Settledness

 Like all men endowed with great mental mobility, I have an irrevocable, organic love of settledness. I abhor new ways of life and unfamiliar places.

Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet, ch. 121

I guess this proves that I do not have great mental mobility because I do no "abhor new ways of life and unfamiliar places." Pessoa travelled great distances, although internally as compared to externally. In the next chapter of The Book of Disquiet Pessoa wrote, "The Idea of travelling nauseates me. I've already seen what I've never seen. I've already seen what I have yet to see." I think this is another reflection of his rejection of the crassness, the externality, of an overly commodified world. The only real beauty is internal, in dreaming. Travel simply provides more external distraction and thus less time and intellectual bandwidth dedicated to the truly beautiful. As usual, I think he has a point. How do we venture around the world and keep it from being northing more than an external phenomena. Maybe the key, as with most things, id to lead a more intentional existence, and this includes travelling. It's not simply enough to see the Taj Mahal, to check it off your list, but rather to carve off time to live the experience.

Conscious

 I'm older than Time and Space, because I'm conscious. Things derive from me; the whole of Nature is the offspring of my sensations.

I seek and don't find. I want and can't have.

Without me the sun rises and expires; without me the rain falls and the wind howls. It's not because of me that there are seasons, the twelve months, time's passage.

Lord of the world in me which, like earthly lands, I can't take with me . . .

Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet, ch. 218

As is so often the case in The Book of Disquiet, Pessoa seems to be writing at cross purposes. On the one hand, "Things derive from me; the whole of Nature is the offspring of my sensations." On the other hand, "Without me the sun rises and expires." But is Pessoa really talking talking about two different things? He proposes that, "I'm older than Time and Space, because I'm conscious." So, nature carries on, "the rain fails and the winds howls", but it's his perception that constructs and gives meaning to Time and Space.

My Space

 It took about a year, but I think my personal writing space in the cabin is coming together. It's in the loft so it's also a popular spot for the cats so I often have company.

My morning spot where I work on Duolingo and serve as a car pillow.

And the desk where I fitfully write.

Finally

 I feel that Duolingo finally gets me.

G3's girlfriend Ali completely agreed with this worldview.

Sacred Texts of the East

 My 14 volume Sacred Texts of the East arrived and I think I'm just a bit too excited about this. You don't have to tell me how cool I am, I know.

It's over a hundred years old and this complete set was compiled from four different college libraries. Seriously, who would get rid of these? Granted, I think some of these college don't exist anymore.

Move to the cabin, she said

 . . . it will be fun, she said.

OK, so we've moved on to lovely June, but I feel I should post them just to remind myself of the true nature of the #YankeeHellhole.

Lula grelhada

 I don't know, do you think I'm getting excited about next month's return trip to Portugal? This was at a restaurant in the main thoroughfare in Viana do Castelo.

Seriously, I may have a problem.

That Boy

 Yes, I know I post an endless series of pictures of my son, but, some on, he's my son. Heaven forbid any grandkids ever show up.

Here's G3 jumping into Lake Champlain, which is right behind his place. He is ably assisted by Ali. I think the island in the background is where they're getting married next summer. Oh, and I can't believe how cold that water must have been - he sent me that picture in April.

Alho e vampiros

 Just a quick silly picture of the garlic I put next to our 13th century cottage window while we were in northern Portugal. In between the creepy graineries and the fact that we never saw anyone alive in neighboring Lindoso we weren't taking any chances.