My parents’ anniversary today, in celebration of which I expected to take them out to dinner, was actually celebrated, without my help, in Atlantic City.

There was a lunar eclipse this night and last, but as it threatened to rain on each day, I didn’t see the percentages in it. But I should at least have tried.

Instead of all these things, I crashed the New York Blogger Bash, the fifth or sixth or fifteenth of its name, and my third or so. I would add more, but I put one or two too many pales into this head of mine with no dinner and no sleep besides, so later, later.

11:43:53 PM  #  comment []

150

A man who is trying to learn some art is apt to say, “I won’t rush things and tell people I am practicing while I am still a beginner. I’ll study by myself, and only when I have mastered the art will I perform before people. How impressed they’ll be then!”

People who speak in this fashion will never learn any art. The man who, even while still a novice, mixes with the experts, not ashamed of their harsh comments or ridicule, and who devotedly persists at his practice, unruffled by criticism, will neither become stultified in his art nor careless with it. Though he may lack natural gifts, he will with the passage of the years outstrip the man who coasts on his endowments, and in the end will attain the highest degree of skill, acquire authority in his art and the recognition of the public, and win an unequaled reputation.

The performers who now rank as the most skilled in the whole country were at the beginning considered incompeteent, and, indeed, had shocking faults. However, by faithfully maintaining the principles of their art and holding them in honor, rather than indulging in their own fancies, they have become paragons of the age and teachers for all. This surely holds true for every art.

—Kenkõ
Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkõ
Donald Keene, translator

Okay, a confession. Well, later on. Maybe.
1:32:50 AM  #  comment []

Grant Barrett tossed this into the commentary while I was reminiscing on family, both by blood and the kinds we make for ourselves, in quotations, and I have tried to provide a translation, though my command of the idiom may be quite flawed, beware! (Corrections welcome):

Which in turn reminds me of this. Le premier homme by Albert Camus. 1994 Editions Gallimard. Ch. 3, "Recherche du père," pp 42-3

Cormery regardait les beaux muebles rustique qui remplissaient la salle à manger basse, aux poutres blanchies à la chaux.

« Cher ami, dit-il, vous avez toujours cru que j'étais orgueilleux. Je le suis. Mais pas toujours ni avec tous. Avec vous, par exemple, je suis incapable d'orgueil. »

Malan détourna le regard, ce qui chez lui était signe d'émotion.

« Je le sais, dit-il, mais pourquoi?

[~] Parce que je vous aime », dit calmement Cormery.

Malan tira vers lui le saladier de fruits rafraîchis et ne répondit rien.

« Parce que, continua Cormery, lorseque j[base ']étais très juene, très sot et très suel (vous vouz souvenez, à Alger?), vous vous êtes tourné vers moi, et vous m'avez ouvert sans y paraître les portes de tout ce que j'aime en ce monde.

[~] Oh! Vous êtes doué.

[~] Certainement. Mais aux plus doués il faut un initiateur. Celui que la vie un jour met sur votre chemin, celui-là doit être pour toujours aimé et respecté, même s'il n'est pas responsable. C'est là ma foi!

[~] Oui, oui, dit Malan d'un air patelin.

[~] Vous doutez, je sais. Voyez-vous, ne croyez pas que mon affection pour vous soit aveugle. Vous avez de gros, de très gros défauts. Du moins à mes yeux. »

Grant Barrett • 5/7/03; 7:39:34 PM

Um, time to break out the Cassell’s:

Cormery was looking at the quaint, pretty furniture filling the (buffet hall? cafeteria?), at the blanched lime chicken.

"Dear friend," he said, "you have always believed me to be proud. I am that. But not always, nor with all. With you, say, I am incapable of pride."

Malan turned away, which in him signaled emotion.

"I know it," he said, "but why?"

"Because I love you," said Cormery calmly.

Malan picked at a bowl of chilled fruit and did not answer.

"Because," he continued, "when I was young, so stupid and silly (Do you recall Algiers?) you turned to me, and you opened without appearing to the doors to all I hold dear in this world."

"Bah! You were gifted."

"Of course. But even the most gifted need a spark. He that life one day puts you upon your road, must be forever loved and respected, even if he is not responsible. By my faith!"

"Yes, yes," said Malan with a (little place?) dismissive (?) air.

"You doubt, I know. Look, don't think that my affection for you is blind. You have great, very great defects. At least in my eyes."

—Albert Camus
The First Man
“The search for the father”
Allan, translating...

Any hints on some of the expressions? Ugh, the things insomnia makes one do...

Note to self: must update blogroll.
1:18:11 AM  #  comment []