1. I am pleased to say that I have almost completed the three busiest weeks of the fall. Tomorrow morning I have a test, then I have a really long chorale rehearsal until 4. Then I am done. In celebration I will be traveling to Chicago to visit Northwestern and hear a couple of concerts.
2. I have recently been introduced to the wonderful idea of pass/fail grading. I don’t know how I missed this concept for 6 years, but I get the feeling that I am going to be glad at the end of the term that I have discovered it. In general, during a semester of high workload in one’s degree area, that person may relieve GPA pressure by taking an elective via pass/fail grading. Es bueno.
3. I have had ten roommates. Of the ten, I have had a vast majority of losers. Historical trends notwithstanding, I must say I am quite pleased with my current living arrangements. Ben is not only a great musician but a fabulous human being. I only hope I don’t convert him to my habit of staying up way late.
4. It occurred to me today that I need to mention debt. I am eternally in debt to Kevin K, as he literally saved my life when I was young. As a small child, I once darted into the road to board a school bus, as an oncoming driver ignored the stop sign. Kevin grabbed me by my shirt and jerked me out of the road, earning me these last 19 years of life. Thank you again.
5. The ‘worst month ever’ is officially over. Everyone can come out of hiding now…
Friday, October 08, 2004
Thursday, October 07, 2004
working on the i in Nostalgia
It isn’t like turning 25 brought on a sense of nostalgia. My memory doesn’t work that way. I have simply refrained from speaking with anyone about the way things used to be. Whether my fear be that no available listener could understand in more than a general way, or worse, the listener would simply laugh at me for being old, I have kept the longings for things gone to myself.
Nostalgia seems irreverent of audience though. Most times I have been nostalgic I have not been surrounded by anyone from the era for which the nostalgia was felt. But maybe that’s just stating the obvious. Perhaps nostalgia ONLY overcomes you when you are in a familiar place with unfamiliar people.
I must introduce a concept into my discussion: Kitsch.
In his novel, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” Milan Kundera presents kitsch as “…the absolute denial of shit, in both the literal and the figurative senses of the word; kitsch excludes everything from its purview which is essentially unacceptable in human existence (Kundera, 248. Harper & Row Publishers).”
I would like to think that I have consistently examined my surrounding kitsch throughout my life. This would be an absurd assumption on my part though. If I only consider those times since I left my hometown though, I may find sporadic points where I was aware of my own personal kitsch. It is these moments for which I experience nostalgia.
And once again, perhaps this is the obvious, or it’s just the way I am, but I don’t feel nostalgia for the times and places of my past, but for the people that filled those settings. The weird thing here is, although I am still in contact with several of the people that live in my memories, I don’t feel that I can speak with them about the times past. In some cases I have let fear lead me as far as refusing to contact great friends that I have had (e.g. John L).
I don’t know how to close this line of thought. Perhaps there is more here than I have touched on though.
Nostalgia seems irreverent of audience though. Most times I have been nostalgic I have not been surrounded by anyone from the era for which the nostalgia was felt. But maybe that’s just stating the obvious. Perhaps nostalgia ONLY overcomes you when you are in a familiar place with unfamiliar people.
I must introduce a concept into my discussion: Kitsch.
In his novel, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” Milan Kundera presents kitsch as “…the absolute denial of shit, in both the literal and the figurative senses of the word; kitsch excludes everything from its purview which is essentially unacceptable in human existence (Kundera, 248. Harper & Row Publishers).”
I would like to think that I have consistently examined my surrounding kitsch throughout my life. This would be an absurd assumption on my part though. If I only consider those times since I left my hometown though, I may find sporadic points where I was aware of my own personal kitsch. It is these moments for which I experience nostalgia.
And once again, perhaps this is the obvious, or it’s just the way I am, but I don’t feel nostalgia for the times and places of my past, but for the people that filled those settings. The weird thing here is, although I am still in contact with several of the people that live in my memories, I don’t feel that I can speak with them about the times past. In some cases I have let fear lead me as far as refusing to contact great friends that I have had (e.g. John L).
I don’t know how to close this line of thought. Perhaps there is more here than I have touched on though.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Birthday Warning
Due to recent events, I must warn the general public about birthday celebrations.
By no means should someone celebrate their birthday ahead of schedule. Not even slightly. I am afraid the consequence of premature celebration is a less than perfect birthday.
I am not feeling horrible today, but I did wake up with the worst version of a head cold that I have had in quite a while.
This week should be the last of my freetimeless weeks. So until next week, when I plan to return to daily writing, you may want to check out my personal favourite blog: www.wilwheaton.net .
pax
By no means should someone celebrate their birthday ahead of schedule. Not even slightly. I am afraid the consequence of premature celebration is a less than perfect birthday.
I am not feeling horrible today, but I did wake up with the worst version of a head cold that I have had in quite a while.
This week should be the last of my freetimeless weeks. So until next week, when I plan to return to daily writing, you may want to check out my personal favourite blog: www.wilwheaton.net .
pax
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