Graduation notes, 2008

Writer's prayer: Grant me the intelligence and patience to find the true pattern.

The work of doing and undoing is also part of the work.

William Stafford on a cure for writer's block: "Lower your standards."

Nietzsche: He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.

Einstein: Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.

Seamus Heaney on history and hope

History says don't hope on this side of the grave. Hope for a great sea change ont he far side of revenge.

Robert Frost

No mistakes, no journey.

Ceremonies, good and bad

Humankind has established for itself ceremonies to mark important social events. These ceremonies fall into two categories, Elevation ceremonies include such events as weddings, baptisms, graduations, and installations. Then there are so-called Degredation ceremonies, such as courts martial.

Wristwatches

"You know, that's one thing Manon wasn't wearing: a watch. You don't see a lot of watch wearing in the soprano world. Have you ever noticed that? Tosca? No watch. Madame Butterfly? Again, no watch."

He is no longer paying attention, but it doesn't stop me. We have traded places. "If in La Boheme you gave everyone wristwatches, you'd have a happy ending...You wouldn't have that guy singing about his coat. He'd look at his watch and go 'Yikes!'"

--from Who Will Run the Frog Hospital, Lorrie Moore, 1994

Culture, an observation

No doubt there is an eternal appeal to lists. As the philosopher and novelist Umberto Eco recently said in a published interivew, "The list is the origin of culture."

From Noam cohen's story in the New York Times Business Section on Bill Simmons sports column on ESPN.Com

Narratives--the ingredients

Narratives, aristotle suggests in his 'Poetics,' work best if they're arranged around some pre-existing unit of time: sunrise to sunset, January to December. This is observed by Jess Row in his NYTBR review of Maureen Howard's The Rags of Time, November 15, 2009.