It is the truth that some few years have passed Since of this observation I wrote last And marked how lines bespoke such showers sweet As rise in spring. I then still thought it meet That I should speak as with authority And not as penitent, making a plea. Now, though the Ram is not quite halfway through The course it runs, and it is not as true That people long to go on pilgrimages As they once were, the season still engages Thoughts of reverdie as flowers bloom Brighter far than any painted room And many mount on wheels to pass them by And marvel at the ground-held sunset sky.
Something like that, yeah. Photo by Mike Bird on Pexels.com
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While it is the case that I’ve posted to this webspace on Valentine’s Day before (here, here, and here), I’ve not yet given a post to the observance, as such. It seems a rare thing; I often post about holidays on holidays, about observances on observances, so to have missed one…it’s a rarity. And it’s something I need to correct.
There is no shortage of commentary on the event, of course, and no small amount of it critical, often pointedly so. As with so much in the world, it is and has been made crassly commercial, and I confess that I am not immune to its presentation as such; I know where and when I grew up, and I know that one of the accepted and encouraged ways of demonstrating affection for a person is spending money on that person, often on some consumable that will not last / will need to be replaced in short order. I also know that some of those for whom I care are similarly steeped in such ways, such that, even if they know intellectually that affection and expenditure do not necessarily correlate, their feelings would be hurt if I didn’t do at least a little something for them.
I care about them. I don’t want to hurt their feelings. (Find fault with me for it if you must, but if you must, I must assert unpleasantries about those who act with disregard towards those they claim to value.) So I do what I do.
So much said, though, I don’t think it’s wrong to set aside a day to celebrate romantic love. (Yes, I know there’s a lot of cultural focus on such things already; “Why do you need a day for something that’s praised all year?” is a question worth asking, to be sure. There are issues with setting anything as a norm, of course.) I also don’t think it’s wrong to set aside days to celebrate other forms of love, and there are many other such. The love I feel for my wife is not the same as the love I feel for my daughter is not the same as the love I feel for my mother is not the same as the love I feel for my brother is not the same as the love I feel for what of The Work that is still mine to do, et cetera. But “love” is a bad word, not just because it’s a four-letter one, but because the translation’s so…squishy; there’s too much that it covers for it to be as useful as it really could be.
And there’s less of it out in the world than it would be useful to have. But that’s another matter entirely.
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It seems he gets dragged through this every year Grabbed up and paraded about And, yes, maybe he gets something from it But did he really ask for this And is this all there is for him?
This again? Photo by Oleg Mikhailenko on Pexels.com
There are other things in the world to wonder at Other things at which to be upset And each new day seems to bring some new affront Some tragedy or atrocity There’s no way to keep up with them all anymore If there ever was a way to do so This little flat third might well pass unremarked Amid the cacophony surrounding it on all sides Save that there’s a focus on this measure every time the song is played And the chord’s no better for sounding again
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In the United States, today is given over to the commemoration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s something on which I’ve remarked before, which is not necessarily a surprise; I’ve been blogging in this webspace for a while, now, and I’m getting old enough that things repeat themselves for me anymore. I stand by my remarks at that time; I am really not the person to comment extensively on the commemoration, and it is the case that we’re not near the ideal the man espoused, with many still kicking and screaming (and worse) as they are dragged, slowly, toward it.
It’s a good statue, so I’m using the image again. Photo still by Gotta Be Worth It on Pexels.com
Why, then, make note of the day as the day?
Because it is a set aside holiday, and as a day set aside, it invites contemplation. Though I did not succeed in my career intentions (yes, plural), I remain a person given to contemplation. A sanctioned opportunity for it is therefore welcome.
Because it is a public holiday, and I am a member of the public, and so there is an effect on me even if I am not the target audience for it.
Because it is an event that will receive and has received much attention, if I do not make at least some comment about it, there will be some concern about me that is not warranted. (This leaves aside the concerns that are warranted, of which there are a few.)
Because I have had more substantive comments upon it, it seems fitting to consider whether or not they still apply. They do, more’s the pity, but a scant few years is too short a time to redress great wrongs without great upset, and such upset is likely to have unintended consequences that will work to the ill of those who ought, instead, to be supported.
There is ill enough in the world without adding to it. Perhaps the commemoration will help. I do not think it will hurt, save those who probably ought to be hurt.
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Here it is, the first of the year. As I write this, a cup of coffee steaming on the desk in front of me, I feel a sense of hope for the coming twelve months. There’re things going on that don’t necessarily impact this webspace, and I’m largely looking forward to them. Most notable is that, starting tomorrow, I’ll be heading up an office in Johnson City, Texas, where I have lived for a while. The office builds on the skills, abilities, and training I’ve already got, and I have the hope that, in the coming months, it’ll become a thriving part of the local economy.
Stop on by! Image from Google Maps, used for commentary
I’ll admit to some concern about the endeavor. It’s been a while since I was management, after all, and there’s some rust to knock off. Too, any new business endeavor carries with it some risk, and while I do still have some insulation, it’s not as abundant as might be preferred. Further, there’s a bit of a wind-up period to be expected, and while the work I’ll be doing is just coming into season now, it’ll take a bit for the business to get out into the town and well known.
So much said, I’ll continue to offer the services I currently do. I’m still happy to take commissions for written-to-order pieces that do not use the rampant theft involved in AI-generated work, creating unique texts to meet your needs. Poetry, essays, memoirs, works of fiction, ad copy, press releases, business and technical documentation–I’m happy to work with you on any or all of them to help you craft the best possible work. Reader-review and copy-editing are also available, as always, as is support for writing instruction.
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I‘ve written before about the birthdays of people in my family, notably those of my wife, my mother and my father, and my maternal grandmother. I’ve mentioned my own and that of my daughter as they have approached and happened, as well, though I make more of others’ than of mine. It befits, then, that when it happens that my brother’s birthday coincides with one of my regular posting days, I would make some comment or another about it. And since today is such a day, I am making such a comment.
Yaaaaaay! Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com
I’ve commented on my brother before, and at some length, if some years ago. It is the case that things have changed; he’s not with the same bands now as he was then, for example (I’m not certain if the Juantanamos or PlayIt4Ward are still going), although he is active with a few others (such as Mothership, Q, and Daniel RedCliff). Now, as was not true then, he is a father, and he is doing more than decently with my nephew; he also continues to be a good uncle to his niece my daughter. He does remain focused on his music more than most else in his life, however, and I remain somewhat envious of him that he can continue to pursue his passion in a way that is closed to me for mine. And I continue to love my little brother, as well.
So, happy birthday, Daniel Elliott! I’ll hope to see you for more than a few more of them!
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I struggle so to buy a gift For one I love to him uplift For though I’ve loved him his life long I am away where I belong And know not how to meet his need Which of his wants I ought to heed
I’m not so good at gift-wrapping as this. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Yet this demand I will not fail And from the task I will not quail I will a fitting gift select And celebration thus perfect That comes each year in coming days I will somehow find a way
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November tends to be a celebratory time for my family. For one thing, we like to eat, and November in the United States offers a holiday focused largely around sharing a large meal (as opposed to Christmas, which centers on buying lots of stuff, though it features a large meal). For another, many of the family’s birthdays are in November. My own is early in the month, I’ve got a cousin whose birthday follows promptly, and a late uncle came into the world later on in November, many years back.
Today, however, is my father’s birthday. By the time this goes live, I will have called him and made sure his gift is where he can get it. He’s a father well worth being a dutiful son towards, and more than that, he’s a solid human being, hardworking and personable, with whom most anybody ought to count themselves privileged to interact. I’ve gotten to be around him more than most, and I’ve certainly been in a position to learn more from him than nearly anybody else, even if I haven’t always been as good a student to him as I ought to have been.
Even so, I’m glad to be his son. And I hope he continues to have a happy birthday, today and for many todays to come.
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Elliott RWI 