Kleine Runde auf'm Philosophen Weg

Took some photos today- walking home from lunch I looked up across the river and saw the sun so bright, so nice. Instead of working on my stupid papers I went for a nice long walk. I like taking pictures of my shadow. Is it existentialist?

Updike

John Updike died today. RIP.
Here's an article he wrote in 2006, in support of books.
I can't make up my mind with this argument. I feel split in the middle, one side in favor of the Wiki-esque open digital library, the completely democratic flow of knowledge across the connected world, another side in favor of sitting in my living room that is lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves full of dusty books. Romanticism/enlightenment. Hmm.

Morgen

Es gibt so selten ein Morgen, der irgendwie perfekt ist. Immer gibt es Problemen- der Wecker stört, die Traumzeit will nicht aufhören, die gräßliche Realität des Tages kommt einfach zu schnell und ohne eine Warnung. Montag muß am schlimmstens sein-- die Friede des Wochenendes hört plötzlich auf und wir alle kehren zurück zu unserem täglichen Einerlei.
Heute war irgendwie anders. War schön, schmerzlos. Kalt, aber doch hoffnungsvoll. Ruhig. Das heißt nicht, dass mein Stress irgendwie verschwand-- es liegt wie immer überall, auf meinem Schreibtisch und tiefsitzend im Gehirn. Aber ich stand heut morgen außer meinem Ich und schaute mich an. Und ich war im Frieden.
Ich bin dankvoll dafür- bin nicht sicher, wem ich dafür danken soll, aber trotzdem sage ich danke.

10:30 runs, papers

Went for a run last night at 10:30... I'd spent the whole day cooped up in the library and just couldn't take it anymore. Reminds me of working at the Oriental Institute, an 8 hour shift of doing absolutely nothing. I'd check my phone every ten minutes, the day would just crawl by. Then I'd bust out of there, race over to Sam's and change into soccer clothes, and just run around like a 6 year old full of energy. Like the leg-engines (lengines) just sit there all day, spinning without going anywhere, no friction... Then I hit the ground and move without effort. It felt great- except for the end, running the slalom between the hordes of already drunk students. No worries though. I need to run more often. It clears my mind.

I am on paper number 2 now. I'm comparing the role of Artist and Author in the Romantic to the Hegelian conception of practical Freedom. Ballsy.

Liz is coming to visit soon, for my concert next week. I'm excited for both.

Hope all is well. Spring is coming, slowly.

missing lukas

When Luke came to visit, we jammed very well. Played alot of music, sang some songs (including Auld Lang Syne quite loudly at midnight 1/1/09...) and I realized, once again, how nice our voices are together. He's got some serious talent, and I really believe that if we recorded a demo (which we will do this summer when I'm back in Chicago), we could spread it around and maybe get some interest going. So this one goes to Lukas- you better not leave for college before August 3rd.

baseball

I'm missing baseball, and as the snow melts here and the sun starts to shine a bit more each day, I get that itch to get outside and throw the ball around. Only, my glove is a few thousand miles away, and the closest catch partner either is terrible or only speaks Italian (I hear our little sport is popular there...). I may invest in Mlb.tv this season, as that would be my only way to watch the games, but lemme be serious with myself- How much do I really like sitting on my butt watching the game on TV? Not too much. I love playing it- playing catch is hands down my favorite "athletic" thing to do. I also love going to games. That atmosphere is unbeatable. But I cannot pretend that I care that much, to shell out $50 to watch grainy youtube quality video of all 120 games between April and August. Just not worth it.
But I am feeling good about the Sox this year:

goosebumps

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=3hEAr4y7c4I

Go America!

Harold's

I was reading this week's "Die Zeit" magazine (a mag for a large newspaper in Germany) and came across an article profiling Hyde Park and it's troubled segregated past. Quite interesting to read- just as Americans find it easier to look nakedly at WWII, Germans analyze more openly our racial injustices in the past. But this quote, closing out the essay, just absolutely made my day:
"Und in Hyde Park ist eine Mischlingskultur enstanden, in der die mächtigen gotischen Bauen der Universität mit Harold's Chicken Shack koexistieren müssen, einem verrückten, äußerst beliebten Schnellimbiss, der seinen Ursprung in den schwarzen Ghettos der fünfziger Jahren hat. Bilder in den Fenstern zeigen einen axtschwingenden Koch, der ein riesiges Huhn jagt. Bestellungen werden hinter kugelsicherem Glas entgegengenommen. Die Kunden lieben Harold's Chicken Shack auf dieselbe Art, mit der sie Erinerrungen an Al Capone lieben."

That last sentence- "the customers love Harold's in the same way that they love the memory of Al Capone"- makes absolutely no sense to me. And, I believe, couldn't be further from the truth. I think they (including me) love it because, for $3.50, you can consume about 2500 calories of white meat.

ricky gervais show

today is cold, the nerves run circles around my sanity... coffee flows freely yet ideas are static.

Today is the beginning of the rest of the semester, after a long and completely relaxing break. In the next 8 weeks I must complete 4 10+ page papers, plus one more referat. I'm trying to keep calm about it, and methodically approach it, but the mind just creates these flaming hoops through which I must dive headfirst...

Discussed today in my Büchner seminar this concept- that the body might be smarter than the brain... Büchner wrote in one of his letters to his beloved, that the "gräßlicher Fatalismus des Lebens" was tying his mind in knots, debating existence and the purpose of living. But his body was so deeply excited for her arrival that Friday--- his body knew, more than his mind, that life would continue, despite doubts of purpose, to exist and to anticipate her arrival, and to enjoy her presence. The body often is better equipped to see through the mind's hubris and into the true meaning of life...

I've taken to passing the time by playing tetris online and listening to the ricky gervais show (available as audiobook on itunes). Pure drivel at it's most brilliant. I can also imagine it'd be wonderful to drive to. If you're sick of NPR telling you how depressing this year will be, have a go at this show.

Frohes Neues! (Happy New Year),
Alex