Soft Despotism and Rambling

I am in deep appreciation mode for Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" ( well the abridged 2 volume edition). At the moment I am writing my final short paper for my civ 291 class before the big research paper. I chose to write about Tocqueville's new fears of that democratic nations such as the U.S. allow for this new type of despotism which rots the brain of the people as the people continue to praise it for beneficial. The few sections we've read for class are unbelievable, I can totally admit the slight intellectual crush I have on this 19th century Frenchman.

"After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd." (Vol II, Pt IV,Ch VI)

I am so lucky to be exposed to such captivating texts at the LAC (ok..Kant and Hegel are not captivating...sue me!).

So I haven't been doing much exploring lately as I seem to be sick again; which I am definitely attributing to babysitting a sick 3 year old. But I have been baking a lot more, recently I made a lemon sponge cake with a vanilla butter cream frosting. I have also suprisingly started eating chicken again. I never stopped but I did grimace whenever I was given chicken since I really don't enjoy it. But with my gas stove and fresh supply of chicken breasts and Kosher Cornish Rock Hens (supplied by my mummy) I have rediscovered my love of chickens. Yay? sure.

my meanderings and musings have been non-existent lately, perhaps it's the cold dead of winter slowing me down. But spring is almost here and the sun has decided to start peaking through with more regularity. I am hopeful.

so very hopeful...

Hell has frozen over. Welcome to Montreal

Hello Winter, could you please leave now?

It was -20 today with a windchill factor that made it feel like -30...not pleasant. Winter is here with a fury and it reminds me of what Dante's most inner circle of Hell would look like with the Devil frozen in ice munching on Brutus and Co...

Drama Queen? who me? yes me...Today was just one of those days where I wished this apartment had a working fireplace...yes I have a fireplace but no it does not work. Not only was it bitterly cold today but I sliced the fleshy part of my heel open.OW...I don't know if you know how much a heel bleeds...A LOT. Wow. I called my mom in a panic and she came armed with a first aid kit. I

sigh...I am whiny. I am going to bed. Perhaps tomorrow when I wake up winter will be gone....

whaaaaaaat a girl can dream.

Hello 2010

Hello 2010,

I have been negligent when it comes to my blog, I apologize. It has been the most hectic last couple of months. November was midterm and papers, December was final exams and papers, the holidays and well January has only just begun. There is lots of news in the Lincoln residence, Mr. Lincoln has moved back to the States to re-find himself and now I have a new roommate. She is a lovely person from the West Coast, I look forward to getting to know this interesting girl better!

I have quite a few resolutions for 2010, and since it is a new decade I really do hope that I will follow through on at least a few of these.

1. Get a membership to the University Gym. Two-fold reason: vanity and health. Vanity does not need an explanation. Health, well as much as I love my father, I have unfortunately inherited his body type which if I am not careful will lead to diabetes. So gym it is.

2. Be more open about my feelings, I have been on more than one occasion told that I am cryptic or closed. I've developed quite a tough carapace in the last few years, it is about time I crack it open a little. I will hopefully use this (for example: to tell this gentleman that I have a slight soft spot for him).

3. Be more financially aware. Start saving and planning. I can't live pay-check to pay-check forever!

4. Plaster and paint all the rooms in this apartment. Since I don't plan on moving out any time soon.

5. Start taking photos again with my old Pentax. I've been taking some self-portraits, trying more and more to compose the shot. It's hard!

6. I think this is a top priority for me. School. I need to be more focused and spend more time writing and reading. I would like to make the Dean's List by next winter!

So those are my resolutions! I hope that I will be able to keep at them! You are all my witnesses to my 2010 vows.

Oh... and I've been thinking I've re-doing and re-starting my food blog....2010 is looking good!

All the best in 2010.

Fall

I am sitting at Cafe Myriade sipping on a chocolat chaud au lait hanging out with my roomie Mr. Lincoln before we had to our Music History class. It's Myriade's 1st birthday and in honor of being in business for this long they've been offering all drinks for half price, it's really busy but the atmosphere is lively and happy.

Fall is in full swing and I am wondering where exactly October has disappeared to. Living downtown has cut me off from the abundance of multi-colored leaves in my suburban hometown. But I still go home every friday to babysit the munchkins which is when I get to soak up all my outdoorsy time.

Midterms are well underway, and I still have one paper left to write on Bach's Cello Suites .

Tomorrow afternoon I will teaching Mr. Lincoln how to make his own pie dough for apple pie, it should be quite fun. And then I have the apartment to myself until sunday.

Mlle. Lincoln

Addendum

Wow did that sound weepy.

Actually I am in a pretty good mood, enjoying Fall in montreal.

Love,

Mlle Lincoln

Public Secrets

After seeing these two postcards (1 and 2 ) on PostSecret I thought: hey this person is me. I often find secrets there that strike a chord in that little place I've tried to lock up, called my heart. But this week, the one with "I still think we are destined for each other...you idiot" really had me nodding my head in agreement. I know for a fact if any of my nearest and dearest are reading this they are going "Oh hell no..."

It is sort of comforting to know that someone else is thinking the EXACT same words as me. I know that most of the time you can not go back and start with a fresh slate, it just doesn't work that way...but perhaps this person like me wonders what it would be like if you could.

I wish I could give this stranger a hug, tell them I get it....

I totally get it.

Stepping out of the Nonage*

September has flown by much more quickly then I would have liked, but it usually feels like that because of the Jewish high holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).

I can hardly believe I have been living in this apartment for almost a month! So far, I have mostly good things to say about living away from home with a roommate, although every few days I feel a little lonely for my family but I am sure that feeling will fade. I absolutely love being a five minute walk from school and no more than a 20 minute walk from work, it feels great. I have to say I am not impressed with my spending, but it's okay, rent is paid and so far all the bills as well. I have to work better at controlling the flow of money, but I am learning slowly. I am very lucky to have parents who are helping me out with some of my expenses. *phew*

I am unsucessfully working my way through Kant's Judgement of Aesthetics ...but really...it seems interesting but his language is so technical. I am about 65% optimistic that I will succeed in understanding his concepts...who knows.

Seems like I have a bad case of the ramblings. Time to get back to homework.

Reading:

Immanuel Kant- Critique of Judgment (Analytic of Aesthetic Judgment)

Listening to:

The Very Best of Macy Gray- Sweet Baby ft Erykah Badu

* Nonage: Coined by Kant as not of age, term used to describe the thinkers before the Enlightenment (very loose paraphrase)