February 2nd, 2017 → 9:41 am
“My reason…Hath left me,
Past cure I am, now reason is past care,
And frantic-mad with evermore unrest,
My thoughts and my discourse as madmen’s are,
At random from the truth vainly express’d.” – Sonnet 147
The Shakespeare discussion group I participate in recently decided to begin discussing the sonnets. And at random started with Sonnet #147. It is about someone who is heartsick in love, but these lines made me think of the madness of Donald Trump. Love and madness can sound frighteningly similar.
Filed under: Blog & Other & Politics/Politicians & Stupid/Evil People
January 5th, 2017 → 6:06 am
“Meet the time as it seeks us.
We fear not.” – Cymbeline
Stefan Zweig opened his memoirs with this line (at least, the first line), before he committed suicide in 1942. He was trying to understand, and face, Nazi Germany and all the upheaval happening in Europe at the time. It seems fitting today. 2016 was such a tumultuous year, and we don’t know what 2017 will bring. But let’s face it, and try to fear not.
December 5th, 2016 → 5:46 am
“Jack shall have Jill
Nought shall go ill;
The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Let’s hope so!
As the holiday season comes upon us I’ll be taking my usual blogging break, from now until the beginning of January. See you in 2017 and until then, take care and Happy Holidays!
November 4th, 2016 → 8:40 am
“One good deed dying tongueless
Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that.” – The Winter’s Tale
We do not praise goodness enough. The news and the world seems filled with evilness and bad deeds. But good people and good acts happen all the time. If we talked about them more, maybe more would be inspired to occur. To the kind lady who helped rescue my fallen groceries from oncoming traffic: thank you.
October 31st, 2016 → 5:47 am
“Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou com’st in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee.” – Hamlet
And what I will say is: “Would you like a Snickers or a Twix?”
Happy Halloween everyone!!!
October 19th, 2016 → 5:53 am
“Cormorant devouring time.” – Love’s Labor’s Lost
(Note: The cormorant is a ravenous sea bird that eats fish in large numbers.)
All of a sudden I’m crazy busy and can’t find enough time to get everything done. I hate when it gets like this. It’s exhausting!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
September 30th, 2016 → 5:58 am
“I am gone, though I am here.” – Much Ado About Nothing
It’s that time of the semester when my students are barely there, I’m barely there, everyone’s walking around half-sick, fully tired, and wishing they were in bed. Wouldn’t that be nice right now? More sleep…..zzzzz….
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
August 26th, 2016 → 4:51 am
“Now remains
That we find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say the cause of this defect,
For this effect defective comes by cause.” – Hamlet
A colleague of mine told me yesterday that he’s had a sore throat for six months now (um, maybe it’s time to go see the doctor?). My cat turned over on his back last week and we watched his belly distend and fall to the floor (the vet says it’s an allergy – ??). My son came home from the first week of school and felt so dizzy he laid on the floor all night rather than try to stand (he seems better now). What’s going on with all this sickness suddenly around me? More seriously, my colleague’s ex-wife died two days ago, and on the same day I scheduled my next surgery at the Mayo Clinic. Ah, health. Ah, the frail human body. Ah, sickness and disease. I dream of the day when medicine is so advanced we just step into a machine and after three minutes of laser treatment, we’re all cured. Wouldn’t it be nice? Why not dream?
August 20th, 2016 → 5:28 am
“Why art thou old and not yet wise?” – The Rape of Lucrece
Why do we associate wisdom with age? Trump is 70 and from everything I can tell, he’s as stupid as he’s ever been. As I get older I accumulate more knowledge, sure, but I also become increasingly aware of the gray boundaries of my widening unknowns. Wisdom doesn’t equal facts, of course, and maybe that is how this is generally meant. That wisdom is an approach, a perspective, and an experience that grows with age. I just have to say, though, that there are some pretty unwise elderly people out there.
Filed under: Blog & Other & Stupid/Evil People
August 16th, 2016 → 5:21 am
“Study is like the heaven’s glorious sun.” – Love’s Labor’s Lost
If only my students thought that! Here’s to the beginning of a new school year. For my son, this week. For me, next week. Back to the books!