Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. You still have to get to work this morning despite the $4 gas. You still have to keep your appointments in order. Maintain responsibility. The world doesn't revolve around you. The man behind the curtain is a shyster, a trickster, a phony. Trust me. I've done business with him before.

 

Shared with Your friends

I walked into the bookstore earlier, arms extended, flapping them like a bird.

"Look at me," I said to the first Barnes & Noble greeter. "I"m flying." She looked at me alright with an uncomprehending mask covered face and alarmed eyes.

I kept going, turned the corner, to find Tennyon in the poetry section.

Do I know how to make a dramatic entrance, or what? Lord Tennyson deserves poetic respect.

 The porridge and fruit at the Pelham Diner this morning was so good, really hitting the spot. The Pelham Diner is a happening place, amazing at the number of people who crowd into that place everyday. You got those sweet girls who run the place---Lindsey, Dakota, and Tammy. I feel so at home there. My kind of place. This morning I felt like leading everyone in a song. Maybe Sinatra?The porridge and fruit at the Pelham Diner this morning was so good, really hitting the spot. The Pelham Diner is a happening place, amazing at the number of people who crowd into that place everyday. You got those sweet girls who run the place---Lindsey, Dakota, and Tammy. I feel so at home there. My kind of place. This morning I felt like leading everyone in a song. Maybe Sinatra?

 I wish I had the art of moving gracefully thru life. Instead I stumble and bumble. You know what I mean. Some people seem graceful in everything they do. They never drop anything or knock anything over. They say the right word(s) all the time. These people seem to make everybody around them feel better about themselves. Impeccable manners. Genteel demeanor. You like having them around. Oh, well, I guess I'll keep on stumbling and bumbling, removing the foot from my mouth as necessary.

Orville Vernon Burton - The Age of Lincoln - Notes

 I am hoping this is a good book with fresh things to say about Lincoln and his era.

P.   3 Lincoln began his Gettysburg speech with a far reaching claim that in my opinion is not quite true, that our forefathers brought forth a new nation starting with the Declaration.  The country actually began with the ratification of the Constitution.

This book reads like a progressive tour of 19th Century America.

 At the Little Professor Bookstore in Homewood as I was browsing the employee asked, “Are you looking for anything in particular?” I responded, “My lost shaker of salt.” As we shared the laugh she added,”You’ll have to go a little further South to find that!” Touché!

 Also at the Little Professor Bookstore in Homewood a deep and learned philosophical discussion broke out contrasting Stoicism and Epicureanism.

I made the common sense point that wisdom can indeed come from reason as the Stoics maintain, but reason should be balanced by wisdom coming from personal experiences. After all, the heart has reasons of its which reason---right thinking---of which reason knows nothing. (I never miss a chance to bring in Pascal). And as Carson McCullers taught us, the heart is a lonely hunter.

The kid opposite me, speaking like a recent philosophy major from UAB, and who can compete with that, said that experience should be properly interpreted from reason. Experiences can mislead. No doubt.

After about 30 minutes of philosophical dog chasing its tail, we ended with lattes agreeing that maybe the Epicureans are right---the pursuit of pleasure is the key to the good life. With coffee and books, the right place to be a practicing Epicurean.