(no subject)
In spite of rain, the temps have been warmer than average. Thus the little brown knots on the cherry tree from yesterday have turned into little green buds this morning, and green mists the branches of Prof Islamic Studies apple tree, and even the diminutive tulip tree next door is bravely putting out, well, something.
Mild nuisances dep't: I bought an electric can opener, the kind that runs on batteries, because my hands can no longer cope with the manual kind. Many five star reviews, works like a dream, etc etc. Should have read the one stars that said 'there's no gap between the two cogs to insert the can edge into' because, guess what, there's no gap between the cogs to insert the can edge into. Good thing it wasn't expensive. But now must hoof it over to Wiener's hardware to consult the oyaji there and make sure I get one that works. The other thing I need is a new air purifier because the motor on mine begins to wheeze and is not long for this world. Cannot buy online because they're all advertised as whisper quiet and I want one that makes white noise. The air purifier function is secondary and, in the current beast, not terribly functional at all.
The most interesting essay in Mary Beard's book is actually the one about Astérix. She suggests that the reason Astérix isn't as popular in America as in Europe is that the new world doesn't have the legacy of the Romans engrained in its cultural DNA, nor is there a subconscious memory of resistance to an invader that gets pinged by the small Gaulish village holding out against Jules César. Me, I never thought resistance to the Romans was the main theme of Astérix. I mean, yes of course they do, but that's just the settei. The real point, I thought, was the wordplay and the puns and taking the mickey out of national stereotypes. That's why I prefer the French originals. The English translations may be inspired but I appreciate their cleverness as translations, not as original wit. But then in some ways I may be closer to my French and English roots than yer average sixth generation whatever. But I also think it's Beard's bias to think that the Romans are so terribly terribly important to modern Europeans (and yes that includes the English.) Sure, their remnants are everywhere, but the remnants are part of the now, not a reminder of the then. Like cathedrals, like temples in Japan: yeah, they've been standing for centuries if not millennia, but they're part of the modern world now-- sitting next to subways and, in Japan, high rises, because that's how the present works.
Mild nuisances dep't: I bought an electric can opener, the kind that runs on batteries, because my hands can no longer cope with the manual kind. Many five star reviews, works like a dream, etc etc. Should have read the one stars that said 'there's no gap between the two cogs to insert the can edge into' because, guess what, there's no gap between the cogs to insert the can edge into. Good thing it wasn't expensive. But now must hoof it over to Wiener's hardware to consult the oyaji there and make sure I get one that works. The other thing I need is a new air purifier because the motor on mine begins to wheeze and is not long for this world. Cannot buy online because they're all advertised as whisper quiet and I want one that makes white noise. The air purifier function is secondary and, in the current beast, not terribly functional at all.
The most interesting essay in Mary Beard's book is actually the one about Astérix. She suggests that the reason Astérix isn't as popular in America as in Europe is that the new world doesn't have the legacy of the Romans engrained in its cultural DNA, nor is there a subconscious memory of resistance to an invader that gets pinged by the small Gaulish village holding out against Jules César. Me, I never thought resistance to the Romans was the main theme of Astérix. I mean, yes of course they do, but that's just the settei. The real point, I thought, was the wordplay and the puns and taking the mickey out of national stereotypes. That's why I prefer the French originals. The English translations may be inspired but I appreciate their cleverness as translations, not as original wit. But then in some ways I may be closer to my French and English roots than yer average sixth generation whatever. But I also think it's Beard's bias to think that the Romans are so terribly terribly important to modern Europeans (and yes that includes the English.) Sure, their remnants are everywhere, but the remnants are part of the now, not a reminder of the then. Like cathedrals, like temples in Japan: yeah, they've been standing for centuries if not millennia, but they're part of the modern world now-- sitting next to subways and, in Japan, high rises, because that's how the present works.