the key of metaphysical distress? I can only wish I'd come up with that...

    Pearl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was either Ed Sanders or Tuli Kupferberg uttered that line on the Fugs first or second album --titled "The Fugs First Album"-- which I bought in '66 and still have.

      Delete
  11. Ignatz. I would like to re-name myself.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the Roy Orbison plug in there - definitely one of rock's under-appreciated stars.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely, Roy and Ignatz had some themes in common.

      Delete
  13. And "now we know the rest of the story"
    Great reading , I'd say.
    I'd like to get my handwriting read, wonder what I might find out about myself.

    Loved reading all of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Margie. I can't imagine a graphologist finding anything but goodness in you.

      Delete
  14. Sounds like that Ignatz fella should be a candidate for the Ignoble award. Anyone who can play an instrument with his nose oughta be eligible for some kind of award. (Beats the music tooted by the Fartiste.)

    Cool handwriting analysis. You're a cool dude, as we already knew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan! Many disappointed Fartistes have auditioned for orchestras all over the world, only to be told they stunk.

      Delete
  15. I had to laugh when I read that you were a scout as once, long ago, I was literally the worst boy scout in the history of scouting.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Still, I hope you gained a healthy appreciation for sleeping indoors like I did.

    ReplyDelete
  17. My fondest wish as a young girl was to be a cub scout. I didn't dare to dream so high as the boy scouts, but I really thought cub scout might be doable. Then they told me I was welcome to join the pioneer girls or brownies or some girl club, which I knew was not happening under any circumstances, so the cub scouts missed out on some tom boy awesomeness. When I got a little older, I bought a cub scout shirt at a consignment store and wore it ironically. Okay, I tried to make it look like I was wearing it ironically. But wait, this comment is all about me and what I meant to say is that I didn't need a handwriting sample to know you are special. I do like your handwriting, though. And Krazy Kat kind of reminds me of Sponge Bob with all his cheery optimism.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most kind. And underneath the ironies of this life is a magic that makes us special, as your story demonstrates so beautifully. Thanks!

      Delete
  18. I agree with what Willie, up the top there, said. It's handy to agree with another persons comments, saves a bit of writing. And thinking.
    Sorry about the comma's in this comment, I never know where they should go, so I put a few in at random, in the hope it will make me appear educated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks John! Willie was my English teacher in high school and has monitored my grammar since 1965. I am sure he would approve of all your commas. I do.

      Delete
  19. It looks like Iggy is playing the harmonica with his nose in that particular photo. Which seems rather unsanitary.

    Suze's sister's analysis seems spot-on. But she did not say "wildly, wickedly clever," which seems your most salient trait, at least based on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I time-travel 3 years from the future to say thanks, Stephanie.

      Delete

Please comment! Stats are just numbers and don't really represent you. I need to read what you think and thank you.