Bon mots from a few good women (dames, even, which is a whole other topic):
- When women go wrong, men go right after them. - Mae West
- I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot. - Marilyn Monroe
- If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman. - Margaret Thatcher
Source: Brainy Quotes
After invading southern Greece and receiving the submission of other key city-states, Philip turned his attention to Sparta and asked menacingly whether he should come as friend or foe. The reply was "Neither." Losing patience, he sent the message:
If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out.
The Spartan ephors again replied with a single word:
If.
Philip proceeded to invade Laconia, devastate much of it, and eject the Spartans from various parts.
Source: Plutarch, via Wikipedia
Me again. Saying "If" in response to some "if/then" statement that you want to be dismissive of is cool, but there are two points:
- It's a better story when the last sentence is left off. That "if" actually happened.
- Today I learned that laconic derives from Laconia, the city-state that Philip invaded.
Posted: Jun 06
Isabel
Am I right that there was no person Anna Livia…aside from the character in James Joyce’s “Finnegan’s Wake?”
Tom
Tom – Yes, that’s my understanding.
Not a restful thing to look at. Sorry.
Barbara – Oh, no – she makes my core muscles hurt, just looking at her.
I will cast my vote with Barbara’s. Have I ever seen a more uncomfortable pose in a statue? Gargoyles aside. Stopping to analyze while I will feel uncomfortable going to bed tonight raises many questions about the purpose and effect of public art. Glad you raised — no, lowered, no raised — the question!
Laurna – Good point. Art is only (or even?) about being pretty or uplifting. It’s OK to provoke uncomfortable emotions and thoughts, also. That doesn’t mean we have to like it! I myself don’t like the setting for this piece because it’s in a scummy little park, despoiled by gull droppings and garbage, but I do get a kick out of the nicknaming.
I think the statue is supposed to represent a young woman sitting on the slope of a river…so calls in us to imagine a wall of water behind her and supporting her. In that sense it may be more comfortable than it looks.
At the very least, it’s unique.
Tom
Tom – OK, I could buy that for a nickel. Imagine a support, everyone.
Just worth a nickel? Even allowing for inflation…
Tom
Tom – Consider it an idiom. From my children’s youth, where everything on Sesame Street was a nickel.
Just kiddin’ with ya, Isabel.
Tom
Whew! 🙂