The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    wws's picture

    Connecting the Dots (or the dot.coms)

    By wws on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 10:55pm |
    I know y'all are watching the Super Bowl. That's a really good thing; relaxation is important (or, as they say in Charleston, "impoewtndt"). None of us needs to be en pointe, 24/7; all of us need all the harmless diversions we can get -- whatever is upbeat and energizing, whatever is an experience that is more visceral than mental.

    I support that. But, just in case you don't give a rat's ass about football, and you want a different kind of feel good experience, you might enjoy reading/watching and/or listening to Alain de Botton, whose work may also make you feel upbeat and optimistic.

    You may already know all about de Botton. But I had never heard of him until this morning, when I discovered him during my own version of Sunday School, or a weekly search for new information about -- whatever.

    I particularly love it when a search about a particular topic ties unexpectedly into something else I care about. Connections, overlaps.

    The tie-in today occurred when I read, and listened to de Botton's views on philosophers, and then I reread the kinder, gentler thoughts of Seneca, Montaigne and Epicurus, as compared to the more stringent standards of Nietzche et al. But there was a bonus round; I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing that de Botton then turned his attention to architecture, and then work, and then travel, and literature, etc..

    (Please see functional links below in comments, provided by others, as I failed to make the proper dot.com connections [how's that for irony, eh?])

    God knows I am aware that I sound pedantic, and pompous, and posturing. But, please believe me: actually, not. What I am, at the moment, is what British poet Stevie Smith described as: "Not Waving, But Drowning." So what I'm doing, every Sunday -- the only day I have to choose --  is searching. Striving to make sense of the current world as it evolves, taking recent lessons learned (for example, Letterman's surprising but wonderful mea culpa) and attempting to connect the dots in a way that represents hope.

    Today, for me, the dots connected. I hope, in whatever form, they did for you, too.




    Comments

    Hi Belle,

    I received your note and I will send the my email I already prepared as soon as I get over my embarrassment, if that is OK. But, listen. Take those cites and put them in a comment and they will light up and can be used as direct links. Someone will show up on your blog here and tell you how to get it right in your main post. I still cannot figure it out.

    I gave up on football more than a decade ago, but I wont have sound for another month.


    by dickday (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:03pm

    Actually, she can link right in the post, dd. Highlight what you want link, click the link icon, a box comes down, paste the link in the box. And there you go!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:13pm

    See, I told ya Belle, I figured it would be TheraP.


    by dickday (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:18pm

    Ok, I hear you talking about me, speculating apparently ..... :)


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:21pm

    Hello, lovely lady. You have applied your usual balm to the soul, and I thank you. I will also hope to see you later - your time and considerations permitting.


    by barefooted (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:24pm

    uh, oh!! The links all somehow became one huge link! And it doesn't work.

    sorry, ww. When you make your link, preview. And then from the preview window, you can check to see if the link really does work.

    When you mess up a link though, it's really, really hard to undo and correct it. You may need to put in some words, like... go here and here and here and here. And make each "here" a separate link to the url. And good luck!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:24pm

    Blessings on you both, DD and TheraP. (I hate that I find this tech stuff so baffling.) Thank you.
    I have read all your respective blogs in recent days,and loved each and every one. No comment forthcoming only because "not waving but drowning" syndrome. But know that I am inspired, amused and otherwise awed.


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:26pm

    Hi there, barefooted! Your nice digs got really trashed yesterday! I hope things calm down for you. I really, really do. (you've taken a couple of hits lately... brave lady!)

    Peace. Will Peace, as PCA would say.


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:26pm

    hum
    they need to be done one by one,

    Frankly I think there is a limit on links anyhow.

    http://www.alaindebotton.com/index

    Try that


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:26pm

    Tells me the page cannot be found....


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:27pm

    Right now, my dear, I am just delighted with all the TPM folks who are working for the cause of justice. And have civility in their vocabulary. You are right up there! I salute you!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:29pm

    @#%!@%#Q$TQY!!!! TheraP: Are you saying that I may not be able to erase all links and try again?


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:30pm

    Ack!!


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:31pm

    http://www.alaindebotton.com/


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:32pm

    Well, I'm only saying that I, your humble servant, often get all messed up while trying to do so. But if you start with text and then link to the text, you should be ok.

    But.... for some reason those links do not work for me, even if I cut and paste!

    Good luck my dear. Be patient. And if a link somehow works, you should be able to get that link box to work. At least for one link.

    Best wishes!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:34pm

    Ha! So much for civility.


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:34pm

    Here's the link to the main page. Look forward to going through it later WW. Thanks. ALAIN DE BOTTON.


    by quinn esq (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:34pm

    Eureka!!!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:35pm

    we know.

    =D


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:36pm

    It's OK. On matters on tech, it's entirely understandable.


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:37pm

    Those days when everything kinda comes together 'just so' are a rare pleasure. I'm glad your dots connected today, ww. And migwetch (thanks)for the links.


    by ~flowerchild~ (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:38pm

    I've bookmarked in - in Spirit.

    Pretty soon I have to watch a Masterpiece Theater (rerun) with Mr. TheraP.

    But I will peruse the site later. Seems like a nice young man.

    Thanks so much for this, Wendy. :)


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:39pm

    Hmmm. I had no problem with highlighting the links and clicking the 'Google Search' option...which took me to the google search page and from there I traveled on to the site. :o)


    by ~flowerchild~ (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:43pm

    Not a problem, Thera - but thanks. I'm just a smidge tougher than I appear ...


    by barefooted (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:48pm

    Melissa: You have been sorely tried these past few days. I admire your balance. Hope to stay awake long enough to drop by later.


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:53pm

    I love you Missy, anybody gives you trouble, I will smack them.


    by dickday (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:55pm

    I can see that, my dear. I can see it. But still.... I'm in your corner, should push ever come to shove!


    by TheraP (not verified) on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 11:56pm

    Thank you, Bwak. You never cry Foul/Fowl, but rather, always share the feed.


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:00am

    Look, bird. Ok ok, you're faster.

    But you got that damned beak 2 inches over the keyboard... while I gotta keep these tubes out of the way, and keep those FARKIN' weasels from slicing the monitor up for scrap.

    My working conditions suck.

    Plus the mittens.

    And, also


    by quinn esq (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:17am

    Thank you for the elegant link, Quinn. But --- beware the temptation of seeing comparative advantages or disadvantages. We all have our handicaps: Bwak might think a beak a disadvantage from her perspective? And, whereas you have tubes and weasels (and mittens?) --admittedly, a tough combination -- I have the often confusing conundrum/juxtaposition of pearls and squirrels (or at least a squirrel manuscript). And then I must deal with those pesky linkages...oh, give me mittens, so that I cannot type...


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:44am

    Not sure if it's already been coined, but "Oh, give me mittens..." could get a lot of usage.

    Or, for trolls, "Oh, get some mittens." ;-)


    by quinn esq (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 1:17am

    ;-)


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 1:44am

    Mitten sects

    Also.


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 1:59am

    Hunt and peck, has it's disadvantages....


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 2:44am

    Remember the magnificence of the Pileated woodPECKER, Bwak, and be proud.


    by wwstaebler (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 2:53am

    I saw one, upclose and personal. It was ridiculous. It was gobbling berries off the dogwood tree in front of my living room window, and the whole branch sagged alarmingly.

    =D

    Wonderous bird, but hoo boy!



    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 2:59am

    hahahahaha
    hahahahaha
    hahahahahahahaahahahahah

    I used to watch his show on Black & White decades ago.


    by dickday (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 3:07am

    Woody?

    :D

    Yeah, they look that nutso. I thought the branch was going to crack away! I was at the Easternmost border of their range, and consider myself luck to have seen them.


    by Bwakfat (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 3:12am