Peversity

"The heart prefers to move against the grain of circumstance; perversity is the soul's very life."

John Updike (1965) Assorted Prose

A one-third achievement.

I'm delighted to advise that the project to finish reading Ulysses (by James Joyce) in 2009 continues to trundle forward and today I have basically reached the one-third mark. For those of you good at maths, you will immediately suggest that in order to finish on time I ought to have reached this milestone at the beginning of last month, yes, well done, you are correct.

This does not diminish my current (yet ultimately ephemeral) sense of achievement.

Herewith a relatively random sample (not too random, I chose a bit that at least seems like part of a story) to share with you the jaunty tones and fabulous rhythms. I would give you a little context and explain what is going on, but I barely know myself. I'm trusting in the journey.

Enjoy!

"Lenehan linked his arm warmly.
--But wait till I tell you, he said. We had a midnight lunch too after all the jollification and when we sallied forth it was blue o'clock the morning after the night before. Coming home it was a gorgeous winter's night on the Featherbed Mountain. Bloom and Chris Callinan were on one side of the car and I was with the wife on the other. We started singing glees and duets: LO, THE EARLY BEAM OF MORNING. She was well primed with a good load of Delahunt's port under her bellyband. Every jolt the bloody car gave I had her bumping up against me. Hell's delights! She has a fine pair, God bless her. Like that.
He held his caved hands a cubit from him, frowning:
--I was tucking the rug under her and settling her boa all the time. Know what I mean?
His hands moulded ample curves of air. He shut his eyes tight in delight, his body shrinking, and blew a sweet chirp from his lips.
--The lad stood to attention anyhow, he said with a sigh. She's a gamey mare and no mistake. Bloom was pointing out all the stars and the comets in the heavens to Chris Callinan and the jarvey: the great bear and Hercules and the dragon, and the whole jingbang lot. But, by God, I was lost, so to speak, in the milky way. He knows them all, faith. At last she spotted a weeny weeshy one miles away. AND WHAT STAR IS THAT, POLDY? says she. By God, she had Bloom cornered. THAT ONE, IS IT? says Chris Callinan, SURE THAT'S ONLY WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL A PINPRICK. By God, he wasn't far wide of the mark.
Lenehan stopped and leaned on the riverwall, panting with soft laughter."

"you’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior"

Inspired by a tattoo, I discovered this quote:

“Among other things, you’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no means alone on that score, you’ll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept record of their troubles. You’ll learn from them - if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It’s a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn’t education. It’s history. It’s poetry.“

- Excerpt from Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

... and realise that either I've either never read this book (could this be possible?!) or I need to read it again, urgently.

Quote of the Week!

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.

Chinese Proverb.

New Year: Same Me

Hiho!
welcome back to the blog one and all!
(This is a speed blog - I've set my timer at 10mins to make myself say hello.)

I have been in denial that 07 is done and dusted, and what better day to build a bridge and get over it that the 8th?! A week and a day! So how was your Festivus? The big news here is Helen! Ex-Cyclone Helen and the Dorothea Mackellar-type floods that's she's brought to the entire eastern seaboard it seems like. I would love it if only:
a) it was less hot and humid
b) there wasn't a really big tree in my yard that the family immediately identified as a "widow maker"
c) there was decent telly and I hadn't already run out of ROME and BSG S3!

Ma and Pa have been flooded-in on the farm now and then. They're rolling in it. A temporary creek has sprung up and is winding it's way through the front paddock. Complete with swimming ducks. Three months ago, we were just hoping the olive trees didn't die. Now the tanks and dams on the property have all overflowed, and the grass is back up to waist-height. Yay! Nature, what can I say?

In other news, going back to work has been a push. Even a little break like a week can really bump me out of all my structural habits (not hitting snooze when the alarm sounds!) and combined, well, there's lead weights on my feet as I drag myself to work in the mornings. I'm sure it will pass ... I heard today that Mars has been in a nasty retrograde mood. Well, if Mars says "talk to the hand" mortals ought to take it easy!

That's my 10min folks. Hope you and yours are well, and enjoying living.

Quote for the day from Neil Gaiman's blog:
"I'm only wearing black until they invent a darker colour."

Quote from Flaubert - and he knew a thing or two!!

“Be steady and well-ordered in your life so that you can be fierce and original in your work.”
– Gustave Flaubert

Everybody loves the Elephant

“I’ve shot 630 elephants and 63 men, and I regret the elephants more.”

Attributed to Arthur Jones, 1970. Inventor of the Nautilus machine.

Quote of the Day

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

Another great quote

'I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.'

Jorge Luis Borges


(Thanks for sending this over LN!)