reading

I didn't bring much good reading with me, so the only books I've read recently are those that magically appear in the harp practice room (Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, Terry Pratchett's Thief of Time - on the lighter side). One of my wonderful cabitory-dudes gave me a much needed heavier book of short stories by JD Salinger. (This might explain the random post about the clapping koan. Definitely doesn't explain the llamas, though.) My first assignment was to read Teddy.

Teddy is a well-written story, but not everyone will find it enjoyable. (By the way, if you don't want to be influenced by my thoughts on it before you actually read it, stop now. My discussion may also ruin the ending.) The story itself as a vehicle for Salinger's philosophy is very thought-provoking on many levels, although it can be depressing (I've heard). Subsequent readings are a must, and incredibly exciting, as they reveal seemingly limitless foreshadowing.

I do not feel that this story is depressing, because I think Salinger prepares the reader to see the ending as natural and inevitable rather than a tragedy. According to Teddy's outlook, the ending is déjà vu and most likely has a positive result. Actually, Teddy's philosophy is the underpinning for my view of the ending as happy, because it can only be that way from his perspective. Salinger's portrayal of Teddy's family life almost makes the ending a relief, as his parents have incredible conflict and repeatedly reject his attempts to communicate something very important at the beginning. With Teddy's perspective, the ending is his escape from their conflict and his unspiritual American life. All the foreshadowing, and especially Teddy's foreshadowing, prevents the ending from being a shock. Getting Teddy's detailed commentary before the event is fascinating, as this is usually not possible in this situation. It definitely helps create the feeling of inevitability combined with naturalness, even though the ending is still quite dramatic. Salinger uses everything in this story to enhance the reader's understanding of the philosophy by letting them live it with Teddy - for a day.

This story raises so many questions. What do you think of Teddy's philosophy? How would you act, if you were Teddy? Was this a homicide, or a suicide? What happened to Booper?
Why did Nicholson smoke his cigarette? smoking is bad.

epic battle of the midmorning

This morning, I participated in two armed conflicts. The first was no contest. While cleaning the showers (my assigned chore for the week), I encountered a battalion of twenty millipedes (with one disabled mercenary roach). I thought they were all dead, and began sweeping them up. But these millipedes had obviously read Sun Tzu, and took me completely by surprise by apparently coming back to life and running around the shower. Unfortunately for them, being mere millipedes, they could not really know their enemy and my secret weapon of three bottles of Raid pretty much completely took them out of commission (until the resurrection of the millipedes). I used three different bottles because the Raid was for Ants and Roaches, and didn't kill them immediately, so I kept trying different bottles (like Roaches and Ants, or ANTS and roaches) until they stopped moving. The red bottle is the best. And did you know that millipedes have more like 60 legs?

The second battle was against ants. This was the epic battle, when Keturah single-handedly stopped the invasion of the entire ant population of NC from taking over our cabitory. What a horrible scene. Wave after wave of ants followed each other to nowhere in particular while I ran around with the red bottle of Raid, shooting anywhere I saw movement. There were sounds of "Die, you stupid ants!," as well as the inaudible cries of thousands of ants. The battle began in the third room, and moved into the communal space, briefly running into the bathroom, and ending with large puddles of Raid everywhere. It was a long battle. Over a half hour. Their superior numbers almost won out, but I conquered, and then learned that the winner gets to clean up all the fallen. That sucks.

What is the sound of one llama clapping?

This might be slightly random, as I've wanted to post several things but haven't had the time.

After nearly two seconds of thought, I came up with an answer to the question about the sound of one hand clapping. The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of two people working together. That answer emphasizes the fact that no one is alone in the world and we should all listen to the bells that are tolling. High-five!

Seriously, I am sure my discussion is horribly lacking in a proper understanding of Zen Buddhism. That question is probably one of the top ten most quoted out of context religious thoughts, right up there with "Don't Judge Me." But I don't feel so bad, because Cage did the same thing. I'll probably write an egotistic book about that koan someday. First I have to finish my article by Elrond Hubbard, where all words above a sixth grade reading level are defined - in Elvish.

In other news, an anonymous person (anonymous only because I don't know who the person is) has created a tribute to Fredric Jameson. Check out the Llama Song!!! Pastiche that, Jameson! (In retaliation for his writing on Postmodernism and Consumer Society.)