Saturday, September 24, 2005
The best laid plans of mice...
When I was young -- 8th, 9th grade, say -- I thought Robert Burns was just the coolest poet ever. I once modeled an ode of my own to his piece, "To a Mouse," in which he praises the mouse for present living -- for changing plans as necessary -- and moving on without always keeping an eye on the past:
"The best laid plans o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley..." I'm only assuming that 'gang aft agley' means something akin to 'often go awry', as my scholarship in Scottish dialect is poor at best, but Burns speaks a valid truth. My best laid plans to blog more often have, in short, been circumvented.
But like the mouse, I can't complain: they've been circumvented by work, yes, but more often by fun, by travel, by spending time with people I care about, and by doing things I didn't have time or resources to do in college.
So once more, your forgiveness, and I bring you a pretty treat in repayment of your infinite patience:
I'm moving. Moving away from Blogspot, moving away from the familiar feel of the old Foolish blog that so often catalogues and reminisces on what's past and gone to a new blog.
Henceforth, you'll find me meditating at the Monastery of Idealism at www.arwyn.org.
Change your bookmarks, make new links, and come on over for a visit now and then.
But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!
"The best laid plans o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley..." I'm only assuming that 'gang aft agley' means something akin to 'often go awry', as my scholarship in Scottish dialect is poor at best, but Burns speaks a valid truth. My best laid plans to blog more often have, in short, been circumvented.
But like the mouse, I can't complain: they've been circumvented by work, yes, but more often by fun, by travel, by spending time with people I care about, and by doing things I didn't have time or resources to do in college.
So once more, your forgiveness, and I bring you a pretty treat in repayment of your infinite patience:
I'm moving. Moving away from Blogspot, moving away from the familiar feel of the old Foolish blog that so often catalogues and reminisces on what's past and gone to a new blog.
Henceforth, you'll find me meditating at the Monastery of Idealism at www.arwyn.org.
Change your bookmarks, make new links, and come on over for a visit now and then.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Never a shortstop again
When I played softball -- which I did well when I was 10 and never well after -- I played catcher. You get lots of action at the plate -- especially in church-league slowpitch. In high school as the one senior on the JV team (no, I'm not still bitter about that -- honest...), I played first base. Action there, too.
Well, no. Not really. Because we were horrible and rarely got the ball in and got slaughtered in every game.
And Wednesday, during a team game here at work, I gave shortstop a go.
Ahem. Yes. Well. I've now got a hard splint that goes down to my elbow to support a sprained right thumb. Talk about mad skillz...
And I've had a lot of bloggable thoughts the past few days, too. I'll share more after the weekend when I have my right hand back and can type again.
Well, no. Not really. Because we were horrible and rarely got the ball in and got slaughtered in every game.
And Wednesday, during a team game here at work, I gave shortstop a go.
Ahem. Yes. Well. I've now got a hard splint that goes down to my elbow to support a sprained right thumb. Talk about mad skillz...
And I've had a lot of bloggable thoughts the past few days, too. I'll share more after the weekend when I have my right hand back and can type again.