Holding out for a hero?

I started reading Joseph Campbell's 'The hero with a thousand faces' yesterday. Stunning and insightful. Campbell explores the archetype of the hero through dreams, through cultures, religious rituals, and all the symbols of the hero he can find. Have you ever come across books that you absolutely knew were just perfect for you at the time. Amazingly, I have had some experiences like that. The right book at the right time; it comes rarely, but it's a wonderful feeling when it does. There are some interesting heroes out in the world of literature, films, and even in the real world. One heroic character that has stuck with me to this day is Prince Lyr, from 'The Last Unicorn'. He and the other characters engage in deconstruction of the hero in one part of the story. He considered himself something of a failed hero before the Unicorn.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, from the larger-than-life of King David and Indiana Jones to the doomed-yet-triumphant Sydney Carton. What is it about the hero that is so alluring? Every story needs at least one hero to keep it going. Can someone write a story without having even one hero? Maybe, but not a very engaging story.
Meanwhile, I started back to work today. Very quiet in the library, and it will likely be quiet in the library for while to come, as the kids don't come back until after Labour Day. The weekend is close at hand. I hope to get some more books read. That's all for now. A shorter than usual entry, but I really don't have much to say besides what I have said.

Let's hear it for People!

In honour of the book (The Chatto book of dissent) I'm currently reading (and because I didn't know the lyrics myself but wanted to know), here are the lyrics to one of my favourite Lennon songs (other favourites being 'Jealous Guy' and 'Nobody told me')

Give Peace a Chance
- John Lennon

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

(C'mon)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Minister, Sinister, Banisters and Canisters,
Bishops, Fishops, Rabbis, and Pop Eyes, Bye bye, Bye byes
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

(Let me tell you now)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Revolution, Evolution, Masturbation, Flagellation, Regulation,
Integrations, mediations, United Nations, congratulations
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper,
Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer, Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna
Hare Hare Krishna
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance
(Repeat 'til the tape runs out)

http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/john_lennon/give_peace_a_chance/ (reposted Aug. 17. 2011)

Lazy Friday Morning

The rest of the day won't be as lazy, that's for sure. Big anniversary to-do happening tomorrow, and Mom's on the decorating crew. She'll be heading out this evening (possibly) to lend a hand. My sister and I had a plan to entertain the crowd on Saturday, but that plan may get derailed due to an impending cold. I really don't want to go up there alone and perform, so we might not do our song-and-dance. C'est la vie. Meanwhile, I've been getting into matters Satanic with books like 'The Chatto book of the Devil' and 'Satan'. It's important to explore the darker nature once in a while, without acting upon one's darker nature, and Satan is the ultimate Other. As John Wing once said, "And God said let there be Satan so people don't blame everything on Me." Of course, he also said "And God said let there be lawyers so people don't blame everything on Satan." Even the Devil needs help sometimes.
I guess I shouldn't say lazy. More like relaxed. The awesomeness of Ravi Shankar helps to keep things nice and relaxed. I was going to play Sims this morning, but I do have some reading I could be doing. It's not all about the game, you know. Considering how close the school year is now, reading might be a better option for me. I can do my gaming on the weekends like I do when I'm working. Two weeks to go before the school year starts. I guess I'm ready (I'll let you know in a week). I had thought about posting a diary entry from the past, but that can wait for a future entry.
Perhaps I'll post my thoughts from 9/11 this September. Amazing how fast 10 years can pass. There was a time when a decade took forever to pass. Now all it takes is a blink and I'm 10 years older. And things speed up even more the older you get. Okay, enough brooding. There are books out there that need to be read and enjoyed. Time to get further into 'Satan' and his 'history' as it were. Question: if you had a chance to sell your soul, what would your price be? Just remember to read the fine print, because with the Devil, all sales are final. Of course, if you know what to expect going into such an agreement, then winding up a guest in Hell's deadly suburbs shouldn't be a surprise to you.

End's in sight!

July was a sizzler in Winnipeg this year (a refreshing change from our decade of cold summers) and August looks pretty similar. Apparently this July was the driest one on record, which was a godsend for those surrounded on all sides by sandbags. I don't know how much the dry month helped, but more rain would have ended it for many of those folks. On the other hand, the farmers, who were drowning in May and June, are now crying for rain so their surviving crops might pull through. They walk a tightrope, those farmers, and what happens with them makes a ripple effect in the produce department. Especially if you want to go local with your fruits and veggies. Going local is the big thing, and let's be honest, it makes sense. Anyway, July is behind us and September, that horrid beast, is closing in. Anyone in the school system (students or staff) has begun counting the days until it's Back to School! You can still have fun, but now you feel rushed to get as much fun in as possible.
As for me, I'll need a couple more weeks before I'm ready to switch to my 'work brain'. Right now, my brain keeps thinking it's Saturday, when I know darn well it's Friday. Why my brain wants to think a day ahead I do not know. In the meantime, I've been reading 'A vision' by W.B. Yeats. Through the miracle of 'automatic writing', he has discovered another way to divide people up into varied and dynamic groups. Much like the Enneagram or stuff like that. The only reason I was interested in Yeats was because Loreena McKennitt sang one of his poems. As usual, she did a magnificent job, which got me interested in Yeats and his work. I guess I was looking for more poems and have come up empty for the nonce. I'll just keep looking. After I have finished with this book I'll be looking into Carlos Castaneda. Groovy, man.
August is birthday time for my sister and her boyfriend, so it's time to go gift-hunting! In my own life, I've discovered the wild world of streaming live video. So far I've only commented on other people's streams, but it's a start, right? Maybe someday I'll do my own stream. Just haven't figured it all out yet. Anyway, that's about all for now. BYE.