On moderation (Paine)

A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

Thomas Paine

A dangerous habit (McIntyre)

Biological creatures have a habit of changing their environments to the point where they can't live in them anymore.

Vonda McIntyre

New poems online

I've posted nine new poems.

Broken gift (Foust)

Grief that we should be this.
I don't hate you, broken gift.

Graham Foust, from "Sob Poem"

Penne with spinach and ricotta

From this recipe.

Yin & yang

It seems to me a flawed understanding to say that the yin and yang duality represents male and female (or masculine and feminine) aspects of human nature; rather, it describes oppositional and complementary traits that have become associated (behaviorally and physically) with male and female gender over long time but which are independent of and predate them.

Potato leek poblano soup

Of expectation

I find women capable of far worse than men.  But I know that this (probably) only reflects my higher expectation of them.  Where, I wonder, was such an expectation born?

10/10/10 10:10 am

Three photos taken at five 10s:

Dinner

Skillet-Braised Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas


 King Arthur Flour's Original Cake-Pan Cake

Fresh tomato pasta

My version of pasta with fresh (garden) tomato sauce. Delicious!

Usually

It is better to ask too much than to accept too little.

Exactly! (Gibson)

My problem is that all things are increasingly interesting to me.

William Gibson

The irrelevant

The irrelevant can be important in the perception of beauty, and, thereby, of truth.

Hunter's chicken

AKA Chicken Chasseur:

My Mind to Me A Kingdom Is

My mind to me a kingdom is;
Such perfect joy therein I find
That it excels all other bliss
That world affords or grows by kind.
Though much I want which most men have,
Yet still my mind forbids to crave.
No princely pomp, no wealthy store,
No force to win the victory,
No wily wit to salve a sore,
No shape to feed each gazing eye;
To none of these I yield as thrall.
For why my mind doth serve for all.

I see how plenty suffers oft,
How hasty climbers soon do fall;
I see that those that are aloft
Mishap doth threaten most of all;
They get with toil, they keep with fear.
Such cares my mind could never bear.

Content I live, this is my stay;
I seek no more than may suffice;
I press to bear no haughty sway;
Look what I lack my mind supplies;
Lo, thus I triumph like a king,
Content with that my mind doth bring.

Some have too much, yet still do crave;
I little have, and seek no more.
They are but poor, though much they have,
And I am rich with little store.
They poor, I rich; they beg, I give;
They lack, I leave; they pine, I live.

I laugh not at another’s loss;
I grudge not at another’s gain;
No worldly waves my mind can toss;
My state at one doth still remain.
I fear no foe, nor fawning friend;
I loathe not life, nor dread my end.

Some weigh their pleasure by their lust,
Their wisdom by their rage of will,
Their treasure is their only trust;
And cloaked craft their store of skill.
But all the pleasure that I find
Is to maintain a quiet mind.

My wealth is health and perfect ease;
My conscience clear my chief defense;
I neither seek by bribes to please,
Nor by deceit to breed offense.
Thus do I live, thus will I die.
Would all did so as well as I!

Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, "My Mind to Me A Kingdom Is"

New poems

I've posted the 5 new poems that I wrote in August.

xkcd gets it right