RO

Feli was supposed to come at ten to help her arrange the French books that had fallen off the shelves, but Ro fell and died at around eight. She was almost 102. These last years she was furiously defending her culture and her way of thinking. Her dignity. When I told her about iPads and the upcoming death of books, she was incredulous. But then I described the feature that could make the letter size very large. I could tell that secretely she hoped one day to read this enlarged print.

gary goldberg

He was Mr. Mental, or maybe we were ...he - the creator, the architect, me - the engineer...Always looked at him with disbelief. Found out yesterday he died in 2003. And look in disbelief.

not a baboon

Drs. Seyfarth and Cheney believe that one reason may be that they lack a “theory of mind”; the recognition that others have thoughts. Since a baboon does not know or worry about what another baboon knows, it has no urge to share its knowledge. Dr. Zuberbühler stresses an intention to communicate as the missing factor.

This blog is a proof that I am not a chimp, nor a champ.

Union Rules

From wake-up till 8 when I leave for work my dog is very playful and friendly. Follows. Barks. Leaks. When I come back at 6 he barks very happy and won't stop till I pet him. But if I show up home earlier, he barely moves his head to acknowledge. Tries to look happy but it is clear that he is annoyed.

tunnel vision

The other day just before my station arrived noticed “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.” Can one be more darker in the underground?

hubris

Went to buy bookshelves at Ikea. Looked nice. But then I thought - for my books, the best. Or at least I should do better than IKEA. So I went to a midtown store and ordered a nice unit. Paid and after six weeks inquired about my purchase. The midtown fancy store was out of business.

like him

All alone. His causes forgotten by all, long ago, still carries on his fights talking to empty walls. Never changed his extremist opinions. Half paralyzed since 1991, carries on. Saw him several weeks ago, my far away cousin, and realized I have same readiness to fight to the end.

Mother tongue

Afternoon from the opera. In the break Angela Gheorghiu gives an interview. The interviewer asks her if she wants to say something in Romanian. Why? It is New Year time...your Romanian audience...So Angela says in Romanian "I have a cold today." How else would one use one's mother tongue but to complain about the life's little miseries...

me too warm

Like the Cheney guy. I'm lovable too and have no friends on Facebook. Unexplainable. I haven't shot any.

tired wit at high noon

if you look around the blogosphere, everything has been said. HATE it. There was a time i could be original..... To friends and family. Seemed original. Now, not really a plagiarist, but late with the bon mot. A reuser, a slow with the repartee. A copycat. Someone else's retort.

camelot, scamelot

Reading some older issues of nyrb. Children of famous writers exposing their parents.... describing their sex life...artistocracy. Reinforces my automatic mental association aristocracy ; decay. Ya, ya. The famous families defending the republic.

giving

True? People in red states giving more? Maybe there is more poverty? or maybe they give more to churches? Or there is too little government assistance.
Took my daughter to a wonderful show - Garden of Earthly Delights (uplifting or melancholic) and then to an italian resturant. The waiters were talking to us in italian, always a sign of bad food to come. The food was bad. Paid the 15% tip. As I was leaving, by the door, the old waiter came to tell me he had forgotten to add the tax. I shrugged and did not change the total. Hate these scenes that let us customers think I did not pay the bill.
On our way back, I started to regret. Cheap, did not give this old man his full tip. Working man on holiday season. On my daughter's birthday. Would it be a bad omen?
By 6th and Bleeker found a store with extra cheap xmas money holders. Tell; my wife will pay. The chinese teller asks: "Is he your dad?"
"Yes"
"Cheap dad"

Path not taken

Horizon not seen

So true

No more she said, he said. No more polls. Nothing. left to do but follow the economic disaster.