tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44007892926232348662024-10-04T22:23:23.600-05:00animî nostrî dêbent interdum âlûcinâriDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-63944913783051418012011-10-09T21:13:00.000-05:002011-10-09T21:13:23.522-05:00

Ignore the bald thing in the lower left—This night last year, NYC.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7143528 -74.005973140.5217853 -74.3218301 40.9069203 -73.690116100000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-62964149329751115192011-10-09T00:45:00.000-05:002011-10-09T00:45:51.397-05:00

A lovely piece from Baudelaire, Petits Poèmes en Prose, edition of 1869, no. 33, "Enivrez-vous".Il faut être toujours ivre. Tout est là: c'est l'unique question. Pour ne pas sentir l'horrible fardeau du Temps qui brise vos épaules et vous penche vers la terre, il faut vous enivrer sans trêve.Mais de quoi? De vin, de poésie ou de vertu, à votre guise.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-42950792027229748112011-03-26T12:01:00.001-05:002011-03-26T17:03:22.304-05:00

Sitting here one-eyed, post yesterday's eye surgery, it's hard not to reflect on just how much this year has sucked to date.I have already attended six funerals this year alone, three of which were for people younger than myself, and two for family. For others, I have been to hospitals in three states (here, Tennessee and Alabama)—including my brother, who had a heart attack, and my mother

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-19394255262119667742011-01-29T16:06:00.000-06:002011-01-29T16:06:47.189-06:00

Ἥβα μοι, φίλε θυμέ· τάχ´ αὖ τινες άλλες   γῠναῖκες, ἐγὼ δὲ θανὼν γαῖα μέλαιν´ ἔσομαι....with apologies to Theognis.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-161466342495034712011-01-28T11:54:00.002-06:002011-01-28T12:21:52.210-06:00

A few days ago I did a bit of drive-by blogging to lodge a mild complaint against my occasional arithmomania. At the time, my goal was eluding me and the problem seemed altogether intractable, thus my irritation.I have since, however, succeeded. (Yes, I know, it surprises me, too, but miracles happen sometimes!)Pretending for a moment that Adler was incorrect in the earlier quotation, I will

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-37245617464461683312011-01-28T07:15:00.000-06:002011-01-28T07:15:07.910-06:00

I'm not at all sure I buy today's XKCD theory. I mean, I say things like euouae, Aissaoua, Guauaenok, egueiite and homoiousia all the time, and that never happens to me—and all he has to say is "queue"? Maybe he just uses some form of Couéism.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-33542095871813887972011-01-25T06:42:00.000-06:002011-01-25T06:42:29.590-06:00

In the company of friends, writers can discuss their books, economists the state of the economy, lawyers their latest cases, and businessmen their latest acquisitions, but mathematicians cannot discuss their mathematics at all. And the more profound their work, the less understandable it is.—Alfred AdlerI suppose that explains a lot.Mathematics is a dangerous profession; an appreciable

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-86957811159925121612011-01-19T04:18:00.000-06:002011-01-19T04:18:25.862-06:00

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-63781555785087119322011-01-17T23:46:00.000-06:002011-01-17T23:46:56.486-06:00

I am of the opinion that "marriage" (partnership, union, etc.) as such does not deserve as much emphasis as it has acquired through the conventional development of its nature. It does not occur to anyone to expect a single person to be "happy,"—but if he marries, people are much surprised if he isn't! [...] Union is, in many respects, a simplification of one's way of life, and the union

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-39007166091555140852011-01-17T02:37:00.000-06:002011-01-17T02:37:33.611-06:00

οὐκ οἶδας, ὅτι καὶ νόσος καὶ θάνατος καταλαβεῖν ἡμᾶς ὀφείλουσίν τί ποτε ποιοῦντας; τὸν γεωργὸν γεωργοῦντα καταλαμβάνουσι, τὸν ναυτικὸν πλέοντα. σὺ τί θέλεις ποιῶν καταληφθῆναι; τί ποτε μὲν γὰρ ποιοῦντά σε δεῖ καταληφθῆναι. εἴ τι ἔχεις τούτου κρεῖσσον ποιῶν καταληφθῆναι, ποίει ἐκεῖνο.—Ἐπίκτητος, Αρριανου των Επικτητου Διατριβων, III.5, "Πρὸς τοὺς διὰ νόσον ἀπαλλαττομένους".Don't you know

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-87571824316372926312011-01-15T00:49:00.000-06:002011-01-15T00:49:07.268-06:00

...all the bullshit astrological talk in the news of late, I present these classic descriptions of sign and type! They were originally published in the June, 1973 issue of McCalls Magazine as "Horoscopes for Other People (Who Aren't Nearly as Nice as We Are)" by Barbara Holland.I didn't come here to argue about whether astrology is honest-to-goodness and cross-your-heart for real. [...] What

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-87432005045284988822011-01-03T04:44:00.002-06:002011-01-03T13:14:40.902-06:00

He seems to be right. Tonight, this elephant wants the same.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-76013670625507863492010-12-24T04:00:00.004-06:002010-12-27T13:18:53.958-06:00

nec tamen, ut lauder, uigilo curamque futurinominis, utilius quod latuisset, ago.detineo studiis animum falloque dolores,experior curis et dare uerba meis.quid potius facam desertis solus in urbe,quamue malis aliam quærere coner opem?—Ovid, Tristia, V. vii. 39–40.I wish I had some such study tonight to drive myself to like distraction, that I would not now be sitting here

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-65100371399103923282010-12-11T04:14:00.001-06:002010-12-11T04:14:35.632-06:00

“Der Gedanke an den Selbstmord ist ein starkes Trostmittel: mit ihm kommt man gut über manche böse Nacht hinweg.” — F. Nietzsche, Jenseits von Gut und Böse: Vorspiel einer Philosophie der Zukunft, Viertes Hauptstück: Sprüche und Zwischenspiele, 157.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-7715423957548189822010-09-17T01:16:00.000-05:002010-09-17T11:19:19.405-05:00

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-59671473442736135512010-09-15T22:36:00.000-05:002010-09-15T22:36:42.400-05:00

In case you've ever wondered what sort of cake I'd like... now you know.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-27485301925307488792010-08-31T16:32:00.001-05:002010-08-31T21:35:23.734-05:00

Tagged by Rob, while idling in a waiting area, I thought I'd give this a shot. The rules:Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.So, where to begin?Dead Can Dance, The Serpent's Egg (MP3)Stu Hamm, Radio Free AlbemuthI could, I suppose, just as easily list one of

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-77235724678083989272010-08-01T21:20:00.002-05:002010-08-01T21:24:12.175-05:00

"From this point on, little children and pregnant women should not watch—because it won't be good for their education."

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-68389820630116461632010-07-31T00:27:00.000-05:002010-07-31T00:27:53.468-05:00

Just discovered this and had to share the marvel:

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-43478454779074495482010-07-28T01:05:00.000-05:002010-07-28T01:05:21.348-05:00

Borges, "El laberinto" y "El suicida"Zeus no podría desatar las redesde piedra que me cercan. He olvidadolos hombres que antes fui; [...]Sé que en la sombra hay Otro, cuya suertees fatigar las largas soledadesque tejen y destejen este Hadesy ansiar mi sangre y devorar mi muerte.Nos buscamos los dos. Ojalá fueraéste el último día de la espera.No quedará en la noche una estrella.No quedará la

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-38779717388926482552010-05-06T16:41:00.000-05:002010-05-06T16:41:23.026-05:00

...and their high opinion of the world, according to the Syrians if you can trust Voltaire.Les Syriens imaginèrent que l'homme et la femme ayant été créés dans le quatrième ciel, ils s'avisèrent de manger d'une galette au lieu de l'ambroisie qui était leur mets naturel. L'ambroisie s'exhalait par les pores; mais, après avoir mangé de la galette, il fallait aller à la selle. L'homme et la femme

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-88759311647392426482010-04-23T02:53:00.000-05:002010-04-23T02:53:22.621-05:00

A few years ago I bought John Hodgman's The Areas of my Expertise, where he discussed "The Six Essentials" of being a writer. I'll quote the pertinent bit here:Even once you have chosen a Dramatic Situation, however, writing a book can still be a tedious process. According to my own observation, every writer must have six essentials at his command. Some are born with them. Others must develop

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-69568454998306555202010-01-22T01:44:00.011-06:002010-04-23T01:52:12.009-05:00

Τίς δὲ βὶος, τί δὲ τερπνὸν ἄτερ χρυσέης Ἀφροδίτης;τεθναίην, ὅτε μοὶ μηχέτι ταῦτα μέλοι,χρυπταδίη φιλότης καὶ μείλιχα δῶρα καὶ εὐνή.ἄνθεα τῆς ἥβης γίγνεται ἁρπαλέαἀνδράσιν ἠδὲ γυναιξίν· ἐπὴν δ' ὀδυνηρὸν ἐπέλθῃγῆρας, ὅ τ' αἰσχρὸν ὁμῶς καὶ καλὸν ἄνδρα τιθεῖ.αἰεὶ μὲν φρένας ἀμφὶ κακαὶ τείρουσι μέριμναι,οὐδ' αὐγας προσορῶν τέρπεται ἠελίου,ἀλλ' ἐχθρὸς μὲν παισίν, ἀτίμαστος δὲ γυναιξίν.οὕτως ἀργαλέον

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-42333988131415716602009-10-20T16:06:00.002-05:002011-01-03T17:33:52.196-06:00

I have started to say"a quarter of a century"or "thirty years back"about my own life.It makes me breathlesslike falling and recoveringin huge gesturing loopsthrough an empty sky.All that's left to happenis some deaths (my own included).Their order, and their manner,remain to be learnt. —Philip Larkin

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4400789292623234866.post-59474632589477084422009-10-19T04:08:00.003-05:002009-10-19T04:16:15.458-05:00

Vivre sa Vie: Film en Douze Tableaux, Jean-Luc Godard, 1962. Tableaux 11, "Place du Châtelet - L'inconnu - Nana fait de la philosophie sans le savoir"Mais pourquoi est-ce qu’il faut toujours parler ? Moi je trouve que très souvent je devrais me taire. Vivre en silence.

Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12226491878221307537noreply@blogger.com