Is there a problem officer?

Well, driving home from the holy hour tonight i got pulled over by a cop for the first time. Apparently i cut him off.

It was all very strange. We turned onto University and saw a policeman doing a U-turn in front of us so that in a few moments we were passing him (he u-turned into the right lane and we were in the left), but i was driving the speed limit. We stopped at a light.

At some point, the policeman made a right turn and we could see that he was turning around again and getting back on the road behind us. We joked that I should be careful and that the policeman must have been really bored to be trying to sneak up behind us to ticket us. (We actually did audibly note these things.)

Up the road we briefly stopped at a light (in the middle lane) and seeing that the car in the left lane was faster than the one in front of us, I changed lanes into the left, only to see two very bright lights, that must have been very close indeed since it is common knowledge that objects in mirrors are closer....

That was when i saw the other lights.

That was when i babbled something very incoherent to the officer about doing a headcheck while thinking to myself, "Oh, it would be like you to get a ticket for drunk driving when you aren't even drunk...say something normal. Say something coherent. Don't sound stupid. And DON'T SOUND DRUNK! DON'T SOUND DRUNK!"

My sister said that i just sounded tired.

I got off with a "drive more carefully."


Thanks be to God.



(Blogger's note of self defense: I looked in the rearview before changing lanes and there was a car off somewhere in the distance. I put on my blinker and did a head check and didn't see anything. When i pulled into the lane there were two lights staring at me. It could be that he was in my blindspot, but that would have been very strange. How fast was he driving that in the time between doing a headcheck and changing lanes he was already so close behind me?! Oh well.)

Oh good grief

I found this the other day.


It's about some Carthusian monks being arrested for uselessness.


pretty un-be-freaking-lievable

Die lustige Witwe

^The man himself^

I interrupt my weekend review of metaphysics to appreciate the arts. Gosh-darn-it-I-love-the-music-in-this-operetta.

What follow are the last few lines from the end of Act I and a bit of Act II (and Act I) of The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár (with libretto by Victor Leon and Leo Stein):

Camille
(to Valencienne)
Alone I'll vindicate the male sex!
His Ten thousand francs will not be paid.

Valencienne
Are you so in love?

Camille
You ordered. I obeyed.

Valencienne
You'll do no such thing!
(She masterfully drags him off. Only Danilo and Hanna remain.)

Danilo
The last has gone,good riddence too!
And we, we are alone.
Now I can dance with you.

Hanna
My vote i withdraw.

Danilo
I was your choice. Deny if you can.

Hanna
There's a flaw in your plan. You dance alone.

Danilo
Music is playing, lovers have kissed.
Madam, how can you resist?
(He stands behind her, leans over her shoulder, and tries to look into her face. She coquettishly avoids his glance.)

Hanna
I'm not dancing.
(Danilo dances round her.)
Oh you terrible man!
What exquisite dancing!

Danilo
I do what i can!



Now, why in the heck did I just post that? Looks pretty stupid when you just read the text. Well, just as movies would not be the same without appropriate music and flowers are only so, uh, appreciateable if you can't smell them, this script is no less. You'll just have to take my word for it, i suppose. Gosh, why do i like that so much.

Maybe this offers a little more (by itself):

Camille
But why, why must it end?
Red as the rose of Maytime
That blooms in bright array,
Love in my heart has open'd
And charmed my tears away.
Such royal crimson gleaming,
Entranced my waking eyes,
It seemed I still lay dreaming,
Yet walked in Paradise.
I know all beauty passes
And every sun must set,
But tho' the winter rages
My rose is lovelier yet.
Alone it grew in secret,
It knew nor dark nor light,
A phatom flow'r that never
Can fade from mortal sight.

(bloggers note: It gets better):

Valencienne
Oh Camille!

Camille
Valencienne!

Blogger (facetious)
Oh mein Herz!

Well, i don't think i feel comfortable posting any more than that, because we enter into the realm of lines similar in theme to the story Hanna tells in Act II:

Vilia, O Vilia, my nymph of delight....

Which, I'll have you know, does in fact supply us with some exquisite music...


Why did Hitler love this operetta so much?
If he didn't go for all that romantic (man/woman) stuff, the romantic (for fatherland) stuff must have attracted him:

Danilo
My very heavy Fatherland,
Whenever will you understand
I'll sweat for you with all my might,
But rather more by day than night?

(blogger's note: wait a minute...)

I'm sitting at my desk by One,
Among the files galore.
A little furtive drinking done
I'm back at home for drinks at Four.
At private interviews I'm posed,
The weary statesman in his chair,
But keep my mouth severely closed
With diplomatic savoir faire.

(blogger's note: say...)
...

For one brief hour entrancing
The moments fly romancing.
Lolo, Dodo, Joujou,
Cloclo and Margot too!
But when it comes to dancing
Goodbye, my Fatherland!

(blogger's note: HEY!...)

...

When people ask what bliss is
I simply answer this is!
Lolo, Dodo, Joujou,
Cloclo and Margot too!
But when it comes to kisses -
Goodbye, my Fatherland!
Njegus, my adored one. Where's our
revered Fatherland?


WHY in the heck did Hitler like this anyway?

Maybe once i've read more than just parts of the libretto i'll be able to posit an answer. Was it just the music? Or was there more to it for him? These answers and more, following a week of school (that is, i'll post again once spring break is here)???

V-Day Card

this is absolutely fabulous


Just a note about the day:

I wore black unintentionally (I forgot that it was Valentine's Day), but I was pleased that I did, because it's just the sort of thing I might have done on purpose. Not that i'm bitter (the tone of this sentence isn't bitter -- don't take it the wrong way; it might have qualified more as "bitter" in tone if I had said something like "...or anything" after the "Not that i'm bitter...", but I think that this post has already over-stayed its welcome...or something).


Great e-card.

It's snowing monks and nuns!

My sister made a sister:

Am i Certifiable? Probably.

Any resemblance?





Yes, i'm still single. How could you guess?

The Intimate Union...

Hey, it's a snow-carthusian-monk-man! You have no idea how hard it is to make a snow man habit.

Here he is interceding on behalf of the world:


This is what he looks like in chapel:


And from another angle:


Just imagine what he'd look like in his cell:

cніг, la neige, la neve, der Schnee, το χιόνι, SNOW!

Amazingly enough, our unseasonably mild winter has given way to the third greatest blizzard in my recollection (lifespan), in the washington, dc-metro-area (The blizzard of 96 and the one we had two or three years ago ar the other ones). Here are some pictures of the snow:


Below you see my leg positioned next to a spot where the snowblower cut a space. My dad measured 18" of snow. You will pardon the pants...



Here's the view from my back window. The sheds, as you can see, have accumulated some dandruff.


Here's another one from the back window -- just a bit to the left of the picture above.



Here's where the parking lot should be (just beyond the tree). At the extreme left, you see a little mole hill coming from the snow. That's a cedar of Lebanon that's been buried. Actually, in that blizzard we had two or three years ago, all we saw of our cedar was the very tip. That was when it was a much smaller tree, though.

Here's to you Phenomenology

Who ever said that philosophy wasn't practical? On the contrary, it would appear that its presence is quite useful. I guess it's just something about its identity, or something...






In case you can't tell: that's a spider that just got spanked.

sunrises and birds

You know what i enjoy these days? Driving in to school and marveling at the sunrise, for one. It was just amazing this morning -- colors so vibrant it was as though i'd never seen the colors or a sunrise before. Second, I like to feed the birds that live in the bushes outside the library. I discovered this simple joy yesterday as some of the crumbs from my granola bar fell on the ground only to be swarmed by a flock of tiny little birds. And so, today, as i had my granola bar, i sat and ate, and as i sat and ate, i fed the birds. What precious little fellas. As i fed the birds i was happy. Am i turning into a st. francis with my sun and my birds? Holy Fr. Dominic, Pray For Us. Yes, and St. Francis, too.

Sick quatrain

The fog in my head, about casts a veil,
And it is quite hard to think or to smile;
How weary my mind, congested my brain,
If I were to die it would be no shame.


I'm sick,
And it seems that no amount of mustering will get me to mount the defense.