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The Orwell Diaries
By matt | August 11, 2008
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Here’s a good one for your feed reader: The Orwell Diaries. It’s the diary of George Orwell, posted on the same day he wrote each entry…just 70 years later.
From the opening entry, posted by the Orwell Prize people (whoever they are):
From 9th August 2008, you will be able to gather your own impression of Orwell’s face from reading his most strongly individual piece of writing: his diaries. The Orwell Prize is delighted to announce that, to mark the 70th anniversary of the diaries, each diary entry will be published on this blog exactly seventy years after it was written, allowing you to follow Orwell’s recuperation in Morocco, his return to the UK, and his opinions on the descent of Europe into war in real time. The diaries end in 1942, three years into the conflict.
First, if I read the diary in a book, I’d probably skim the “minor” entries (so far, on August 11th, he’s caught a snake and it’s been misty weather) as I looked for the “important” things he wrote. In this format, even the “minor” entries get a day to be read and considered. It provides a bit more time to absorb and understand Orwell as we read what he thought was important enough to write down in a diary.
It is an interesting transition from a written format into an electronic form. Normally, we see entire works uploaded to the web, such as with Google Books. We see the work in the same way as on paper: in one big lump. Not here, as we see the work unfold, linearly, through time.
Second, Orwell wasn’t writing for an audience, but he was doing as bloggers do today: writing about the large and small things that fill their days. I suspect what we read won’t be much different than what we see on many blogs…except that this one was written by Orwell. I wonder if it will make the sections that are more “pithy” more meaningful.
Cool stuff, I think.
Topics: books | No Comments »
O Fortuna
By matt | August 10, 2008
So I’ve been on a Carmina Burana kick, as I mentioned last week. I knew that Orff used a Latin poem as the lyrics, but I hadn’t read them in many years. I found them on Wikipedia. Powerful, when read with the music.
| O Fortuna (Chorus) | English translation |
|---|---|
|
O Fortuna Sors immanis Sors salutis |
O Fortune, Fate - monstrous Fate, in health |
Topics: music | No Comments »
Sulfur?
By matt | August 8, 2008
I have a real, serious problem. From time to time, there is a sulfurous smell in my house. It isn’t the scent from natural gas, although I’ve still checked all my gas appliances. I’ve scoured the house, but no luck.
It’s one of those little things that pops up at random times and is frustrating in it’s elusive nature.
And, yeah, I’ve got to do something about the demons in the basement, too…
Topics: none of the above | 4 Comments »
Cancer
By matt | August 7, 2008
I don’t have cancer. A friend has cancer. I learned this on Friday. These are random thoughts.
Cancer is not like other diseases
If I get heart disease, it will probably be because I had too many beers or ate more hamburgers than was good for me. I’ll know why I got heart disease. Because I made a choice to eat and drink.
But unless you are Marie Curie and spent years playing with radioactive substances, there usually isn’t that direct link between cause and effect. In the case of my friend, doctors have no idea what causes the kind of cancer he has contracted. It just happens. They have treatments, but they can’t say why he got the cancer.
Things change fast
In June, my friend did not have cancer. On some day in July, one of the cells of his body changed. He had cancer. In August, he is in the hospital and is expected to be there for weeks.
There was literally no warning or run-up to this where anybody could have said “if only we paid more attention”. He and his wife paid attention. He went to the doctor when he started feeling sick. The doctors did their tests. There wasn’t any way to detect this sooner.
Now their lives are fundamentally different and that fundamental change happened in two weeks. They went from a routine life that involved work and grocery shopping to one that involves cancer centers, teams of doctors, insurance policies and more.
I don’t have cancer
I don’t have cancer. I keep telling myself this. I’m not him, but he is about my age, lives about the same way I do…he and I are in the same demographic segment across many dimensions.
I don’t think this means I will get cancer.
But suddenly, mortality is close. Life seems more important than it did two weeks ago.
Sutra
This is a sutra that I have hanging in my house. Over time, it slowly fades into the background. Then, something happens and it springs into focus again. It reads:
Let me respectfully remind you,
Life and Death are of supreme importance.
Time passes swiftly and opportunity is lost.
Take heed, do not squander your life.
Music
I am listening to the Orchestra’s recording of Carmina Burana. Dramatic and somber and a touch cliche, I suppose…but appropriate for my mood, so no apologies.
Topics: none of the above | No Comments »
The Old Angle
By matt | August 6, 2008
Awesome: From Finite Jest, news that one of my favorite places to get a drink are mixing up the menu.
Topics: cleveland | No Comments »
See you at the debate, bitches.
By matt | August 5, 2008
I’ve written about Paris Hilton before on this site. People seem to have strong feelings on the subject.
Yet, when a presidential candidate (in a party that has successfully run Ronald Regan and Arnold Schwar…that big guy) starts to say the other candidate isn’t any good because of a “celebrity” problem…
…and then Paris Hilton decides to run…
I’m voting for Paris Hilton. She’s got a wicked energy policy. Just watch.
Topics: government | No Comments »
Parkrand
By matt | August 4, 2008
I found a photo of “Parkrand” by MVRDV at A Daily Dose of Architecture. On seeing the photo, all I could think was “Yes, I’d like an apartment above one of the potted trees, please. And can you put a window in the floor, too?”
A photo of the Parkrand building from http://n8.nl
Close-up of Parkrand, with gigantic flower pots in view. (linked to Flickr source)
Close-up of Parkrand, with gigantic flower pots in view. (link to Flicker source)
Topics: art/aesthetics | No Comments »
Weekend Trivia (3-Aug)
By matt | August 3, 2008
- Friday Evening: Tandoor Cafe. Told that my friend has cancer.
- Saturday Afternoon: Waterloo Arts Festival. Forgot my camera. Had a nice time.
- Saturday Evening: Grovewood Tavern. Never disappointed but rarely amazed.
- Sunday: Eight mile hike.
Friday: Perspectives shifted.
Topics: weekend trivia | No Comments »
June Hailstorm
By matt | August 1, 2008
I can’t believe it’s already August.
The fact that July is over hit me, last night, when I was downloading photos off my camera. I found some photos I took on June 22nd in the “unfiled” folder of my computer. How is it already August 1st? I just took these photos in June!
Thes are of the hail storm from that June. The plants in my yard were shredded. When I was standing on my front porch, watching, the hail made so much noise I couldn’t hold a hear my neighbor on his porch a few feet away.
None of my plants died, but none fully recovered after that storm.
  
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Topics: photos | No Comments »
Chronotopic Anamorphosis
By matt | July 31, 2008
I found this video linked & explained on Centripetal Notion, a site that is infrequently updated, but is interesting when so. The original person/group that created the video has a website, too.
Chronotopic Anamorphosis from Marginalia Project on Vimeo.
Topics: art/aesthetics, technology | No Comments »
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