This poem is by Christina Rosetti
A blog that talks about almost everything, in particular current events, classical music, art, dance, drama, film and theater, books, education, science, mathematics, sports, and the environment. As time goes on, we’ll eliminate the topics steadily until we stop being interested in anything at all. This site uses cookies to keep track of visitors, and harass them with commercials after they leave.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Poetry
Menendez
So, they're trying to select a jury for the Menendez trial, and one question they're asking each potential juror is: Do you assume anyone from New Jersey is a criminal?
What a sad reputation to have to live with. And what a sad thing to have to have a senator like Menendez to represent your state.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Open Your Eyes A Second Time
A few weeks ago, I blogged on noticing things. But this is not a new idea; long before Education was a thing, there were parables about noticing things.
In South Asia, and in India, the sages talk about the third eye of God; it was to symbolize this that initially Hindu folks placed a bright red spot on the center of their foreheads.
In one of Terry Pratchett's books, he introduces one of his most delightful characters: Tiffany Aching, who was a little witch. She had to be tutored by an adult witch, who was Granny Weatherwax (Esme Weatherwax, actually). Granny instructed Tiffany to open her eyes, and then open them again. Throughout the world I'm sure there are similar exhortations to young Padawans to look, and to see things that the uninitiated miss. And for students of music: to hear what untutored ears overlook. And for Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts exploring the woods: to listen. This was Baden-Powell's gift to young people, to extend all your faculties. Reading the Jungle Book, you get the same message, but now it is life and death, and survival. Jesus taught something similar: He who has ears, he said, let him hear. (This is not telling you to leave someone who's listening to a a podcast alone; it means Listen carefully!)
Life is too short for a teacher to be following you around, saying: Did you notice this? Did you notice that?
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My Blog List
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Biden-Trump debates arranged - In a surprise development yesterday, Joe Biden and serial sex abuser Donald Trump (SSAT) have agreed to two debates, one on June 27 hosted by CNN and the o...10 hours ago
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Authentic Korngold to raise the Proms roof - Last Saturday night, I left the Royal Albert Hall after the debut Prom of the Sinfonia of London and started down the slippery slope to South Kensington ...2 years ago
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Apartment Life - Ah, apartment life! Who could ask for anything more? Who would ever want to live in a spacious house when you can have a cramped, overpriced, domicile wedg...10 years ago
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A shady, pathetic return. - This blog started as a summer project about the natural gas industry and related issues because I had taken a class and was interested in diving a bit deep...12 years ago