A podcast about books & life — not necessarily in that order
Sorry about the lack of posts yesterday, dear readers! I was busy (more on that this weekend) and figured you got four decent posts on Wednesday, so get offa my ass, okay!?
I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. Here’s an extra-fantastic selection of week-ending links! Enjoy!
Continue reading “Unrequired Reading: Mar. 7, 2008”
Recently, we began receiving the New York Sun, I think as an add-on to our Wall Street Journal subscription. I’m not entirely sure. I mean, I do know that the owner of our company canceled our office subscription to the New York Times a few years ago because he, um, disagreed with its political agenda.
Anyway, I was reading the Arts+ section of the Sun at the lunchtable today when I discovered that the section’s editor is actually . . . my alter ego!
How else can we explain the page 18 & 19 spread of today’s paper featuring this double-whammy:
Mysticism in Youth – Barbara Probst Solomon’s review of the early diaries of Jewish mystic & scholar Gershom Scholem
With Gasol, Lakers Now Look Unstoppable – John Hollinger’s weekly power rankings of the NBA
Toss in a front-page piece on Louis I. Kahn’s travel sketches, and the only conclusion to draw is that my lack of sleep is merely a cover for Tyler Durden-like plot to redefine arts & leisure in my own demented image.
Two catalogs in this morning’s mail. One addressed to Amy:
the other to me:
I guess we should be happy we didn’t get mailers from the Mennonite Thrift Shop Network and the Heeb Shop.
In my e-mail box this morning, from Macy’s:
Sadly, the odds are that someone in my office will buy this.
What I’m reading: Sophocles’ Ajax
What I’m listening to: The Last Post
What I’m watching: we finished with the first season of The Wire
What I’m drinking: Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale (because the position of the skeleton on the side of the six-pack made it look like Pogue, and I thought that was funny)
Where I’m going: We didn’t get up to Providence this weekend. Next week, I’ve got a trip to Belfast to visit a client. I’ll have Sunday & Monday on my own, so if you have any suggestions for sights to see in Belfast & environs (I’m thinking of day-tripping up to the coast to see Giants Causeway), mention it in the comments!
What I’m happy about: THE GIANTS WON THE SUPER BOWL!
What I’m sad about: NOTHING! SEE ABOVE!
What I’m pondering: The relationship of men and their gods. Here’s a passage from Sophocles between Athena and Odysseus, after Ajax goes insane and believes that he’s killed Odysseus and the other generals:
  ATH: Do you see, Odysseus, how great the gods’ power is?
Who was more full of foresight than this man,
Or abler, do you think, to act with judgment?
   ODY: None that I know of. Yet I pity
His wretchedness, though he is my enemy,
For the terrible yoke of blindness that is on him.
I think of him, yet also of myself;
For I see the true state of all us that live —
We are dim shapes, no more, and weightless shadow.
   ATH: Look well at this, and speak no towering word
Yourself against the gods, nor walk too grandly
Because your hand is weightier than another’s,
Or your great wealth deeper founded. One short day
Inclines the balance of all human things
To sink or rise again. Know that the gods
Love men of steady sense and hate the proud.
Sorry for the lack of a post on Sunday; I did resolve to post something every day, although I didn’t make any resolutions about the quality of those posts.
Anyway, it was a pretty relaxed weekend. Amy & I drove down to Manalapan on Sunday for her friend Naomi’s wedding. It was a traditional Jewish wedding, with various celebrations that I sorta figure were traditional to Russian Jews. I’m sure Amy’ll write about it this week.
Me, I’m gonna send you over to a small set of pix from the weekend, including Santa In Chains:
And, for your edification — or your imagination — the secret and partially fictive history of the revolving door.
Whoops! I was so busy getting the Jan/Feb issue of my mag together that I almost missed my New Year’s Resolution of making sure I post at least one item every day!
Fortunately, I came across this neat writeup about companies that worked for/with Nazi Germany. “Enjoy”!
(And, yes, I do own a Hugo Boss suit, but it was in clearance, so I got to exert my Jewish stereotype on that one.)
My other resolution is to get back to only drinking water, black coffee or gin. I slipped up and had a Dr. Pepper a few days ago, and Amy broke out a bottle of wine Saturday night, but I’m sticking with it pretty well!
I lied, dear readers! Here’s a fresh passel of links to see you through the New Year’s weekend!
Continue reading “Unrequired Reading: Dec. 28, 2007”
In a time-honored tradition (okay, from 2 or 3 years ago), I offer up Christmastime for the Jews and, in a bow to modern times, Chinese Food on Christmas!
