Cuparius.com

Switzerland seems nice. 'Tis a pity it's landlocked. It would be nearly perfect otherwise. Yodelling is underrated, and that's a shame. Apparently, yodelling in Europe was an ancient Celtic tradition. No wonder it's beautiful.

I awoke this morning composing a poem in my sleep. Yes, I wrote it down, but I'll not share it. It was a response to a message I received -- a message to which I cannot reply... for complicated reasons.

Why is the soul's instinct to sigh? Is it so eager to depart the body that is its home? Does it wish to be somewhere, or simply elsewhere? The spirit, derived from the Latin spiritus, literally means breath, from the Latin spirare, to breathe. When we sigh, it is our spirit we feel and hear. It is our spirit reaching outward, toward others. I can't help sighing.

I apologize for not elaborating on that.

It is the end of the first month of 2004 and I still haven't seen a new film at the cinema. I was, however, finally able to see the original Chinese version of Shaolin Soccer (with subtitles in English) at Matt and Jackie's place on New Year's Day. Was it everything I had hoped it would be? Answer: That and more. The subtitles could have stood a bit of proofreading by a professional translator, but they did not detract significantly from the movie's entertainment value. Kung fu and soccer are a perfect combination.

Last Saturday, Linnville brought his copy of Cowboy Bebop the movie, which neither of us had seen. As you know, Cowboy Bebop is my favorite anime series OF ALL TIME (AND SPACE), and the movie maintains the high standards set by the series. If you have never seen an anime television series, it will spoil you for all others. Your next stop is the filmwork of Miyazaki (qv).

My Saturday evening ritual, which I follow regardless of any obstacle or social obligation thrown in my path, consists of watching an episode of the British television series As Time Goes By on one of my local PBS stations at ten o'clock. It is a comedy, but subtler and smarter than most. It is an excellent remedy for a noisy world.

I have many books fighting for my attention, too many to name, but one of them I thought I would mention is a shared-setting anthology edited by George R. R. Martin called Wild Cards. I was aware of the book (and the series that followed it) when it was first published in 1986, but I was preoccupied with other science fiction and fantasy at the time. Now that it is back in print (and at a very good price for its size), however, I have decided to take the plunge. The premise of the book is a real world in which superpowers manifest in a few people and how it changes them and the world itself, adapting the genre of traditional comic book superheroes to serious literature. I need to read it soon.

What do you think of the new background? I solicited suggestions for a new background for the Cuparium, but none were forthcoming and this was the best I could manage after a fruitless search for a decent astronomical image of reasonable file length. So, this is what you get.

Thanks for returning and please return again. I'll try to update sooner.