January 27,2023 I was listening again to Leos Janacek’s Intimate Letters (second string quartet) and reminded myself that I visited his home in Brno ( https://www.leosjanacek.eu/en/memorial-house/ ). There in the sitting room he met from time to time with Kamila Stasslova a married woman 40 years his junior whose husband waited in another room while he talked with her about his love for her. He wrote over 700 letters to her and composed this astounding piece of music. https://www.npr.org/2009/09/14/94294582/janaceks-love-letters-with-strings-attached https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._2_(Jan%C3%A1%C4%8Dek) https://www.ariannaquartet.com/janacek-quartets-program-notes His yearning, intimate feelings, and need for connection to her was so eloquently and unabashedly expressed in this music so through music he could be with her as through a love letter they were entwined. Hector Berlioz wrote Symphony Fantastique in part to a British Shakespearean actress who he first sa
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January 5, 2023 I'm thankful; to have friends who open up new avenues for me to explore, learn, debate, and enjoy. The other dayI read an emails between a small group of mostly attorneys (I'm a retired psychiatrist) about interpreting the Constitution of the U.S.A. Issues of privacy, various interpretation of rights concerning pregnancy, abortion, interracial marriage, sexual activity in one's home, and freedom versus the common good (whatever that means) are discussed related mostly to the Supreme Court of the U.S.A. Alito's posting of originalism and Scalia's influence in the court on what the original language of the constitution really intended (the limits to law interpretation depends on historical analysis i.e. whose ?) is brought up to liven the email exchanges. Since we now have justices who are originalists examples of the hubris of history was shared with for example Jefferson commenting about birth control used during his time with his slaves and other
Happy New Year! I've become aware again on how my thoughts, perceptions, beliefs, and abilities to be objective and fact based can be an illusion may be bolstering my confidence and self esteem. On the other hand, by becoming aware again of my limitation, errors in thinking, and even prejudices does help me in becoming more grounded. My awareness is bolstered by exposing myself to criticism, challenges to my statements in conversations, and reading both scientific, journalistic opinions, poetry, and fiction. I'll try in this blog to center on this theme though now the writing changes. My wife was prescribed imiquamod for precancerous skin condition on her face. She was told by her dermatologist to apply the ointment twice per day for two weeks then wait two weeks and reapply for another two weeks. After six days she developed red painful sores on her face and on her lip and mouth. She stopped the ointment and then tried to call the doctor. Her pain symptoms were intense and u