Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Quote
The closing years of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped. -Arthur Schopenhauer, philosopher (1788-1860)
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More snow?
No, it isn’t predicted. And today it was in the 50’s–nice, but a little weird for Western New York in February. Nonetheless, I took a chair outside and sat in the sun to get my Vitamin D. I crave the sun, get SAD without it, have a light above my computer with a full-spectrum bulb…
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Glass
It’s not the glass; but the shattered world and its elections and the wars and your father’s suffering and the long days of waiting to grieve and the way he reached up with his shaking hands after days of nothing and said Thank you to the nurse for his morphine and the way your face…
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Mensa Invitational winners
The Washington Post’s Mensa Invitational asks readers to take a word from the dictionary, alter it (by adding, subtracting, or changing a letter), and then supply a new definition. This year’s winners: 1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. 2. Reintarnation: Coming…
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The Arts
Where would we be without them? Where indeed! Here is Maragaret Atwood’s answer: “The arts – as we have come to term them – are not a frill. They are at the heart of the matter. A society without the arts would have broken its mirror and cut out its heart. It would no longer…
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Sunshine
The sun is out in upstate New York–a rare occurrence this time of year. With all the snow we’ve had, it’s a bit dazzling following so many days of bleakness. And I’m feeling rather shell-shocked, actually, stepping out into all that glittery brightness. But despite the last few months of sadness and uncertainty, as well…
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Calvin Pratt 1925-2005
For those of you who have been going through this with me, I just wanted to let you know that my father-in-law passed peacefully this evening, around five o’clock. Thank you for your kindness and concern.
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Hardening off
It’s a gardening term that is used to describe the period of time during which tender indoor-grown plants are slowly acclimated to the harsher (windier, colder, sunnier) conditions they will face when they are transplanted into the great outdoors. It’s also a term that occurred to me today when thinking about how I am raising…
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Review
Here is an excellent review (from Pedestal Magazine) of Terri Brown-Davidson’s Marie, Marie Hold on Tight
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Piles
Okay, snow. You can stop now. We have over a foot of snow on the ground at this writing, and it’s still falling. Collectively, we, as a family, have shoveled four times since yesterday and we’re due for another any minute. I know what those of you safely in the south are saying. “Why shovel?…
Got any book recommendations?