Overheard in a conversation between three schoolgirls (possibly carefully-disguised ancient alien astronauts on vacation) talking very loudly on the other side of the street:
"But you, YOU, nearly destroyed an entire civilization!"
The other alternative is the school play this year is entitled Big Bad Cabeza de Vaca*, or When Conquistadors Attack! or or somesuchlike.
*Sung (poorly) to the tune of Big Bad Leroy Brown, obviously. Not to be confused with Arthur Brown, who was merely the baddest beaux-arts architect in San Francisco town, and who, I believe, had a protractor and not a razor in his shoe.
man, you really try too hard
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is troubled by thoughts of "What if François Mauriac had accused Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange of being the "Cookie Monster of Thomism" and not its "Sacred Monster"? (answer: "It seem that cookie is sometime food. Me respond that now is sometime! OM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM," &c.) pretty much the whole point of my life is to try too hard. It's great fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd clearly this first Anonymous commentator has not encountered enough academics and scholars, both professional and amateur, to not be surprised at such a notion of having play with things that are seemingly trivial.
ReplyDeleteWhat Mr. Alderman does, and others like him, is play like a child with facts only adults typically talk about and understand well. Does his comprehension become childish? By no means. He is merely having fun, and that which is fun can be quite rich with productive notions and innovations.
But these discoveries and inventions that spring from play cannot be produced out like an assembly line but must be harvested like fish out of the sea. Occasionally your nets will come up empty but at least one had a enjoyable time sailing on the waters.
And once again, another has also "tried too hard." But this one has enjoyed it quite so and hopes that another does as well.
Minor correction: I believe it is "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown."
ReplyDeleteAlthough he stand 'bout six foor four, so I he is generally considered a big chap.
I understand he was meaner than a junkyard dog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wet blanket the "other" Anonymous is!
ReplyDeleteYour play on things that seem trivial is great. That's why people read your blog and wonder if you might date them.
In re the last comment: Thanks for the vote of confidence. Ladies will note that I also am told that I clean up "real good."
ReplyDelete