Nannygoat Hill

Veg

November 19, 2009 · Leave a Comment

One of my girls has become a vegetarian, for ethical reasons, and I’m finding cooking meat-free meals a lot more fun than I thought it would be, even when it doesn’t quite work.

Tonight’s tofu stir fry was enjoyed by two out of four patrons, so it wasn’t a complete disaster.

I’m aiming for two out of every three nights I cook for the girls to be completely meat-free: the third night I’ll cook a separate non-meat serving.

I’ve never been vegetarian but I find the moral arguments against meat-eating pretty hard to refute, especially when George Bernard Shaw or Brigid Brophy are doing the arguing, but I have always allowed deliciousness and habit to trump my conscience.

I did find it very hard to look at the meat section of the supermarket after I’d bought a bunch of tofu and mushrooms last week.

I should also say that I’m really proud of her, and that it’s a strange but not unwelcome feeling when one of your kids makes a lifestyle choice like this.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: animals · food · kids · plants

Measure for Measure

November 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Shakespeare: the funny bits

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought;
Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a complete bosom.

[The Duke, disguised as a Friar, hangs around watching everything Go On]

Mariana. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face
Until my husband bid me.
Duke. What, are you married?
Mari. No, my lord.
Duke. Are you a maid?
Mari. No, my lord.
Duke. A widow, then?
Mari. Neither, my lord.
Duke. Why, then, you are nothing then; neither maid, widow, nor wife.
Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

 

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Literary associations

November 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Literary Associations

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All’s Well That Ends Well

October 30, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Shakespeare: the funny bits

This is one of my favourite speeches from Shakespeare, although I didn’t know which play it was from, because Borges, smartypants that he is, cites it in an essay without giving the play’s title. Parolles is a knave who’s risen to the rank of captain by bluff and trickery: a more realistic version of Falstaff, who is eventually exposed and disgraced.

Parolles: Yet I am thankful. If my heart were great,
‘Twould burst at this. Captain I’ll be no more;
But I will eat, and drink, and sleep as soft
As captain shall. Simply the thing I am
Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this: for it will come to pass
That every braggart shall be found an ass.
Rust, sword; cool, blushes; and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame. Being fool’d, by fool’ry thrive.
There’s place and means for every man alive.

I thought I hadn’t been able to find any unintentional humour or silliness in All’s Well That End’s Well, but then I noticed the rhyme, or near-rhyme, in the sixth and seventh lines of the foregoing.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: shakespeare

Glory

October 27, 2009 · 2 Comments

Glory

A very faint rainbow around our plane’s shadow on the way back from Melbourne.  The phenomenon is called a glory. This photo has had its contrast stretched to within an inch of its life to bring out the colours, we weren’t really flying over a Bill Henson theme park.

I’m starting a new job on Monday: blogging will probably be sporadic for a while. There are two Shakespeare plays in the queue.

→ 2 CommentsCategories: photography · travel

William Hone

October 15, 2009 · Leave a Comment

→ Leave a CommentCategories: comics · history · journalism

Hopetoun

October 14, 2009 · 4 Comments

I have many fond memories of the Hopetoun Hotel but I’m faintly surprised that it lasted as long as it did. I think I first saw a band there in 1986. For comparison, I wonder how many music venues in Sydney from 1963 were still in operation in that year? The old Capitol Theatre, perhaps. This post puts things in perspective.

→ 4 CommentsCategories: music · sydney

Please leave alone

October 12, 2009 · 1 Comment

Please Leave Alone

→ 1 CommentCategories: marrickville

Slammed

October 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment

“Slammed as racist”?

If only.

I would have said it was more “cringed over” or “blushed at” than “slammed”, but that’s how the rhetoric of this sort of thing plays out.

The reaction to casual racism has to be exaggerated. That way, the X% of Australians who think it’s all good clean fun can feel wonderfully aggrieved and wounded as the PC thought police stomp all over their simple pleasures.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: australia

Troilus and Cressida

October 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Shakespeare: the funny bits

Act IV, scene IV. Troy. Pandarus’ house.

Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA

Pan. Be moderate, be moderate.

Cres. Why tell you me of moderation?
The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
And violenteth in a sense as strong
As that which causeth it: how can I moderate it?
If I could temporize with my affection,
Or brew it to a weak and colder palate,
The like allayments could I give my grief.
My love admits no qualifying dross;
No more my grief, in such a precious loss.

Enter TROILUS

Pan. Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet ducks!

Cres. O Troilus! Troilus! [Embracing him

Pan. What a pair of spectacles is here!

→ Leave a CommentCategories: shakespeare