January 23rd, 2014 → 8:06 am
“The bird of wonder…the maiden phoenix.” – Henry VIII
The above is a quote Shakespeare actually made about Queen Elizabeth I (and not somebody else which I then appropriated for the sake of this blog). I have always admired this single ruler of England for 45 years in the 16th century, but never more so than after reading about what she faced in the quasi-history book What If? I mean, I always knew that she faced a tough struggle with Spain, over twenty assassination attempts, and tons of misogyny, but what I had failed to really appreciate was how trul alone she (and England) were at the time. This was well before England was a great empire. In 1588 when the Spanish Armada attacked, the entire world was against her. There was, literally, only one country that stood with England: the Dutch. How she stayed firm to England’s independence, to her own determination not to marry, how she stayed alive at all (!) I really have a hard time fathoming. Very impressive.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
January 21st, 2014 → 5:27 am
Desdemona: “How is’t with you, my lord?”
Othello: “Well, my good lady.” – Othello
An op-ed in The New York Times yesterday discussed the cultural significance of Americans’ common greeting, “How are you?” along with the usual lackadaisical response, “Fine.” I found it hilarious. The columnist, Alina Simone, notes how in Russia no one would ever say “fine,” they’d respond with a true litany of how miserable life is. My own mother (also a non-native American, this time an immigrant from Turkey) similarly hated such irrelevant-seeming small-talk. Once, when a woman in an elevator said to her, “Nice weather we’re having,” my mom replied with, “I find that insignificant.” That interaction is now lore in my family. Whether you find small talk interesting, or irrelevant, Simone notes that it’s been around since at least Shakespeare’s time, as noted in the above quote, said just five scenes before Othello murders Desdemona, making it abundantly clear that he is, in fact, not “well” or “fine” at all.
January 19th, 2014 → 6:20 am
“Painfully to pore upon a book
To seek the light of truth.” – Love’s Labor’s Lost
It’s back to school this week! To all the students – and teachers – out there, have fun, study hard, ask lots of questions, and enjoy yourselves!
January 16th, 2014 → 8:01 am
“Dear earth, I do salute thee with my hand.” – Richard II
It has been a crazy winter this year, intense snow storms, a polar vortex, bone cold temperatures. The harsh weather humbles me; it reminds me to salute the earth and everything about it that I still do not understand.
January 14th, 2014 → 7:56 am
“To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men.” – Merchant of Venice
A neuroeconomics professor has been conducting MRIs on dogs and discovering their feelings. A new website details the love of all animals. And an op-ed in the New York Times today is all about According Animals Dignity. Pythagoras may just have been right.
January 7th, 2014 → 5:48 am
“The rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance.” – The Tempest
There have been a gazillion tributes to Nelson Mandela since he died about a month ago, so I won’t rehash his extensive history and important accomplishments here. What I will do is comment on the one aspect of his personality which is most relevant to me. In my own life, I often have a hard time forgiving people and getting past injuries and slights. Mandela seems to have been able to do this to an astounding degree. I find it not just amazing, but almost incomprehensible. I hope I can keep his example in mind in the future when life (and people) try my soul.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
January 5th, 2014 → 5:54 am
“Our loves and comforts should increase
Even as our days do grow.” – Othello
Welcome back and Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a good holiday season. I enjoyed Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas, but to be honest I’m glad to be back to the blog. And glad for life in general to return to a degree of routine and normalcy. No more ridiculously late nights (I’m too old for that), no more long travels (I’m too tired for that), no more heavy chocolate fondue (though that was insanely good). I wish everyone love and comfort in the year ahead, and I can’t wait to start picking some quotes from a book I read over the holidays, Living with Shakespeare, by Susannah Carson. Much better than her compendium on Jane Austen. Stay tuned…
November 21st, 2013 → 6:20 am
“Would I were in an alehouse in London!” – Henry V
Well I’m not in London right now (would I were!), but I am leaving tomorrow for a conference, then there’s Thanksgiving, then relatives come to visit (not to mention Hanukkah to celebrate), December has Christmas and New Year’s… I think for the sake of my sanity I’m going to have to take a brief hiatus from blogging, just until December is over. I’ll return with lots of new quotes (I’m reading a Shakespeare book right now that’s giving me some great ideas) in January, 2014… See everyone again then! And Happy Holidays of course. 🙂
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
November 19th, 2013 → 11:51 am
“Blow winds and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Strike flat the thick rotundity o’the world!
Crack nature’s moulds, all germens spill at once
That make ingrateful man!” – King Lear
We lost our power as a result of the storms, and its only just now come back on. Hallelujah! In fact, on Sunday when the storms hit, I was entertaining guests and my son had a friend over. We had all these people in our house and a ton of food ready to cook on the stove. Then a number of us watched as a rather large tree branch fell on our power line, crashing it to the ground. Next our big metal gazebo was dashed by the wind onto the tree branch that was on the power line. It was so shocking it was funny at first, till I realized I had all this food going to waste and people still to entertain. Our power is actually only half on right now (“half restored” they call it??), but thank god for that. And welcome back my beloved internet connection!!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
November 14th, 2013 → 5:57 am
“This all lies within the will of God.” – Henry V
Estimates are that the typhoon that hit the Philippines killed around 10,000 people. The survivors are now desperate for food, water, and aid. If events such as this are the will of God, as I’ve heard some say, one really has to wonder why.