Alexander Hamilton

The young Alexander Hamilton, as a colonel in the revolutionary war, writes to a good friend about what he is looking for in a wife, and I think he brings a light-hearted tone to the affair.

_ _ _

She must be young, handsome (I lay most stress upon a good shape), sensible (a little learning will do), well-bred (but she must have an aversion to the word ton), chaste and tender (I am an enthusiast in my notions of fidelity and fondness), of some good nature, a great deal of generosity (she must neither love money nor scolding, for I dislike equally a termagant and an economist). In politics, I am indifferent what side she may be of; I think I have arguments that will easily convert her to mine. As to religion, a moderate streak will satisfy me. She must believe in God and hate a saint. But as to fortune, the larger stock of that the better. You know my temper and circumstances and will therefore pay special attention to this article in the treaty. Though I run no risk of going to purgatory for my avarice, yet as money is an essential ingredient to happiness in this world - as I have not much of my own and as I am very little calculated to get more either by my address or industry - it must needs be that my wife, if I get one, bring at least a sufficiency to administer to her own extravagancies.

-- Alexander Hamilton

(Source: Ron Chernow, “Alexander Hamilton”)

A nice, dreamy day

Monk stretches and groans in bed. “After seven-thirty?!” Oh, good. No problem. I wanted to take a walk this morning, but I don’t know. It has been a long time and I have fallen out of the mood. I’m not sure that I really, really wanted to go out. Though, I do have a lot of bread on hand that is probably now going to go to waste, again. I better get up and check on the cats.

Pi is already there at the kitchen sliding-door. She says, “I don’t think you want to see this.”

Which freezes me and my blood runs a little colder.

She says, “No, no, it’s nothing like that. It just rained. It rained pretty good in fact.”

Monk exhales heavily. Nothing big. No mauled cats. I go and let the cats inside and am glad that all three are there and are eager to come inside.

Monk says, “I guess it is just as well that I did not care to go on that walk.”

Pi says, “Aww, that’s too bad! I think you could use a little time with the ducks and to get out of the house for a bit.”

“I know. It’s been quite a winter. Usually we get a lot of springy-summery weeks during the so-called winter, but here we are in mid-January and it has been a bit like a real winter. Minus the snow, of course. Can’t have everything.”

The cats actually seemed to have had their fill of the wild outdoors, too. They comfortably lounge about the big room and doze, with no bitching nor any of that restless wrestling and the clawing of furniture. The overcast, cool weather is perfect for a day of dozing and reading and easy daydreaming. It is a good day for a pizza and a movie, too.

Pi says, “What are you thinking? You look so self-satisfied and blissfully serene.”

“I’m just loving how the day is shaping up. This is great reading weather. And good for writing, good for reflection. A nice, dreamy day.”

Daimon joins the party, “And it doesn’t hurt that the old man has left for an overnighter, am I right?”

Monk chuckles, “Right you are, sir! Though, I think I need to take this opportunity to clean out my toilet and sink. We cannot have an absolutely perfect day.”

Oscar Wilde: A Modest Guy

Upon arrival in the States, Oscar Wilde reportedly quipped, "I have nothing to declare except my genius."

-- Sully's Dish

Megan Fox

Some of you may, or may not have noticed by now that my Twitter account has been shut down … I thought that 2013 might be the year that I finally blossomed into a social networking butterfly … but as it turns out I still hate it. Love you guys but I will just never be that girl. Facebook is as much as I can handle. #I’m Sorry [...] 5 days on Twitter and I have yet to discern it's purpose. #WhatIsThePoint???

-- Megan Fox

I say, come back to the original and get a LiveJournal account, and friend me, and post some nudes!! I'll be your e-buddy forever!

1984 (2,9) Private Life Came To An End

As Goldstein relates the dark history, the totalitarian ideologies of the emerging powers was largely worked out through the chaotic and violent 1930s and 40s. However, it was the technological advances that made totalitarianism complete.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

With the development of television, and the technical advance which made it possible to receive and transmit simultaneously on the same instrument, private life came to an end. Every citizen, or at least every citizen important enough to be watched, could be kept for twenty-four hours a day under the eyes of the police and in the sound of official propaganda, with all other channels of communication closed. The possibility of enforcing not only complete obedience to the will of the State, but complete uniformity of opinion on all subjects, now existed for the first time.

-- “1984” by George Orwell

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pi says, “Can you say Internet?”

Monk says, “Oh, yes, they got us. It just isn’t cost-effective for the corporations and the government to surveil millions of people that tightly. They are able to enjoy riches enough as it is. But they are monitoring the traffic, and as this Information Age technology improves, I am sure they will do a better job. But, hey, who knows, maybe they will be able to stop some of our mass-shooters before the bullets start flying. Technology is a double-edged sword.”

Daimon says, “So true. Human nature, on the other hand, is the murkier matter. Especially when mixed with power.”

Monk sighs, “And we all must swim in that dark sea, and live and die in it. But I still love big brother.”

The cats are wrestling again

The cats are wrestling again. Ash and Sammy. They are restless again. So soon. Oh, well...

Mr. Saturday Night

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