I caught Cock Sparrer on Sunday night at the Brooklyn Paramount in what was apparently their last NYC show ever. They rocked it. There's video floating around all over Youtube.

I watched with amazement the Artemis 2 launch yesterday.

I made it to the No Kings protest in Times Square on Saturday afternoon. I didn't march but I did hang around and it was nice to be around kindred spirits with all this ugliness going on in the world. I'm skeptical these days about how effective marches and protests are but I'll take it. “All this ugliness”... Like where would I begin? “This should have been recognized by anyone for the fascism that it is and stopped in it's tracks right then and there.” can be said of so many things I wouldn't know where to begin, or when to stop.

McSweeney's Lest We Forget part 1 McSweeney's Lest We Forget part 2

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On a lighter note, here's a couple of things I enjoyed reading this week:

Ping! The WhatsApps that should have been an email by Tom Harford.

The Industry is Fucked Up by John Gruber (Daring Fireball). Hard to believe it's been so many years of this nonsense.

-Ira

I spent last year growing various vegetables in a small part of my garden…

While largely successful, there was a lot to be learnt throughout the year. Since now’s when the new growing season is ramping up, it’s a good time to reflect back on that.

Overall the aim was to have a “no dig”, totally organic, self-contained approach, where the entire plot was productive all year and all space was maximised. I even had a spreadsheet of the plan…

Quite the variety! (for context: this is UK, so a fairly short warm weather growing window during summer, and otherwise largely grey/damp/wet)

Mostly, as I said, it was a success, there were some failed crops along the way, but the space was easily filled in with other vegetables to the extent that it was as productive as could be hoped for in the UK climate.

The main learnings I would say are:

1. Probably too much variety

2. Growing too many of some things I didn’t actually enjoy eating, and too few things I do

3. Being quite rigid in terms of planning rows, spacing, and timing

4. Dealing with various pests (omg slugs, the endless onslaught of slugs, UK weather must be a paradise for them)

It’s probably worth going through each vegetable in turn just to say a few words and get my own thoughts down as I plan for this year.

The successes

Garlic

By far the number 1 easiest to grow, easiest to store, and most useful in cooking of anything I grew. Just push a clove into the ground in autumn and by summer next year you have garlic. I didn’t need to do anything at all to them, no additional watering, they managed themselves, no pest damage at all, no failed crops. I dried them out after harvest and they’ve essentially stored for an entire year. Not only that they can be easily replanted for next years harvest too.

Potatoes

Another easy one, put the seed potato in the ground, wait some time, dig it up and you have lots more potatoes, no pests, no failed crops. These didn’t store as well after harvest as the garlic (though they did last maybe 5 months), though that’s probably a combination of not the best storage conditions, and them being 1st early varieties rather than main crop potatoes.

Runner Beans

Again easy to grow, no crop failures, no pest issues, and super super productive. I’m not a huge fan of runner beans cooking-wise, however I found out you can also just let them dry and store the seeds for cooking, they’re essentially cannellini beans. Much more enjoyable in casseroles (for me at least), especially during winter months! The only downside is they do require some support to grow up onto.

Dwarf French Beans

Another super easy to grow vegetable, and super quick to mature too. Push them into the ground, they pretty much all grew, zero pest issues, super productive. I grew a kidney bean variety so these were all dried for the beans only. Only downside is I wish I grew more tbh! These were one of my favourites of the year.

Peas

Again like the other beans, super easy to grow, no pests, no failed crops, and omg fresh peas are so sweet and tasty it’s unreal. And again the main downside is I didn’t grow enough. The one minor issue I did have is that what they need to grow on is a bit more annoying to setup/teardown than the large bamboo sticks used for the runner beans.

Kale

Honestly, wasn’t a big fan of kale to eat before growing it, however, it does seem to be pretty reliable throughout winter and early spring when everything else is dead. I found it’s also a lot more sweet home-grown than shop-bought, quite versatile in cooking, anywhere “greens” are required just use some kale. There were however some pest problems, particularly slugs and things laying eggs on the leaves, however once established they seemed pretty resiliant with no more ongoing maintenance required.

Leeks

A bit fiddly to grow initially, and take so so long to grow compared to everything else. However, once established, no maintenance required. It’s also one of the few things you can harvest in winter and the early months of the year, and like kale: super sweet fresh from the garden to eat, compared to shop-bought.

The things that were “ok”

Spinach / Mustard / Komatsuna / Radish / Lettuce / Beetroot

Slugs love all of these. If you can fight your way through slugs constantly eating the seedlings, plant enough and a few might survive, then you get something edible. If it weren’t for slugs, these would all be super easy to grow, there were no problems otherwise. The other reason I put these here is that I don’t think I enjoy eating these as much as some of the other vegetables above. I mean they’re not bad, and the beetroot was a particularly sweet and earthy highlight, but they’re not something that excites me to cook.

Swiss Chard

This had all the same problems as the above group, however I’m calling it out here on its own for two reasons:

1. Once established, it actually needed no maintenance at all, even during dry periods it was frequently the only thing that didn’t seem to need any water at all. It all also survived the entire winter (including minus temperatures and snow), I don’t think it was supposed to be this hardy.

2. Despite those positives, I would rank this as probably my least favourite thing to eat out of anything I grew. Chard is strange, I feel like it can’t be used as a replacement for spinach or kale in recipes, nor lettuce, and it has a kinda weird flavour. I can’t call it “unpleasant”, but something’s not right with it (it’s not even that it’s bitter, the kale or sprouts I grew are far more bitter, but taste far nicer). It also has a tendency to be a bit gloopy in texture compared to the other leaf related vegetables. Probably I’m not cooking it right or with the right things.

Tomatoes / Chilli

These are ok (and I’ve grown them for decades at this point). A bit of a pain to start from seed, but once growing they’re pretty easy to be honest. No real pest issues, and they just do their thing during summer. The only downside is I find that home grown tomatoes in the UK (only if you are growing them outside) tend to have a bit of a grainy/mushy texture instead of that crisp texture you get in high quality salad tomatoes. I’ve tried many different varieties, different watering methods over the years, and sometimes it’s less apparent, but still there. I think unless you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, the outdoor UK climate is sub-optimal. Chillies however don’t have this problem. The only downside with chillies though is purely the length of the growing season, sometimes they don’t reach full maturity within our summer… we ideally need an extra month. Flavour-wise though, I find chillies work pretty well outside in the UK.

The total failures

Onions

Omg, why are onions so difficult to grow from seed. I wanted to avoid growing from sets because I saw that as “cheating”, however I think I can see why they’re sold as sets. They’re such weakling things when they first grow, like a single limp blade of grass that stays like that for months no matter how much nursing you give them. Half of them didn’t make it past seedling stage for me, and then the ones that did never seemed to get particularly big or strong. I did have a handful reach the stage where I could harvest them (at a size somewhere above a golf-ball but below a tennis-ball), however they were all infested with allium leaf miner, so I had to put them all into compost. T_T I suspect this could be solved by covering them with netting during the growing period. Either way, super frustrating to grow (from seed at least), and pest damage was devastating.

Brussels Sprouts

I think this is probably my fault, I grew some from seed, got them ready to put outside, then a million aphids ate them. Grew some more (however at this point it was a few weeks late to start them), and transplanted them, then the army of caterpillars started eating them. With some netting and manually picking things off I managed to save them, however, I think because this stunted their growth, and they already started a few weeks late… they didn’t really grow particularly big, and I didn’t get any fully formed sprouts from them. I was able to at least eat the leaf tops/stems like a sprouting broccoli, but not exactly what I was hoping for when I planted them.

Turnips / Carrots / Kohlrabi

They all got eaten by slugs, all of them. I even tried multiple times, tried starting them elsewhere and transplanting, tried a full war on eliminating slugs, but no, they were all always eaten.

Other thoughts

“Home-grown tastes better”

Your mileage may vary on this. In some cases, absolutely 100% no question. Particularly peas, fresh kale and leeks, so sweet at home. In reality though, in most cases, there’s really not much difference between taste in home-grown and high quality supermarket produce (I stress the “high quality” there). I would struggle to tell the difference between home grown potatoes, kidney beans, radish, or spinach for example, mostly essentially tasted exactly the same. Of course the feeling of eating something you’ve grown yourself is totally different!

In some cases too, the taste is actually worse. Other than the tomatoes I mentioned above, strawberries are another particular example. Frequently sharp or tasteless (though admittedly this is exactly the same as most supermarket strawberries) when grown at home outdoors in the UK. With the UK climate (and without a greenhouse/polytunnel), anybody would struggle to match premium, high quality, store bought strawberries in terms of sweetness.

Companion flowers

In order to encourage beneficial insects to the area I did try to plant a lot of different companion flowers. The only really reliable ones that weren’t eaten by slugs were: marigolds. Marigolds are great, easy to grow, indestructible (until winter), and pretty much have perpetual flowers from summer until late autumn. No idea if this actually helped with anything but it looked pretty!

Compost

I have both a worm bin and a hot bin. The worm bin is great for kitchen scraps and small-scale compost-making, and the hotbin great for all the garden waste (including grass clippings), overall I did get enough compost from both of these to not need to add any other fertilizer for anything.

2026

So what do I want to do this year? Well the potatoes and garlic are already planted. The leeks, kale (and ironically the chard I don’t enjoy), are all still growing. I think overall I want to grow fewer different things, but more of the things I liked. So more peas and kidney beans for sure, but also I think I want to try out something like sweetcorn (who doesn’t like sweetcorn!). I’ll also probably be a bit less rigid with what to plant where and when.

#garden #gardening #vegetables

One of the more unique facets of the Xaltean culture is the use of titles. Many humans may related to our own like President, Teacher, and military ranks. While the Xalteans have many of those, they have a unique system of speaking to each other based upon position and status.

This short article is to document the more commonly known titles and expressions when speaking to each other and introduction.

Xaltean Royal Titles

The Empire has a royal title system called the tamae heheeba and also the eemodae heheeba for those within the house system. These are the Xaltean titles in order of rank. Though not written out here to save clutter, each rank except for Emperor/Empress and High Baron/Baroness has a color ranking in the order of White, Red, Blue and Green which is attached at the end of their rank. Example shinda kit or Lord of the Green.

Please know the English words selected are chosen based off the position and authority found equivalent in our own society.

• Emperor (enekxihanma) / Empress (enekihanma)
• High Baron (shindakma)
• Baron (shindak)
• Duke (rotunaeten)
• Earl (rotunaemaxavien)
• Lord (shinda)
• Lord of Honor (shivxihanxa) / Lady of Honor (shivkihanxa)

Speaking to Each Other

In an interesting twist, among the house system, the maids have their own forms addressed based on who is junior and who is senior but also based on any specific role they might hold and across estates.

Colleague – The word colleague or vivael is used between maids who are not within the same legion and is usually used between 10th order to 5th order maids. This is a default title when speaking to someone one is confident is not in the 3rd order or higher and unsure. It is considered polite to correct the usage with the proper response and is not seen as an insult. It is also appropriate to use across estates and houses.

Peer – The word peer or shivael has special rules to it when to use and when to not use. As peer carries the connotations of an equal, one must be careful on its usage. Peer is usually used when the following occasions:

• The person being spoken to is of 3rd order or higher
• The person being spoken to is part of the same or equal position outside of their respective estate.
• Is an honored maid.

Compeer – The word compeer or levatamae is like the word peer but is used between 3rd order or higher among their own house but across legions. It is also appropriate to use in apprentice situations. For example, it would be inappropriate for a mistress or steward apprentice to refer to their mistress or steward as peer. The proper would be compeer.

Privileged – The title and greeting of privileged or smavael is given to maids and others who are on assignment to a house other than their own. This may be given to maids who are in training at another allied house and are staying on the premise.

Honored – Honored or nivael are special titles for maids who are assigned as personal servants of a Lord or Lady of an estate or have been assigned as the go between between two parties. They hold a unique position as immediately being trusted as they are representatives of their estate and/or house. Abusing or insulting an honored maid is doing the same to those they represent. Interestingly, there is no order limitation for this position. A lord could choose a 10th order harvester and appoint her. As referenced above, Honored maids may use the term peer for those who are above their station.

Ending

Those this does not cover all the nuances of speech and title, it does give diplomats and others who may encounter and interact with the Xaltean houses a grounding on speaking with them.

2 April 2026

Face (working title): Another painting of Calvin's room, this one a different corner of it than Destruction as well as building. Still thinking about John Lees, particularly APEX (2003-04) for the color weaving in and out of the scaffolding created by the years of buildup—buried here, luminous there, equal parts scraped away and globbed on. I think today was about working towards an expedited version of that kind of armature: tinted transparent primer, watercolor, and thin blotted washes of oil before the thicker top layer. And it seems to have worked; in terms of the pulse of the painting's end result yes, but more importantly as a track to alternate attaching to and veering off of. Which meshed reflected the subject—a wall peeling into multicolored strips, light and paint and stone relating to each other in clumsy, microscopic ways. Must also mention Bill Hayden, studying his ink drawings right now. His Structure (2022-23) is perfect.

It was a decent, if unspectacular start to the blog on Lincoln day. I put up three selections and they all ran into a place without ever really looking like winning. But it could have been worse and I will take it.

As is always the case with the flat season, after the initial excitement of Lincoln weekend, not much happens for a few weeks. A Catterick card here, a few Bath races there and a day of action up at Musselburgh.

The last race on the card is the one I will be looking at and as it’s easter and I’ve got a bit of spare time, I have noted down my thoughts on each runner.

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4.45 Musselburgh

Before starting, it’s worth noting that over the 5 furlongs at Musselburgh there’s a slight advantage to those drawn high and it pays if you can find the ones who lead or are up with the pace, too.

1. ZIGGY'S TRITON (87) – Has been kept busy all winter, running 12 times since last seen on the turf. Won 2 of those off 74 and 84 before running off his revised mark in better races without getting too involved. Drops back into a Class 4 today where his record across both codes is 2153112, the most recent of those in January off 89 on the AW at Southwell.

2. WHEELS OF FIRE (80) – Blew away the cobwebs on seasonal reappearance at Newcastle last week and will have definitely needed that run. 13/1/4p on the turf and effectively 6lbs higher than his LWM. Has been well backed though so not without a chance, especially when takign into account trainer and jockey form (12/3/7p last 14 days), but too short for me.

3. CURIOUS ROVER (80) – Raced in class 2 events after winning over C&D in August off 79. Was going to say he probably needs the run but this time last year (to the day!) finished a 1L 2nd over C&D after a near identical break so could have been primed for this one again with Jason Hart back on board for only third time since that silver medal a year ago.

4. AL HUSSAR (78) – Ground no issue as won on Good to Firm and Heavy and finished last season in decent enough form but may well need the run here having finished well down the field on his debut and his reapperance as a 3yo last year.

5. THE BELL CONDUCTOR (77) – Likes to lead and may well have own way at the front but has failed to regain his form since winning at Chester at the back end of August. His mark has subsequently dropped 12lbs since that win so is dangerously handicapped if the first time cheekpieces have an effect.

6. ZARZYNI (76) – Won this race last off 78 so with the jockey’s claim is 5lb better off this time around. Goes well here (9/3/5p over C/D) and does some good work in April (6/2/4p).

7. THECOFFEEPODDOTCO (72) – A terrible name for a horse that directs you to a rubbish website (I’ve checked!), but Richard Hannon doesn’t send many up to Musselburgh, having saddled just 13 horses before today for a very decent record of 13/4/7p +22LSP and also runs WHEEL OF FIRE in this race. Looks to be up against it though to my eyes on her first start in a flat handicap.

8. ARNHEM (72) – Jim Goldie has FIVE in this race, all around the bottom of the handicap and this is the highest rated. Looks hard to win with having won just 3 from 56 starts, and only 1/35 has been on turf. All wins and best form in the summer, easy enough to pass over for me.

9. CLASSY AL (71) – Another for Goldie. Well beaten on his last two starts and all wins at Ayr or Hamilton – just 7/0/1p here. Hard to see him improving that record off a break especially when he fluffs the start so often.

10. MONTEZUMA (71) – Another of Goldie’s! Finished in front of CLASSY AL on his last run last year. 0/8 but been running well in handicaps and currently heads the market. Only his 2nd start at 5f so would be completely unexposed at the trip but current price of 11/4 looks unbelievably short to me.

11. POP STAR (70) – You can ignore his winter AW form where he is 9/0/0p but is still likely to find this too hot being 18/0/2p at the grade.

12. WOOHOO (68) – What’s that? Another Goldie horse?! Yes it is. But easy enough to pass over this one after a break of 227 days as has a poor record fresh.

13. WATER OF LEITH (68) – The final Goldie runner in the field and bottom weight making his 100th start today. 0/7 at the track and 16/0/2p at class 4 or higher means he looks totally up against it today.

You could make a case for plenty of these. The profile and money for Montezuma looks dangerous but for all his potential in this, he’s too short for me. So I’m going to take an each way chance on ZIGGYS TRITON who’s form at this grade (2153112) really appeals in this. I’m also going to have a small dart at THE BELL CONDUCTOR at 40/1. Obvioulsy he could be way out of the back come the end of the race, but he could also be the only one making the pace. The first time cheekpieces at 9 (which doesn’t happen very often!) is semi interesting and could spark some sort of improvement, so worth a few quid for interest.

ZIGGYS TRITON // 0.5pt E/W @ 9/1 // Bet365 4 places (BOG) THE BELL CONDUCTOR // 0.25pt E/W @ 40/1 // William Hill 4 places (BOG)

Reflections on Hadestown

1. We saw Hadestown a few days ago. I was fairly blown away by the production, as was Elizabeth, and I wanted to try and say some things about it.

2. Let me first say that I am not an afficionado of Broadway musicals. Granted, I grew up listening to Jesus Christ Superstar, and it remains one of the most important pieces of music for me personally. I was also brought to tears by Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and I loved The Book of Mormon for its sharp, raunchy hilarity. But that's about it. I've seen a few other shows here and there (Miss Saigon, Cats), but none have left much impression on me. Thus I am generally unfamiliar with the history and conventions of musicals.

3. But Hadestown was undeniably great. Certainly, one reason was the music. Like with JCS, I have listened to and loved the music for quite a while. Seeing it brought to life on the stage — even with significant departures from the original 2010 album — felt thrilling. Act 1, in particular, delivered one banger after another. The buildup of energy as we approached intermission was spectacular. And while I thought the music in Act 2 was not quite as powerful, there was a satisfying emotional arc centered on the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice (and, obliquely, between Hades and Persephone).

4. What I really want to focus on, though, are the ideas at work in the production. I found myself doing a surprising amount of thinking during the performance. While its central themes might not be especially novel, I found them to be woven together in remarkably fresh and compelling ways. In no particular order, then...

5. I love the culminating idea, voiced by the excellent Hermes, that this is an old story, and it doesn't have a happy ending — but we're going to tell it again and again, as if...this time...it might yet be different. Reminds me of Camus's interpretation of Sisyphus: meaning, if there is any, must come from out of the struggle itself, and its repetition (some Kierkegaard here as well). We must imagine Sisyphus happy.

6. The “translation” into a more modern — though not exactly contemporary — context enables the plot to function as a critique of industrialism, in particular the extractive economy, and of the politics of othering. Hades (here not just a place, but a corporation) is a coal and oil conglomerate, sharing its name with its boss/CEO, who “seems to own everything.” (Hm, who else likes to plaster his name on everything he possibly can?) Workers go to Hades on a train (slightly sinister undertones not accidental), and live in a kind of company town. Driven by desperation, they have literally sold their souls in exchange for stable but empty employment — thus becoming, if not literally dead, then “dead to life.”

7. What is their labor? The workers' employment seems to consist of mining and extraction in service of “building the wall” that keeps them free. Free from what? The brilliant call-and-response song at the heart of the album explains: the wall keeps out the enemy, which is called poverty. But the real enemy is those who want what we have got. And what is that? We have a wall to work upon: we have work, and they have none, and our work is never done. Not to sound pretentious, but this lyrical sleight of hand crisply evokes the empty circularity of late capitalism, where production both feeds and manufactures the demand it supplies. These riches, framed in opposition to the specter of poverty, could only be seen as such by dead souls — the souls that have been signed over to Hades.

8. What is their recreation? For relief, the workers drink in the house of Persephone, who distracts and entertains them with diverting songs while numbing her own nagging conscience with the same river of wine she purveys. (The underworld river Lethe, from which the dead must drink, means 'forgetfulness'.) Sure, she has access to the boss, and gets to live above ground for half the year, but in the end she is hardly more free than the workers she entertains.

9. The way the show deals with the bargain struck by Orpheus with Hades, and the requirement that Orpheus not look back, is quite interesting. After being moved by Orpheus, whose song reawakens his youthful love of Persephone, Hades agrees to let Orpheus take Eurydice back to the sun. But then the Fates intervene, reminding him that he cannot be seen as simply giving in to a mortal. In order to save face, the permission he has granted is recast as a test: Orpheus can have Eurydice only if he walks ahead of her for the entire long journey up from Hades and does not look back even once. It sounds easy enough, but part of being a mortal is our keen awareness of the passage of time. The trek is long and arduous, and Orpheus, walking alone, begins to entertain doubts. Eventually they overwhelm him and he turns, and thus fails the test. Hades, it seems, gets it both ways: he has offered mercy, but keeps Eurydice anyway.

10. Speaking of Eurydice, the production elevates her in comparison to most ancient tellings of the myth by giving her an agency in her own death that she did not have in ancient versions of the myth. Rather than simply being unknowingly struck down by a viper, she signs away her soul because she is hungry, and because Orpheus has left her alone too long while he works on his song. The viper is recast as an Edenic snake, offering her a seemingly better bargain than the one she has. Of course, with agency comes blame: she is not merely a passive victim but becomes complicit in her fate.

I dreamed that we were living in my grandmother’s house, the one I grew up in.

We’d inherited her dog, it was translucent and blue, with surface like that of a peeled grape or a cartoon jellyfish.

It was OK to eat this dog, it didn’t harm it.

There were pieces falling off it looking like gelatinous candy, which tasted very synthetic and bad, like of something chemical or the rind of an orange.

And there was someone smoking in the TV room

And the walls were nicotine yellow from the smoke

And I didn’t want my wife to find about the smoker, because it was some relative of mine: an old hag.

But then I woke up

“Thank you” would die on your lips
If you knew,
What pride and ambition and hate
I have had to fight in myself,
To earn it.[^1]

March has ended and I am not quite sure where it went. Did I write? Yes I did. Did I make music? Yes I did. Did I do either of those things as well or as much as I had planned? No. If there are 'creatives' out there whose output is steady and controlled, I am certainly not one of them. I have worked hard to develop 'bare minimum habits' that help me maintain some consistency, but on top of those habits my output has always been stormy. Sometimes it overflows, sometimes it dries up, and I have to dig a deep well with my fingernails to find anything. Lately the music well has been much more productive than the writing well (at least in terms of fiction). I do not think this is unnatural in the sense that humans are not machines, but it would be nice to have an even keel. Ultimately though, I can rest because I believe that my life is Not My Own, and there is freedom in that. I just have to remember it, and endure it.

Writing

I wish I could banish the guilt I feel when I think of how little progress I have made on the book. I did write a pretty long essay, but for some reason I just can't shake a sense of failure when I don't work on the book. E.B. White once likened the impulse to write something as having a storm cloud over one's head until the thing is written, and I resonate with that very much. I suppose I should stop feeling guilty and just recognize that these works that seem to appear over my head are just manifestations of the creative process; but I push back on that phrasing “just manifestations of the creative process,” because I feel that it cheapens the work. I will say that the Manliness essay was a cloud that had been hanging over me for years, and it felt good to finally dispel it. Writing is a fascinating process. Control over it (for me) is both a responsibility and an illusion.

Music

I have been playing and practicing quite a lot. I bought a new acoustic guitar, which I have 'needed' for a while. The neck on my old one is somewhat rough, which means it taught me a lot about proper technique and finger position, but come showtime was really limiting and nerve-racking. The new one, an Orangewood, is very nice for the price, and I am liking it more every day as I break it in. I almost immediately started recording (semi-officially) the Lit Songs album with it. I think I have gotten good enough with my microphones and production process that I can make very nice sounding demos, complete with drums! The challenge is really just finding time when the house is quiet (which is not often, with two young kids). I mostly record at night instead of playing video games, which is good, but also I need to sleep. I need to pace myself.

Reading

I read a lot for the podcast, namely Piranesi and That Hideous Strength and Borges (still editing those recordings). For fun, I have picked up Robinson Crusoe and The Divine Comedy. I have enjoyed That Hideous Strength and Robinson Crusoe the most out of those.

I have also decided to try and revive my Latin. For language learning, my main goal is usually just to be able to read. To that end I have been reading 死神永生 (Death's End) by 《刘慈欣》(Liu Cixin) for over about a year. I try to read one page a day, writing down words I don't know, then adding them to Pleco's flashcard function. I do think my comprehension is improving, but it is still far from where I want it to be. For Latin, I am restarting Gustatio Linguae Latinae. My wife is a Latin teacher, so I've got a pretty good motivational head start, and it has really been a lot of fun.

It is really amazing to me how video games have the power to inoculate so many of my life-giving impulses. I think it is because video games offer a facsimile of what they promise: skill building (learning a musical instrument), exploration (reading about a new place), immersion (learning a new language and reading primary sources), self-expression (writing). Please note, I do not think video games are evil, it is just that they can be easily abused out of all moderation. I have also been fasting from breakfast to dinner for Holy Week, and it has helped me realize just how many impulses for consumption I have, and how little I deny them. Those little snacks and cookies and glasses of milk add up, even though they are not harmful in themselves. And it seems to me that the modern adulthood our culture strives for is less about self control, and more about working ourselves into the ground for a life that doesn't require it. So many of the things we buy are for pure convenience and organization, so that we don't have to think or be responsible. AI is no different in this regard, and the commercials for it emphasize the fact that it can automate tasks that we have already striven to automate, so that we will just become Dostoevsky's “General Humans” or C.S. Lewis's “Men Without Chests.”

Well, until next time.

[1]: If I do not cite a poetry source, you can assume that I wrote it.

#update #April #2026

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Thank you for reading! I greatly regret that I will most likely never be able to meet you in person and shake your hand, but perhaps we can virtually shake hands via my newsletter, social media, or a cup of coffee sent over the wire. They are poor substitutes, but they can be a real grace in this intractable world.

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友人が、たくさん食べられる方がカッコいいと言っていた。 いや、まあ、食事に対してカッコいいという価値観は俺にはないのだが、 もしカッコよさで語るなら、俺はむしろ食べないほうがカッコいいと思う。 自分だけで完結している度合いが強いからだ。 生きる上で必要なものが少ないほど、その肉体は単体で強いように見える。

歩くのと走るのでは、どちらがカッコいいか。 これは歩くほうだろう。 理由というより、統計的に大人が証明している。 大人は走らない。歩いているほうが、何にも追われていないからだ。 走っている人は、時間か、もっと物理的な何かに追われている。 いや、もし追われているという状態を、生活に干渉されている証と見るなら、
走っているほうがカッコいいと言えるのかもしれない。 止まっているのも勿論カッコいい。 そう考えると、歩くというのは何でもないのかもしれない。

昇るのと降りるのでは、どちらがカッコいいか。 昇るのは、これからそこに予定があるから。 降りるのは、予定が終わったから。 これはどちらとも言いがたい。 予定が終わったのに、丘の上にある家へ登っていくなら、それはカッコいいと思う。

このまま羅列していってもいいが、もう既に飽きてしまった。 カッコいいの先に何もないからだ。 もし何かあるほうが良い事だとするのなら、カッコよくなる前という事になる。

締まらない話だ。 どうでもいい話を続けていたら、机の上の汚さが視界に入ってきた。 そうか、今週は何もしていないから、鈍く疲れているのだ。

31 March 2026

In our last poetry workshop, Jonathan sent us on a Carl Phillips dive. First his 2018 essay Muscularity and Eros: On Syntax for At Length and then a handful of poems. “A Kind of Meadow” (2000) has been with me ever since. Very painterly. There's something about it that puts me in a place similar to Polke's Die Fahrt auf der Unendlichkeitsacht III (Die Motorradlampe) (1971)—every new door opens to a misdirect or redirect, but the flow of the whole remains cohesive and unencumbered. A particular example via enjambment in a middle stanza:

A kind of meadow, where it ends begin trees, from whose twinning of late light and the already underway darkness you were expecting perhaps

And that's the rhythm all the way through, of starts and stops meshing and trading places. Which happens verbally in the mouth, but also visually; bones, branches, and fretwork form a grid that dapples both shadow and light, shooting both through the length of the poem. Words examining themselves as they are produced.

What Are Common Remedies Suggested by Astrologers?

Astrology has been a guiding force in human life for centuries, helping individuals understand their destiny, strengths, and challenges. Many people searching for the best astrologer in Delhi NCR not only seek predictions but also effective remedies to overcome life problems. Astrology remedies are practical and spiritual techniques designed to balance planetary energies and improve overall well-being.

Understanding Astrology Remedies

Astrology remedies are based on the belief that planetary positions influence different aspects of life, including career, relationships, health, and finances. When certain planets are weak or negatively placed in a birth chart, they may create obstacles. Astrologers suggest remedies to reduce these negative effects and strengthen positive influences.

These remedies do not change destiny completely but help minimize difficulties and enhance opportunities when followed with faith and consistency.

1. Gemstone Therapy Gemstone therapy is one of the most popular remedies in astrology. Each planet is associated with a specific gemstone that enhances its positive energy.

For example: Ruby for the Sun boosts confidence and leadership Emerald for Mercury improves communication and intellect Yellow Sapphire for Jupiter supports wisdom and prosperity

Wearing the right gemstone after proper consultation can help balance planetary influences and attract success.

1. Mantras and Chanting Mantras are sacred sounds that create positive vibrations and mental clarity. Chanting specific mantras related to planets can reduce their negative effects.

Common practices include:

Gayatri Mantra for overall positivity Hanuman Chalisa for strength and protection Shani Mantra to reduce Saturn’s challenges

Regular chanting helps calm the mind, improve focus, and bring emotional stability.

1. Vastu Shastra Corrections Vastu Shastra focuses on the energy flow within a space. Incorrect placement of objects or directions can lead to problems in life.

Astrologers often suggest:

Adjusting furniture placement Improving entrance directions Using suitable colors and elements

These simple changes can create a positive environment that supports growth and harmony.

1. Fasting and Religious Rituals Fasting on specific days is another effective remedy. Each day is associated with a particular planet, and fasting helps strengthen its positive influence.

Examples include:

Monday for the Moon Thursday for Jupiter Saturday for Saturn

Performing rituals along with fasting enhances spiritual connection and reduces negative planetary effects.

1. Charity and Donations Charity is considered a powerful way to balance karmic influences. Donating items related to specific planets can help reduce negative energies.

Examples: Donating black items on Saturdays for Saturn Offering food to the needy Supporting religious or social causes Acts of kindness bring positivity, peace, and emotional satisfaction.

1. Yantras and Spiritual Tools Yantras are sacred geometric symbols used to attract positive energy. They are often placed in homes or workplaces for protection and prosperity.

Popular yantras include: Shree Yantra for wealth and success Navgraha Yantra for planetary balance Kuber Yantra for financial growth These tools help enhance positive vibrations in daily life.

1. Meditation and Lifestyle Changes Astrologers also emphasize the importance of mental and emotional balance. Meditation is a powerful practice that helps reduce stress and improve focus.

Lifestyle changes such as maintaining discipline, avoiding negative habits, and practicing gratitude can significantly improve life quality. These changes support the effectiveness of other remedies.

Importance of Personalized Remedies

Every individual has a unique birth chart, so remedies should be customized. Generic remedies may not work effectively for everyone. Consulting the best astrologer in Delhi NCR ensures accurate analysis and suitable recommendations.

Professional guidance helps in choosing the right gemstone, mantra, or ritual based on planetary positions and life goals.

Do Astrology Remedies Really Work? The effectiveness of astrology remedies depends on belief, consistency, and proper application. While they may not provide instant results, they gradually bring positive changes in mindset, behavior, and circumstances.

Astrology should be used as a supportive tool along with practical efforts. Combining remedies with hard work and a positive attitude leads to better outcomes.

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Conclusion Astrology remedies offer a holistic approach to solving life problems. From gemstones and mantras to charity and meditation, these practices help balance energies and create harmony in life.

For those seeking guidance from the best astrologer in Delhi NCR, understanding these remedies can be the first step toward a more balanced and successful life. By following the right remedies with dedication, individuals can overcome challenges, improve relationships, and achieve personal and professional growth.