In the spirit of this blog...

I shall have to agree with a Heraclitean notion that "a man is called infantile by a divinity as a child is by a man" by saying that thinking oneself on some level as an equal to God is equivalent to feeling so confident in one's arm that after throwing a ball one would duck for fear of a concussion, for "that thrown ball, certainly, shall fly around the world and strike me in the back of the head, unless I am careful."
And so, I shall have to delight in what Guigo I has to say about something like that: "The proud man admits neither a superior nor an equal. But he who truly has no equal or superior is unique; and He is God. For there cannot be two such. Therefore, the proud man wishes to be God. But there cannot be two. Therefore, he wishes that God be not. Rightly, therefore, "God resisteth the proud" (Jas. IV.6; Petr. V.5).


And there it is. See you in December.

Call for Papers!

If a picture says a thousand words, well, what are at least a dozen that this one might express?

The world would be a happier place if (#2):

Drivers of the world, I implore you. Blinkers are a gift from God. Use them. Be prepared, if you are so bent on every kind of excess in this life, to exceed all others in your use of the blinker.

Just look at all of the authoritative writings on the subject:


- "Who among you, when his fellow commuter should ask for the courtesy of a blinker, would cut him off?"


- "You never change into the same lane twice...so use your blinker."

- "Virtue is blinking."

- "Blinking is power."

- "And the blinker is the most sunlike of the car parts."

- "Blinkerness is activity of the soul in conformity with perfect virtue."

- "Our hearts are restless until we use our blinkers."

- "blinkito ergo sum / je signale, donc je suis"

- "Act as if the amount you used your blinker were to become through your will a universal law of nature."

- "There is a fundamental distinction between presence and absence...of a blinker."


- "I sing of blinkers and a man."

- "Nel mezzo del camin di nostra combiare di corsie / ho usato un lampeggiatore nella mia automobile"

- "(So priketh hem Nature in hir corages) / Thanne longen folk to utilise blinkirages"

- "To drive, perchance to blink."

- "I gotta use blinkers when I pass you."


My personal driving strategy:

- Whoever blinks, changes; whoever signals is allowed to enter the next lane.

- Signal and ye shall be allowed to enter.
Blink and the lane shall be given to you.

- Ye change lanes not because ye signal not.


So make the world a happier place and use your blinker.


emmanoyil's to-do list:
- use blinker
- drive around a lot until at least five people have used their blinkers
- delude self into thinking these five represent the world
- get really happy
- improve memory -- some of the quotations recalled may not be quite accurate
- learn Italian instead of relying on unreliable free translation tools
- learn German

The world would be a happier place if (#1):

People listened to more lieder instead of hip hop and, dare I say, rock and roll.


Am Bach viel kleine Blumen stehn,
Aus hellen blauen Augen sehn;
Der Bach, der ist des Müllers Freund,
Und hellblau Liebchens Auge scheint,
Drum sind es meine Blumen.

Dicht unter ihrem Fensterlein,
[Da pflanz' ich meine Blumen ein]1,
Da ruft ihr zu, wenn alles schweigt,
Wenn sich ihr Haupt zum Schlummer neigt,
Ihr wißt ja, was ich meine.

Und wenn sie tät die Äuglein zu
Und schläft in süßer, süßer Ruh,
Dann lispelt als ein Traumgesicht
Ihr zu: Vergiß, vergiß mein nicht!
Das ist es, was ich meine.

Und schließt sie früh die Laden auf,
Dann schaut mit Liebesblick hinauf:
Der Tau in euren Äugelein,
Das sollen meine Tränen sein,
Die will ich auf euch weinen.

(By the brook, many small flowers stand;
Out of bright blue eyes they look;
The brook - it is the miller's friend, -
And light blue shine my darling's eyes;
therefor, these are my flowers.

Right under her little window,
There will I plant these flowers,
There will you call to her when everything is quiet,
When her head leans to slumber,
You know what I intend you to say!

And when she closes her little eyes,
And sleeps in sweet sweet rest,
Then whisper, like a dreamy vision:
Forget, forget me not!
That is what I mean.

And early in the morning, when she opens the shutters up,
then look up with a loving gaze:
The dew in your little eyes
shall be my tears,
which I will shed upon you)

Ich träumte von bunten Blumen,
So wie sie wohl blühen im Mai;
Ich träumte von grünen Wiesen,
Von lustigem Vogelgeschrei.

Und als die Hähne krähten,
Da ward mein Auge wach;
Da war es kalt und finster,
Es schrien die Raben vom Dach.

Doch an den Fensterscheiben,
Wer malte die Blätter da?
Ihr lacht wohl über den Träumer,
Der Blumen im Winter sah?

Ich träumte von Lieb' um Liebe,
Von einer schönen Maid,
Von Herzen und von Küssen,
Von [Wonn']1 und Seligkeit.

Und als die Hähne kräten,
Da ward mein Herze wach;
Nun sitz ich hier alleine
Und denke dem Traume nach.

Die Augen schließ' ich wieder,
Noch schlägt das Herz so warm.
Wann grünt ihr Blätter am Fenster?
Wann halt' ich mein Liebchen im Arm?

(I dreamt of colorful flowers
Such as bloom in May;
I dreamt of green meadows,
Of merry bird songs.

And when the roosters crowed,
My eyes awoke;
It was cold and dark,
The ravens were shrieking on the roof.

But there on the window panes,
Who painted those leaves?
Do you laugh at the dreamer,
Who saw flowers in winter?

I dreamt of requited love,
Of a beautiful girl,
Of hearts and of kisses,
Of bliss and happiness.

And when the roosters crowed,
My heart awoke.
Now I sit here alone,
And think about my dream.

I shut my eyes again,
My heart still beats warmly.
When will you leaves on the window turn green?
When will I hold my beloved in my arms?)


There. Now don't you feel happier?


emmanoyil's to-do list:
- learn German
- learn to sing
- get really happy