Winter Wanderings

by chuckofish

It’s still winter here. I know other people in other states are still just as cold and snow-bound, so I’m not complaining. I’m just explaining why I haven’t done anything notable for the last week. I subscribe to Kenneth Graham’s wise statement in The Wind in the Willows,

“No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season of winter.”

Staying home in winter seems eminently sensible to me. So, aside from the requirements of work, I haven’t done much but read, fool around on the internet, and flip channels. It’s still winter alright.

My computer surfing did uncover a few interesting sites. For example, this post about Jimmy Stewart’s military career is quite wonderful. We could use a few more men like him right now. Speaking of men, please read this mother’s plea to stop teaching boys that they are toxic. She’s right! I also found this handy site where you can find links to free e-books, photos, movies and online courses. They seem to have quite a good selection, although I have not had the opportunity to make use of their offerings yet. Incidentally, while looking for an illustration for my Wind in the Willows quote, I came across this sensible post decrying a new, abridged edition that leaves the certain chapters out of the book. Indeed, there ought to be a law against messing with the works of authors who are dead and cannot defend themselves!

I try to avoid politics like the plague, but while reading the second installment of Imogen Robertson’s Westerman and Crowther series set in 1781 London, I came across a couple of sentences that forcibly reminded me of our current crop of politicians, both male and female: “He was one of those strange hollow men. I do not think he existed in his own self at all. He was all light reflected.” Naturally, that reminded me of T.S. Eliot and Joseph Conrad and before long I was digging out “The Hollow Men” and Heart of Darkness, and contemplating watching Apocalypse Now.

And THAT got me thinking about how fortunate I am to have been educated in the humanities, despite its being under siege from STEM (and subject also to treachery from within). I’d have to agree with Philip Roth:

“In my parents’ day and age, it used to be the person who fell short. Now it’s the discipline. Reading the classics is too difficult, therefore it’s the classics that are to blame. Today the student asserts his incapacity as a privilege. I can’t learn it, so there is something wrong with it. And there is something especially wrong with the bad teacher who wants to teach it. There are no more criteria, Mr. Zuckerman, only opinions.”  (The Human Stain)

Whew! This is quite the meandering post. Please indulge me. This is what happens in winter and when we give our minds free range. Try it!