Penny Van Horn

Castles in the Sky

I respect your decision to be a Republican...

But I don't respect your decision to be an idiot.

Does this suffice? 

I was stopped the other day by a kid at the Republican recruitment table at the University of Texas "West Mall," who tried to get my attention by asking "Do you think Obama's an American citizen? Because I don't!"

REALLY DUDE

"We've got enormous challenges ahead of us," he said. "We have to make a series of very difficult decisions about how we invest in our future but also get ahold of the deficit and debt," he said. "But we're not going to be able to do it if we are distracted. We're not going to be able to do it if we spend time vilifying each other. We're not going to be able to do it if we just make stuff up and pretend that facts are not facts. We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers."

- LA TIMES 

This is probably the least important issue in the world right now.

Ambition for excessive power as a human failure.

FALL OF ATHENS

Okay, so we've read a good chunk of Thucydides at this point in my "Classical Quest for Justice" class. Athens is expanding her reach and power and the rest of the Helens are fearful of her growth and thirst for increased strength. As the book progresses, it seems Thucydides is trying to lead the reader to their own conclusion that greed and human desire for expansion is a flaw. Every instance where you are retold about an abuse of power or irrational hunger for the acquisition of power, is followed by a tragic moment in humanity, either natural or man-made. 

The human progression to become consumed with power and expansion of power over others is a tragic human flaw. When you look at some of the greatest civilizations and why they've fallen, many seem to have taken similar paths; either being destroyed by an expanding power, or self-destructing by over-extending their reach and influence.

"The cause of all these evils was the lust for power arising from green and ambition; and from these passions proceeded the violence of parties once engaged in contention."

[3.82 427]

This point is noted by historians all the time, but you would think humans would learn from their past failures. Socrates called justice "minding ones own business" in part. I wonder if that was in anyway one in the same with being content with ruling oneself properly? Life seems so simple when you have a decent big picture of harmony among creatures and Earth. Those who truly rule themselves are the only ones that are free. I wonder why people get so distorted in their minds. 

Men are easily distracted from life.

I'm happy again.

Lord Jim

      "THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CRIME IS IN ITS BEING A BREACH OF FAITH WITH THE COMMUNITY OF MANKIND.

I just started reading Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad and within the first few chapters you discover what is ailing the lead character so much. When realizing the ship he was an officer on, was sinking, he made the decision to abandon it. When he and the rest of the sailors abandoned ship, they left a cargo full of sleeping pilgrams aboard. 

The whole book is insanely poetic and full of beautiful imagery, but after getting to this point the only thing I can focus on is my thought that: You cannot escape the decisions you make. You are the actions you commit. Noble or not.

Make them wisely. We live with them. Don't be ravaged by the sea, hold steadfast.

She & Him

But we've got our love to pay the bills.

1. Listen deeper and longer.
2. Read what great minds have said.
3. Smile.
4. Make eye contact.
5. Hold on a little tighter when we hug.
6. Tell mom I love her every single day.
7. Stay calm, rational and positive.
8. Avoid "score keeping" in relationships.
9. Lift my face to the sun.
10. Think of bigger and better dreams.

Working on it.

William

"Poor and content is rich, and rich enough."

Human Planet

Totally Frat Move

I just wanted to bring your attention to this little gem while you listen to this tune; see if you can make any connections: http://totalfratmove.com/ Yeah, it's real.

Throwing money at problems. TFM.

- Diesel Fuel

Nice Move 181

• Comments 8
 
• Texas

I wear business casual to class. The GDIs wear sweats. I guess we're both dressing for our lives after college. TFM.

- SperryFratter

Nice Move 550

• Comments 34
 
• Massachusetts
  

FYI: A "GDI" is a "God Damn Independent."

Que c'est beau!

Our Parisian flat is finally booked! The entire European backpacking trip is set and reserved, June will be a month of no work, school, or bills; just simply exploring some of the most beautiful cities in the world.

From Barcelona, Nice, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Florence, Rome, to Naples. What a beautiful delight!

Edmund Burke

A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful

"BEAUTY is a thing much too affecting not to depend upon some positive qualities. And, since it is no creature of our reason, since it strikes us without any reference to use, and even where no use at all can be discerned, since the order and method of nature is generally very different from our measures and proportions, we must conclude that beauty is, for the greater part, some quality in bodies acting mechanically upon the human mind by the intervention of the senses. We ought therefore to consider attentively in what manner those sensible quality are disposed, in such things as by experience we find beautiful, or which excite in us the passion of love, or some correspondent affection.

... 

THE COMMON notion of the power of poetry and eloquence, as well as that of words in ordinary conversation, is that they affect the mind by raising in it ideas of those things for which custom has appointed them to stand."

Because I love you

Because I love you I want you to do beautiful things.
Because I love you I want you to feel truly loved every hour of every day.
Because I love you I want to feel things that make you smile uncontrollably.
Because I love you I want you to feel the warmth from the sunshine.
Because I love you I want you to see every place that will make you feel alive.

Because I love you I want you to know love that makes you feel like the person you are meant to be.

One down!

Beauty

I need to recite this plus another Shakespearian sonnet by 2:30PM tomorrow:


When I consider every thing that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and cheque'd even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay,
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.


Isn't it beautiful?


Speaking of beauty, just ate this beautiful barbecued meal from Salt Lick:

Charlie Chaplin.

Raise your hand if you think this is important:

Americans have been watching protests against repressive regimes that concentrate massive wealth in the hands of an elite few. Yet, in our own democracy, 1 percent of the people take nearly a quarter of the nation's income -- an inequality even the wealthy will come to regret.

"That is the harsh reality obscured by the media's focus on celebrity gossip, sports rivalries and lotteries, situations in which the average person can pretend that he or she is plugged into the winning side. The illusion of personal power substitutes consumer sovereignty -- which smartphone to purchase -- for real power over the decisions that affect our lives." 

 -Robert Scheer (Huffington Post)



Bingo.

Priorities:

Seen on Peace Corps Facebook page:

“I wish I had brought a football. During my service, I had to choose between buying a couch and a football. I decided that I’d sit on the floor and bought the football.” - RPCV Mark Huffman

What comes next?

It's common for young adults about to graduate from college to be very nervous about the economic climate they are about to be plunged into. The way I see it, I would much rather go gain experience doing something I love, instead of starting at a low-level entry position in order to advance my (imagined) career in the future. I don't ever want to waste time doing a job I don't like.

I just applied to Au Pair in Paris next year after I get back from New Zealand in September. The French government requires you to have taken French lessons prior to your (over 3 months) long-term stay, which I thought was interesting. Regardless I signed up for an online French course and am trying to get all the papers in order before we leave for backpacking through Europe in June. The Peace Corps requires French speakers for several countries in Africa so hopefully this will help get me placed where I want to go. And did I mention I love kids?

Everyone always seems to get caught up on reasons why they can't do something instead of focusing energy on figuring out how to make it a reality. I really can't see life as anything other than an opportunity to experience as many things as possible.

I can't wait for this year.

Sonnet 131

Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art, 
As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;

For well thou know’st, to my dear doting heart

Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.

Yet in good faith some say, that thee behold,

Thy face hath not the pow'r to make love groan.

To say they err I dare not be so bold,

Although I swear it to myself alone;

And to be sure that is not false, I swear

A thousand groans but thinking on thy face;

One on another’s neck do witness bear

Thy black is fairest in my judgment’s place.

  In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,

  And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds.

Thankful.

I am so lucky.