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Talkabouting
April 17th, 2012 09:43 pm(I would have sworn I posted this a few weeks ago, but LJ does its crazy LJ stuff, and when I looked the other day, poof! Who knows? So my pardon if you've seen this before, and enjoy if you haven't!)
Comment on this post and I will list seven things I want you to talk about. They might make sense or they might be totally random. Then post that list, with your commentary, on your journal. Other people can get lists from you and the meme merrily perpetuates itself.
These are my questions from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
primitivepeople:
1. Pens - tell me why you love them.
I love pens (by which I take it you mean fountain pens) because they bring a bit of simplicity and elegance to something that has otherwise become a throw-away thing, especially now in the days of e-mail and texting. A Bic may be a bit less fleeting than a text, but only barely. A fountain pen is anything but fleeting. Filling, cleaning, caring for a fountain pen is a soothing ritual, and the richness of a good (not even necessarily expensive) pen makes writing a sensual pleasure. Not only can a good pen last one a lifetime, but it makes writing a conscious act, which (for me, at least), lends a bit of gravitas to not only my words, but even to my handwriting itself. And then there's the colors! I've lost count of the inks I've accumulated, but I have access to many times more colors than any ballpoint can ever offer. Add to that the fun of seeing how each ink behaves in a certain pen - the combinations are endless. Hey, anything that makes me itch to pull out a pen and write, even if it's a grocery list, has to be a good thing!
2. What's your favourite item of clothing?
Huh. I'm emptied to say that it's the perfect jacket I haven't found yet, but I guess that would be cheating, huh? I suppose I don't really have one favorite thing - I'm not really much of a clothes horse for one thing. I also tend to have 'momentary favorites,' which vary on my mood, the weather, and so on. Right now I'm digging a quilted patchwork Thai sill jacket, and a favorite pair of jeans, which are embellished with a sort of Indian-style paisley pattern up the outside of the leg. Give it a few weeks of the warm weather, though, and it will change again, I'm sure...
3. What author do you most admire, and why?
Wow, another one I'm torn on! I'm tempted to say Dante Alighieri, because of my abiding love for the Comedia- it's such a complex and nuanced depiction of the 'zeitgeist' of his time. I've only begun to get a glimpse of the depth of Dante's work, for all the time I've spent on it. BUT, even for all of that, I'm going to have to go with Orwell, for not to dissimilar reasons. Orwell's grasp of culture, of society in all its glory and its squalor, of humanity itself, may be unmatched in any language to date. That he didn't live long enough to comment on our own era is entirely our loss, and given Orwell's passion for truth, doubtless his gain.
4. If you could change one thing about the world, forever, what would it be?
If I could simply wish it so, I would ensure that every human being was taught and able to use reason, critical thinking, sound logic and evidence based thinking, and would, as a result choose to reject ALL forms of superstition, prejudice, narrow-mindedness, and ignorance. (Not reaching, am I?)
5. Revolution or evolution? Which is best for society?
Both in their proper place, I expect. Evolution is preferred I think, but, among beings conscious of the process, evolution takes courage, honesty, and active willingness to embrace change. Consequently, I think we often fail to evolve just when we need it most. And that's when revolution comes in. It's hard, ugly, and painful, but then again, so is evolution, just maybe in smaller doses. Maybe it's the difference between taking the bandage off slowly or quickly? In any case, we may be due for a bit revolution; if we can't gently shake out the tangle we're stuck in, we may have to yank ourselves out...
6. Tell me about the greatest holiday/vacation you've ever taken.
I haven't done many, but I suppose I'd say my 'seven-countries/28-days' trip to Europe back in high-school. Brussels, Rothenburg, Munich, Salzburg, Venice, Rome, Paris, London - it was amazing. Of course, 75% of the trip was wasted on my callow, clueless, teenage self, but even so I learned a lot, saw even more, and can't wait to go back. Next to that, my forays to Florida or LA. can't really hold up, though Panama comes close. At least I got a lot more depth from Panama, being all grow'd up and all….
7. What are you most proud of?
Easy! In order: My son, my academic career, all the amazing things my husband has done, and after that…. maybe my garden? Or, more like the fact that I've built it all myself. I'm also ridiculously proud of the fact that I can use a drill and hammer better than sot guys I know.
Comment on this post and I will list seven things I want you to talk about. They might make sense or they might be totally random. Then post that list, with your commentary, on your journal. Other people can get lists from you and the meme merrily perpetuates itself.
These are my questions from
primitivepeople:1. Pens - tell me why you love them.
I love pens (by which I take it you mean fountain pens) because they bring a bit of simplicity and elegance to something that has otherwise become a throw-away thing, especially now in the days of e-mail and texting. A Bic may be a bit less fleeting than a text, but only barely. A fountain pen is anything but fleeting. Filling, cleaning, caring for a fountain pen is a soothing ritual, and the richness of a good (not even necessarily expensive) pen makes writing a sensual pleasure. Not only can a good pen last one a lifetime, but it makes writing a conscious act, which (for me, at least), lends a bit of gravitas to not only my words, but even to my handwriting itself. And then there's the colors! I've lost count of the inks I've accumulated, but I have access to many times more colors than any ballpoint can ever offer. Add to that the fun of seeing how each ink behaves in a certain pen - the combinations are endless. Hey, anything that makes me itch to pull out a pen and write, even if it's a grocery list, has to be a good thing!
2. What's your favourite item of clothing?
Huh. I'm emptied to say that it's the perfect jacket I haven't found yet, but I guess that would be cheating, huh? I suppose I don't really have one favorite thing - I'm not really much of a clothes horse for one thing. I also tend to have 'momentary favorites,' which vary on my mood, the weather, and so on. Right now I'm digging a quilted patchwork Thai sill jacket, and a favorite pair of jeans, which are embellished with a sort of Indian-style paisley pattern up the outside of the leg. Give it a few weeks of the warm weather, though, and it will change again, I'm sure...
3. What author do you most admire, and why?
Wow, another one I'm torn on! I'm tempted to say Dante Alighieri, because of my abiding love for the Comedia- it's such a complex and nuanced depiction of the 'zeitgeist' of his time. I've only begun to get a glimpse of the depth of Dante's work, for all the time I've spent on it. BUT, even for all of that, I'm going to have to go with Orwell, for not to dissimilar reasons. Orwell's grasp of culture, of society in all its glory and its squalor, of humanity itself, may be unmatched in any language to date. That he didn't live long enough to comment on our own era is entirely our loss, and given Orwell's passion for truth, doubtless his gain.
4. If you could change one thing about the world, forever, what would it be?
If I could simply wish it so, I would ensure that every human being was taught and able to use reason, critical thinking, sound logic and evidence based thinking, and would, as a result choose to reject ALL forms of superstition, prejudice, narrow-mindedness, and ignorance. (Not reaching, am I?)
5. Revolution or evolution? Which is best for society?
Both in their proper place, I expect. Evolution is preferred I think, but, among beings conscious of the process, evolution takes courage, honesty, and active willingness to embrace change. Consequently, I think we often fail to evolve just when we need it most. And that's when revolution comes in. It's hard, ugly, and painful, but then again, so is evolution, just maybe in smaller doses. Maybe it's the difference between taking the bandage off slowly or quickly? In any case, we may be due for a bit revolution; if we can't gently shake out the tangle we're stuck in, we may have to yank ourselves out...
6. Tell me about the greatest holiday/vacation you've ever taken.
I haven't done many, but I suppose I'd say my 'seven-countries/28-days' trip to Europe back in high-school. Brussels, Rothenburg, Munich, Salzburg, Venice, Rome, Paris, London - it was amazing. Of course, 75% of the trip was wasted on my callow, clueless, teenage self, but even so I learned a lot, saw even more, and can't wait to go back. Next to that, my forays to Florida or LA. can't really hold up, though Panama comes close. At least I got a lot more depth from Panama, being all grow'd up and all….
7. What are you most proud of?
Easy! In order: My son, my academic career, all the amazing things my husband has done, and after that…. maybe my garden? Or, more like the fact that I've built it all myself. I'm also ridiculously proud of the fact that I can use a drill and hammer better than sot guys I know.