Bloomsday, 2008

Sometimes this stuff is a bore. Hell, I know it: quite often I'm a bore. After all, I am the one who is putting pen to paper (that is a metaphor, I'm really putting digit to keyboard). I suppose everyone can be. Of course, when you are putting words on line and publishing it, whether it is in a magazine or book or even a letter or blog like this, you get the opportunity to bore more people than you normally would in the situation where you are simply walking down the street or driving your car and just avoiding people.

The first rule of adulthood, I think, is: "better to keep your mouth shut and hide your ignorance, rather than open your mouth and abandon all pretense." That line has been written many ways and I know the sentiment can be restated several different
ways. I know Mark Twain stated that rule in one of his writings. I wish I could remember the exact Twain quote. [So good to have a brother who can help me out with those issues. See comment.]

Truth be told, I am not very good on quoting poetry or other writing. Even my own.

Coinciding with this is the first rule of walking in the big city: "don't make eye contact." This goes contrary to what I was taught at Washington and Lee where the so-called 'speaking tradition' reigns and people are supposed to speak to each other when they see them. This 'tradition' has carried through to my life here in the small city of Griffin, Georgia, where everyone speaks to each other ordinarily.

I think I mentioned once upon a time that when we arranged to go fishing with dad last year, the five of us walked in to the local Piggly Wiggly in Darien and bought drinks and snacks for the trip the following day. When we got to the checkout counter, I got involved in a pleasant conversation with the checkout girl. My brother in law and brother were a little disturbed at my willingness to speak to the clerk. The quote, as I remember it was, "Why were you talking to her; you don't know her?"

My response was that that is what you do in a small town. You converse with people. But apparently they don't do that in the big city unless you have an ulterior motive.

I know this is a corollary of the original rule which forbids you from looking in the eye of a stranger. I think, on the face, that this rule comes from the prevention of being mugged in public. But, truthfully, I think it comes from the desire to insulate yourself from others in the big city. Its just easier to avoid eye contact and not go through the motions of talking to someone else. Not as friendly, but maybe easier.

That is one of the things I do like about living in a town like Griffin. In some sense, you are expected to know other people. And show it. Granted, Cindy and I didn't grow up in Griffin like a lot of folks here, but you are still expected to say hello and know about what everyone is doing in town. Its nosy, but its familial.

At any rate, when I decided to publish these little pieces I probably realized at that time that I would be laying it all out, like a vein in my arm, for all to sample. And even the greatest writers have their days. But, I suppose I should apologize for the meaningless ramblings that I have put out from time. I am very happy to have my brother, sister, wife and daughter to correct my facts from time to time. I am also glad that they rarely correct the wordings, syntax and mode of expression. Most of them seem to be happy enough to be able to read what comes out of my rarely-edited garbage dump. And any way, I plan on continuing with this for some time. Pepys went for ten years. I could certainly give that a shot. It is kind of like aiming for 715, then 756. The only difference is that I don't have steroids to use to help me in the effort. You just plod along, day to day.

Well, today is Bloomsday. Known only to Dubliners, the afficionados of James Joyce and other English majors around the world. You might hold this as the true International Holiday for English majors. I can think of no other date in history upon which English majors could hold their holiday. In college, we were required to know only a one date: 1798, the date upon which 'Lyrical Ballads' was published by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. That is rather obtuse, even for English majors, but is the date upon which poetry became 'modern.' At least in the eyes of Dr. Sidney Coulling at Washington and Lee University.

However, today is the date upon which the novel 'Ullysses', written by the Irish writer, James Joyce, is set and upon which Leopold Bloom does walk around the city of Dublin through the action of the novel. The entire novel takes place on this day, June 16th, and several cities in the world celebrate same as 'Bloomsday.' Supposedly, you can read the novel and gain a clear picture of life in Dublin during the first part of this past century. That is why 'Ulysses' is such a fine novel.

So hoist an Irish beer, preferably a Guinness, and think on young Stephen Daedalus and poor Leopold Bloom and good Molly. They are deserving of your consideration today. Personally, I wouldn't mind having a pile of steamed mussels and a nice pint this evening. Perhaps we can arrange for that.