10 Mar 09

Weather
That rainy kind of night where the windows are wet but you can't tell if it's actively raining

Current Yard Animals
Earlier today: pileated woodpecker!

Of Note
I've never actually read the whole Bible and figured I'd do it this year. Some of the History books in the Old Testament are a slog (others are great), but even in the more tedious runs of battles/generations/reversals-of-fortune you now and then get sections that bring you up short, like this amazing little repeated-failed-suicide story from 2 Maccabees:

Now was there accused unto Nicanor one Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, a lover of his countrymen, and a man of very good report, who for his kindness was called a father of the Jews. For in the former times, when they mingled not themselves with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and did boldly jeopard his body and life with all vehemency for the religion of the Jews. So Nicanor, willing to declare the hate that he bare unto the Jews, sent above five hundred men of war to take him. For he thought by taking him to do the Jews much hurt. Now when the multitude would have taken the tower, and violently broken into the outer door, and bade that fire should be brought to burn it, [Razis] being ready to be taken on every side fell upon his sword, choosing rather to die manfully, than to come into the hands of the wicked, to be abused otherwise than beseemed his noble birth. But missing his stroke through haste, the multitude also rushing within the doors, he ran boldly up to the wall, and cast himself down manfully among the thickest of them. But they quickly giving back, and a space being made, he fell down into the midst of the void place. Nevertheless, while there was yet breath within him, being inflamed with anger, he rose up; and though his blood gushed out like spouts of water, and his wounds were grievous, yet he ran through the midst of the throng; and standing upon a steep rock, when as his blood was now quite gone, he plucked out his bowels, and taking them in both his hands, he cast them upon the throng, and calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to restore him those again, he thus died.

Person
You, you big special person you!

Word
Meretricious: attracting attention in a vulgar manner; specious; also, of or relating to prostitutes (as in: you look meretricious in that dress today, my dear)

Book
Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment

Music
Arvo Part's In Principio

Today's U.S. State Capital Is
Trenton, New Jersey