“William James described consciousness as the “alternation of flights and perchings,” suggesting that we tend to overvalue the “perchings,” the nouns or the primary verbs in a sentence that steal the spotlight from the little words, like ‘in,’ ‘and,’ ‘but,’ … Continue reading
“To be invisible…”
“To be invisible is to be forgotten… To be a symbol, and an effective symbol, you must be vividly and often seen.” (Walter Bagehot, quoted by Gary Younge in The Guardian.) What propels me, a mildly reticent recluse, to put … Continue reading
“I believe in aristocracy…”
“I believe in aristocracy… if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate and the plucky. Its members … Continue reading
Tagged miscellaneous, painting, society
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Sayings
“Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.” (Francis Picabia)
“Extremism makes you stupider.” (David Brooks)
Hard part of riding a tiger is getting off. (Chinese saying?)
“Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison, then waiting for the rat to die.” (Anne Lamott)
(Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)
Drawing by Tom Jones.
Happy Words
A word is a terrible thing to lose.
Rescued Words by Wallace Stevens:
fubbed
gobbet
diaphanes
pannicles
carked
rapey
cantilena
fiscs
phylactery
princox
funest
Buzzer’s Hot Air Club. 1906 post card. Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.
Two Testaments
THE BOOK OF DON’T
Waste not.
Want not.
Kill not.
Lust not.
Rage not.
Curse not.
Gawk not.
Binge not.
Lie not.
Lay not.
THE BOOK OF DO
Do not.
(Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)
The creepiness of the creepy
We become benumbed and resigned to it. Around 2011, it dawned on me that things I mentioned in personal emails, and the objects of my searches, would crop up in online advertisements. First I was mystified, then stupefied. My online … Continue reading →