For some reason tonight as I was walking the dog I became rather introspective (and no Dennis, it was not due to the bottle of Cameron Hughes Syrah - though it was good with the lamb swarma). The happiest days in my life were the day I got married and the day my oldest and youngest (only two - no sons) daughters were borne. Saddest day - was the day my oldest died. Most pain was the day (and the day after) I drove myself home from my vasectomy 62 miles in stick shift car in rush hour traffic. Side note: Novocain wears off at the 37.5 mile marker (east end of the Bay bridge) (this is vivid almost 30 years later). Political comment 1: If you do not vote you can not complain! Political comment 2: If there is nothing to vote for, there is always something to vote against! Never give up, never surrender (Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart(Jason Nesmith(Tim Allen) Galaxy Quest - 1999)
Mike, Thanks for sharing your introspections. And my sincere condolences on the loss of your daughter (no matter how long ago it may have been). With two kids of my own, that is a loss that seems almost unimaginable. I'm guessing that loss has a lot to do with your final introspection to never give up and never surrender. Life makes that necessary sometimes.
Rilke Stiller Freund der vielen Fernen, fühle, wie dein Atem noch den Raum vermehrt. Im Gebälk der finstern Glockenstühle laß dich läuten. Das, was an dir zehrt, wird ein Starkes über dieser Nahrung. Geh in der Verwandlung aus und ein. Was ist deine leidendste Erfahrung? Ist dir Trinken bitter, werde Wein. Sei in dieser Nacht aus Übermaß Zauberkraft am Kreuzweg deiner Sinne, ihrer seltsamen Begegnung Sinn. Und wenn dich das Irdische vergaß, zu der stillen Erde sag: Ich rinne. Zu dem raschen Wasser sprich: Ich bin. Aus: Die Sonette an Orpheus, Zweiter Teil
Re: Rilke "Quiet friend of the many far ones, feels, how your breath increases still the area. In the timberwork finstern of the bell chairs let you ring. What lives at you, becomes a strong over this food. Be involved in the conversion out and in. What is your most suffering experience? You if drinking is bitter, become wine. Charm strength at the cross way of your senses, their strange meeting is sense in this night made of oversize. And if the terrestrial forgot you, to which satisfy earth say: I gutter. To the rapid water speak: I am. Off: The sonnets at Orpheus, second part" Or something to this effect
Although I can get by with a little German, Dutch, and Spanish, I have to admit, I used Babelfish.com to translate this. Some of it worked, some didn't. But at least I got the gist of what was being communicated.
Amazing. From Babelfish I usually get: The land fish goes testicle Arm! Arm! Take the over be time Like we barn say you get the drift...
Remember Bloom County? The kid genius, Oliver Wendell Jones hacks into Pravda's computer to change the headline to: "Gorbechev Proposes Disarmerment! Universal! Unilateral!" In the next frame, two comrades read: "Gorbechev Sings Tractors! Turnips! Buttocks!" In the last frame, Paris and Moscow are burning and the markets have all crashed...
Re: Rilke Sometimes I can find stuff slowest when it's in my office. Here's an old translation (Rilke and George are about untranslatable, though). Silent friend of many vast expanses sense how your breath still yet increases space and in the timberwork of darkened bell-ranks find your voice. What nourishes upon you grows stronger by this feeding: while you in your transforming go and come. What is your suffering plangent at the inmost? If drinking is but gall to you--be wine! From overflowing cup amid this night may magic rest in crossroads of your soul in strange encounter understanding come. And when by all of earth you are forgotten to the quiet earth declare: I flow. To the tumbling water speak: I am. ©2002 Karpathia-Stiftung. Used by permission.
