Next best thing to being a geek...

I have a geeky little sister! She just took Chad's geek test and got a whopping 29%! What a legend! She knows nothing about computers, but lots about maths and physics, which she does for fun... And other such things. Proud as you like sir.

From more formal days...

Hehe, I bought the cutest book today from an antiques shop. The Modern Letter Writer, written by Mr. W.H. Henry, this edition printed in 1953, gives examples of how to correctly and eloquently compose letters for about two hundred different scenarios, among which are the following gems from the section on love, courtship and marriage, which I thought you might enjoy:

LIST OF SUITABLE PHRASES.
Your letters make my long absence durable.
Every hour seems a year while we are separated.
Longing to see you again.
I love you with a deep devotion.
I love you sincerely and fervently.
May I hope for a return of my affection?
If I have caused the slightest pain, I deeply regret it.
Your image is ever present in my thoughts.
From the day I first had the pleasure of meeting you.
I trust you will never have cause to repent it.
I ask you to reconsider your decision.
I cannot feel the affection which a wife should possess for her husband.
As a friend I shall ever like and esteem you.
It is not possible for me to accept your proposal.
I must candidly admit that I both like and esteem you.
I have read and re-read your letter.
I am longing to hear from you again.
I am counting the hours until your return.

ASKING PARENTS' CONSENT FOR THE HAND OF THEIR DAUGHTER.

16 Smith Street,
Burwood,
1/9/19

Dear ---

My object in writing is to ask you to give favourable consideration on my account in regard to my asking your daughter --- to become my wife.

Your daughter and myself have enjoyed each other's society for the past three years, and I feel now the correct action on my part is to make my intentions known without more delay, and thus take my chance. I therefore seek your permission before declaring myself.

My position at present in the --- Company is encouraging, and I have been promised the management of the next branch office opened. I also have a small property in ---, and I shall be pleased to give you any further particulars you may care to ask.

May I add, it will be my constant aim to make your daughter a good husband, and to obtain for her every happiness within my power.

With kind regards, and anxiously awaiting your reply,

I am,
Dear Sir,
Yours sincerely,

ANSWER FAVOURABLE.

12 Tivoli Street,
Bankville,
4/9/19

Dear ---

I have your letter of the 1st inst. now before me. The subject you refer to is, of course, one that all parents with daughters of a marriageable age have to face. It will be hard to place our daughter in another's care, but we realise parents must not selfishly expect their daughters to remain single.

Both Mrs. --- and myself thank you for the courtesy shown in writing, and are favourable to your speaking to our daughter ---, who, we trust, will choose a marriage for love and according to the dictates of her heart.

Should you be successful we will accept you with all cordiality.

With sincere good wishes,
Yours truly,

ANSWER UNFAVOURABLE.

12 Tivoli Street,
Bankville,
4/9/19

Dear ---

I have to acknowledge your letter in regard to granting you permission to seek the hand of my daughter --- in marriage.

I will be quite frank with you, and say that I have discussed the matter with my daughter, to whom your request was a great surprise. Although your acquaintance has been a pleasurable one, under the circumstances I cannot recommend your going further in the matter.

Thanking you for the straightforward manner in which you have written.

Yours truly,

PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE.

5 Asher Street,
Bickton, 6th July, 19

My Dear ---

I hardly know how to express myself. However, I will begin by assuring you that I am writing in real earnestness in regard to my long and delightful acquaintance with your sweet self, which has developed into a passionate love. You are always in my thought, although I hear of you so seldom.

I cannot wait longer without placing my love and devotion at your feet. My greatest desire of life will be to look after you always, and provide you with as many necesseties and luxuries of life as possible, and to make you the happiest of girls.

Can you spare me just a little love, and will you consider allowing me to make a home for you to share with me as my wife?

I shall anxiously await your reply, and, believe me, were I free at the moment, I should make a personal visit instead of writing.

I shall be free next month, and will be able to pay you a visit, if you will take pity on a lone bachelor, and allow me to remain,

Yours devotedly,

ANSWER REFUSING.

"Glen Innes,' 10th July, 19

Dear Mr. ---

Your letter proved a great surprise to me. i had no idea you regarded me in such high esteem as to honour me with the devotion you express.

I have considred you as one of my best friends, and you have always had the admiration I possess for an upright and honourable man, but beyond that I cannot go. I much regret to disappoint you, but I must not only esteem, but love, the man I marry.

Yours sincerely,

ANSWER ACCEPTING.

"Glen Innes," 10th July 19

My Dear ---

I am so excited after reading your nice letter and the expressions of devotion, for which Cupid must be blamed. From all I know of you, I am sure your affection is sincere, and something seems to whisper to me that I should be happy in your care.

I cannot say more in writing, but I shall be overjoyed to see you as soon as you can manage to get away.

In the meantime do not despair, and accept love

From

'To Do' List of Doom

To do: complete 4 assignments.
Words to write: around 10,000.
Proportion of semester's assessment: 50%
Time allowed: 3 weeks.

Also to do: plan a 21st party.
Time allowed: the same 3 weeks.

Also to do: organise music for a youth service at church.
Time allowed: 2 weeks.

Also to do: socialise etc.
Time allowed: none.

Also to do: avoid insanity.
Time allowed: this might have to be put on hold.

Song of Songs

Here's something I've been meaning to post for a while, to see what you guys think. The bible commentary we have at home has an interpretation of Song of Songs that's significantly different to the one I've been used to. Wondered if any of you had come across it before, and whether you think it's plausible. I kinda like it I think, but of course that needn't bear any particular weight.

The basic premise is that instead of the love story being about Solomon and his bride, it's about a shepherd and his bride, between whom there is a true love, but this has been interrupted because King Solomon has taken a fancy to the woman and decided to add her to his harem (something he did a lot of...).

The text thus shifts between passages about her present unhappiness, far from her love and bearing the patronising and lustful attentions of the king, and her remembrances of her shepherd boy and longing to return to him. 'Its purpose is to indicate the rightness and value of true love in all its aspects between man and woman.'


The breakdown of the poem, according to this view, is as follows:
Song of Songs

1:2-3 The ladies of the harem talk about Solomon.
1:4a Exchange between the Shulamite, recently come to the harem and not too happy about it, and the ladies; then the ladies go on about Solomon again.
1:5-6 The ladies. jealous of her beauty perhaps, tease the Shulamite because she's a rural girl and tanned, and she explains.
1:7 She soliloquises about her absent lover, the shepherd.
1:8 The ladies reply, teasing her.

1:9-11 Solomon addresses the Shulamite. Clearly he is only interested in her physical beauty.
1:12-14 The Shulamite replies, but talks about the shepherd.
1:15 Sol. to Shul.
1:16-2:1 His words again inspire her to think of her own lover and their peasant cottage.
2:2 Sol. to Shul.
2:3-6 Shul. about shepherd.
2:7 Shul. to the harem.

*scene change*
2:8-17 We warp back in time a bit, back to the country home where she's waiting for the shepherd to come home. He does. Much poetry ensues.

3:1-5 Probably the woman is dreaming of her lover, since for some reason he's not with her - either because we've switched back to the palace, or just because he's late home or something.

3:6-11 Solomon arrives with much pomp and circumstance.
4:1-7 He sees the woman, and thinks she's really hot.

4:8-15 The shepherd's lovesong.
4:16 The Shulamite's reply to him.
5:1a Shepherd again
5:1b Either them addressing wedding guests or friends addressing them.

5:2-8 Another dream, perhaps back in the palace, in which she longs for his return. Alternatively, perhaps it's before she's taken away, a sort of premonition that they will be separated.
5:9 The harem mocks her.
5:10-16 She thinks the shepherd is really hot.
6:1 Harem.
6:2-3 Shul. about shepherd.

6:4-10 Sol. to Shul. He's a little afraid of her now, having heard all this about her true love. Perhaps his conscience smites him.
6:11-12 She tells of the moment when she was suddenly whisked away to the palace.
6:13 Could be the harem teasing again, or perhaps her own countrymen grieving her loss. 13b could perhaps be her modest reply. Or else the court perverts asking her to dance, if 13a is the harem.

7:1-5 Her beauty is praised at court, perhaps as she dances for them.
7:6-9 Sol. praises her beauty but fails to win her heart by this means.
7:10-8:4 She declares her heart's faithfulness to her lover back home. From v.11 she addresses him in his absence.

8:5a The villagers see the lovers returning home - ie, she's returned from the palace.
8:5b Shepherd to Shul.
8:6-7 Shul. to shepherd. 7 refers to Solomon's failure to win her over by flattery and wealth.
8:8-9 The commentary suggests this is talking about the things she was taught when she was young, about not allowing men's advances.
8:10 She has clearly heeded this advice - 'peace' could refer to either her managing to make Solomon desist, or just her happiness with her lover.
8:11-12a Solomon is compared to a wealthy vineyard owner who rents out his vineyard for 1000 shekels. By contrast the Shulamite's vineyard (ie herself) is not for lease.
8:12b Hm...any ideas? The numbers 1000 and 200 aren't actually refering to anything ('shekels' is infered in some translations). Could mean that Solomon already has 1000 vineyards, but she only has one and guards it fiercely. Not sure.
8:13 The shepherd asks her to give him the pleasure of hearing her voice.
8:14 She does so.

* * *

So what think ye? A nice idea but overstretching the bounds of credibility? Or does it nicely iron out the inconsistencies in the poem and explain the pastoral element?

Interesting

For anyone casting about for ways to do some good in the world/our community, here's something that got my attention.
Pillars

On Life and Perspective - thoughts from Hanif Kureishi

I wonder if I'm like this, or sometimes like this. My challenge/reality check for the day, from Kureishi's The Black Album, 1965:

She seemed to be the type who imagined they had a lot of problems, which they would discuss constantly with their friends and therapists; whereas, compared to most people, it was obvious that she led an agreeable life and was probably quite frivolous.