I've enjoyed writing the ancient Roman virtues, although many of them have been difficult to comprehend. But now it's time to explore the last one, which (since the list is alphabetical) is VIRTUS, manliness. The complexity of this virtue is more evident in our time, I think, because we're living in an age that asks how much gender actually ( Read more... )

   I may just as well plunge right in and be done with this, The virtue for today is truth, VERITAS, which, in case we want to define it, means truthfulness in dealing with others. It's kind of an important virtue, and, compared to many of the other virtues I've talked about, easier to understand even in a modern context. We value truth: in ( Read more... )

   It's interesting to write about the virtues, and I notice it really never gets easier, which is probably why I like writing about them. I've been having a challenging day with my knitting, and I've made good use of some virtues, like patience, and hope, and above all the virtue for today, SEVERITAS. It's easy to work out that it means severity, ( Read more... )

   I finally got my wardrobe cleaned out today! I'm throwing out three bags of clothes I no longer want to wear, and there's more than enough left. It feels really good to get this done, it's been a while since the last time. I hate having to look for something I would actually wear, and it takes up time that could be spent better. I'm not exactly ( Read more... )

   I've spent the day doing nothing, as befits Sunday. Tomorrow, I'm going to have to get on with some chores, and I also have to bake something. I need to use up the rest of the rhubarbs, so I'll probably make some more pie. I really don't think I'll ever tire of the crumble type of pie. It's so easy, anyone can make it, and it's a guaranteed ( Read more... )

   I almost found a flat today! Almost meaning that someone answered my ad. We e-mailed a bit back and forth, and the flat seemed nice and roomy, and cheap, and the landlady seemed nice and sane, but there's a hitch. She only wants to rent it out until May next year, and since I can't move in before September (I can't afford to pay two rents), I ( Read more... )

   This has been an interesting day so far... The flex of my keyboard finally broke down for good, so I have to find a new one, and I hope I do, because I don't have the money to buy a new keyboard just now. Also, I broke one of my plates. I had put a saucepan and a skillet on top of a bigger saucepan, and when I did something that caused them to ( Read more... )

  I had rather a harrowing experience today. I read about the Third Wave Experiment, which was carried out by a history teacher, Ron Jones, who wrote an interesting account of it. He was teaching his class of high school kids in California in the 1970's about WWII and wanted to demonstrate the allure of fascism to his students. He got the sophomore ( Read more... )

   I just finished GWTW, and I miss it already:(. Luckily, I have lots and lots of other books to read, even books I've never read before. I think I'll give up on The Book Thief. It's not bad by any means, but I find it to be depressing without really touching me. Bleak is the word, I think. I'll go with something lighter now, I just started The ( Read more... )

   I couldn't blog yesterday, because my parents have problems with their internet connection, and I didn't take my laptop with me for the overnight visit. Anyway, it's nice to be back, and the naming party was a success. The only problem we had was with boiling eggs for the pirogi spread: I managed to break two of them into the boiling water. ( Read more... )