This year is nicer though because my partner is with me and also my aunt gave me a bottle of kool-aid containing about 300mg of THC. Gratitude always

My partner took advantage of my lack of consciousness to endear themselves to the dog/cats and now those filthy traitors like them more than me

At first I thought this was a difficult range of attributes to tie together into one term, and then I thought of Oblomov (the book and the character) and frowned hard. Yes, those attributes definitely do go together.

The section explaining the intrinsic qualities of the universe said that one of the 3 qualities (or guna) is "tamas," characterized by disorder, apathy, inaction, anxiety, and ignorance.

I appreciated the book as an insight into a world about which I know less than I'd like, and I found myself drawn into the idea of there being "correct" modes of living which is, I think particularly nowadays, somewhat of an antiquated existential schema.

I was very appreciative of the footnotes explaining not only major characters, epithets, and translation decisions, but also varying interpretations (with further reading)!

I will say, I enjoyed reading this translation! It felt easy to follow (as far as language goes, I mean; the content itself grew very abstruse for me around chapter 10 or so, in the lead-up to Krishna's theophany.

Similarly, my only knowledge of the Gita that isn't derived from half-remembered world religion classes and conversations with friends is from my recent read of Sanjay Patel's version of the Mahabharata. So uh. No I will not comment on subjects I am WILDLY unqualified to talk about.

I find sola scriptura as an attitude semi-annoying just on its own but especially so when westerners think ~*Eastern Spirituality*~ does not require anything so small as "context" or "basic knowledge about the people who produced it."

COME SWING BY... NEXT TIME I'M THERE SO I CAN TREAT U

On our way we passed by the start of historic route 66, which I got to take a "sandwich" pic of back in like 2016 or so when I visited the tail end of that route in Southern Cali while visiting my dad (it wasn't the "official" end iirc but my memory is Not Good) so it always makes me smile to see

My friends are insane mug collectors so they dispersed with near-military precision to get this year's collectibles. (See also: pigeon fire pits to keep the poor things warm)

Christkindlmarkt was cool, very crowded but lines moved fast! More fun if you're into Christmas merch so mostly I just enjoyed refreshing what little German I could recall ("Ich möchte ein[mumble so it's unclear if I said ein, eine, or einen] Wiesn-Herz")

I wish I had better pictures for you!! The details really made them but my phone camera is shit and I felt nervous going over the line to hold my phone up close against the fabric 😭😭

Good book! Gave me a lot to chew on.

If it weren't a library book I may have thrown it into the rain!!

I felt myself relating heavily to Oblomov as he fought to shake off the torpor of his life, and then when he failed and gave up as he always has, convinced he is just Not Built for Work/Thought, a kind of permanent child who shies away from censure but not enough to do anything to prevent it?

I agree, broadly, with Stoltz's larger argument that trying to retreat into one's idyllic childhood where they never had to worry about anything or encounter the pesky everyday troubles of life is no different from committing suicide over the course of decades.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on the Superfluous Man archetype or the shifting social conditions which gave birth to it. I can only say that this is an archetype of person I see frequently!