Comments for If This Be Method ... http://civilservant.wordpress.com ...yet there is madness in it. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:42:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Re: EEEEEEEK! by civilservant http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/re-eeeeeeek/#comment-660 civilservant Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:42:20 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/re-eeeeeeek/#comment-660 Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something ....ur...on second thought, I seem to have lost my appetite .... :-) Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something ….ur…on second thought, I seem to have lost my appetite …. :-)

]]> Comment on Re: EEEEEEEK! by Dokterozda http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/re-eeeeeeek/#comment-658 Dokterozda Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:25:03 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/re-eeeeeeek/#comment-658 dr.Ozda says: Take two of these and call me in the morning. dr.Ozda says: Take two of these and call me in the morning.

]]> Comment on Re: Improving My Mind by PhantomMidge http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/re-improving-my-mind/#comment-657 PhantomMidge Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:41:04 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=515#comment-657 This post and the Times article make me think of a book I just read called The Right of the Reader by Daniel Pennac. I would be curious to know what you think of the Times article & Great Books after you read it (it's an amazing book and it's very short)... This post and the Times article make me think of a book I just read called The Right of the Reader by Daniel Pennac.

I would be curious to know what you think of the Times article & Great Books after you read it (it’s an amazing book and it’s very short)…

]]> Comment on Re: Improving My Mind by civilservant http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/re-improving-my-mind/#comment-652 civilservant Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:51:10 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=515#comment-652 Thanks for your suggestions, Paul. I haven't read the Odyssey or indeed any of the Greek/Roman myths in years, not since elementary school. Could be time for a re-read. Have read Chekov's "The Bear", also known as "The Boor"--a fun little one-act play. Actually, I read the collected Grimm's Fairy Tales, very interesting when taken as a whole, recommend it to people who only know a couple of the well-known fairy tales. Tried "The Prince", but had to give it up. Machiavelli keeps giving historical anecdotes about Italian political history which possibly would be more interesting if I knew what the heck he was talking about. It's impossible to judge his understanding of the events without understanding the events themselves. Don't know about the political philosophy stuff. "Rights of man" is synonymous with "nap time" in my book. Thanks for your suggestions, Paul. I haven’t read the Odyssey or indeed any of the Greek/Roman myths in years, not since elementary school. Could be time for a re-read.
Have read Chekov’s “The Bear”, also known as “The Boor”–a fun little one-act play. Actually, I read the collected Grimm’s Fairy Tales, very interesting when taken as a whole, recommend it to people who only know a couple of the well-known fairy tales.
Tried “The Prince”, but had to give it up. Machiavelli keeps giving historical anecdotes about Italian political history which possibly would be more interesting if I knew what the heck he was talking about. It’s impossible to judge his understanding of the events without understanding the events themselves.
Don’t know about the political philosophy stuff. “Rights of man” is synonymous with “nap time” in my book.

]]> Comment on Re: Improving My Mind by Paul Adasiak http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/re-improving-my-mind/#comment-651 Paul Adasiak Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:54:05 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=515#comment-651 Have you read Odyssey yet? Old translations make it seem stuffy, but the Fagles translation (as I recall; it's been over a decade) is exciting. Aristophanes's Lysistrata is a fun, bawdy read. Like most of the classics, just as applicable today. Try out some Euclid. (Don't try to "read" Elements front to back.) It's amazing what he could do with just a compass and a straightedge. Dabble in Chaucer. Again, don't try to read Canterbury Tales straight through, but pick and choose your tales. Ever read Machiavelli? Hafta read The Prince. Try a Shakespeare play you haven't read before. Get a version with lots of footnotes. Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy is a good read -- although kids who have seen "The Matrix" will never again be impressed by it -- and it's fun to punch holes through René's arguments for the existence of God. Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke (Concerning Civil Government), and Rousseau (The Social Contract) are all essential reading in the philosophy of government that's based on human needs rather than the divine right of kings. Chekhov's plays and short stories are nice reading. Don't start with something heavy like The Cherry Orchard; instead, try The Marriage Proposal or The Bear. Have you read Grimm's Fairy Tales? Even the gruesome or anti-Semitic ones? From the Hebrew Bible, I especially like Song of Songs and the book of Job. (Neil Simon did a hilarious adaptation of Job called God's Favorite; read this even if it's not a "Great Book".) Bon appétit! Have you read Odyssey yet? Old translations make it seem stuffy, but the Fagles translation (as I recall; it’s been over a decade) is exciting.

Aristophanes’s Lysistrata is a fun, bawdy read. Like most of the classics, just as applicable today.

Try out some Euclid. (Don’t try to “read” Elements front to back.) It’s amazing what he could do with just a compass and a straightedge.

Dabble in Chaucer. Again, don’t try to read Canterbury Tales straight through, but pick and choose your tales.

Ever read Machiavelli? Hafta read The Prince.

Try a Shakespeare play you haven’t read before. Get a version with lots of footnotes.

Descartes’s Meditations on First Philosophy is a good read — although kids who have seen “The Matrix” will never again be impressed by it — and it’s fun to punch holes through René’s arguments for the existence of God.

Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke (Concerning Civil Government), and Rousseau (The Social Contract) are all essential reading in the philosophy of government that’s based on human needs rather than the divine right of kings.

Chekhov’s plays and short stories are nice reading. Don’t start with something heavy like The Cherry Orchard; instead, try The Marriage Proposal or The Bear.

Have you read Grimm’s Fairy Tales? Even the gruesome or anti-Semitic ones?

From the Hebrew Bible, I especially like Song of Songs and the book of Job. (Neil Simon did a hilarious adaptation of Job called God’s Favorite; read this even if it’s not a “Great Book”.)

Bon appétit!

]]> Comment on Re: Why Bad Guys Will Always Get the Babes by Andrea http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/re-why-bad-guys-will-always-get-the-babes/#comment-650 Andrea Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:22:06 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=195#comment-650 Thanks for such inspired insight! I'll use it as a model for my own mate-searching behaviour. Evil guys have more fun! And they need bad girls as companions! Equally decided and ardent - just imagine he swoons! Or gets hurt during the decisive duel with his opponent! Nothing better than his princess to snatch the sword and finish up with the last obstacle to world domination! Hey guys, female weapons have changed over the years! Swooning has been reduced to something comparable to light infantry! Let's find out what heavy artillery might be like now... (I don't mean things like garter belts. That's the wooden spoon.) Thanks for such inspired insight! I’ll use it as a model for my own mate-searching behaviour. Evil guys have more fun!
And they need bad girls as companions! Equally decided and ardent – just imagine he swoons! Or gets hurt during the decisive duel with his opponent! Nothing better than his princess to snatch the sword and finish up with the last obstacle to world domination!
Hey guys, female weapons have changed over the years! Swooning has been reduced to something comparable to light infantry! Let’s find out what heavy artillery might be like now… (I don’t mean things like garter belts. That’s the wooden spoon.)

]]> Comment on Re: Improving My Mind by civilservant http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/re-improving-my-mind/#comment-649 civilservant Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:23:17 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=515#comment-649 Read the Stephen Haycox translation of "Gilgamesh"--most excellent and I highly recommend it to anybody else. Haven't read "Cannery Row" although I did see the movie with Debra Winger and Nick Nolte. Also haven't read "Frankenstein" although I did read "Dracula"--some actually scary parts, but mostly a drag. After reading it, I can see why subsequent authors have re-worked Stoker's original story. Read the Stephen Haycox translation of “Gilgamesh”–most excellent and I highly recommend it to anybody else. Haven’t read “Cannery Row” although I did see the movie with Debra Winger and Nick Nolte. Also haven’t read “Frankenstein” although I did read “Dracula”–some actually scary parts, but mostly a drag. After reading it, I can see why subsequent authors have re-worked Stoker’s original story.

]]> Comment on Re: Improving My Mind by MizMagee http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/re-improving-my-mind/#comment-648 MizMagee Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:04:17 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=515#comment-648 The Epic of Gilgamesh. Half man, half god, always causing trouble - in the most well meaning way. Cannery Row - John Steinbeck. Best characters ever! Frankenstein - Mary Shelley. But I bet you've read this. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Half man, half god, always causing trouble – in the most well meaning way.

Cannery Row – John Steinbeck. Best characters ever!

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley. But I bet you’ve read this.

]]> Comment on Re: Intellectual Conversation @ Your Library by civilservant http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/re-intellectual-conversation-your-library/#comment-645 civilservant Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:55:30 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=489#comment-645 Yeah, can't imagine why I hated naps as a kid. Now I think that they are the best thing ever .... :-) Yeah, can’t imagine why I hated naps as a kid. Now I think that they are the best thing ever …. :-)

]]> Comment on Re: Intellectual Conversation @ Your Library by Paul Adasiak http://civilservant.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/re-intellectual-conversation-your-library/#comment-644 Paul Adasiak Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:41:17 +0000 http://civilservant.wordpress.com/?p=489#comment-644 If I had to be a doctor instead of a librarian, I'd totally be a Snot Doctor. That otorhinolaryngology stuff fascinates me. (Or else, I'd be a sleep specialist. I love taking naps.) If I had to be a doctor instead of a librarian, I’d totally be a Snot Doctor. That otorhinolaryngology stuff fascinates me. (Or else, I’d be a sleep specialist. I love taking naps.)

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