Enoch’s Thoughts

Of late I am spending most of my mental and physical energies trying to install flooring. Progress is slow, but I have moved in the right direction.

Such fun has not deterred me from finding a few things to share – a poem from Emily Dickinson that caught my eye because of the home repair angle, a list of words invented by John Milton, and a couple of iPad links that may be of interest.

From last Thursday’s Writer’s Almanac:

1142 The Props assist the House
by Emily Dickinson
The Props assist the House
Until the House is built
And then the Props withdraw
And adequate, erect,
The House support itself
And cease to recollect
The Augur and the Carpenter –
Just such a retrospect
Hath the perfected Life –
A Past of Plank and Nail
And slowness – then the scaffolds drop
Affirming it a Soul –

And from the same source, a list of words coined by John Milton. I understand something about inventing technical solutions, but the notion of inventing words seems to be on a different plane (although a few of my early tweets might qualify). According to Garrison Keillor,

“Milton coined more than 600 words, including the adjectives dreary, flowery, jubilant, satanic, saintly, terrific, ethereal, sublime, impassive, unprincipled, dismissive, and feverish; as well as the nouns fragrance, adventurer, anarchy, and many more.” Wow.

From the iPad division, here’s a link to a holiday song I think you will enjoy, if it hasn’t already gone viral and you are tired of it:

And finally, a link to an article written earlier this year, which lists 99 iPhone and/or iPad apps “you must download.” That’s a little over-the-top for me, so I offer no recommendation on any of these, except BeBot, which will look familiar if you have already viewed the video. It is fun to play with. If you are interested in more information or instruction, there’s a good 10-minute introduction by Jordan Rudess here.

If my calculations are right, two more of these postings will complete my one-year commitment to myself. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be pondering whether to continue, and in what format and schedule. Regardless of what I decide, I have really appreciated the feedback I have received during the year. Thanks.