Of the American Revolution and Slavery

“It always appeared a most iniquitous scheme to me - to fight for ourselves for what we are robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have.”

-- Abigail Adams

(Source: Ron Chernow, “Alexander Hamilton”)

"Middlemarch"

Pi asks, "It is only Thursday, right?"

Monk nods, "Yes. So?"

"I just see that you have 'Middlemarch' on hand instead of the Hamilton biography."

"Oh, yeah, when I finished the chapter on Hamilton, I felt like it was a good time for a break, both in terms of the historical narrative and my own patience. So, why wait a day just for the weekly calendar?"

Daimon comes into the room, "Indeed, we should give credit where credit is due. It is a wonder that our Monkie did not opt to fill in the rest of the week with Tosches's 'Devil and Me'."

Monk chortles, "Very true! It was tempting, too. But I really need to make headway on "Middlemarch". I like the novel enough, but I don't really fancy the idea of spending all of the year 2013 on it, even if we are only talking about the weekends, or largely the weekends. In fact, if there are no objections, I would like to start reading now."

Daimon says, "Please do! Don't let us stand in the way of inspiration!"

Pi says, "Yes, I am enjoying George Eliot myself."

Monk gets the book, "Very well..."

Richard Nixon

This week was the 100th birthday of Richard Nixon. The occasion does not exactly evoke the celebratory mood of, say, Elvis's birthday, but it is a time for reflection. People also want to appreciate the good that was in the man. And I have come across one touching story from his law school days. A classmate of his had polio and needed to be carried up the steps of the building to get to class, and it was Nixon who volunteered to take on that responsibility. We are so cyncial about our political leaders, and for good reason, but it is perhaps worth bearing in mind, that with the ambtion to achieve the highest office, there is often the desire to do good and make the world a better place. But, as they are saying, sometimes things get complicated along the way.

(Source: Sully's Dish)

my muscles atrophying

Daimon peers at Monk, "What are you doing with your arms? The pressing and pulling against each other."

"I have been feeling that self-conscious, sickly sense of my muscles atrophying, and that I need to do something to combat that, but I don't have the will and strength to do so much as a push-up. Part of me also knows this is absurd, because I am pretty sure that I am beyond the point where exerise can be puffing anyway, that my muscles can no longer improve; at best, one can only decrease the rate of decline. I... uggh. I just feel so icky and weak, very unmanly, if you know what I mean. I needed to get serious about the exercise thing - maybe get some gym equipment - when I was in my twenties and thirties. It's too late now. And I have to live with this sense of girliness in my muscles for the rest of my life."

Daimon says, "So, it is the life of the mind then, after all!"

"Pfft! Yeah, I guess that's all I've ever really had. And it's not like my mind is all that rich a place."

Pi pouts, "And I see that you have put away 'Middlemarch' in favor of Tosches porn novel."

Monk says, "Yeah, sorry about that. But I finished Book Two just before my nap, and it seemed like a good opportunity to enjoy "The Devil and Me". We will return to Middlemarch tomorrow. Promise!"

Daily Fun

And They Found Him .. by heinvanwersch on Flickr.

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