| Archive for literarydiscussions.myfreeforum.org Literature, Poetry, Essays, Dialogues, Philosophy, Theology |
| Sitaram |
Chantango chat with Grad. Inst. Alumnushttp://profile.myspace.com/index....viewprofile&friendid=80790816Posted with permission pwrmyth (11:57:37 AM): I saw your reading list. Impressive! Have you heard of Zooba? Thought I'd return the favor for chatango. For 9.95 a month flat, you can create a book queue like at Netflix. You receive the next book from your queue each month and get to keep it! Don't mean to sound like an ad, but as a fellow bookfiend, it's great. I think of it as my source for monthly gym membership. It's not for all people, but I LOVE it. sitaram (12:06:58 PM): sorry i was away from keyboard sitaram (12:07:50 PM): hmmm... sounds interesting sitaram (12:07:59 PM): the monthly book program sitaram (12:08:20 PM): I have not heard of Zooba sitaram (12:08:33 PM): I would recommend "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel sitaram (12:24:55 PM): see my message board post http://literarydiscussions.myfreeforum.org/ftopic996.php pwrmyth (12:58:40 PM): Got it. I just finished American Theocracy and am reading Confessions of an Economic Hitman. I have A War Like No Other (on Athens vs. Sparta) and Collapse by Jared Diamond in my queue. Good times! sitaram (01:17:26 PM): plus, if you use chatango.com catcher program in your tray.... and leave the window open for messages, then you always appear on in chatango pwrmyth (01:18:05 PM): I've been playing around with my profile page pwrmyth (01:18:15 PM): i changed the b/g and lost chatango pwrmyth (01:18:24 PM): not sure how to keep all these codes straight sitaram (01:24:32 PM): hmmm.... well... you can always get the chatango code again, and insert it into your profile... I periodically cut and paste all my profile code to a word document for backup, with heading sitaram (01:24:58 PM): headings in the document which are the same as the places where the code goes like MOVIES BOOKS pwrmyth (01:25:28 PM): I just joined so it pwrmyth (01:25:33 PM): it's all rather confusing sitaram (01:25:55 PM): its hard to find a Johhnie who wants to talk pwrmyth (01:26:02 PM): We're actually chatting in real time pwrmyth (01:26:03 PM): amazing pwrmyth (01:26:15 PM): I would think Johnies wanted to do nothing BUT talk sitaram (01:26:16 PM): the forum seems kind of dead, the st. johns forum/group at myspace sitaram (01:26:27 PM): well, one would think that pwrmyth (01:26:31 PM): Hey, I read your blog on AI pwrmyth (01:26:35 PM): I liked it too pwrmyth (01:26:42 PM): Watched it in Annapolis, actually pwrmyth (01:26:50 PM): Though it suffers from repeat viewings sitaram (01:26:53 PM): you can get a free message board from http://www.myfreeforum.org sitaram (01:27:08 PM): a phpBB message board, menu driven, a snap to learn pwrmyth (01:27:36 PM): I'm tempted to ask you how you find the time sitaram (01:27:41 PM): and there is a FLASH tutorial for learning phpbb admin/mod/user which plays on your screen like a movie pwrmyth (01:28:00 PM): Hmm... that sounds intriguing pwrmyth (01:28:06 PM): Have you visited zooba? pwrmyth (01:28:11 PM): That's my site of the month sitaram (01:28:20 PM): well... I worked full time for the past five years, but i could log on at work... and then there are weekends... and staying up all night sitaram (01:28:22 PM): sometimes pwrmyth (01:28:32 PM): My queue is 66 books long pwrmyth (01:30:07 PM): all my friends are techies pwrmyth (01:30:10 PM): I'm odd man out sitaram (01:30:58 PM): i would suggest that you get a free website somewhere, and practice learning/using html codes sitaram (01:31:02 PM): there are hundreds of tutorials sitaram (01:31:10 PM): on html pwrmyth (01:31:27 PM): Seriously -- that's a heavy time investment. sitaram (01:31:29 PM): one really only needs to know about a dozen codes to create pages sitaram (01:31:33 PM): well, yes, it is sitaram (01:31:35 PM): in time pwrmyth (01:31:39 PM): Too many books to read sitaram (01:32:03 PM): i mean a really nice SJ grad, and is a ghostwriter for architecture books/articles sitaram (01:32:11 PM): but, he seems too busy to correspond sitaram (01:32:26 PM): either that, or he didnt care for me and my interests... pwrmyth (01:32:32 PM): Ghostwriter, eh? I met a guy like that too -- he a GI? sitaram (01:32:34 PM): we met at a baudelaire seminar sitaram (01:32:44 PM): hmmm... i dont knot about GI... sitaram (01:32:57 PM): i still have his card somewhere pwrmyth (01:33:15 PM): I love Baudelaire. sitaram (01:33:32 PM): you can read all my notes about the baudelaire seminar at my message board sitaram (01:33:39 PM): let me find the link pwrmyth (01:33:43 PM): A professor at UCLA really lit him up for me. All about the 19th Century and modernism in Paris. One of the best I've ever had sitaram (01:34:42 PM): http://literarydiscussions.myfreeforum.org/ftopic105.php pwrmyth (01:34:55 PM): I'll check it out. sitaram (01:35:05 PM): the beauty of message boards is that you can post something of essay proportions, then give others the link in conversation pwrmyth (01:35:21 PM): Which you just displayed. sitaram (01:35:25 PM): in depth conversation is difficult in yahoo in chat rooms sitaram (01:35:39 PM): i spend a lot of time in yahoo books and literature chat room sitaram (01:35:59 PM): every once in a while, perhaps once per month.. you meet someone worthwhile sitaram (01:36:18 PM): and, my name in that room is literarydiscussions, so people who are serious are attracted to contact me sitaram (01:37:18 PM): i have only been on myspace for one month, but i put many hours into invites through the search engines... so i have 400 friend contacts pwrmyth (01:37:36 PM): yikes! pwrmyth (01:37:56 PM): That's social networking on steroids sitaram (01:38:05 PM): what is particularly touching for me, over the past 8 years, is the few people who have approached me having very little formal education, but a hunger to learn the things i write about sitaram (01:38:30 PM): that is why i grit my teeth and send invites to people who seem like monster truck competition fans sitaram (01:38:38 PM): i.e. unlikely to care for baudelaire pwrmyth (01:39:00 PM): LOL sitaram (01:39:04 PM): but.... one in a hundred will drop that facade, and take an interest in something more cultural or spiritual pwrmyth (01:39:04 PM): Why not teach? pwrmyth (01:39:13 PM): You seem perfect for JC sitaram (01:39:29 PM): i have had a learning disability all my life which makes it impossible for me to perform on standard exams.. sitaram (01:39:42 PM): that is why st. johns was idea... no exams, the years i went anyway sitaram (01:39:49 PM): only oral participation and writing papers pwrmyth (01:40:09 PM): It's still good ol' St. Johns -- the last bastion of real learning, although... sitaram (01:40:11 PM): so, i could never gain the academic credentials to teach anywhere pwrmyth (01:40:23 PM): A Master's is all you need sitaram (01:40:33 PM): but, if i were in academia, i would also be under their thumb, to be politically correct pwrmyth (01:40:41 PM): not at a JC pwrmyth (01:40:46 PM): that's the beauty pwrmyth (01:41:09 PM): a crossroads for faculty who just want to teach and students who need a leg up sitaram (01:41:25 PM): you know... to be honest with you, the faculty at SJA never really liked me or my ideas, they tolerated me... i would say... pwrmyth (01:41:46 PM): (laughs) -- well, I fit that too sitaram (01:41:48 PM): and in seminars,... i found the same to be true among the student body pwrmyth (01:42:04 PM): I'm Jungian and a screenwriter -- that didn't go over well sitaram (01:42:11 PM): yes, jungian would not sitaram (01:42:20 PM): i too am jungian pwrmyth (01:42:33 PM): I did an oral on the archetypal journey Odysseus takes in the Odyssey pwrmyth (01:42:46 PM): I was intrigued on the stages between warrior and husband sitaram (01:42:48 PM): they barely tolerated hegel pwrmyth (01:42:52 PM): My tutors hated it pwrmyth (01:43:02 PM): and then... I found a book on the subject by Jung at Borders pwrmyth (01:43:07 PM): I was flabbergasted sitaram (01:43:16 PM): you know.... i stumbled across an Eva Brann paper attacking Postmodernism pwrmyth (01:43:22 PM): hey -- I ADORE Hegel sitaram (01:43:30 PM): i merely had to see the title, and i instantly knew what it would be like pwrmyth (01:43:43 PM): I skipped class when we read the Philosophy of History -- it literally changed my life sitaram (01:43:54 PM): i knew because one of their buttons in the 1960s was HISTORICITY,.... which they despised sitaram (01:44:07 PM): well, you have to read my hegel paper from senior year, on line pwrmyth (01:44:17 PM): I took that for a whole summer in Graduate (GI) program pwrmyth (01:44:27 PM): they hate the history segment but allow it anyway sitaram (01:44:27 PM): which was entitled History of Philosophy and Philosophy of History pwrmyth (01:44:30 PM): I jumped on it pwrmyth (01:45:30 PM): well, we share the Hegel bug pwrmyth (01:45:49 PM): I adore Nietzsche as well and dabble in Heiddeger pwrmyth (01:46:05 PM): Phenomonology rocked my world for a spell sitaram (01:46:09 PM): yes, i love nietzsche, kierkeegard pwrmyth (01:46:10 PM): It comes up a lot in my life pwrmyth (01:46:22 PM): Soren is a sore spot for me sitaram (01:46:27 PM): so.. you will like my three school papers on line pwrmyth (01:46:32 PM): Either/Or but that's about it sitaram (01:46:34 PM): which are at my profile sitaram (01:46:38 PM): in myspace pwrmyth (01:46:50 PM): How about Mahler? pwrmyth (01:47:05 PM): I am a Mahlerian to the core sitaram (01:47:10 PM): the guy across the hall from me at SJ was a Mahler freak... pwrmyth (01:47:12 PM): with a Bruckner twist sitaram (01:47:15 PM): i never got around to listening sitaram (01:47:20 PM): i should pwrmyth (01:47:25 PM): he's a universe sitaram (01:47:28 PM): i sometimes remember him and think of Mahler pwrmyth (01:47:41 PM): He should be so lucky pwrmyth (01:48:05 PM): You can't love Baudelaire and avoid Mahler -- that's not right sitaram (01:48:20 PM): well... i will shop for some CDs pwrmyth (01:48:29 PM): You probably heard the wrong conductors pwrmyth (01:48:36 PM): wrong conductors can ruin Mahler pwrmyth (01:48:42 PM): Ask me first sitaram (01:48:46 PM): oh... i have been renting dvds of movies by fellini, kurosawa, bergman pwrmyth (01:48:53 PM): Every symphony has its own idiom sitaram (01:48:53 PM): ok... so, give me your suggestions sitaram (01:49:01 PM): i mean, when you are ready pwrmyth (01:49:04 PM): Excellent. sitaram (01:49:05 PM): email me pwrmyth (01:49:25 PM): Every symphony, literally, is different sitaram (01:49:28 PM): or... ha ha, i can cut and paste and edit this chat, and post a blog, with your permission of course.. sitaram (01:49:33 PM): i do that sometimes pwrmyth (01:49:44 PM): Fine by me... sitaram (01:49:59 PM): i have a lot of dialogues at my message board in a section/forum entitled DIALOGUES pwrmyth (01:50:07 PM): I like my Mahler fiery and emotional, so if that offends, we'll be at ends pwrmyth (01:50:24 PM): the LAST thing Mahler needs is a literal, cerebral reading sitaram (01:50:31 PM): well,... firey and emotional is fine with me pwrmyth (01:50:31 PM): which is how most moderns play him pwrmyth (01:50:49 PM): that's why Bernstein opened him up for modern ears sitaram (01:51:08 PM): in sophomore music, they were always talking about the Neapolitan 6th cord...and i could never hear anything special pwrmyth (01:51:11 PM): he can be overheated, but he remains a crucial link sitaram (01:51:21 PM): a major 7th cord built upon the flated 2nd pwrmyth (01:51:33 PM): Mahler pushes the limits on tonality without breaking it pwrmyth (01:51:42 PM): Schoenberg always called him the first modernist sitaram (01:51:42 PM): and the lowest note in Bach's St. Matthew's passion occurs on Todd (death) pwrmyth (01:52:17 PM): Ich kann Deutsch -- ist doch kein Problem, hab ich es auch studiert an der Uni und auch in Deutschland sitaram (01:52:18 PM): and the terrific hiatus (Faulkners phrase) in the Donner und Blitzen Area pwrmyth (01:52:49 PM): How 'bout Bruckner? sitaram (01:52:51 PM): i saw a parody recently, of Bush, saying "Ich bin ein chulapa" sitaram (01:53:00 PM): or whatever that mexican dish is pwrmyth (01:53:05 PM): Ever heard any of Bruckner's work? sitaram (01:53:10 PM): no, sorry... pwrmyth (01:53:14 PM): Argh sitaram (01:53:34 PM): well, providence has sent you to rescue me from my pit of musical ignorance pwrmyth (01:53:45 PM): There's a marvelous, ridiculously cheap box set on Naxos that is criminally cheap sitaram (01:53:56 PM): hmm.... well, i must get that pwrmyth (01:53:59 PM): the whole Bruckner catalog pwrmyth (01:54:07 PM): conductor: Tintner sitaram (01:54:09 PM): how much is "cheap" pwrmyth (01:54:14 PM): like 35 bucks pwrmyth (01:54:18 PM): for all nine symphonies sitaram (01:54:23 PM): oh yes, that is good for me pwrmyth (01:54:24 PM): I got mine from Overstock.com pwrmyth (01:54:30 PM): read the reviews at amazon sitaram (01:54:36 PM): so... you can be my virgil, and guide me pwrmyth (01:54:56 PM): this guy was something... the conductor... he lept from a window in his 80s rather than die a feeble death pwrmyth (01:55:05 PM): that caught me right there pwrmyth (01:55:14 PM): this guy MUST be special, I thought pwrmyth (01:55:27 PM): he brings a spirituality to Bruckner's work that is appropriate pwrmyth (01:55:45 PM): I have 200 Bruckner CDs... pwrmyth (01:55:58 PM): and Tinter is my preferred version for 6 of 9 symphonies pwrmyth (01:56:06 PM): that's unheard of pwrmyth (01:56:13 PM): never heard of him, sorry sitaram (01:56:20 PM): hmmm... interesting... sitaram (01:56:30 PM): but you were at annapolis for the standard 4 years pwrmyth (01:56:35 PM): nope sitaram (01:56:36 PM): or at grad institute pwrmyth (01:56:39 PM): GI -- four summers sitaram (01:56:44 PM): ohhh... sitaram (01:57:09 PM): i see.. that ghostwriter went through the 4 years program pwrmyth (01:57:13 PM): Literature-History-Philosophy/Religion-Politics sitaram (01:57:32 PM): somehow, i thought of GI as the GI bill, a veteran sitaram (01:57:45 PM): some of my fellow students were GI Vets pwrmyth (01:58:07 PM): I'm happy with my course of things because I studied at the University of Oregon, Tubingen/Freiburg in Germany and UCLA before St. John's -- I was (ahem) well rounded sitaram (01:58:17 PM): nice pwrmyth (01:58:47 PM): My awakening came in Europe. Without that, I would have ended up a cog in the machine sitaram (01:59:02 PM): cog is bad, machines are bad pwrmyth (01:59:10 PM): It set the stage for a personal renaissance at UCLA and then St. John's pwrmyth (01:59:25 PM): the four summers were unique in that each return trip caused a new awakening pwrmyth (02:00:20 PM): I miss it severely, though not always classes. Just the environment. I read Ayn Rand at night in my dorm room and felt like I was a Soviet freedom fighter. sitaram (02:00:51 PM): i was posting regarding Ayn Rand a few months ago sitaram (02:01:04 PM): regarding her unusual popularity in India and Africa pwrmyth (02:01:20 PM): You probably didn't notice, but on my site I list the books that influenced me pwrmyth (02:01:24 PM): Walden, Entropy by Jeremy Rifkin, What's the Matter with Kansas, American Theocracy, Your Money or Your Life, The Philosophy of History (Hegel), Understanding Media (McLuhan), Amusing Ourselves to Death, Brothers Karamazov, Still Life with Woodpecker... it goes on and on. sitaram (02:01:32 PM): in India, they have yearly Ayn Rand essay contests with cash awards sitaram (02:01:42 PM): i did look at your profile... pwrmyth (02:01:52 PM): well, the Ayn Rand institute is rather obnoxious, IMHO sitaram (02:01:53 PM): though i should look some more pwrmyth (02:02:16 PM): but Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged knocked me out sitaram (02:02:23 PM): oh, Greenspan was a member of the Ayn Rand inner circle in his college years pwrmyth (02:02:29 PM): I'm rereading her Romantic Manifesto right now pwrmyth (02:02:39 PM): Oh, I know pwrmyth (02:02:47 PM): it's like Scientology for really smart people pwrmyth (02:02:48 PM): LOL sitaram (02:02:51 PM): you might want to check out http://www.thebookforum.com/forums pwrmyth (02:02:57 PM): I shall sitaram (02:02:59 PM): ha ha, good remark sitaram (02:03:10 PM): i was really active there for a year,... not so active any more sitaram (02:03:19 PM): but, there are some good things there sitaram (02:03:31 PM): also check out http://www.online-literature.com/forums pwrmyth (02:03:45 PM): that looks really great! pwrmyth (02:03:46 PM): thanks! sitaram (02:03:52 PM): i was active there for one years, but fell into disfavor with the admin pwrmyth (02:04:00 PM): hmm... imagine that pwrmyth (02:04:06 PM): you are an iconoclast sitaram (02:04:10 PM): and one of the mods, a woman who teaches in england, but was raised in turkey pwrmyth (02:04:11 PM): we have a LOT in common |