Now listening to Bedrich Smetana, Quartet No. 1, From my Life on Sirius XM. Quite an effective foil to recording my thoughts on the morning's news. I haven't listened to this piece in a long time, and it very effectively moved me to a much more settled place. Will return to this soon I think. I wish I could suggest that the White House play this music and selections like it. (I remember when President Obama shared some pretty interesting playlists of his music choices. This might be an effective way for the current resident to build some understanding and communication in the country. Certainly better than just declaring that everything the government does is evil and wasteful.)

When I tuned in earlier I heard the end of a Mendelssohn piece, Christus, I think. I mean to track that down later.

I seriously doubt that the majority of the country really wants to burn the system to the ground the way Elon—whose poll numbers are plummeting—does. When Americans say they want change they mean they’d rather somebody other than Kansas City be in the Super Bowl.

Got sidetracked this morning when I stumbled across an old note, a quotation from George Eliot—

Let us refuse to accept as moral any political leader who should allow his conduct in relation to great issues to be determined by egoistic passion.

One by one they were all becoming shades. Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.

James Joyce, born on this day in 1882.

Poetic Outlaws

The strange thing about growing old is that the intimate identification with the here and now is slowly lost; one feels transposed into infinity, more or less alone, no longer in hope or fear, only observing.

Albert Einstein

Letter to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium

12th January 1953

Via Letters of Note