You could be Mickey Rooney...

The other day we watched 'Barfly' and it's a movie that's held up surprisingly well considering its potential for trendiness. It stars Mickey Roark (Rourke?) and my current mental illness (or maybe just my regular personality) makes me think about how life is a futile stretch of deceptive hope punctuated by disappointment and sometimes the occasional treat.

I was remembering that there was a time when Micky Roark had the most enviable life...he had the currently most beautiful model as his girlfriend and he was a big star and I think he had some quasi-artistic status. Maybe he would be the next Jack Nicholson. But now what's up with him? Doesn't seem so great for him now and maybe it's even worse because he had it so good.

So there was a time when you might have wanted to be Mickey Roark but then if you got your wish you might have regretted it.

Yes, there is no point in wishing for things to get better because they might become much worse and then it will only be worse for you because you have the memory of things being better. You might as well stay in your own morass.

(Apropos to my own current situation I thought: And he screwed it all up. By being an idiot! Just like me.)

Except the whole time I was thinking this I thought his name was 'Mickey Rooney.' So Mickey Rooney did refer to Mickey Roark in my thoughts just like 'the morning star' also refers to 'the evening star.'

And you could say the same things about Mickey Rooney that you would about Micky Roark. Those movies with Judy Garland! The world was eating out of his hand! So many would have changed places with him back in the day and yet...he was a silly adult somehow.

Also, they both had to be named 'Mickey'. Supermodels are hot, the best table, Hollywood at your feet, but...Mickey?

So if you are feeling low remember: "You could be Mickey Rooney." I'm not sure how it will help but it may aid you in being more resigned to your lot.