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Blast from the Past 28 August 2010

Posted by Mekekamps in Art, Books, Life.
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When I was young, I moved around quite a bit. And English is not my first language. Although that did not stop me from trying.

My friend from back then uncovered an old stash of letters yesterday, and scanned them for me to see. It is mostly cringeworthy, an insight to the capacities of a nine year old child. But the poetry!

I simply must share with you what might be the first poem still extant that I ever composed in English.

Whrait upp end down

Den jou see

Dat i’m love jou

love jou mee?

Oh yes. True class. Thank you for sharing, old friend.

Books vs. everything else 28 July 2010

Posted by Mekekamps in Art, Books, Philosophy.
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A Pair of Ragged Claws recently went through the self-indulgent exercise of determining what is more important – books, or other things. The exercise was to determine whether you would give up books, and what it would take?

Basically,

what things would you give up before you gave up books? This is one of those completely hypothetical, it’s Friday on Ragged Claws questions where someone comes along and says to you: I have bad news, you have to give up either books or sex. Unless you give up one of them entirely and forever, you will die. Which do you choose?

Some of his assessments were interesting (most of them funny), and all of them reflect the things he is spending time on in his life (TV, betting on horses, sex, +++).

It got me thinking. I love books, too. I am a slow reader, but I love the experiences books can give you. For the most part, I would choose books over most other activities (except for sleep!), as long as choosing books would mean a limitless supply of them. The libraries of Alexandria to my disposal? I would ditch laser tag for that!

But I also know people who have true passion in their lives, apart from books. Like music. I do not personally understand it (as shown by our esoteric discussions about whether, if you had to choose, you would choose going blind or going deaf, where I chose deaf and they chose blind). But I do recognise it – that true yearning for music, the enjoyment, the creation or the experience of it with their whole beings.

This particular person, however, also has an immense appetite for books and they are the most widely read person I know. So what would this person choose –

Books or music?

Or, if you are not musically inclined – books or your other passion? What would you choose?