Banausic

Yep, banausic. Scroll down to the 18 November entry.

banausic (buh-NAW-sik, -zik) adjective

Mechanical, utilitarian or routine, as opposed to inspiring or imaginative.

[From Greek banausikos, from banausos (mechanic).]

"It will leave Beagle 2 to its banausic task of probing and burrowing into the surface of the Red Planet in its futile search for microbes and soda water." Peter Simple; Rogue Elements; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Jun 6, 2003.

"Timothy McVeigh did quite a number on the Oklahoma City federal building, even though his banausic use of explosives probably disgusted a professional like Loizeaux." Bruce Schneier; Secrets and Lies : Digital Security in a Networked World; John Wiley & Sons, 2000.

What a great word. I love English.

Just checking in...

I've been a book-hound lately. I plowed through The Da Vinci Code. Then last weekend read Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies. I've highlighted thought after thought of Lamott's that I'll post on here whenever time, my book and my laptop coelesce. Anyway, then last night I started Microserfs, by Douglas Coupland.

That book had me laughing out loud on page three. The narrator identifies everybody by their seven ideal Jeapordy! categories. I was trying to think what mine, would be...but I don't know enough about anything to have an opinion. I peter out after three:

Billy Joel
General Aviation
Indiana University basketball

Jack of all trades, master of none....even in trivia I guess.

Life is funny right now. I'm busy and distracted with school and currently unassigned at work. I got out of class quite early last night--home by 8:30. I wandered around my house confused for a while. I didn't know what to do. I turned on the TV. Then turned it off. I started reading, but that was too quiet. I tried learning the second half of the Bach invention I'm working on. There. That was the right activity. So I pounded that for an hour or so. Then off to bed where I didn't sleep.

My sleep patterns are all out of whack this week. Tuesday I got home about 6:30. I had this headache clasping at the base of my neck and reaching around to my eyes (I anthropomorphize my headaches...it's weird, I know). Part of it was that I hadn't eaten all day, but that's another story. So I ate dinner and went to bed, and slept hard. For two hours. Then I was up at 9:00, which was good because I had homework to do. I worked a couple of hours, read recreationally for 30 minutes or so, then to bed.

You'd think, sleeping from 11:30 or so to 7:30, plus a two hour nap, that I'd awake refreshed. Nope. I was exhausted Wednesday. I climbed into bed last night thinking I'd drop right off...but no, I tossed and turned 'til God-knows-when (at least I left the light off and didn't look at the clock).

I feel like I missed a month somewhere. Or something like that. I just feel out of sorts, like I'm ahead of schedule. Or behind schedule. I don't know which it is, but I'm just off somehow. Maybe the weekend will help--sleeping in on Saturday, just having a day or two to mentally check out a bit. I know that I'm not yet mentally or emotionally or spiritually ready for the rush of holidays, for biting, sleety weather, for the darkness that surrounds the days in wintertime (driving to work in the dark, driving home in the dark...only seeing vestiges of sunlight through office windows).

You know, maybe thatis my problem. I've been out of whack since the time change a couple weeks ago. But jet-lag shouldn't last this long.

Soul and spirit

"For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit..." - Hebrews 4:12a (ASV)

I don't think I've ever thought of this, but what is the distinction between soul (psuche) and spirit (pneuma)? How can they be divided? I mentioned this to a friend this weekend and we ended up with books strewn everywhere--bibles (different translations), a big concordance, a greek dictionary, a greek new testament (ack, i used to be functional there...).

The Word (logos) pierces me to the point of dividing my soul from my spirit. What does this mean?

Kenwood Mall, Observed

Yesterday afternoon I had about an hour to kill before meeting a friend. So I camped out in the common area of the mall down the street from my office. Armed with a cup of coffee and a book I was well prepared to entertain myself in isolation. But eventually people-watching took over. A few of the things I jotted down:

...high school girls in short, flouncy uniform skirts--certainly rolled up significantly at the waist. How can they simulteneously appear so breezy and self-conscious at the same time?

...my grandmother, almost. In appearance and demeaner she was hauntingly close. I almost want to speak out and talk to her. I don't talk much to my own grandmother, perhaps I can make up for it with this woman shuffling down the hall.

...a couple walking hand in hand with their blonde preschooler running between. With two long pigtails and a barbie-pink sweater, she's saying "Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad..." begging to be heard, to be seen. If she had the words she'd say "pay attention to me." She's not so far-removed from the pack of high-school girls that passed by twenty minutes ago.

I am not alone. And yet I am. I am anonymous in the open puclic, surrounded by people yet still alone. I love this tension...

Incongruent trivia

I heard on the radio that Joni Mitchell turns 60 today and Billy Graham turn 85.

Don't know why, but I chuckled out loud at that. Then I hit snooze.

More good news...

I was a Senior Consultant, I.

But now I'm a Senior Consultant, II.

Please, please....try to calm your excitement.

Did I get a raise? Please.

New business cards? No.

Am I suddenly treated with more respect? Nope.

But hey, I'll take what I get.

Three good years at Cardinal. That's quite an accomplishment for me. It's the longest stint I've had at a full-time job.

Good news...

It's midnight and I should be going straight to bed, but I've got to share this letter I received today:

From the Director of the Miami University MBA program:

We have recommended to the Graduate School that you be approved for entry into the MBA Program, beginning spring 2004...