Back from the north
The mountains are still there! Weather conducive, on one afternoon, to outdoor swimming. The driving on I-93 enough to give one palpitations of anxiety. A little rain. Saw a moose. Great breakfast Sunday morning, great dinner Sunday night. Unfortunately, one absolutely sleepless night/morning in an unfamiliar bed, but I wasn't as tired as one might think the following day.
Something I should do more often!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hiatus
Blogging hiatus upcoming
Headed to northern New England to see the mountains this weekend. Maybe a few things tomorrow, but nothing from Saturday through Monday, inclusive. Should be back on or about Bunker Hill Day, the 17th.
Headed to northern New England to see the mountains this weekend. Maybe a few things tomorrow, but nothing from Saturday through Monday, inclusive. Should be back on or about Bunker Hill Day, the 17th.
Metablogging?
Is this what's called "metablogging"?
With this post, the 244th of the year, 2008 passes 2007 as the third most active year for more last than star.
I'll never catch 2003!
With this post, the 244th of the year, 2008 passes 2007 as the third most active year for more last than star.
I'll never catch 2003!
Obama quote machine
I think it's time we had a national conversation about prejudice. We need to get past all the migraines and recognize that we are our own best hope for overcoming Tom Petty songs. We need ravioli, not overdrawn bank accounts. Ravioli are our enlightenment. And we need to have change in prejudice.
Via TSO, it's the Barack Obama Quote Generator! (As you can plainly see, you can make them as surreal as you like.)
Addendum, hours later : This is more like it :
Via TSO, it's the Barack Obama Quote Generator! (As you can plainly see, you can make them as surreal as you like.)
Addendum, hours later : This is more like it :
Generate a Barack Obama Quote!
"These people haven't had choice for fifty years. So you can't be surprised if they get bitter and cling to their heterosexist remarks and their judgmental people and their Catholic devotions. That's what my campaign is about. Teaching all the little people in this country that they can have reproductive rights."
Generate your Barack Obama quote at Buttafly.com
Monday, June 09, 2008
Creed of the People of God
Spotted at Vivificat!
Creed of the People of God. A beautiful summary of the truths of the Faith -- a prayer, indeed -- which I had never read before!
Creed of the People of God. A beautiful summary of the truths of the Faith -- a prayer, indeed -- which I had never read before!
Lavender fascism
Canada's lavender fascism
directed against Catholics (info via Some Have Hats) and evangelicals (info via The Curt Jester).
If only those religious-right types would roll over and play dead, the world would be a better place!
Afterthought: Canada is not only criminalizing "anti-gay" speech, they're criminalizing "anti-Islamic" speech. Which leads one to wonder: What will the government do when Muslim clerics become prominent spokesmen against homosexual unions?
directed against Catholics (info via Some Have Hats) and evangelicals (info via The Curt Jester).
If only those religious-right types would roll over and play dead, the world would be a better place!
Afterthought: Canada is not only criminalizing "anti-gay" speech, they're criminalizing "anti-Islamic" speech. Which leads one to wonder: What will the government do when Muslim clerics become prominent spokesmen against homosexual unions?
Friday, June 06, 2008
Lunacy
You know ...
I've encountered this Mark Morford guy once or twice before, and his writing engenders the suspicion that he's really a right-winger doing parodies of left-wing lunacy, because no one could really be this ... this ... well, see for yourselves.
Via Dyspeptic Mutterings.
Addendum : Then there's this marvellous bit from Jesse Jackson, Jr.; via Sullivan.
I've encountered this Mark Morford guy once or twice before, and his writing engenders the suspicion that he's really a right-winger doing parodies of left-wing lunacy, because no one could really be this ... this ... well, see for yourselves.
Via Dyspeptic Mutterings.
Addendum : Then there's this marvellous bit from Jesse Jackson, Jr.; via Sullivan.
Silly List
Silly list
Nicknames we have here at the Dark Speech family for various items around the kitchen:
anglais moo-fan That's an English muffin, as you all may have guessed.
chester plate Any ordinary run-of-the-mill plate. The nickname is inspired by the late '70s series Soap, in which a character named Chester Tate emerges from amnesia upon seeing a plate. Or hearing the word "plate." Or something like that. He gets his name partially right at a first go.
eeffoc Coffee.
ee-chay coo-bay Ice cube. Not pig latin! An application of the Italian rules of pronunciation to these two English words.
canine paper A relative's superb malaprop for "cayenne pepper."
toe-ast Toast. Pronouncing the "oa" like the "oa" in "Croat."
Does anyone else have silly nicknames for things, not necessarily kitchen items or foodstuffs, maybe things around the house, or the workplace? Or are we the only goofballs in the entire Anglosphere?
Nicknames we have here at the Dark Speech family for various items around the kitchen:
anglais moo-fan That's an English muffin, as you all may have guessed.
chester plate Any ordinary run-of-the-mill plate. The nickname is inspired by the late '70s series Soap, in which a character named Chester Tate emerges from amnesia upon seeing a plate. Or hearing the word "plate." Or something like that. He gets his name partially right at a first go.
eeffoc Coffee.
ee-chay coo-bay Ice cube. Not pig latin! An application of the Italian rules of pronunciation to these two English words.
canine paper A relative's superb malaprop for "cayenne pepper."
toe-ast Toast. Pronouncing the "oa" like the "oa" in "Croat."
Does anyone else have silly nicknames for things, not necessarily kitchen items or foodstuffs, maybe things around the house, or the workplace? Or are we the only goofballs in the entire Anglosphere?
Reid Buckley
From yesterday's "Morning Joe" on MSNBC
Reid Buckley on his family, esp. his famous brother, the late William F. Buckley, Jr.
I'm with Scarborough. Hard to see the family resemblance. (Ha!)
Reid Buckley on his family, esp. his famous brother, the late William F. Buckley, Jr.
I'm with Scarborough. Hard to see the family resemblance. (Ha!)
Umbrella
Please share my umbrella
Raining in these parts for the third straight day. Let joy be unconfined.
Tomorrow, the extremely hot weather that some of you have already seen will finally arrive in New England. Huzzah.
Raining in these parts for the third straight day. Let joy be unconfined.
Tomorrow, the extremely hot weather that some of you have already seen will finally arrive in New England. Huzzah.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Dickens' chair
Dickens' chair
Auctioned off for $850K.
The not-so-comfy chair from which I blogged during the years 2002-2003 was left on a curb when I moved from the metropolis. I know that my millions upon millions of readers will be disappointed to hear that.
Ha!
Auctioned off for $850K.
The not-so-comfy chair from which I blogged during the years 2002-2003 was left on a curb when I moved from the metropolis. I know that my millions upon millions of readers will be disappointed to hear that.
Ha!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Iconic
Pet peeve, cont'd
All right, this is just too much. I recently heard someone speak of "the iconic Pringles can."
All right, this is just too much. I recently heard someone speak of "the iconic Pringles can."
Monday, June 02, 2008
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Here's a meme
I haven't been tagged, but ...
... here's a meme. Anyone who wants to play, go right ahead!
What time is your alarm clock set to? 7:00 am.
What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? The face.
Do you think people talk about you behind your back? Probably. I thank Heaven I don't know what they say!
What movie do you know every line to? None. But I think I come close with The Breakfast Club and Young Frankenstein.
What is your favorite movie? Oh, I don't know. Arthur? Forrest Gump? 84 Charing Cross Road? The two mentioned as a response to the previous question?
Is anyone in love with you? Not that I know of.
Do you sleep on your side, stomach or back? Side.
Who was the last person to make you mad? A doctor.
Are you a lover or a fighter? Certainly not a fighter, but how much of a lover is anyone's guess.
Are you a morning or evening person? I'm a noon person.
Are you a cuddler? Once upon a time, perhaps, I was ...
Are you a perfectionist? Hardly. Well, about minor things, I can be vexingly persnickety.
Have you ever written a poem? :-)
Do you have more guy or girl friends? Used to be girl, now it's about equal.
How many tickets have you gotten? I avoid driving like the plague; so, none.
Piercings? Never!
Do you have a tattoo? No.
Are you patient? Not often.
Do you miss anyone right now? Too busy blogging to think about it.
Tea or coffee? Coffee (until 10 am; after that, chocolate milk).
Regularly burn incense? Not even sporadically.
Ever been in love? Once, and perhaps more than once.
Best room for a fireplace? Not where I live!
What do you do when you’re sad or upset? Mope? Pace?
Afraid of heights? Extremely!
Can you change the oil in your car? Don't have a car.
Favorite flower? Don't have one.
Favorite hangout? Harvard Square.
Middle name? Edward (confirmation name, Anthony).
Most romantic sounding language? (tie) French; Dante's Italian.
Ever been overseas? Nope.
(First spotted here; also found here.)
... here's a meme. Anyone who wants to play, go right ahead!
What time is your alarm clock set to? 7:00 am.
What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? The face.
Do you think people talk about you behind your back? Probably. I thank Heaven I don't know what they say!
What movie do you know every line to? None. But I think I come close with The Breakfast Club and Young Frankenstein.
What is your favorite movie? Oh, I don't know. Arthur? Forrest Gump? 84 Charing Cross Road? The two mentioned as a response to the previous question?
Is anyone in love with you? Not that I know of.
Do you sleep on your side, stomach or back? Side.
Who was the last person to make you mad? A doctor.
Are you a lover or a fighter? Certainly not a fighter, but how much of a lover is anyone's guess.
Are you a morning or evening person? I'm a noon person.
Are you a cuddler? Once upon a time, perhaps, I was ...
Are you a perfectionist? Hardly. Well, about minor things, I can be vexingly persnickety.
Have you ever written a poem? :-)
Do you have more guy or girl friends? Used to be girl, now it's about equal.
How many tickets have you gotten? I avoid driving like the plague; so, none.
Piercings? Never!
Do you have a tattoo? No.
Are you patient? Not often.
Do you miss anyone right now? Too busy blogging to think about it.
Tea or coffee? Coffee (until 10 am; after that, chocolate milk).
Regularly burn incense? Not even sporadically.
Ever been in love? Once, and perhaps more than once.
Best room for a fireplace? Not where I live!
What do you do when you’re sad or upset? Mope? Pace?
Afraid of heights? Extremely!
Can you change the oil in your car? Don't have a car.
Favorite flower? Don't have one.
Favorite hangout? Harvard Square.
Middle name? Edward (confirmation name, Anthony).
Most romantic sounding language? (tie) French; Dante's Italian.
Ever been overseas? Nope.
(First spotted here; also found here.)
55 Maxims
55 Maxims for Christian Living
from the Orthodox priest Fr Thomas Hopko.
Spotted at a blog I haven't visited in aeons: Notes From a Hillside Farm.
from the Orthodox priest Fr Thomas Hopko.
Spotted at a blog I haven't visited in aeons: Notes From a Hillside Farm.
Icon? Ick.
Pet peeve
This, a recent headline from Yahoo!:
Fire destroys iconic set from 'Back to the Future'
Is it just me or is the word "icon" (here, as an adjective) just a mite debased, overused, misused, etc.?
Reminds me of the time I heard Mariah Carey described as "a supernatural force."
This, a recent headline from Yahoo!:
Fire destroys iconic set from 'Back to the Future'
Is it just me or is the word "icon" (here, as an adjective) just a mite debased, overused, misused, etc.?
Reminds me of the time I heard Mariah Carey described as "a supernatural force."
Countee Cullen
To John Keats, Poet, At Spring Time
by Countee Cullen (1903-46)
(For Carl Van Vechten)
I cannot hold my peace, John Keats;
There never was a spring like this;
It is an echo, that repeats
My last year's song and next year's bliss.
I know, in spite of all men say
Of Beauty, you have felt her most.
Yea, even in your grave her way
Is laid. Poor, troubled, lyric ghost,
Spring never was so fair and dear
As Beauty makes her seem this year.
I cannot hold my peace, John Keats,
I am as helpless in the toil
Of Spring as any lamb that bleats
To feel the solid earth recoil
Beneath his puny legs. Spring beats
Her tocsin call to those who love her,
And lo! the dogwood petals cover
Her breast with drifts of snow, and sleek
White gulls fly screaming to her, and hover
About her shoulders, and kiss her cheek,
While white and purple lilacs muster
A strength that bears them to a cluster
Of color and odor; for her sake
All things that slept are now awake.
And you and I, shall we lie still,
John Keats, while Beauty summons us?
Somehow I feel your sensitive will
Is pulsing up some tremulous
Sap road of a maple tree, whose leaves
Grow music as they grow, since your
Wild voice is in them, a harp that grieves
For life that opens death's dark door.
Though dust, your fingers still can push
The Vision Splendid to a birth,
Though now they work as grass in the hush
Of the night on the broad sweet page of the earth.
"John Keats is dead," they say, but I
Who hear your full insistent cry
In bud and blossom, leaf and tree,
Know John Keats still writes poetry.
And while my head is earthward bowed
To read new life sprung from your shroud,
Folks seeing me must think it strange
That merely spring should so derange
My mind. They do not know that you,
John Keats, keep revel with me, too.
by Countee Cullen (1903-46)
(For Carl Van Vechten)
I cannot hold my peace, John Keats;
There never was a spring like this;
It is an echo, that repeats
My last year's song and next year's bliss.
I know, in spite of all men say
Of Beauty, you have felt her most.
Yea, even in your grave her way
Is laid. Poor, troubled, lyric ghost,
Spring never was so fair and dear
As Beauty makes her seem this year.
I cannot hold my peace, John Keats,
I am as helpless in the toil
Of Spring as any lamb that bleats
To feel the solid earth recoil
Beneath his puny legs. Spring beats
Her tocsin call to those who love her,
And lo! the dogwood petals cover
Her breast with drifts of snow, and sleek
White gulls fly screaming to her, and hover
About her shoulders, and kiss her cheek,
While white and purple lilacs muster
A strength that bears them to a cluster
Of color and odor; for her sake
All things that slept are now awake.
And you and I, shall we lie still,
John Keats, while Beauty summons us?
Somehow I feel your sensitive will
Is pulsing up some tremulous
Sap road of a maple tree, whose leaves
Grow music as they grow, since your
Wild voice is in them, a harp that grieves
For life that opens death's dark door.
Though dust, your fingers still can push
The Vision Splendid to a birth,
Though now they work as grass in the hush
Of the night on the broad sweet page of the earth.
"John Keats is dead," they say, but I
Who hear your full insistent cry
In bud and blossom, leaf and tree,
Know John Keats still writes poetry.
And while my head is earthward bowed
To read new life sprung from your shroud,
Folks seeing me must think it strange
That merely spring should so derange
My mind. They do not know that you,
John Keats, keep revel with me, too.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Dylan Thomas
All day yesterday I was working, as hard as a navvy, on six lines of a poem. I finished them, but had, in the labour of them, picked and cleaned them so much that nothing but their barbaric sounds remained. Or if I did write a line, 'My dead upon the orbit of a rose', I saw that 'dead' did not mean 'dead', 'orbit' not 'orbit' and 'rose' most certainly not 'rose'. Even 'upon' was a syllable too many, lengthened for the inhibited reason of rhythm. My lines, all my lines, are of the tenth intensity. They are not the words that express what I want to express; they are the only words I can find that come near to expressing a half. And that's no good. I'm a freak user of words, not a poet. That's really the truth. No self-pity there. A freak user of words, not a poet. That's terribly true.
Dylan Thomas in a letter to Pamela Hansford Johnson quoted in Constantine FitzGibbon's The Life of Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas in a letter to Pamela Hansford Johnson quoted in Constantine FitzGibbon's The Life of Dylan Thomas
Friday, May 30, 2008
Ocarina
A sentence you don't hear every day
but which I (over)heard today
"You don't need another ocarina!"
but which I (over)heard today
"You don't need another ocarina!"
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Live fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul may be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear!
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose!
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Live fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul may be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear!
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose!
A Horse with No Name
The early '70s
I couldn't get enough of this song as a toddler. "A Horse with No Name" by America:
I couldn't get enough of this song as a toddler. "A Horse with No Name" by America:
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Babelfish fun
Fun with Babelfish
The refrain of the song below, translated into Italian and back into English:
Elenore, Gee task you' the king swelling and you do good really it, you' with reference to my pride and joy, etc.
The refrain of the song below, translated into Italian and back into English:
Elenore, Gee task you' the king swelling and you do good really it, you' with reference to my pride and joy, etc.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Elenore
Your lips intoxicate me
Even though your folks hate me ...
More '60s stuff. "Elenore" by the Turtles.
Love that tambourine player:
Even though your folks hate me ...
More '60s stuff. "Elenore" by the Turtles.
Love that tambourine player:
Wrong!
WRONG! You all had Special K with bananas.
[Another nugget of pop culture. Who can identify the source of the quotation above?]
[Another nugget of pop culture. Who can identify the source of the quotation above?]
Lahiri on Lacerda
Jhumpa Lahiri on Alberto de Lacerda
Steven Riddle of Flos Carmeli recently mentioned the author Jhumpa Lahiri, and even more recently, I found this article at the website of the Poetry Foundation. It is Lahiri's reminiscence of her time as a student of the Portuguese-language poet Alberto de Lacerda.
Steven Riddle of Flos Carmeli recently mentioned the author Jhumpa Lahiri, and even more recently, I found this article at the website of the Poetry Foundation. It is Lahiri's reminiscence of her time as a student of the Portuguese-language poet Alberto de Lacerda.
Stylistics
The (early) '70s
OK, so this song is going through my head right now, so I'm compelled to post the video. "Betcha By Golly Wow" by the Stylistics. Someday, blogging about Important Things will resume, but right now enjoy this mellow, pretty tune from back when.
There's a spark of magic in your eyes ...
OK, so this song is going through my head right now, so I'm compelled to post the video. "Betcha By Golly Wow" by the Stylistics. Someday, blogging about Important Things will resume, but right now enjoy this mellow, pretty tune from back when.
There's a spark of magic in your eyes ...
Summer
I hate summer. Hate it. If I won the lottery, and never had to work a day again in my life, I'd buy us a cottage on the Norwegian seacoast, or some other cool place, and we'd stay there until All Saints Day. I fear and loathe summer. I think air conditioning is mankind's greatest invention. Just so you know.
Rod Dreher, May 24th
Rod Dreher, May 24th
Friday, May 23, 2008
Psalm paraphrased
I am looking at the hills
Where the f--- are the reinforcements?
(Being an explanation of some of the archaisms in the old Anglican Prayer Book.)
Where the f--- are the reinforcements?
(Being an explanation of some of the archaisms in the old Anglican Prayer Book.)
Video no longer available, drat
Blogger's block continues
so here's yet another video clip, this time from the '60s. "A World Without Love" by Peter and Gordon. Volume's a bit loud on this one:
so here's yet another video clip, this time from the '60s. "A World Without Love" by Peter and Gordon. Volume's a bit loud on this one:
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sen. Kennedy
Senator Kennedy
I tried blogging about the sad news yesterday, but deleted all of my several attempts.
However, this blogger's sentiments approximate mine, so I'll direct my few readers to his eloquent, apt words.
I tried blogging about the sad news yesterday, but deleted all of my several attempts.
However, this blogger's sentiments approximate mine, so I'll direct my few readers to his eloquent, apt words.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Video unavailable, drat
A musical interlude
"Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who would have turned 49 today:
"Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who would have turned 49 today:
Locust-beans
Locust-beans?
"Obey with a will, and you shall eat the best that earth yields; but, if you refuse and rebel, locust-beans shall be your only food" (Isaiah 1:19-20, NEB).
In a footnote, the translators acknowledge that an alternate rendering is "if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword."
"Obey with a will, and you shall eat the best that earth yields; but, if you refuse and rebel, locust-beans shall be your only food" (Isaiah 1:19-20, NEB).
In a footnote, the translators acknowledge that an alternate rendering is "if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword."
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