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Essays and Aphorisms - Arthur Shopenhauer
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
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This was a somewhat interesting read, mostly his thoughts on a variety of topics, from God and Religion, the Arts, Women and a whole lot else. Chapters like: "The Indestructibility of Being", "The Will to Live", "On The Vanity of Existence" etc. Some of it's insightful, but conclusions I'd arrived at (or would have, had I thought about the topics with the same investment he had), some of it - well, you can disagree but still take his point of view.
Despite some of his remarkably progressive views I was taken with his views on women, and how they must be humoured and tolerated, a genuinely patronizing tone that simply wouldn't cut it today. Contrast this with John Stuart Mill's, who had a very successful relationship with his muse and was thoroughly in favour of Women being given the right to vote, etc.
Overall a surprisingly easy read for a German Philosopher.
Now to clean up a few other half-finished books so I can enter the New Year with a new reading list.
The Excesses of Xmas
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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And trying to lower my vibration, the excesses of the Birthday and Xmas have made it unsustainable.
The neighbour is trying remediate the debt is attempting by sending me various links to crypto-trading scams and bogus online casinos; she count's the signing bonuses as credit against the loan...
I can say nothing and just shake my head.
Work, the in-between days Xmas to New Years, I have to work NYE but hope to off early, I have a ticket to somewhere I want to attend.
10 days away from the end of my billing cycle and I discover that I'm out of data. How did this happen? Apparently over Christmas I was bored and downloaded all of the best movies of 2025. A-ha. So - writing now confined to the library.
And last night, looting the fridge, a loaf of bread, some cucumbers, chilis, tomatoes, and I conceive the brilliant idea of putting the vegetables on a slice of bread - and - delicious; I think I'm on to something here. This morning to the Co-op, I'm going to try the same idea with the addition of meat and cheese...I'll let you know how it goes
Arthur Machen - The White People and Other Weird Stories
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
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Foreword by Guillermo Del Toro.
First of all, the foreword will ruin every story. It betrays the plot, the style, theme and characters, it's presumptuous to say the least.
Secondly, the summary in every footnote again - as my Latin & other languages aren't up to par, don't punish me by spoiling the story.
To the text, as described, a collection of "weird" stories, persuasive horrors that warn you of undiscovered spiritual dangers (and realms) beyond our ken, the vague apprehension or intuition of a world just adjacent to ours, invisible but a touching of the unseen order of things, the antediluvian gods, an inspiration to Lovecraft (Who never quite achieved the same depth of prose), a reaction to the new spirit of scientific enquiry that promises to ban all religion and superstition to the shadows.
Very atmospheric, and I quite enjoyed. The perfect read for a dark, wet and rainy Christmas.
On that note, have you seen the trailer to the New Steven Spielberg film? "Disclosure Day"? It has much the same feel..
Xmas 2025
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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Today, a quiet one. Worked the past few days, some long and far too busy, others long and far too quiet. Plans to go to a friends today for dinner & a movie thwarted by my "I'd prefer to be by myself" disposition. I don't know if she'll understand, she's unemployed and would love to hang around people. I'm employed and love my solitude. It's the holidays and I'm "that" friend you can't rely on.
Outside it's raining. This, the new season, replacing winter, "Atmospheric River".
***
Facebook; a posting of a person I recognize, "street-elder", now deceased at 66. I'd see him daily, first on a cane, then on a mobility scooter, this - the scooter, it's the end. When the community - be it church or otherwise - buys you a scooter it's time to throw it in. It's always this way.
It gets me thinking - of the people I haven't seen the past few days, weeks, months. Few out here get an obituary, really, and so what has become of them? It's a long list. Gabe, Sasha, Bee, countless others really, and it's as if the environment around you is deteriorating, being replaced, slowly, surely, without your noticing....
***
L*****, local homeless resident and loon, being gifted an abundance of outdoor-living supplies for Xmas. Sad to say the next night I'd passed him he had none of it - and while it would be easy to suspect it was stolen, it's just as easy to imagine he woke up, looked at it, and then just moved on.
He's like that. He used to try and corner me for a conversation - that's his thing, but after a few false starts I learned the drill and to keep walking. Not to be cruel but he has nothing kind to say, he's unhoused for a reason.
Still, you have to love a town that does this for it's most vulnerable residents.
***
What disappears is replaced. In this instance a pair of - what I'm guessing are - "twins", beautiful women; one blonde, other brunette, that resemble each other in person but also in manner. New arrivals at my morning cafe, to watch them talk is a delight, they mirror each other's every gesture, word, I imagine them to be in their late 30's, early 40's, who knows, but I've run into them a few times, they're in their own world. I can't eavesdrop, and don't for a moment suspect they're discussing anything of intelligence, merely the trifles of the day, but they are so animated and invested that I can't help but being amused...
It's their "rapport". You seldom see that nowadays, people in sync, on the same page, topic, that's what makes it such a delight.
Today they're interviewing a third person - another fit thirty-something woman in exercise gear; together on the same side of the table opposite their friend/prospective employee/client, who knows? But that they are so thoroughly on the same page is amusing and I'm distracted from my book. Not to be too obvious but it's a curious thing.
***
And - so far, this is the news. Nothing new, a quiet day, a load of movies downloaded, a very fine book that I'm close to finishing, a host of Christmas Cards that need drawing and colouring and why do I have all these fine art supplies and not a single Crayola crayon???
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