Firefox 2 is out of beta, and into 2.0 proper.
Big Woos all around.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Reading Again
I have started to read again. Haven't done so for months (books I mean), haven't been in the mood since I couldn't take any more of War and Peace, my mind was not following the story (I wasn't well at the time). So as "War and Peace" is currently elevating my Powerbook off the bed staving off over-heating (with the aid of some supports a la here, but with tape rolls instead of bottle lids.) I've been reading Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Suicide Club", and have just begun the monster that is "Bleak House".
The Suicide Club is not as I had imagined it might be a nihilistic text about the futility of everything, it is a collection of three short stories about a club for those who wish to end their lives. The whole Club is set up is run like a game it is never certain which of the Club members will die next, but that's all part of the fun of the story - finding out that it isn't quite as straight forward as you expect (no massive OMGs here but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.) The whole thing does involve a prince as the hero, which put me off reading it for years, and there is a "what a privilege it would be to die for him", kind of vibe going on, but a lot of the time the king and his "man" are in disguise so... anyway. It's only short (in my Dover edition which has slightly larger pages than an ordinary paperback) it's about 60 pages long, but I must say it was fun.
Bleak House throws me right in there with that (often) jocular, (often) sentimental, anthropomorphising Dickens's narrator. I run upon Dickens's busy philanthropic women who are everything but caring especially in regard to their own families (vs. the Darling, kind, sweet, self effacing Esther). Here are "non-entity" men erased by the unthinking formidability of their wives. Which brings up all kinds about the man Dickens which I am too lazy go into now, but briefly Here are some issues that spring to mind.
...on the "proper nature" and place of women, and of the devastation these do-gooding bring about (dejected, ignorant and/spiteful and resentful children) the ideas about sorting your own house first before going fucking around with bringing enlightenment and aid to "savages" (get your own house in order first, and all that)
... -
like I said, won't expound on that now, could go on forever if started... so anyway maybe when I've finished the book... having said that, probably not. It's not anywhere as "Bleak" as the BBC drama (of which I only watched a few episodes) made it out to be.
Annnnnnnnyway (again) on to another post now so look above where I shall be saying -
The Suicide Club is not as I had imagined it might be a nihilistic text about the futility of everything, it is a collection of three short stories about a club for those who wish to end their lives. The whole Club is set up is run like a game it is never certain which of the Club members will die next, but that's all part of the fun of the story - finding out that it isn't quite as straight forward as you expect (no massive OMGs here but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.) The whole thing does involve a prince as the hero, which put me off reading it for years, and there is a "what a privilege it would be to die for him", kind of vibe going on, but a lot of the time the king and his "man" are in disguise so... anyway. It's only short (in my Dover edition which has slightly larger pages than an ordinary paperback) it's about 60 pages long, but I must say it was fun.
Bleak House throws me right in there with that (often) jocular, (often) sentimental, anthropomorphising Dickens's narrator. I run upon Dickens's busy philanthropic women who are everything but caring especially in regard to their own families (vs. the Darling, kind, sweet, self effacing Esther). Here are "non-entity" men erased by the unthinking formidability of their wives. Which brings up all kinds about the man Dickens which I am too lazy go into now, but briefly Here are some issues that spring to mind.
...on the "proper nature" and place of women, and of the devastation these do-gooding bring about (dejected, ignorant and/spiteful and resentful children) the ideas about sorting your own house first before going fucking around with bringing enlightenment and aid to "savages" (get your own house in order first, and all that)
... -
like I said, won't expound on that now, could go on forever if started... so anyway maybe when I've finished the book... having said that, probably not. It's not anywhere as "Bleak" as the BBC drama (of which I only watched a few episodes) made it out to be.
Annnnnnnnyway (again) on to another post now so look above where I shall be saying -
Friday, October 13, 2006
On My Duck-ness
I have been doing not much in the way of anything recently, hence no posts, but that is not unusual (the not posting). But I have been contemplating my duckhood. What does it mean for me to be an, as I describe myself a neurologicaly evolved Mallard? Some will say that I should spend my time campaigning for animal welfare, or somesuch relevant issue. No doubt that would be a great thing to spend my time doing - although I don't thing I could offer the unique animal perspective they are looking for (Do animals suffer, do they understand they are going to die? and revelations to these questions that they are seeking.) Because although I understand that I will die, and that I suffer in a way that I assume is comparable to human suffering, I can't say the same for my duck relatives. I realise, and always have that I am very different from them and can say nothing with surety about what they feel or understand or experience. And scientific investigations are not something I will willingly subject myself to (let us hope that I won't have to undergo them unwillingly either).
So then what is the purpose of my life here, away from the wetlands? My work is not to eat and find a mate and experience the duck experience, so then what should I be doing with myself?
Over the past couple of weeks of contemplation I think this comes back to the freedom of the individual. I grant myself those rights as obviously (obvious to myself) I deserve them. I must be free to do the things I want to do, and the things I enjoy, which is partially what I have been doing up until now. And if people judge that I am doing wrong in not doing the things they perceive I should be doing then that is that. I must get on with my life and discovering what it is to live in this unusual (perhaps unique) way, this half human half duck (half human in a neurological, not a physical way) development.
Anyway, those musings I have touched upon here I will be continuing through the rest of my life I expect, but that is what I would like to say today.
---------
And also that I have been reading the Barbelith forum quite a bit recently. Though i do not think I would like to become a member, I makes for a thoughtful read.
Following on from that I have been discovering The Invisibles, which is all very exciting and inspiring.
So then what is the purpose of my life here, away from the wetlands? My work is not to eat and find a mate and experience the duck experience, so then what should I be doing with myself?
Over the past couple of weeks of contemplation I think this comes back to the freedom of the individual. I grant myself those rights as obviously (obvious to myself) I deserve them. I must be free to do the things I want to do, and the things I enjoy, which is partially what I have been doing up until now. And if people judge that I am doing wrong in not doing the things they perceive I should be doing then that is that. I must get on with my life and discovering what it is to live in this unusual (perhaps unique) way, this half human half duck (half human in a neurological, not a physical way) development.
Anyway, those musings I have touched upon here I will be continuing through the rest of my life I expect, but that is what I would like to say today.
---------
And also that I have been reading the Barbelith forum quite a bit recently. Though i do not think I would like to become a member, I makes for a thoughtful read.
Following on from that I have been discovering The Invisibles, which is all very exciting and inspiring.
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