[MD] Intellectual and Social

MarshaV valkyr at att.net
Fri Jan 8 13:30:45 PST 2010



Hey,

The other day I went to a new dentist, and of course as a new patient there
were many pages of forms to fill out.  I'm answering away: no, no, no,  no, no, 
but then I come to the question: Do you smile?  Why?  Answer: yes  -  because
I'm happy.  On the next page was another variation of the question but with 
the question: How often?  Most of the time I answered.  

I owned a condominium a little north of LA.  

I was out shoveling snow this afternoon and it felt good.


Marsha




On Jan 7, 2010, at 12:33 PM, John Carl wrote:

> Marsha,
> 
> Some of the most beautiful descriptions I've read (Ed Abbey!  Ed Abbey!  Ed
> Abbey! ) are of places nobody wants to go - deserts - tundra.  The emptiness
> beckons the eye.
> 
> What is interesting in Royce's analysis isn't the comparative beauties of
> the world, it's the way places create people.  Even as Pirsig points out the
> language of the Cowboy AND the Plains Indian both reflecting the plains, the
> environment which is their Q-context.
> 
> Royce:
> 
> "And this intimacy with nature means a certain change in your relations to
> your fellow-men.  You get a sense of power from these wide views, a habit of
> personal independence from the contemplation of a world that the eye seems
> to own.  Especially in country life the individual Californian consequently
> tends toward a certain kind of independence which I find in a strong and
> subtle contrast to the sort of independence that, for instance, the New
> England farmer cultivates.  The New England farmer must fortify himself in
> his stronghold against the seasons.  He must be ready to adapt himself.
> 
> Thus different in type are the California country proprietors from the
> equally individual, the secretively independent, the silently conscientious
> New England villagers. "
> 
> He also points out the differences in culture between the Northern
> Californian and the Southern, which has its roots in the communities which
> got started fresh in the south around 1880 and on.  The "latecomers" to the
> view of the 49ers.
> 
> Go Niners!
> 
> John
> 
> 
> On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 9:13 AM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Hi John,
>> 
>> New England is beautiful and its winters are full of joy.  California is
>> beautiful too.
>> 
>> 
>> Marsha
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Jan 7, 2010, at 11:08 AM, John Carl wrote:
>> 
>>> Perhaps it is foolish of me to assume that joy exists anywhere outside of
>> my
>>> own sphere, Marsha, and yet sometimes, like the sun peeking through the
>>> clouds, I see signs of it.
>>> 
>>> But I'll take your word for it.
>>> 
>>> John
>>> 
>>> On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 2:33 AM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> John,
>>>> 
>>>> Let me rewrite that properly:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> The promise of joy existing somewhere else is very foolish.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Marsha
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Jan 7, 2010, at 5:30 AM, MarshaV wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> John,
>>>>> 
>>>>> The promise of betterment existing someplace is very foolish.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Marsha
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Jan 6, 2010, at 1:11 PM, John Carl wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Marsha,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I have to go work, but I'll sit down tonite and let my fingers fly
>> over
>>>> the
>>>>>> passages promised.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> In the meantime, to whet your appetite...
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> "in New England, if you are moody, you may wish to take a long walk
>> out
>>>> of
>>>>>> doors, but that is not possible at or even at most seasons.  Nature
>> may
>>>> not
>>>>>> be permitted to comfort you.  In California, unless you are afraid of
>>>> the
>>>>>> rain, nature welcomes you at almost any time.  The union of the man
>> and
>>>> the
>>>>>> visible universe is free, is entirely unchecked by any hostility on
>> the
>>>> part
>>>>>> of nature, and is such as easily fills one's mind with wealth of warm
>>>>>> experience.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Now I must feel that such tendencies are of vast importance, not
>> merely
>>>>>> today, but for all time.  They are tendencies whose moral significance
>>>> in
>>>>>> the life of California is of course both good and evil, since man's
>>>>>> relations with nature are, in general, a neutral material upon which
>>>> ethical
>>>>>> relations may be based.  If you are industrious, this intimacy with
>>>> nature
>>>>>> mean constant cooperation, a cooperation never interrupted by frozen
>>>> ground
>>>>>> and deep snow.  If you tend to idleness, nature's kindliness may make
>>>> you
>>>>>> all more indolent, and indolence is a possible enough vice with the
>>>> dwellers
>>>>>> of all mild climates.  If you are morally careless, nature encourages
>>>> your
>>>>>> freedom."
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Mea Culpa,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> John
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 2:09 PM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Jan 5, 2010, at 12:12 PM, John Carl wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I'm reading Royce's history of California right now and boy does he
>>>> have
>>>>>>>> some interesting insight into the way an environment forms the
>>>> individual
>>>>>>>> and society.  Reading his description of the attitude you get from
>>>> living
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>> a place that isn't trying to kill you half the year is quite
>> amazing.
>>>>>>> His
>>>>>>>> description fits me to a "T", and his contrast with the New England
>>>>>>>> Individualist and the California individualist made for some
>>>> fascinating
>>>>>>>> reading that I'm itching to share with Marsha.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Lessee, it's gonna be 62 degrees today, I hope the rest of y'all are
>>>>>>> keeping
>>>>>>>> warm where you're at.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hi John,
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I'm interested.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Marsha
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> p.s.  The high temperature here today was 24-degrees.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
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>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________________________________
>>>>> 
>>>>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________________________________
>>>> 
>>>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>> 
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>> 
>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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