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 10th, 2013 → 5:48 am
“Death, in thy possession lies
A lass unparalleled.” – Antony and Cleopatra
Whatever you think of Lady Thatcher, you have to admit that she was unparalleled. The first woman prime minister of the U.K., the longest serving British prime minister of the 20th century, driven, headstrong, path breaking… The above quote, as originally intended by Shakespeare, was used to describe Cleopatra – another unparalleled, path breaking, female leader.
Baroness Thatcher, rest in peace.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
April 8th, 2013 → 5:30 am
“How can I then return in happy plight
That am debarred the benefit of rest?
When day’s oppression is not eased by night
But day by night and night by day oppressed.” – Sonnet 28
It was a wonderful weekend, with warm sunny weather, children’s laughter in the park, tart lemonade and homemade fried chicken… But it was also exhausting with hours in the sun, screaming children, plates overflowing with food… To be prepared for work today, I really need more sleep.
Filed under: Blog & 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 20th, 2013 → 6:03 am
“Commit
The oldest sins the newest kind of ways.” – Henry IV, Part II
I don’t know how the EU is going to fix its currency and banking mess, but suddenly and indiscriminately reaching into citizen accounts and taking money from people’s hard earned savings seems more like theft than public policy to me. There has got to be a better way.
Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money
March 17th, 2013 → 6:18 am
“Time’s the king of men;
he’s both their parent, and he is their grave,
and gives them what he will, not what they crave.” – Pericles
I never seem to have enough time. Enough said.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life