April 19th, 2013 → 6:07 am
“O ye gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?” – Julius Caesar
I have always hated – and I mean hated – the saying that “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” And now, apparently, I’ve been vindicated by recent research. A new study, tracking a group of people over a decade, finds that heartache and stress just wears a person down; it doesn’t bolster them up. What Neitzsche was thinking I have no idea. Hadn’t he ever been deeply burned or cut? It leaves a thin delicate scar, vulnerable and pink. Heartache is heartache pure and simple, there is nothing good about it.
April 15th, 2013 → 6:24 am
“O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes!” – As You Like It
Continuing with the theme of linguistic differences and changes in meaning of things over time, I came across an interesting piece of research the other day, where a bunch of anthropologists tracked emotion words in literature over time (i.e. literally tracked the frequency usage of “happy” words in google books from 1900-2000). And one of their conclusions was that people were happier 100 years ago than they are today, because they used more “happy” words in their published writings. Personally, I find this bogus. Not just because economics research does not seem to be finding significant happy distinctions like this over time, but also because I am an author. Have you read any books from 1900? I have. The writing style was very different back then. Effusive, saccharine, adverb-laden in a way modern writing most definitely is not. It doesn’t mean our happiness levels have changed, it means our writing styles have. Subtlety and “show-not-tell” are the mantras of fine literature today; they weren’t back then.
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art & Other
April 13th, 2013 → 5:39 am
“[I] am enjoin’d
By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here,
And beg your pardon: pardon, I beseech you!” – Romeo and Juliet
Every now and again we all do stupid things. The other day I acted quite insensitively to a good friend of mine. I’m so embarrassed thinking about it now. Please forgive me, Arkadasim, I beseech you!
As a side note, I notice that it is extremely difficult (impossible?) to find the words “sorry,” or “apology” in Shakespeare. There are “pardons” and acts of “forgiveness” and “repentance,” but no apologies as we would recognize them today. According to scholars on this, in Shakespeare’s day apologies were more about seeking forgiveness from God for your sins, not other people. It was a religious thing, not an individualistic thing. I find this temporal distinction in what it means to say you’re sorry fascinating…
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
April 3rd, 2013 → 6:04 am
“In nature’s infinite book of secrecy
A little I can read.” – Antony and Cleopatra
A recent study found that over 1 million people die prematurely in China due to air pollution. I do remember the air being pretty bad when I was in Beijing in 2007; my throat hurt when I woke up in the mornings, and the snot in my nose came out black. I think nature is telling us to do something about this already…
April 1st, 2013 → 6:07 am
“Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere.” – Twelfth Night
Let’s certainly hope so today. Happy April Fool’s Day!
March 25th, 2013 → 6:01 am
“I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness.” King Lear
I’ve been at a conference the last few days and yesterday, Sunday, I was supposed to fly home. Then came this crazy winter storm and I got stranded in the Chicago airport when my flight was cancelled. I thought about getting a hotel and waiting it out, like I was supposed to do, but I missed my son so much. I was dying to kiss and hold him after days without his adorable cuddle so instead I rented a car, drove through the storm, passed at least 50 cars stranded or skidded off the side of the road, and made it to my baby at 11pm last night. This morning I woke with the cold realization of how stupid I was, but what the hell is it doing snowing like this at the end of March?!?!?
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
March 5th, 2013 → 8:15 am
“The slaves of chance, and flies
Of every wind that blows.” – Winter’s Tale
Last Thursday a man in Florida, asleep in his bedroom in his very own home, was suddenly swallowed up by a 60 foot sinkhole that opened up beneath his bed. Could that be any more other-wordly, science-fictiony unbelievable? We paltry human beings, we measly bags of flesh; in vain we put up sticks of wood and concrete to try and protect ourselves from the world. We could all be swallowed up by sinkholes at any time, without any notice. What a truly frightening thought.
February 14th, 2013 → 5:54 am
“Thinking of nothing else, putting all affairs else in oblivion, as if there were nothing else to be done but to see him.” – Henry IV, Part II
Remember new love? When it was all you could do not to obsess about the object of your affection all day long? Ah, those days were fun… In remembrance of them, Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
February 9th, 2013 → 7:48 am
“Winter tames man, woman, and beast.” – Taming of the Shrew
A winter storm is battering the Northeastern United States right now. I’ve read that thousands of flights are canceled, roads are closed, power outages are developing. All that is bad, of course, yet I still can’t help feeling a little jealous. We haven’t had a good winter storm here in St. Louis in years. It’s cold, I’ll give you that, but not snowy. And I really wish I had some thick, powdery snow to play in with my little boy. Here’s wishing we have a terrible winter storm headed our way!
January 30th, 2013 → 8:01 am
“Honor, riches, marriage blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing
Hourly joys be still upon you!” – The Tempest
My niece just got engaged and is getting married in less than four short months! Congratulations Jackie, we’re all looking forward to the May wedding!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life