I like to think of myself as a fairly philosophical person, and a fairly rational one–that is to say, I like to think that I examine my life, my motivations, my actions, and my beliefs on a more-or-less continuous basis, and try to integrate them into a framework that makes some kind of objective sense when considered in the light… Read more →
Tag: melancholy
Bookish Links On A Friday Night
Well, the most interesting book world story right now is surely the whole hardball face-off between Amazon and Macmillan. I expect the most interesting discussion at Making Light. It’s been a pretty depressing week in the book world: too many stories of authors dying. I guess there will only be more and more stories about the passing of authors who… Read more →
Aside
I’ve had “ride the Orient Express, all the way, in style” on my bucket list since I was about 14. Apparently I will not get to cross it off. Trish and I looked at doing it the time we ended up rambling around Hungary, but ultimately deferred it. Now the chance has passed. (There is a once-a-year tourist version, but the idea of ponying up $20K US for 5 days seems a bit daunting to me–especially since I want the authentic scruffy and romantic experience, not the conspicuous consumption version.)
The end of an era
So, last night was likely my last time as a regular attendee of the Halifax Gentlemen’s Poker Association’s weekly meetings. Since I’ve been pretty consistent about attending these for several years now–I think the first one I went to was just before Sarah was born, as I recall making jokes about having to leave suddenly to rush to the hospital,… Read more →
Aside
One month from now I will be moving into the new house in Cambridge. The Halifax 31 day countdown is on.
CD Ripping: Done
I have finishedI in no way claim to have done this alone–Dr. Wife did a lot of the ripping on her machine, while I kept one of my work machines more or less in continuous ripping mode in my office. the ridiculous project of ripping all my previously unripped CDs before the move. This has resulted in the addition of… Read more →
Disappointment
Please, allow me to share with you a graphical representation of the most disappointing thing about my recent business trip to Australia. It occurred during my return trip through Heathrow, Terminal 3. This is the current map of Terminal 3: This is slightly different than my mental picture of what Terminal 3 looks like, which is apparently a good half… Read more →
The future’s not what it used to be
In catching up with my RSS reader, I see that everyone and his brother is pointing me to that CNN “where’s my jetpack” article. The article didn’t really interest me, but it does touch on some “man, the future of the past isn’t what it used to be thoughts” I’d been having at while at Disneyland–specifically, of course, while at… Read more →
Eight links make a post
And now, for another exciting post of links and short comments: I’ve always been aware of having been gifted with a pretty powerful attention span. I have always kind of assumed it came from becoming a reader at a very young age, but I guess it’s equally plausible that things are actually ordered the other way and my resistance to… Read more →
White Lily
The one-armed man walks into a flower shop And says: What flower expresses Days go by And they just keep going by endlessly Pulling you Into the future Days go by Endlessly Endlessly pulling you Into the future? Read more →
Aside
I expect lots of things from webcomics, but I don’t usually expect to be stopped utterly in my tracks by a one-off strip. Damn.
The Harlequin Is Out
Today, as my grandfather would say, the sadness is upon me. Let’s just say that my growing fear that McCain’s Big Lie tactics will work, combined with my stark and utter terror at the nearly inescapable certainty of a Harper majority, have made me miserable today. I’ve lost faith in my fellow man. Maybe I’ll be chipper tomorrow. Read more →
Disappointed
Sigh. I finally got around to reading the Edge of Reason last night. Despite the fact that lots of people on the Internets seem to think this was the wonderful book I was expecting, it just didn’t work for me. The plot was kind of interesting, but the rest of the craft just wasn’t there. The only review I could… Read more →
Memento mori
I had one of those shocking epiphanies today. I realized, seriously, completely, viscerally, that I am going to die someday. There was no hair-raising event, no near death experience, nothing dramatic. Just a realization that hit me during a very long drive, when I had some time to think about what it meant. Harlan Ellison is partly to blame. Obviously… Read more →
More Santayana
While that last piece was read at Santayana‘s death, I’m slightly more enamoured with a piece he wrote on the death of a friend, simply entitled “To W.P.“. It’s not too long, so you could go read the whole thing. Here are two bits that particularly resonate with parts of my personal philosophy: Another, if I would, I could not… Read more →
