I was, in the past, of the school that everything we experience is just a variation on a theme, and everything has more or less happened before. I was a "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," sort of person; look at the past and learn from it. Shakespeare still resonates... Continue Reading →
Prisencolinensinainciusol
This is a fantastic song by Adriano Celentano (several versions to be found on various sites) and a metaphor for our times. It's got a great beat, makes you want to move. The singer is attractive, charismatic. It makes you want to hum along, but the lyrics are nonsense. This is not me being cruel,... Continue Reading →
A Happy Death (and a rabbit hole)
I'm re-reading a book that I read in translation when I was sixteen or so: Albert Camus' A Happy Death. Now I'm "reading" it as an audio book in French, La Mort Heureuse. It impressed me very much at the time and probably (now that I'm reading it again), pushed me in ways that I... Continue Reading →
Tell Better Stories
A few years back, I went for a hike in the mountains. I met a young man who was listening to death metal on a Bluetooth speaker as we were walking in a beautiful, pristine Alpine landscape. He looked like a biker kid: the boots, the metal on his face, tattoos. I asked if he... Continue Reading →
Moove your cow, and your mind will follow. 