Happy Birthday to Me
So here I am again, another year ticked by in my life; number 37 but that's not so bad. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to share the day with the horror of Hiroshima but we cannot change the day we are born so I guess I just have to live with it. On the bright side it's also Jamaica's Independence Day so there is a positive in all this.
As for me, I will be content to take my blushing bride and my children to the Dells and spend the day playing at Noah's Ark. For anyone wondering where I've been all week, I decided to take a few days for myself. I did something that I rarely ever do. I relaxed and enjoyed my life. It is far too easy to get wrapped up in the little projects of our lives while never once stopping to breathe and take in all the wonderous things that surround our little worlds. So this was my week to stop and realize just how wonderful a life I have. I have three loving, intelligent children, a wife who still manages to put up with my idiosyncratic ways without sewing me up in the sheets and beating me to death, and many friends who delight and inspire me. It is good to put year 37 to rest. It deserves its place in my memories.
So to all, I say good day and I will be back with a fire in my heart Sunday. I have yet to hear from Mannning concerning his part in my debate involving the writing of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. To this, I can only say that I am disappointed in having no one to disagree with me anymore. I guess the job is still open to anyone who wishes to fill the role.
posted by JasonJ @ 8/05/2005 10:05:00 PM
15 Comments:
Happy B'Day, Jason! Oh, you young whippersnappers! ;-) RE: " I have yet to hear from Mannning concerning his part in my debate involving the writing of Jean-Jacques Rousseau." --- Monsieur Mannnure had issued a retort of sorts on WB a few days after your "swan song" post there. He boldly implied total ignorance of his prior agreement with you by "indignantly" spouting something along the lines of "Debate? What debate??! I have NEVER turned down an offer to debate!" (In other words, same old deceitful horseshit.) As regards "discussion" with mannning, it's cIearly true that "The only good thing about banging your head against a wall is when you stop." The man was a genuine dwarf in terms of any intellectual honesty.
Jason.. happy birthday! Having passed the tender young age of 37 last year, I can appreciate your thoughts - 37 was a great time, and 38 has been even better. Sorry Manning hasn't been up to the challenge - I myself have been wondering what happened to the warblogging site as it seems to be gonzo via my two pc's.. thought for the longest time that it simply vanished.. is it still up and running?
More importantly.. good for you in knowing whats really important.. children, a loving wife.. health and happiness. May you always ALWAYS have that in your life.
Happy Birthday!
MC :)
sorry to be so late, but happy birthday wholeheartedly
JasonJ:
Sometimes I wish I didn't have to share the day with the horror of Hiroshima but we cannot change the day we are born so I guess I just have to live with it.
better as to have to live with guilt, i guess, as the people have to who managed that modern realization of the Roman word: "homo homini lupus". Remember Oppenheimer? "I am death, the destroyer of worlds" (btw: is a quote of the Veda: Krishna in »Bhagavad Gita« to Arjuna)
It is far too easy to get wrapped up in the little projects of our lives while never once stopping to breathe and take in all the wonderous things that surround our little worlds.
i know what you're talking about -
there are too many people with wrong priorities. I've heard, that in America they teach the people to stop this stupidity by making them write their own funeral eulogy to ask them what they want to think about their life...
in the end
is it so hard to see, that Earth is wonderful, beautiful and great? Look at all the life she created (as programmer i'm so amazed that all those many different self-ruled "objects" work together in so many different cycles - especially regarding the problems we have with simple components!)
and look at the stars, the bright light of full moon or the shadow of Earth on the half moon. All intertwened, the big and the small. So many connections, building the universe like a spiderweb full of shining, diamond-like water drops in the morning sun
I have yet to hear from Mannning
he is so loooonely on WB! Writing an writing and nearly nobody answers...
but, i have to admit, i am a de-escalating soul and as i've read his post "Slow Death of Warblogging?" i had to answer him
i never did that before, but his words were really "civilized" (sure he didn't understand anything but except of JMF - his deeply loved-hated discussion partner, i guess - he really mentioned people with some decency. Don't believe me? Try yourself!)
jason,
Happy belated birthday.
Enjoy each year. You have to believe me when I say it gets better and better.
Somehow I thought your birthday was the 5th. Now I realize it was the sixth, the same day as my youngest son. It's a good day!
Happy Birthday Jason. Sorry for not being in touch with you lately. I spent quiet some time reading newspapers and watching documentaries (the Battle of Algiers is excellent).
Otherwise I don't go to WB anymore, it got on my nerves.
Ps: I've got the E-book "Democracy in America" from Alexis de Tocqueville if you are interested, i can send it to you. Here is an interesting extract in 1831:
In aristocracies rulers sometimes endeavor to corrupt the people
- In democracies rulers frequently show themselves to be corrupt
- In the former their vices are directly prejudicial to the
morality of the people - In the latter their indirect influence
is still more pernicious.
A distinction must be made, when the aristocratic and the
democratic principles mutually inveigh against each other, as
tending to facilitate corruption. In aristocratic governments
the individuals who are placed at the head of affairs are rich
men, who are solely desirous of power. In democracies statesmen
are poor, and they have their fortunes to make. The consequence
is that in aristocratic States the rulers are rarely accessible
to corruption, and have very little craving for money; whilst the
reverse is the case in democratic nations.
just saying hello :)))
Thanks to everyone for the warm birthday greetings. For the record, we had a wonderful day of playing in the sun and for anyone who happens to pass through Wisconsin I would recommend a day in the Dells.
As for 37.....eh, no big deal. I think age is just a state of mind anyhow. So back to our show anyhow. I am posting the last two chapters of Book I of the Social Contract. I would love to hear some input at this point. I have just finished reading Rousseau: Spirit of Revolt by William Blanchard and I would like to take some time between Book I and Book II to discuss some of the ideas Dr. Blanchard brings up about who Rousseau was and what kind of state of mind drove him to write such a treatise. I hope this will shed some light on Rousseau, the man so that we can dissect his work a little better.
Should my chief interlocutor ever decide to join this discussion, that would be grand. There are some things he previously stated that I would like to explain. There are other things that at this segway I feel fully justified in refuting beyond any shadow of a doubt. This being his entire claim that Rousseau was a Socialist. Therefore, anyone still willing to go on Warblogging and tell him I'm waiting; I would be indebted to.
BTW....UT. I have read Democracy in America by Tocqueville. I gave my copy to my brother though, so I will follow your url for it. It was one of my favorite political essays I have ever read. If we ever manage to get through Rousseau, I should love some time to discuss Tocqueville as well.
JasonJ:
Therefore, anyone still willing to go on Warblogging and tell him I'm waiting; I would be indebted to.
the posters i like i told that WB was left by many - and i told them your site. So i just want to ask: how about that "Heim-Ins-Reich"-Austr(al)ian Captain Carnage? Should i "invite" him, too?
(last post was mine)
Happy Belated Birthday Jason.
Again, Captain Carnage was posting here. I don't know what happened to him. Maybe I just didn't say anything he thought he could refute or maybe he didn't disagree with my posts. Either way, he is as welcome as anyone is.
All I can say to any who wish to post is that if you want an argument out of me, have something intelligent to say or shut the hell up. For anyone who hasn't read that far back, I have previously stated that I will not censor anyone for posting anything dissenting or even disrespectful, but if they come on my blog and spout bullshit just to 'hear their own voices' they are wasting my time as well as theirs.
Also, Thank you Barnita for your Bday greetings and good to see you here. Jmf, Henne, MC, and Brenda as well this goes for all of you. I look forward to hearing more from all of you in the future.
More soon
J
So this is your site. Now I see why you wanted to continue the discussion here. References already posted. Good!
A belated happy birthday!
I intend to be back here for our "debate" soon. Perhaps tonight.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAAAASON. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. Sorry its late. Getting older-better than the alternative Pops.
your friend Human
PS will post on your latest. just so you don't miss it.
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