Cynosure, Cool Art Links, and Thoughts on Stories I've Been Reading

Cynosure. I had no clue what this word meant. Maybe you do, but if you don't, here's the definition:

1. Something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc.: the cynosure of all eyes.
2. Something serving for guidance or direction.

I think it's a cool word, I've come across it before, but only now have I finally looked it up. Maybe now that I blog about this word I will really remember it.

Art Stuff

Mariana has a couple of great art posts over at her blog. One post is about Rossetti, a Preraphaelite painter, she makes some fun observations... Another post is a collection of images, all beautiful still lifes.

Stories I've Been Reading

So I've been reading a lot more lately. I can't remember if I've already mentioned this. It's nice, but I'm so greedy, I just wish I could be running around doing stuff. I should be thankful I feel well enough to concentrate on reading, several months ago I would've given anything to be able to read consistently.

Now, I've always loved reading, but there's something a little too passive about it, I'd rather be experiencing life myself than having someone observe it for me. Well, not all writing can be reduced to that... but I'm sure you know what I mean. Especially given the context that I've experienced almost nothing beyond the confines of my room this past year, it's easier to understand why literature doesn't suffice. That said, it still does me good, it allows my mind to go to far away places and experience lots of random adventures (who'm I kidding, I don't need books for that, I have a bunch of peyote in my kitchen cupboard, always does the trick! not to mention all the hallucinations I experience that aren't even drug induced! What can I say, I'm blessed).

So, I've been reading lots of short stories. Been reading a lot of Edgar Allan Poe, and also lots of the French writer, Maupassant. I've really dug a lot of Poe's stories, some of my favorites include The Black Cat, Ligeia, Death Blow, A Mouse Killed My Ourang- Outang, The Pit and the Pendulum, Crack Smoking for Novices, and a range of other fascinating stories. Really cool stuff.

Maupassant is just as morbid as Poe, and really quite insane too. Let's see, the last story of Maupassant's that I read was pretty crazy. It was in the form of a diary. The diary is written by a prosecutor, he is a guy who spends his days sending murderers and rapists to prison or the gallows. But this prosecutor gets infatuated with the idea of what it must be like to kill someone, so he ends up killing a bunch of people to see what it's like. Uh, helloooooo, can you say psycho!? Unfortunately, the prosecutor's diary (in which he has meticulously detailed his crimes) is found only once he is dead, so he escapes earthly punishment for his psychotic deeds. Moral of the story: there's a lot of crazy bastards out there.

Hmmm, I wonder if my recent bouts of night terrors has anything to do with the fact that I'm reading stories like this right before going to bed... I need to start reading happy stuff.

Rhadamanthine

Rhadamanthine, what the hell does that mean right? Well, maybe you already knew it, but I just learned it. I challenge you to use it in a conversation today, ummm, and with a straight face ok? I'll try it on someone today and report my findings.

My new hobby: Omphaloskepsis

In other words, contemplation of one's navel. Can be used to achieve a trance-like state.

Also known as the ultimate sign of boredom.

Zugzwang, Panglossian, Weltschmerz: Three Awesome Words I've Come Across Lately

I love the Economist. Now I know that probably isn't the coolest thing to say, but I love reading it right before going to bed. You know what's great about it? The fact that I run across crazy words like zugzwang and panglossian in their articles. I feel like I'm finding more and more reasons to like the British. I like their magazines, their pretentious music tastes(but they do have great music over there), their sense of humor and comedians, their literature, and I wish I could say their food, but that is probably reserved for the true anglophiles.

I don't know where I ran across the word weltschmerz, and I'm not sure if I would be impressed or seriously annoyed if someone used that in a conversation with me. Probably depends on the person. All I know is the next person that uses that in a conversation with me, I'm going to give them $10 on the spot just for surprising me.