in my very preliminary thesis research, i ran across this quote from a ballet review that Eliot wrote for one of the early issues of Criterion, the literary magazine he edited. quote is thus:
The difference between acrobatics and dancing may be observed in any music hall: it is a difference of total effect, of the faculty to which the performer appeals. The acrobat, however bad or good, appeals to the mind rather than to the senses. We admire his skill, we say, that is difficult, and we could not do that - or we are pleased by mere surprise or novelty ... There are acrobats ... whose juggling appeals to our sense of beauty of form; but this is an added gift. the primary appeal of acrobatics is to the mind. In dancing, the physical skill is ancillary to another effect; but the appreciation of skill is for the trained critic alone, not for the general audience.
Which is to say, that dancing appeals to the senses in its beauty. We can appreciate its beauty without understanding all the physical form and training required to create such beauty. I am delighted in this, both because I love dance, and because i love poetry, and poetry is the ability to make words dance, to incorporate music into language itself. And this pleases me.
i am gearing up for another re-write, thanks to a very gracious professor. i have a never ending war with academia. according to my way of thinking, if we're all academics here, then i shouldn't have to spell out every step of my argument - you should be able to complete the enthymeme all by your own self. and yet, i strongly admire the precision, dedication, and thoroughness of the true academic, which i just do not have. i have come to the conclusion, therefore, that i need not to get my PhD, and write stories instead. i most definitely still need to hone my skills for such an art, but my poor brain can make all the connections it wants and present them in a (hopefully) tidy little metaphor, without having to bother with all the syllogism of it.
the philosopher-b
rained may say that metaphors with all their syllogistic ducks in a row are more adequate. perhaps they are, for philosophers. and not to knock the necessity of skill, precision, and technique, which are all required in art. i realize that. but i can handle that, if i am allowed a little bit of imagination.
also, this is my Christmas gift from My Most Wonderful. i am ecstatic about it! which makes me think i must be getting old, if i am waxing ecstatic over mixers. and it is RED!!!!
stories, babies, ponies, chickens, and all the Aristotle and Aquinas to my most wonderful of darlings, and i will play guitar and write stories, and speak French to our children...and bake bread.
after being so very far away for so long, it dawned on me this sunday that the wedding is in 4 1/2 months, which is not so very far away at all! which is good, because it was starting to feel like it would never get any closer. so we have ordered paper for our invitations, which we plan to do ourselves. we are probably being extremely over-ambitious, but i am very excited about them. i would describe them, but that would give it all away, which is no good. a lot of the details are still very up in the air, like, oh, ceremony music, wedding music, and celebrant, just to name a few. but, that's what the next few months are for doing, i suppose. me mum has started the making of my dress, which is so exciting. i am of the opinion that a wedding dress should really mean something. in the meantime, i'm dealing with the after-effects of a root canal, which is one of the worst things ever, and gearing up for the new semester - at least, i'm trying to!
for those of you who have not heard, we are planning to stay here for the next year, while ryan works on his dissertation. he owns the condo next door to where i am living now. it's pretty tiny, but plenty big enough for us, with wood floors, a fireplace, and a balcony. after that, it is any body's guess, although i am really hoping and praying for wyoming catholic college. that way i would get to play with ponies, our babies would have all kinds of room to run around, and we would get a view something like this, which is from their web site. but, who knows? all right, folks, that's all for now - next episode will hopefully be coming up shortly ... please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for 31 May.
