September 29, 2009
Today I begin to put my thoughts, observations, opinions and memories into something more stable and permanent than my mind.
My commitment is to be truthful, fair and candid to the extent I can stand the heat. I hope this provides some interesting reading, if only for myself.
Just filled out a little of my profile, but I have lived a reasonably long and varied life, so more to come. Oddly, I didn't put in my birth year, even though (or because) I am over the big sic...sic...six-ooooh!
Analyzing this, I can think of two times in my life when I was way out of step with society. One, securely married for 25 years, during which "free, easy and safe" love was de rigueur, only to later find myself single and walking straight into HIV worries and justifiably skittish women.
And, two, courteous and respectful to my elders for all the years of my youth and beyond, only to arrive at "elder" at a time when the term has no perks, and is regarded by the young amost as a disease.
If venerable was a working word, I probably would be proud of surviving to this wonderful time of life. As it is, I think I will go buy some haircolor...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
About Those Ides . . .
March 9th, 2011
Well, we can blame the whole of it on the Roman calendar, that from the Latin [Kalendae], meaning “accounts”, as debts were due on the first day of each month, even then.
It gets a little fuzzy from there, but one sensible version derives ides from the Latin [iduare], “to divide”. So, the famous “Ides of March” refers to the middle, or 15th of March.
Of course March, named after the Roman god Mars, can be a rocky month, as fitting for a god of war. Julius Caesar found that out the hard way, having put in a very sticky day at the Senate on the 15th of March, 44 BC. Hence the admonition, “Beware the Ides of March!”
A Google search finds some interesting trivia, such as:
Our modern calendar is based on the Roman one, which originally had ten months of 30 or 31 days each, with a 61 day period between December and March that fell outside the calendar.
This gap was presumably because the calendar was chiefly used to regulate planting and harvesting and this period was unimportant to farmers.
The later addition of two more months explains why the numerical Latin roots of the months’ names are two off from their position on the calendar. October was originally the eighth month, September the ninth, December 10th etc.
And, this…
The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martii) is the name of 15 March in the Roman calendar, probably referring to the day of the full moon. The term ides was used for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held.
In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the day Julius Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by Marcus Brutus and 60 co-conspirators.
On his way to the Theatre of Pompey (where he would be assassinated), Julias saw a seer who had foretold that harm would come to him not later than the Ides of March.
Caesar joked, “Well, the Ides of March have come”, to which the seer replied “Ay, they have come, but not gone.”
So let’s show a little respect!
Well, we can blame the whole of it on the Roman calendar, that from the Latin [Kalendae], meaning “accounts”, as debts were due on the first day of each month, even then.
It gets a little fuzzy from there, but one sensible version derives ides from the Latin [iduare], “to divide”. So, the famous “Ides of March” refers to the middle, or 15th of March.
Of course March, named after the Roman god Mars, can be a rocky month, as fitting for a god of war. Julius Caesar found that out the hard way, having put in a very sticky day at the Senate on the 15th of March, 44 BC. Hence the admonition, “Beware the Ides of March!”
A Google search finds some interesting trivia, such as:
Our modern calendar is based on the Roman one, which originally had ten months of 30 or 31 days each, with a 61 day period between December and March that fell outside the calendar.
This gap was presumably because the calendar was chiefly used to regulate planting and harvesting and this period was unimportant to farmers.
The later addition of two more months explains why the numerical Latin roots of the months’ names are two off from their position on the calendar. October was originally the eighth month, September the ninth, December 10th etc.
And, this…
The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martii) is the name of 15 March in the Roman calendar, probably referring to the day of the full moon. The term ides was used for the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held.
In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the day Julius Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by Marcus Brutus and 60 co-conspirators.
On his way to the Theatre of Pompey (where he would be assassinated), Julias saw a seer who had foretold that harm would come to him not later than the Ides of March.
Caesar joked, “Well, the Ides of March have come”, to which the seer replied “Ay, they have come, but not gone.”
So let’s show a little respect!
You Define Your Paradise!
February 11th, 2011
In a little village in coastal Mexico, a vacationing businessman sat watching the small boat glide quietly to its dock. It was mid- morning and pleasantly warm.
“Any luck?’, he queried the solitary captain. “Si, Amigo, the fishing it is very good here, and so it has been a fine day for me” said the man.
“How many more times will you go out today?”
“No more- just this one time, Senor… I have caught my fish. Now I will sell them, go home to have lunch with my family, play with my dog, play with my children, play with my wife, enjoy a good sleep. Tomorrow morning I will be up early to do all this again. It is always so”.
“But if you go back out today you will have more fish to sell. You will make more money and could hire men to help you fish. Soon, you could buy another fishing boat, then more fishing boats until you have a fleet and many workers. You could have boats out all day long and even at night. You could become very rich!”
“And so, I would have much money to spend in any way I wanted, yes? I could then do anything I wanted to do?”
“Yes, now you understand! Anything you wanted to do!”
“Ah then, amigo, I would choose to be home for lunch with my family, play with my dog, play with my children, play with my wife, enjoy a good sleep…”
In a little village in coastal Mexico, a vacationing businessman sat watching the small boat glide quietly to its dock. It was mid- morning and pleasantly warm.
“Any luck?’, he queried the solitary captain. “Si, Amigo, the fishing it is very good here, and so it has been a fine day for me” said the man.
“How many more times will you go out today?”
“No more- just this one time, Senor… I have caught my fish. Now I will sell them, go home to have lunch with my family, play with my dog, play with my children, play with my wife, enjoy a good sleep. Tomorrow morning I will be up early to do all this again. It is always so”.
“But if you go back out today you will have more fish to sell. You will make more money and could hire men to help you fish. Soon, you could buy another fishing boat, then more fishing boats until you have a fleet and many workers. You could have boats out all day long and even at night. You could become very rich!”
“And so, I would have much money to spend in any way I wanted, yes? I could then do anything I wanted to do?”
“Yes, now you understand! Anything you wanted to do!”
“Ah then, amigo, I would choose to be home for lunch with my family, play with my dog, play with my children, play with my wife, enjoy a good sleep…”
I want to make up with you!
January 21st, 2011
Really, if you knew me, you would like me.
Not much possible though, as I died in 1939. Still, could you live without me? To live without me is to live without modern “makeup” (a term my brother came up with), false eyelashes, the eyebrow pencil, lip gloss, cream makeup, water-proof makeup, powder makeup and much more.
True enough, I was born to a humble life. My father could not afford a formal education for his large family, and at an early age I became an apprentice to a pharmacist. Years of mixing potions gave me a love for something all women love- cosmetics.
Living my early years in Poland and Russia, I came to America just in time for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. I was able to get a booth for my cosmetics and made a name for myself, one customer at a time. So much so that Hollywood wanted me for their new “movies”.
Seems the grease paint used for stage performances was a bit “over the top” for the screen. Did I tell you I invented the first cream makeup? Very natural look for the screen.
Then came Technicolor, and the makeup used for the black and whites did not work- It was too shiny, and reflected the colors around it- not good. Did I also mention I invented the first “pancake” makeup? Not at all shiny - no reflections.
I was best at lips. Some of the lips that thrilled the early world of movie goers were my inventions - Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Judy Garland.
My strangest studio request? To invent a cosmetic to make the great Lena Horne look darker! Go figure. I called it Egyptian makeup- it worked like a charm. Get it?
So, my brother, Frank, he says to me “If you don’t let me sell this cosmetic, which I shall call “Makeup”, to the ladies of this great land, Maximilian Faktorowicz, I will never speak to you again!” Well, he was my brother- what could I do?
As it happened, the “ladies of this great land” went wild over the new “makeup”. Truly wild. We, poor immigrants, were successful beyond what anyone could imagine! How successful? My brother, Frank, sold the company in the early 70’s for something like a half-billion dollars! What would that be in today’s dollars? Well, no matter.
Now, here is what I can not understand. Why, after I died, did Frank change his name to “Max Factor, Jr.” ?
Lady, truly you look maah-vell-us, darling! Glad I could help…
Max
Really, if you knew me, you would like me.
Not much possible though, as I died in 1939. Still, could you live without me? To live without me is to live without modern “makeup” (a term my brother came up with), false eyelashes, the eyebrow pencil, lip gloss, cream makeup, water-proof makeup, powder makeup and much more.
True enough, I was born to a humble life. My father could not afford a formal education for his large family, and at an early age I became an apprentice to a pharmacist. Years of mixing potions gave me a love for something all women love- cosmetics.
Living my early years in Poland and Russia, I came to America just in time for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. I was able to get a booth for my cosmetics and made a name for myself, one customer at a time. So much so that Hollywood wanted me for their new “movies”.
Seems the grease paint used for stage performances was a bit “over the top” for the screen. Did I tell you I invented the first cream makeup? Very natural look for the screen.
Then came Technicolor, and the makeup used for the black and whites did not work- It was too shiny, and reflected the colors around it- not good. Did I also mention I invented the first “pancake” makeup? Not at all shiny - no reflections.
I was best at lips. Some of the lips that thrilled the early world of movie goers were my inventions - Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Judy Garland.
My strangest studio request? To invent a cosmetic to make the great Lena Horne look darker! Go figure. I called it Egyptian makeup- it worked like a charm. Get it?
So, my brother, Frank, he says to me “If you don’t let me sell this cosmetic, which I shall call “Makeup”, to the ladies of this great land, Maximilian Faktorowicz, I will never speak to you again!” Well, he was my brother- what could I do?
As it happened, the “ladies of this great land” went wild over the new “makeup”. Truly wild. We, poor immigrants, were successful beyond what anyone could imagine! How successful? My brother, Frank, sold the company in the early 70’s for something like a half-billion dollars! What would that be in today’s dollars? Well, no matter.
Now, here is what I can not understand. Why, after I died, did Frank change his name to “Max Factor, Jr.” ?
Lady, truly you look maah-vell-us, darling! Glad I could help…
Max
Just For Today...
January 8th, 2011
JUST FOR TODAYI will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that most folks are “about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my “luck” as it comes, and fit myself to it.
Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don’t want to–just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it
Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, not find fault with anything and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.
Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.
Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.
Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.
Kenneth Holmes
JUST FOR TODAYI will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that most folks are “about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my “luck” as it comes, and fit myself to it.
Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don’t want to–just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it
Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, not find fault with anything and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.
Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.
Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.
Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.
Kenneth Holmes
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