If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)
What I’m currently reading:
Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.
December 17
“Death lies heavy upon one who, known exceedingly well by all, dies unknown to himself.”
—SENECA, THYESTES, 400
Do I know who I am? I think so. I am a father and a husband and I try to be good at both. I would say I am an honest person, a little taciturn, but not unnecessarily rude. I also have anger issues and am a serial procrastinator. Following the Stoic philosophy has shown me more about myself then I used to understand.
December 18
“Both Alexander the Great and his mule-keeper were both brought to the same place by death—they were either received into the all generative reason, or scattered among the atoms.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 6.24
No matter what I accomplish in life, it will end eventually end. If I understand this fact, I will be more accepting when it happens. Personally, I am not religious, and I think it just ends when we die. My wife is a serious Christian and thinks there is a heaven and we will be together after death. I hope she’s right, but in the final analysis, by the time we know, it will be too late. I can control how I spend my time, and if I focus on that, the rest will take care of itself.
December 19
“Think of the whole universe of matter and how small your share. Think about the expanse of time and how brief—almost momentary—the part marked for you. Think of the workings of fate and how infinitesimal your role.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.24
Looked at one way this passage is very depressing. If I think about how small my life is in context of the universe, everything can feel meaningless. But if used as a reminder that I am not as important or special as I sometimes think I am, it keeps me from feeling self-important. It also is a nice reminder that no matter how big a certain problem seems, it’s very small, when I look at the big picture.
December 20
“Do you then ponder how the supreme of human evils, the surest mark of the base and cowardly, is not death, but the fear of death? I urge you to discipline yourself against such fear, direct all your
thinking, exercises, and reading this way—and you will know the only path to human freedom.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.26.38–39
People who are overly scared of death will do anything to delay it. I will not debase myself to delay death, nor will I allow harm to come to those I love to protect myself. My wife and I both know that if we end up in a horrible situation, I will try to fight so that she can try to escape. If I was scared of death, maybe I would use her as a human shield(or a melee weapon, she is pretty small). As long as I control my fear of death, I am free to act in the way that protects others, instead of acting to protect myself first.
December 21
“Many times an old man has no other evidence besides his age to prove he has lived a long time.”
—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 3.8b
If I live long,but hate my life, is there a point to it? If I live a short time but am a happy and well adjusted person, which I try to be, then I have a purpose and have not wasted my time. Once I am gone, I will not know how I am remembered, therefore I am more worried about how I deal with day to day living. I may not have a huge legacy, but I do have a wife that still enjoys spending time with me, so I have that going for me, which is nice.
December 22
“For it’s disgraceful for an old person, or one in sight of old age, to have only the knowledge carried in their notebooks. Zeno said this . . . what do you say? Cleanthes said that . . . what do you say? How long will you be compelled by the claims of another? Take charge and stake your own claim—something posterity will carry in its notebook.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 33.7
Memorizing quotes is a good way to start understanding Stoicism. It is not the end of learning. It is important to have my own thoughts and ideas. I think I do this, but am probably just paraphrasing what has been said before. If I truly understand the concepts, being able to explain it without relying on quotes should be no problem. I don’t think I’m there yet, but I am still practicing.
December 23
“You are afraid of dying. But, come now, how is this life of yours anything but death?”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 77.18
If all I do in my spare time is watch TV or YouTube, am I really living? What do I do that is really living? Working out counts. Spending time with my wife counts, although we do spend too much time watching TV while she plays some farming game on her phone. Studying philosophy counts. Some of my reading counts, but other books are just for fun. I am currently rereading the Witcher books and that gets me pissed off at how badly Netflix handled the stories, which I know isn’t Stoic at all. On balance I do more living than most people I know, but there is still improvement to be made.
Last week I said Savatage wasn’t my favorite bands, but I should have clarified that was before they changed lead singers. Once Jon turned over the singing to Zak, they became amazing.
And for anyone who doesn’t know, they moonlight as the Trans Siberian Orchestra.
People who are overly scared of death will do anything to delay it.
Like…. Covid lockdowns?
Exactly, now go get your 12th booster.
Nothing you can do about the Covid regime, may as well.
/stoic view
I do have a wife that still enjoys spending time with me, so I have that going for me, which is nice.
🙂
Yes. A very good thing.
If all I do in my spare time is watch TV or YouTube, am I really living?
I’ve been slacking off there. I’ve gone down some rabbit holes of documentaries and procrastinated on things I need to get done around the house. But on the other hand, I put effort into my job hunt and got that done.
Good on the job front, DEG. A few weeks of downtime can start to play tricks on a person’s mind
Thanks!
I start in January. I’m enough over my cold that I’m in vacation mode.
My driveway is clear, and I cleared it before everything turned to slush. I have an Irish coffee.
That’s a big one on the to-do list.
Congratulations
Thanks!
I’m impressed that you found it rather quickly. Again.
Thanks!
It helped that an old employer of mine had an opening.
“Both Alexander the Great and his mule-keeper were both brought to the same place by death—they were either received into the all generative reason, or scattered among the atoms.”
A good reminder. I can’t know with certainty that there is something beyond, but living my life as if there is, and leaning into the mysteries instead of ignoring them, works for me.
Thanks, Ron!
“I may not have a huge legacy…”
I think this is a good thing. A lot of damage has been done by peopling wanting to leave legacies.
Worse even those who left legacies end up as Ozymandias with no way to know if he was a benefit or a detriment to his people.
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
I have no kids, I’ve accomplished no great things, but I do hope to at least have the legacy of making the days of those I’ve interacted with at least a bit better.
I do believe that I can give you an “aye” on that one!
“Many times an old man has no other evidence besides his age to prove he has lived a long time.”
Should I allow the value of my life to be set by the opinions of others?
Paraphrasing something I read somewhere…
“Have you lived for 50 years, or only 1 year 50 times?”
This is why I so strongly dislike “Philosophers”
I like them from an academic perspective; they can be interesting. But in reality, I prefer the mystery of it all. I like doing and experiencing, without too much thinking involved.
A lot of damage has been done by peopling wanting to leave legacies.
Hear, hear.
I’ve been snow bound for a couple days. Unlike the guy in Animal’s tale no lovely ladies have got stuck on the road or in my driveway, unless they showed up at a neighbor’s house. I had planned to start cleaning up the mess this morning but discovered my chain saw won’t run.
Since there is nothing I can do it was a little annoying but with Ron’s help I easily overcame my distress and called my neighbor with a Bobcat. This is worse than the last storm of the century.
Thanks Ron, you remind me every week to Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Now I’ll just wait, maybe, just maybe, there will be a knock on the door that won’t be from the government. Sure hope Climate Changes hurries up.
I am now envisioning you having to use the chainsaw to cut snow blocks…
Fourscore’s house
Sure hope Climate Changes hurries up.
You and me both, Fourscore.
They’re forecasting a “Siberian” cold front for next week, with temps to rival the records from the 80’s.
Hurry up Climate Change, indeed.
Local news has been talking about “The coldest Christmas in 22 years!”
The current prediction for Christmas has a high of 21, with a low of 15. Cold, but not terrible, and snow for the three days before Christmas, but none on the day of.
It dropped here for a few days but we should be low 40s for the next couple weeks.
Tundra: thanks again for lunch yesterday!*
Shit-show of a drive: 30mph and snow-pack coming out of the Eisenhower tunnel. Blizzard, blowing snow, snow-pack, 50yd visibility going up, across, and down Vail Pass. Icy road in parts of Glenwood Canyon. But, glad I left yesterday: I-76 is shut down in both directions from Ogallala to Fort Morgan.
* Per Glibs tradition, next Glib I dine with, meal is on me.
It was a blast! We could have probably sat there for a couple more hours!
Fucking I-70 man. Glad you made it safely!
“We could have probably sat there for a couple more hours!” Definitely!
I’m hip. We’ve had almost four feet of snow in the last week. After the first round we were snowed in for three days, then dug out, got to the post office and that night, snowed in again. I just got the drive cleared again this morning.
I really have to get a PTO snowblower for the tractor. The bucket and box-blade just aren’t up to snow measured in feet.
My neighbor came over and cleaned me out. He said the road past my driveway is totally shut down, his opinion is that it won’t be opened ’til Spring. No one lives on it anyway, no houses, no cabins. About a 2 mile stretch of tipped over trees.
He did a good job, didn’t want any money but we finally settled on calling it fuel. Diesel here is over $5 @ gallon so I felt better and he didn’t put up much resistance and he’ll be more willing the next time. He saw my path to the woodshed, said he wished he’d put in a basement with a wood furnace. I haven’t turned on the propane furnace yet.
‘…Zeno said this . . . what do you say? Cleanthes said that . . . what do you say? How long will you be compelled by the claims of another? Take charge and stake your own claim—something posterity will carry in its notebook.”’
Winston haz a sadz.
I am now envisioning you having to use the chainsaw to cut snow blocks…
He’s putting an addition on his igloo.
Speaking of climate alteration… it’s snowing (not very hard) again. Better than the freezing fog they predicted.
Alexander The Great Firsted his way from Greece to India; He Firsted in 90% of the known world of his day and his Firsts play a crucial role in bringing about the destruction of the horde of seconders who would ruin this realm.
No mule-keeper can say the same.
Now they’re both in the ground, and nobody cares who got there first.
OT What is this new devilry?
Malört-eggnog soft serve creates lines and grimaced faces at Chicago area deli
https://abc7chicago.com/mchenry-il-epic-deli-malort-ice-cream-chicago/12571603/?ex_cid=TA_WLS_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20New%20Content%20(Feed)&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR07YVFmvu_nwxMuJsytZxrUdC77gpfp4Y38vrjXUZ8iXbRSfZ2jWA23FUg
Not the worst thing I’ve seen this holiday season.
Drink Your Mayonnaise This Holiday Season With Hellmann’s Mayo-Nog
I am still pissed off that I missed going to Epic Deli for that…f’ing COVID.
Stewarts egg nog ice cream is wonderful.
Malört-eggnog soft serve
Eggnog ice cream? Sign me up.
Those eggnog Fannie May candies are pretty tasty too.
I take it you’re not aware of what Malort is.
One Chicago Handshake, coming right up!
Someone brought a bottle to a wedding we attended in Michigan a couple years back.
I’m sure I’ve had worse. But I can’t quite recall what that would have been.
Aquavit?
Slivovitz?
I was at a Christmas party in the before times, and they were surprised that I didn’t mind it. I’ve had several beers that were much worse.
Maybe Unicum? It’s been a bit since I tried that.
Is that like the “Dirty Jobs” episode where he, ah, ‘milked’ the bulls?
Dang it, you beat me to the joke…
A bottle of Jenever I got from a little jenever shop in Gent 10+ years ago? Nice little shop/bar, maybe 100 types of jenever. I bough a bottle of chili jenever. I still have 90% of it, borders on undrinkable (much like those nasty Stone chile beers, but maybe worse!). I’ve used it in cooking, but that’s about it. Now it’s old enough that the old musty vegetable taste from the soaking chiles has permeated the liquid. Maybe I should toss it. The jenever that is.
I tried a chile beer once. Once.
“a type of brännvin.”
But, I assume, nothing like Brennivin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenniv%C3%ADn
I would say I am an honest person, a little taciturn, but not unnecessarily rude. I also have anger issues and am a serial procrastinator.
Plus “Savatage” (always said in Beastie Boys mode)?!? Long lost twin?!? Except can’t be identical, I’m sure I’m much prettier.
(Typed this response in an effort to procrastinate around a particularly tedious, but necessary, work task. Not angry about it. Yet. Just frustrated.)
I would hope so.
Savatage can sound a lot like Skid Row, at times, or vice versa. Both are great, IMHO.
Don’t get me started at work, which is severely testing my already limited stoicism.
I take it you’re not aware of what Malort is.
Not in the least.
“Most first-time drinkers of Jeppson Malört reject our liquor. Its strong, sharp taste is not for everyone. Our liquor is rugged and unrelenting (even brutal) to the palate. During almost 60 years of American distribution, we found only 1 out of 49 men will drink Jeppson Malört. During the lifetime of our founder, Carl Jeppson was apt to say, ‘My Malört is produced for that unique group of drinkers who disdain light flavor or neutral spirits.’ It is not possible to forget our two-fisted liquor. The taste just lingers and lasts – seemingly forever. The first shot is hard to swallow! Persevere. Make it past two ‘shock-glasses’ and with the third you could be ours… forever.”
Reminds me of that Japanese shit with the dead snake in it.
A guy trying to start up an infused spirits tried a bottle of scorpions (from his yard) as the flavoring for his starting material (white rum from Mauritius).
It was surprisingly delicious.
That doesn’t sound tempting at all.
It’s a test of one’s Stoicism?
Well, you can control it until you make the decision to drink it. What happens next requires considerable Stoicism points. Maybe even +9.
“The first shot is hard to swallow! Persevere. Make it past two … and with the third you could be ours… forever.”
–Dr. Anthony Fauci
Nice.
What does Malört taste like?
I always thought it was more of a White Owl Cigar, stubbed out in a cheap glass of scotch. With a slice of some horrid fruit, on the side.
Blech.
So, sort of like baijiu
*retch*
I kinda like baiju. It tastes a little like turpentine. Only ever had it during the big company dinners in China where you drink it by the thimbleful, over and over and over again. It’s fun.
Your definition of fun and mine seem to have diverged.
That stuff is poison. I have a bottle at home, I refused to throw it away, as it is a novelty I received as a gift. very strong and pukey tasting.
Man. I just found a bottle locally. Now I am
glad I didn’t order it.
Wormwood. It tastes like wormwood.
Ohai absinthe!
Like a generic industrial disinfectant with a hint of citrus and diseased ass.
The court cannot sustain restraint on a constitutional right on mere speculation that the restriction could promote public safety.”
That the document says the government cannot do something apparently does not matter.
That the document says the government cannot do something apparently does not matter.
Lives might have been saved.
I was in a really great mood by the end of the day yesterday. All of my meals were delicious, I got a lot of work done, my work was noticed by important people, and Lily was particularly bouncy at the dog park. So after a delicious dinner, I had a gummy and some rye, and lay on the couch listening to music and petting the dog. Was that living? Don’t care.
Yes, that absolutely was living. (Would have been even without the gummy.)
My emotional control is tested when I connect my knee with the corner of the desk at the fastest part of the stride.
I almost spoke a profanity.
If you didn’t, THAT’S stoic!
I managed to not.
And it has stopped hurting now. It was unfun.
I hired a new person in my group. The guy is starting between Xmas and New Years. He is moving from SE Asia and coming to the USA for the first time.
His first week here will be shocking to him weather wise. Highs in the 20’s and lows in the teens and single digits. I’m recommending he buy a new coat, hat, and gloves. Poor bastard.
Oh dear, out of the frying pan and into the freezer.
Surprise, surprise!!
The company I work for sent an Indian, who was working in Texas, up to Ohio in winter for an issue. He showed up wearing a winter coat appropriate for Texas winter. The person who picked him up from the airport stopped at a store so he could get a real winter coat.
Yeah. Can confirm.
What exactly are “federal lands”?
The U.S. government sued Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the state Wednesday over the placement of shipping containers as a barrier on the border with Mexico, saying it is trespassing on federal lands.
The complaint filed in U.S. District Court comes three weeks before the Republican governor steps aside for Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs, who has said she opposes the construction.
MOAR death!
I just decided to accept that I am a serf and that my “legacy” will be with whoever I may have helped along their own path of serfdom.
That’s the theme of the last month.
Next week is more of iot, but then I will have to figure out what to write.
BTW, I love the 1520 series.
Thanks! I think it was the hardest book I’ve ever tried to write.
Our cultural revolution continues apace.
The removal process for Richmond’s last city-owned Confederate statue began around 9 am. Monday morning.
Cranes, trucks, and a tractor-trailer hauling construction equipment began arriving at the corner of Hermitage Road and West Laburnum Avenue — the more than 130-year home of Richmond’s A.P. Hill statue — just before 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12.
General Lee speaking it seems that all of Richmond’s problems are now fixed.
I’m thinking this guy just wanted an indoor bed and three meals/day: https://www.whio.com/news/local/report-west-carrollton-man-accused-attempting-rob-moraine-bank-demands-1/GKMIKWOYQJDFVLY6XKVEFF4GAU/
Sounds like the plot of a bad thriller where someone has to get inside the jail to kill a target that’s inside the jail or steal something that’s been hidden inside the building for a very long time.
That’s kind of the plot of Brawl in Cell Block 99. It’s a really good Vince Vaughn thriller. Probably the best he’s ever been. Highly recommended. Just be warned, to call it ultra-violent would be putting it mildly.
He beats the shit our a Datsun as well.
He sure does. I need to give it a rewatch soon. I was just looking at it’s IMDB page. I didn’t realize it was the same director as Bone Tomahawk. That one is really great too. It also contains a particular scene of violence that I can never unsee.
I was thinking more of an O. Henry story, but this time the twist is that the not-really robber gets blown away by the SWAT team: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cop_and_the_Anthem
Relevant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG8iQ4qgvm4
More on Two Scoop’s big announcement.
Freak show.
It says a lot that a naive quasi mafioso narcissistic porn star banging attention whore was the least bad president since Reagan.
One man’s vision is another man’s nightmare.
Despite Biden’s negative polling among Democrat voters, Pelosi and Schumer both endorsed Biden for a potential reelection bid.
“[He has] done an excellent job” as president, Pelosi told CNN at a lunch meeting with Schumer this week.
“I hope that he does seek reelection. He’s a person with great vision for our country. He’s been involved for a long time so he has great knowledge of the issues, and the challenges we face,” she continued.
“The vision, the knowledge, the strategic thinking is all here,” she added. “The empathy is from the heart. And I think he’s a great president.”
Schumer said Biden, who is 80 years old, should run for president again in 2024, when he will be 82. Biden is already the oldest president in history.
“He’s done an excellent, excellent job,” Schumer said. “And if he runs, I’m going to support him all the way.”
Empathy, like calling half the country terrorist for disagreeing.
The puppet masters aren’t going to clip the strings.
He’s excellent driver.
“We’re stealing tax payer money at a breakneck speed!”
Brooks’d it.
Of course they love him. He’s the perfect puppet. He can’t push back on anything because he has no clue what’s going on. He’s a rubber stamp with (barely) a pulse.
Just listened to the Greg Beato interview with Billy Corgan, it was very good once you get past the initial awkwardness of Corgan. The interview was more about the making of the music and inspiration for songs and melodies. If you are musician or a casual fan of the band I would recommend it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAfkxHcqWKI
Sweet! Thanks, Timeloose.
You thought you were having a bad day
A massive aquarium holding 1,500 tropical fish bursts in Berlin
From the photo, it must have been 5 or 6 stories tall before it burst.
I’ve never seen an aquarium disaster of that scale.
Ha! Someone did post that already! Did you see the guy in the comments saying the hotel was told to reduce inside temperature and save energy , which may have caused the rupture?
Putin’s fault then? I KNEW IT!
We have arrived in Chicago. I haven’t killed anyone.
What are you doing in Chicago? Is Chicago “home for Christmas” or some other kind of trip?
Son’s wedding.
Well congrats and have fun.
Thanks, that is the plan.
Over/under how long before JI becomes a grandfather (again)?
I expect a birthday not too far off from their anniversary.
There’s still time.
I’ve got all weekend, and with the usual carnage, my efforts would go unnoticed.
You doing the killing isn’t what we’re worried about.
There was one driver on the IN. turnpike that would be dead if I’d had a gun on me.
When in Rome…
When in Phuket…
Exploding fishtank!
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/picture-devastation-worlds-largest-cylindrical-aquarium-bursts-1500-tropical-fish-inside
Apologies if anyone posted this already.
Did you hear about the exploding fishtank falling out of that guy’s ass?
(the fishtank story may have been mentioned. Once or twice. Or more.)
I was offline for several hours, so I may not have caught any earlier postings.
We’re up to the gills in headlines about this.
Haha yes. I posted before I looked. I was clearly catfishing.
That’s one way to lure people in.
Look at you flopping pathetically on the floor.
Floundering about is no way to go through life.
Well it is pretty rare to see destruction on this scale.
That story has jumped the shark.
But the story has such a nice hook! It really reeled me in.
It had its moment, but it’s time to say finito.
“Many times an old man has no other evidence besides his age to prove he has lived a long time.”
—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 3.8b
I’ve had to reflect a lot on this lately. I just had a buddy from high school pass away suddenly in his sleep before he hit 40. Really tragic, leaving two young kids about the same age as mine behind. He was one of the nicest people I know and it’s been a real wake up call seeing how highly everyone thought of him and how many genuine friends he had. I’ve had to think a lot about my own misanthropy and how off putting it can be to most normies. I’ve really started hating people for their politics and their general lack of consciousness towards anything larger than themselves. It’s not a good way to live. People may often be shallow and self-absorbed, but they can also be a great source of enjoyment and I’ve lost sight of that. I’m trying to reassess my natural tendency towards keeping everyone at arm’s length. If I go tomorrow, I’m pretty sure that funeral hall would have a little too much elbow room. As frustrating as relationships can be, they may be the only thing that really matters in the end.
Well said.
And sorry about your pal.
I’ve had to think a lot about my own misanthropy and how off putting it can be to most normies. … I’m trying to reassess my natural tendency towards keeping everyone at arm’s length.
No one will be at my funeral either. Sad.
I’m building a stash for my wake, I want the mourners to be recruiting help.
I agree, but I don’t have many relationships. As I told my niece, “I have a very short list of people I hug”.
She said, “But I always hug you”
I told her that’s because she’s on the list.
The relationships I do have are real and I don’t have any superficial ones outside of work.
Check this out! Wow!
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-63999464
/slides back out of room
That has to be in the morning links now.
Lol. I’d be sad if not
I’m at the Chicago Radisson blue! Lmao
If you think that’s something, you should check this out: https://twitter.com/robinalexander_/status/1603683821207142400
It’s kind of cold and snowy outside. I was thinking bout making a run to the grocery store, but I don’t think there is anything on my “list” I can’t live without.
Old/lazy