Photo of a friend on a canoe trip in early October.
I really didn't read much this week. It’s been hectic seven days. I've had meetings most evenings. My co-worker from India left for his homeland and I spent a day getting him off from the Detroit airport. It was wonderful having him here and exchanging ideas and hopefully things will go well for me to spent time with him in Jabalpur M.P. late next year or early in 2008.
One of the more interesting things I read was in the travel sections of today’s paper. It seems that Fairfield, Iowa is quite the place for New Agers to travel. I would not have normally read this except that one of my regular readers is from Fairfield and I wanted to see if he was quoted in the article (I thought there was a good chance since there's not that many people in Fairfield, but his “om” must have been drowned out by all the rest of the folks there). On the same page was another article about Mormons visiting historical sites in Nauvoo, IL. I was left wondering if this week’s travel section had been sponsored by a travel agency specializing in cults and sects with roots in the Midwest. Now that I’ve made disparaging comments about the descendents of Joe Smith and the practitioners of TM, I better get to my quotes before I make anyone else mad. Besides, I got to make some potato and ham soup for dinner.
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Everyone is willing to garland my photos and statues. But nobody wants to follow my advice.
-Gandhi, as quoted by Collins and Lapierre, Freedom at Midnight
Right is something you do without looking over your shoulder to see if anyone else is doing it.”
-Calvin Miller, Fred ‘n’ Erma
Ah, God! what trances of torments does that man endure who is consumed with one unachieved revengeful desire. He sleeps with clenched hands; and wakes with his own bloody nails in his palms.
-Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Mom had devised a torture with which she tormented only me but her other pupils as well. Each day after the noon recess, she would read aloud to us for exactly fifteen minutes. Somehow she managed to end each reaching right at a climactic moment. We would beg her to continue, but she would only chuckle evilly and order us back to work.
-Patrick McManus, The Deer on a Bicycle (he's telling why it was necessary for him to learn to read so early in life)
I just had to trust the Lord and a fast outfield
-Robert Traver, On Fishing
Southerners, like cats, are born with an exaggerated sense of place.
Nan Graham, Turn South a the Next Magnolia
After much conversation and negotiation, it was concluded that since this young man was also a Democrat and a Presbyterian, those qualities offset the unfortunate aspects of being a forester and a Yankee.
Nan Graham, Turn South at the Next Magnolia (on telling of her father’s acceptance into her mother’s family)
Keillor: "All you are going to do is make promise that you can’t keep."
Rusty, "Well, that’s what love is all about."
-from Lives of the Cowboys, A Prairie Home Companion on NPR
The woman who taught Patrick McManus was a very, very wise woman. She instilled the magic of reading in those children without them even knowing she was doing it.
ReplyDeleteYou know what they say; If you're not in the front of the canoe, the view is always the same!
ReplyDeleteSoutherners, like cats, are born with an exaggerated sense of place.
ReplyDeleteamusing...despite that the view from the back of the canoe doesn't change that much it is still a great picture.
have you read A River Runs Through It or any of the other short stories by Norman Maclean? Great photo - what a beautiful location
ReplyDeleteKenju, yes she was--and although he is a very funny writer, his mother must be dead for him to make fun of her...
ReplyDeleteMoogirl, I thought that had to do with horses (and cows). I've always been in the back because most often I'm the one who knows how to handle the boat. I'd like to have a few good paddlers to go with me so I could be in the bow when fishing!
Kontan, I found humorous truth in that quote too
Diane, I've read everything I've been able to get my hands on by Maclean. He's a wonderful writer. A River Runs Throught It is beautiful, but so are his other short stories. Even this book about the Mann Gulch fire (which someone else finished after this death) is a wonderful read.
What touched you about the last quote that made you want to share it?
ReplyDeleteSage - I almost never comment about the meditators unless I can do it anonymously. I do this for a couple reasons. The first being that I make it a practice to not stir the pot that I sit on. Second, I have many friends among the Maharishi and though I find them nothing but a cult and a pyramid scam, I do value my friendships.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in reading the article so if your paper has it online, please send me the link.
I've got a couple Maclean books on my docket including the Mann Gulch one. I can't wait to read them if they are anything like "River Runs Through It"
Murf, I don't know why, it just sounded funny and I was driving and listening to PHC and jotted it down.
ReplyDeleteEd, I couldn't find the article online--it's was in the Grand Rapid's Press. I don't think it was written by one of their reporters. If you want to email me an address, I'll send you the clipping. I didn't link this to you because I felt that would be your call, but do remember you mentioning them.
Few do right even when people are looking. :)
ReplyDeleteHam and potato soup sounds good,
do you have a recipe?
You were writing while driving?!?! You are one of THOSE people, eh? ;)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, how old is your buddy in the picture?
ReplyDeleteI like the Calvin Miller quote a lot. I thought of you today on some of the many times I've worked to save my fire in the fireplace (can't let it go out until our heat pump gets here)...it is harder than one might think...maybe I should have been a girl scout!
ReplyDeleteI know you have like a 1 question limit so two of my questions will be ignored but I can't refrain from asking...why is he sitting on his life jacket instead of wearing it? No wonder you two are buddies. You rebels you. You write while driving and he canoes without a lifesaving device. :)
ReplyDeleteThat first quote from Ghandi sounds all too realistic.
ReplyDeletePeri, me, a recipe? Let's see, I had a hambone that I boiled for 2 hours to make broth, cut some of the ham up into cubes. I then sauted in butter onions, added flour and then the broth, ham and potatoes (cubed), some spices (a little garlic salt, pepper, basil and oregano). Cook till potatoes are done.
ReplyDeleteMurf Question 1: Yes, I jotted it down with a pad by the drivers seat--but I was a stoplight
Murf Question 2: He's in his mid-50s, about 5 years older than me
Deana, hope you stay warm, it was 23 degrees here this morning!
Murf Question #3: He's sitting on it for padding, I'm assuming. I think he can swim and the river isn't that wide and I don't wear life jackets when fishing (so I can dive and get a fishing rod) but do wear them in winter or in heavy water.
Tim, yeah, Gandhi had some interesting ideas and although he had a lot of followers, few wanted to live like him.
I almost thought you were turning over a new leaf but I know you're just trying to prove me wrong with the questions but before you get too cocky, thinking you've won, there are still some unanswered ones via email. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the offer Sage but you really don't need to put any effort into sending me the clipping. I'm guessing I know what it is just from the local news around here. I have a few future blogs planned someday when I get a chance on that subject. Maybe stir the pot up anonymously. :)
ReplyDeleteMurf, I'm sorry that I forgot to answer those questions... The answer is NO. :-)
ReplyDeleteEd, it was a pretty general piece, I'm sure stuff you know about, I was just shocked to see it filed from your hometown.
I don't accept 'NO's as answers. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful photograph. And great quotes as always. I have to admit I enjoyed the jibe comparing Southerners to cats. But I was laughing WITH them, not AT them, lol.
ReplyDeleteThe Maharishi are very media savvy. They have their own newspapers, many many websites and are constantly trying to get stuff published in national media. Occasionally, like what happened in Grand Rapids, someone falls for it and does publish it.
ReplyDeleteGreat quotes. Patrick McManus is one of my favorite authors.
ReplyDelete