April 24th, 2017 → 6:07 am
“Who is it that can tell me who I am?” – King Lear
No one, but since I’m not one for unfounded conspiracy theories, I’ll just assume Shakespeare was Shakespeare and celebrate the joy of his birth (which was sometime this week). Happy birthday Shakespeare and thanks for the beautiful literature!
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art & Other
April 20th, 2017 → 6:35 am
“It would be argument for a week, laughter for a month,
and a good jest forever.” – Henry IV, Part I
When my six year old son runs off with my cane so I can’t chase after him to clean up his toys, is he being cruel, or inventive? Should I yell at him, or laugh with him at my own helplessness?
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
April 16th, 2017 → 5:34 am
“God be praised, that to believing souls
Gives light in darkness, comfort in despair!” – Henry VI, Part II
Happy spring holiday everyone, be it Easter, Passover, Ramanavami, or any of the others I’m forgetting to name.
April 12th, 2017 → 5:30 am
“Those that do teach young babes
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.” – Othello
A Dutch friend of mine forwarded me this article on Dutch schoolchildren. Apparently they rank #1 in well-being, while American children rank #26 (out of 29 rich industrialized countries studied). I’m not surprised, nor am I surprised by the general recommendation to ease up on young kids. What I was surprised about was the lack of regular homework Dutch children are assigned until their early teens. Their early teens! My son would die of joy – too bad we’re not Dutch.
April 5th, 2017 → 6:02 am
“A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities.” – Julius Caesar
As I near the end of my latest convalescence, I appreciate everything everyone has done for me. From car rides to hot dinners to humorous conversations in bed, it has been heartening the myriad forms of outreach that have come my way. I really do appreciate it.
At the same time, this latest convalescence has reminded me yet again how difficult other people’s infirmities are for most able-bodied people to face. The problem appears to stem primarily from unfamiliarity, but there is also a distinct lack of empathy, and perhaps even a tinge of fear, wrapped up in the confusion as well. Whatever is going on, stemming from whatever cause, it has led me to write a short essay/self-help guide for how to visit with a disabled friend. It’s titled: “Please, Just Listen.”
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
March 14th, 2017 → 9:22 am
“Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine,
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! The charm’s wound up.” – Macbeth
There aren’t many quotes in Shakespeare involving numbers, certainly none involving Pi. But in my investigations I did learn that three and nine were considered magic numbers in Shakespeare’s day, where superstitions were common. Here the famous three witches of Macbeth are using 3 and 9 in their spell casting. Happy 3.14159… day!
February 22nd, 2017 → 5:45 am
“We came into the world like brother and brother,
And now let’s go hand in hand, not one before another.” – Comedy of Errors
A Jewish cemetery that I drive by nearly every day was vandalized this week. In response a Muslim American group started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to repair the damage. They reached their goal in three hours. Now that is what makes America great.
February 18th, 2017 → 5:06 am
“Hope is a lover’s staff.” – The Two Gentlemen of Verona
What a striking sentiment. True. Deep. Concise. Clear. When you are young and in love, you hope the other will return your affection. When you are later a newlywed, you hope your future will be bright and full. Once you are a long time married, you hope the relationship stays the course, that your lover will not lose faith or lust. After you are widowed/divorced, you hope you’ll find love yet again. Hope really is the crutch all love leans upon.
February 14th, 2017 → 6:42 am
“They do not love that do not show their love.” – The Two Gentlemen of Verona
In reading The Two Gentlemen of Verona, I came across this line in Act I. Do you think it’s true? That if someone doesn’t demonstrably show you their love, they must not love you? So if my husband doesn’t make a big display on Valentine’s Day, he no longer loves me? What if he only makes a small display, is his love then small? I guess I’ll have to wait and see what he does, then I’ll decide. 😉
February 6th, 2017 → 5:29 am
“…thou has metamorphized me,
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, set the world at naught;
Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with
thought.” – The Two Gentlemen of Verona
At the same time as we are discussing the sonnets, this week the Shakespeare discussion group I participate in also began reading The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The above lines are in the very first act. They are about love, but again, I can easily see them as describing madness; this time the madness that Donald Trump inflicts on others. Love and madness really are too, too similar.
Filed under: Blog & Other & Politics/Politicians & Stupid/Evil People