Black moods and Black Matrix

When I first read John Scalzi's abuse of Black Matrix Publishing earlier this week, the first thing I thought was "Wife must have made him sleep on the couch."

Over the years, I have seen time and time again that when someone blows up at someone else without a reasonable provocation, they're just in a piss-poor mood because of something or someone else that they can't attack directly.

There must be something bothering the guy. There's a certain entertainment value to these kind of blow ups.

Many years ago, when I was in college, I knew a young man who thought I was a loopy, misguided young man because I believed in God and America. He was fascinated that someone who was otherwise intelligent could believe in such superstition.

I was in the unusual position years later of working at the university I attended after my class graduated. One day that fellow came by, escorted by another former student.

He greeted me because I was the only former student from when he was in school. His demeanor was shy and not at all arrogant or dismissive.

I was rather surprised he even wanted to speak to me. As we talked, I was struck by the way the other former student acted.

After a bit, the truth came out - the second former student was escorting the first fellow around campus because he had a nervous breakdown and completely lost his mind. The visit was an attempt to help him recover - taking him to former haunts.

The mocking, self-assured all-knowing guy had suffered a total crackup. Like Icarus, he had flown too close to the sun, and crashed. Little old stupid Lou Antonelli was the same old working grunt, not trendy, smart or handsome. But I was OK.

As the second guy led the first guy off by the hand, I think I got an inkling of what hubris is - I guess.

Them's my thoughts for tonight.