On the 3rd day of "pre CD release" Eric gave to me

I always had one foot out the door, and that prevented me from doing a lot of things, like thinking about my future and... I guess it made more sense to commit to nothing, keep my options open. And that's suicide. By tiny, tiny increments
― Nick Hornby,  (Rob) from High Fidelity


“All I'm telling you to do is to be smart about it. Know that if this man isn't looking for a serious relationship, you're not going to change his mind just because you two are going on dates and being intimate. You could be the most perfect woman on the Lord's green earth-you're capable of interesting conversation, you cook a mean breakfast, you hand out backrubs like sandwiches, you're independent (which means, to him, that you're not going to be in his pockets)-but if he's not ready for a serious relationship, he going to treat you like sports fish.”
― Steve Harvey



"Nothing Personal"


As I said in my blog yesterday, The song "Nothing Personal" is similar to "Amy It Ain't". It deals with what could be the same characters and the scenario. This situation is that the guy has explained his intentions fully and completely. "It was written in Arial Bold 20 point double spaced font." The girl has agreed "Signed and notarized". They have both spoken about and agreed that what they have together is not a serious relationship and it is not going to be. This agreement leaves "little room for misunderstanding"

But in "Nothing Personal" there are some further perspective given into both the situation of the girl and the guy. In "Nothing Personal" the last line of the chorus ("Nothing Personal. But with him....Nothing ever is") really displays a character flaw in the guy. Although, just like in "Amy It Ain't" he has stated his case and his lack of committment to this relationship, however here it shows that this behavior is less of anisolated event and more of a recurring theme. The guy has commitment issues. We can imply that these issues are keeping him from ANY real relationship and the joys that come along with that.

The second verse addresses the plight of the girl. She has agreed to make this relationship nothing passed superficial, but she has fallen for the guy. So although she knows she doesn't LOGICALLY have a basis for arguement with the guy, she still has all the frustration and anger (and that is even more angering and frustrating). It is for this reason I used the metaphor of St Jude. St Jude is the patron saint of multiple things , one of which is "lost causes". This girl's situation is a lost cause for sure. And the girl's last bastion of hope (the patron saint for her lost cause) struggles and fails her ("there's a scarf around St Jude's neck to fight that chill........(but it) tightens like a tourniquet (until St Jude is choking and turning blue in the face. Therefore obviously unable to assist the poor girl). "She sways and staggers")

With St Jude not able to help her,  the girl must face the situation all alone. She has all this rage and venom but due to her previous discussions with the guy she knows she can't fully attack him ("She's all dressed up with no place to thrust the dagger")

I have great sympathy for both the girl and guy in this song. The guy habitually misses out on one of the biggest joys in life (namely, a true romantic connection with another person). And the girl concedes to an agreement written metaphorically "in Arial bold 20 point font", but her emotions can't be stopped by that agreement.

 Love can't be controlled by cold vernacular no matter how much he wants it to be or she's tries to make it be.