Saturday, April 4, 2009

A Lovely Swim

Marilyn Monroe never saved anything for the swim backMarilyn via adski_kafeteri

I was never more certain of how far away I was from my goal than when I was standing right beside it.


In Greek mythology, Hermione (in greek: Ἑρμιόνη) was the only daughter of Menelaus and Helen. She had three brothers. While her parents were away fighting (and being seduced, in Helen's case), Hermione was being raised by her aunt, Clytemnestra. Prior to the Trojan War, she was betrothed by Menelaus to Orestes, her cousin through Menelaus' brother, Agamemnon. However, on the battlefield during the Trojan War, her father also promised her to Neoptolemus, also known as Pyrrhus, son of Achilles. There is a historical dispute over whether or not such a discrepancy actually occurred, however. Some authors, such as Euripides, describe the dual promise, while others, such as Ovid, do not mention it at all.

Regardless, at the end of the Trojan War, Neoptolemus claimed Hermione as his and took her back to Epirus, his homeland.

Shortly after settling into the domestic life, however, conflict arose between Hermione and Andromache, the concubine he had obtained as a prize after the sack of Troy. Hermione blamed Andromache for her inability to become pregnant, claiming that the concubine was casting spells on her to keep her barren. She asked her father to kill Andromache while Neoptolemus was away at war, but when he chose not to go through with the murder, Hermione fled from Epirus with her cousin Orestes.

Hermione and Orestes were married, and she gave birth to his heir Tisamenus.

***
Later myths of the Classical Greeks relate that Athena guided
Perseus in his quest to behead Medusa. She instructed Heracles to skin the Nemean Lion by using its own claws to cut through its thick hide. She also helped Heracles to defeat the Stymphalian Birds, and to navigate the underworld so as to capture Cerberos.

For Wagga who hasn't seen Gattaca:


In another late story, it is said that Odysseus' cunning and shrewd nature quickly won Athena's favour. In the realistic epic mode, however, she largely is confined to aiding him only from afar, as by implanting thoughts in his head during his journey home from Troy. It is not until he washes up on the shore of an island where Nausicaa is washing her clothes that Athena arrives personally to provide more tangible assistance. She appears in Nausicaa's dreams to ensure that the princess rescues Odysseus and plays a role in his eventual escort to Ithaca.








24 comments:

Anonymous said...

**MURST!!**

Anonymous said...

Cue up the music!!

Akira said...

Hi Kuato!
Most of those people in the Kelly's Heroes film make me want to vomit and I just got back from the dog park with shit all over my shoes. Itsallgood - I just need to clean everything again.
When I'm at the dog park I revert to my Little League days when throwing balls for Tanuki - and nearly hit a woman in the head with one of my groovy curve balls to confuse Tanuki. Her head was not there until the ball came whizzing by within a cm of it.
I suck at bowling and pretty much any other sport that comes to mind, but I liked baseball and regress with Tanuki at the dog park while Akubi sniffs every ass coming and going.

Akira said...

The dog park is where they take off in the end of Gattaca.

Saturday/Flowy(V/certified) said...

I like the tank commander...

Marilyn looks so fresh and innocent without makeup...yesyes.

Baseball Akira?... I've heard the Japanese really like Little League... Tanuki loves it too... cool...

Now I'm going to watch Gattaca...fun.

FauxValidFlowy(V/certified) said...

Gattaca... what an intense plot... I had forgot it... I'm a faux/valid!

I always wondered why I felt so different...

If I think too much about the system I get sad... I'd rather go swimming...

Akira said...

I'm fairly certain I was Japanese in most of the more recent past lives. It would explain so much.

Yes, I think Marilyn is gorgeous without all of that lipstick and shit. As previously stated I do like tasteful eyeliner on occasion - but she doesn't need that either. It's like Scarlett Johansson going on a f-ing diet. If she's another emaciated Hollywood coke-head, she'd lose everything we love about her. Maybe she's doing it for a film - I don't know - but who wants to see Scarlett in a withered state of being?

Madonna, for example, looked so much better in her slightly plump (per media opinion) Lucky Star days.

Akira said...

I was very particular about music as a kid and decided Madonna sucks in Middle School, but then when I had to deal with the added hell of being a Freshman in high school on a long bus ride to school, there was this extraordinarily dramatic girl named Hermione who kept blasting Lucky Star in the back of the bus. It was so loud I coudn't drown it out with my Walkman playing the Smiths or something. I was rather jealous that she had a cool Greek name. I never much liked mine that I couldn't even pronounce properly and went through a phase where I wanted to be Athena.

FauxValidFlowy(V/certified) said...

Yes Akira... Nippon flow... ho ho...

Madonna used to be great... open/flowy... I really like stars who are relaxed and natural feeliing... I hope our First Lady doesn't become affected... I'd rather she be a tad klutzy and easy going... than perfect and forced... more like a dog...

Me be AthenaFlowy!

Akira said...

Hi Flowy,
Trying to lower my bandwidth, I've been rather behind on the news today - did Michelle do anything problematic?
She strikes me as the least affected FL we've ever had...I think that's why they hid her here and there during the election process. Why is the word "election" so similar to "electricity"? I never studied Latin.

BTW, I have not idea whatever happened to Hermione which isn't such a good thing when most of the kids I took the bus with died various unpleasant ways. Generally cars falling off cliffs were involved - hence my fear of driving.

Flowy/Flowy(V/C) said...

Hi Akira,,,

I heard that Michelle hugged the Queen of England.... beats a curtsy!

Hermione probably lives in a magic treehouse and makes crystal vibratational necklaces and feather pasties... nice life...

I like bicycles... car/driving is scary...

I'm s;;leepy...

Akira said...

@Flowy,
The Queen held Michelle first which sent the UK into a bit of a fit since that has never happened before.
Yeah, you’re probably right about Hermione. I imagine her doing that sort of thing in a redwood grove in Mendocino.
I like bikes too, but fear brain injury due to living on 101 and dealing with a bunch of folks too busy with their various connectivity attachments to note what's right in front of them. I trust my feet and if I could swim to work I'd trust that too.
Thanks for being so sweet in a good way!
Sweet dreams!

Anonymous said...

Anton is such a fucking asshole!

Boho Grove Camp Enthusiast said...

The pre-eminent camps are:
Hill Billies (Big Business/Banking/Politics/Universities/Media);
Mandalay (Big Business/Defense Contractors/Politics/U.S. Presidents);

Cave Man (Think Tanks/Oil Companies/Banking/Defense Contractors/Universities/Media);

Stowaway (Rockefeller Family Members/Oil Companies/Banking/Think Tanks);
Uplifters (Corporate Executives/Big Business);
Owls Nest (U.S. Presidents/Military/Defense Contractors);
Hideaway (Foundations/Military/Defense Contractors);
Isle of Aves (Military/Defense Contractors);
Lost Angels (Banking/Defense Contractors/Media);
Silverado squatters (Big Business/Defense Contractors);
Sempervirens (Californian-based Corporations);
Hillside (Military — Joint Chiefs of Staff);
Idlewild (California-based Corporations)

Akubi said...

Speaking of mythology:
I find the old school notion that men age better than women entirely absurd these days.
Maybe it's the California coastal sun, but seeing the guys I went to high school with is far more disturbing than the women.
While returning from the dog park I encountered this guy who was a year behind me (& cheated off of me like most) and now has a big beer belly and jowls hanging off of his jaw and looks like some 40 or 50 year old yet he seems quite comfortable with himself nonetheless.
Women seem to take better care of themselves and use sunblock and not let their gut hang out.
The problem with guys these days is they are so fucking complacent with their bullshit.
And the problem with women is that they put up with it.
I have enough dog shit to deal with thank you very much. I’m tempted to go to church tomorrow and take a vow to never have another relationship again.

Anonymous said...

I had a nice chat with an old Rockefeller in the dog park today -they're easy to spot.

no-one u no said...

http://www.bartcop.com/marijuana-blogger.jpg

ChocolateFlowy(V/certified) said...

I love chocolate with orange...

w said...

You have been very busy Akira.

So many subjects tangental to my life. My cousin had a bit part in Gattaca. I think he is going down an elevator if I look real hard. He has the angular chiseled face and blond hair to attract parts in sci-fi stuff.

Speaking of little league. I did not coach this year but the coach of my sons team and his assistants were all out of town for various reasons. I stepped in for 3 games while they were gone. Even though I am extremely busy working this time of year and we have a newborn. I dutifully left work early to coach and run practices. I spent my evenings doing lineups. Then some parents complained because their babies were not used how they thought they should be. Nevermind trying to win a game or two (they have only won 1 game all season). Nevermind trying to give some kids a first chance to pitch with some defensive support around them. Nevermind not letting a kid pitch his third game in 5 days because his arm hurt in the second game. Sports are awesome but some parents suck. If your child is 9 or 10 and cannot throw a ball from 2nd to 1st you should probably spend more time with your child.

As for men aging better you have a point about men getting away with being overweight. I think some guys think a big gut makes them look buff. I weigh what I did in High School and am in shape still. People tell me I am skinny and I just laugh. I was fit and athletic and bigger than most guys in High School. Now people call me skinny?

Women get the short stick since they have the children.

The Smiths - that reminds me of getting mix tapes from girl friends. Always the same stuff: Smiths, Flock of Seagulls, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Edie Brickell.

ChocoFlowy(V/certified) said...

frog meets

pushy parents are depressing...

my parents on the other hand were generally too busy to come to any sports stuff... which is probably good because I would have scared them with my intense aggression on the field... I loved sports... I guess I loved running fast, kicking balls, catching things, having team mates...coaches could hardly contain me...

Akira said...

Very busy with work so just a quick 80's related link before I misplace it: Commodore 64 Original Hardware Laptop

Choco/Flowy(V/certified) said...

Is extreme geekiness an illness?

Akira said...

@Anon,
Yeah, I regularly see Rockefellers at the dog park too.

@no-one u no,
Nice find.

@ChocoFlowy,
I love very strong chocolate yet I've never been fond of the orange combination. If there's any fruit that goes best with chocolate, it's raspberries.

@W,
I remember my parents finding the other parents really annoying in Little League and took the fun out of it.
Thx for agreeing with me on the myth of men aging better, but I'm curious what you mean by women have the short stick due to having children?
I know a ton of guys who have had vasectomies without ever having children and at a younger age than women tend to become infertile. Do they have the short stick too?
While I kind of hated the 80's when I was living them, it really wasn't that bad in hindsight.

@Flowy,
I just thought of sports as a fun game and never took it terribly seriously - plus I really sucked at Steal the Bacon.
I thought that laptop was pretty cool, but I'm not a big hardware geek.

w said...

akira,

Women who have children have have drawn the short stick so to speak as it puts so much stress on their bodies. They have an excuse for small belly and some body fat. Men have no excuse, except that maybe they no longer feel they need to look their best?