Monday, June 30, 2008

I don't like sundays

I just had an awful evening/night today! Anxiety attacks and tearful episodes were circling around my ears like a female mosquito in search of blood.

I couldn't get a grip as much as a special friend tried to cheer me up.

You know who you are ... I'm really thankful for your help! I can't ever repay your patience and kindness!

Take care,

Michel

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Do not go gentle into that good night



As you may or may not know I am a great poetry enthusiast and I'd like to share this passion with you. The first poet in my private collection is the Welsh Romantic poet, Dylan Thomas.

Thomas was born in 1914 in Swansea and died at a very young age in New York, in 1953 from the causes of excessive drinking. Thomas liked to boast about his drinking, famously saying: "An alcoholic is someone you don't like, who drinks as much as you do."

He was married to an Irish dancer, named Caitlin MacNamara. Together they had 3 children: 2 sons and a daughter. Their marriage was tempestuous to say the least, with rumours of affairs on both sides.

His best known works include "Under Milk Wood" and "Do not go gentle into that good night", a poem written in 1951 about his dying father. It's the latter poem I've selected to share with you all. I hold it very close to my heart because of the untimely death of my own father who raged, raged against the dying of the light but in the end knew that the dark was right.

Do not go gentle into that good night

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.



A reading of the poem: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377

A small analysis of the poem:

Thomas watched his father grow weak and frail with old age. Dylan in his poem tries to convince his father to fight against imminent death. He addresses his father using wise men, good men, wild men, and grave, or serious, somber men as examples to illustrate that no matter how they have lived their lives or what they feel at the end they should die fighting. However, we are subtly reminded throughout the poem that their rage eventually will be futile in the face of death.

It is one of Dylan Thomas' most popular and most easily accessible poems. It implies that one should not die without fighting for one's life.

Take care,

Michel

Friday, June 20, 2008

The importance of learning languages


I think you can't learn enough languages. It's a door into foreign cultures. I live in Belgium myself where languages are of the utmost importance. Here we have 3 official communities living together, a Flemmish community speaking Flemmish (about the same as Dutch), a Walloon community speaking French and a German community speaking German. I myself speak next to my own dialect Ostendish, Flemmish, English, French, German, Russian, some Polish and some Mandarin Chinese.

Recently I passed my Russian exam for my fourth year of evening classes.
First semester I got 90% and for my second semester I received 92,5%.

Yippee!

Take care,

Michel

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Reader's questions

I've been thinking lately about what I want to post on my blog. Although I have some clear and concise ideas on topics I could touch upon, I wouldn't like this blog to become a long egotrip down myville lane. I'd very much like to integrate the reader's ideas, queries and statements too. If you've got sensible questions that have been burning on your lips, pleading for deliverance or you want me to comment on statements or ideas ... I am the guy to send them to! When I say sensible questions or statements I don't mean the following : "Are you free this weekend?", "What size of socks do you wear?", "Do Belgians live in caves and eat with their feet?" or "F*ck the EU! Don't you think so?" ... Do you get my drift?

As I am a Belgian political scientist international relations, queries on Belgium, current affairs, sociology, poltics and history will be first and foremost in the firing line to get answered! Although if I feel comfortable with the question I will also anwer questions or reflect on statements concerning literature, religion, music, movies or relationships.

So if you want an answer in understandable English or you'd just like to know my European, Belgian perspective on a certain topic send your question, idea or statement to misha[at]pandora.be with at least your first name and hometown.

Take care,

Michel

Sunday, June 15, 2008

My second heart


Where horses roam the Cozack plain
Where nature's love falls in silky drops of rain
Where people have the warmest heart
Where village folk are strong and smart
Where it's nations colour draws in yellow and in blue
That is were I really fell in love with you
A girl with flowers in her hair
A rose in beauty without compare
Where horses roam the Cozack plain
My second heart is called Ukraine

Take Care,

Michel

Friday, June 13, 2008

Starting a blog on Friday the 13th... Oh oooh!

I finally followed up on advice Emma, a dear friend of mine gave me. " Michel, you should start a blog!" And oh oooh, I did just that. There is no looking back now :)

Friday the 13th was a date like any to start painting my innermost thoughts on this blank canvas of the international blogosphere. It's not because Jesus Christ got nailed to a cross on a friday after hosting a farewell party seating 13 people or even the untimely deaths of Gioachino Rossini, Arnold Schoenberg, Hubert Humphrey or Tupac Shakur on such a friday that this dragon will tremble in it's superstitious boots! Ooh no!

Bring on all the black cats you can muster, I'm only walking under ladders today and I'll say Macbeth whenever I so please.

"What can we expect from this blogging dragon next to the usual fire and brimstone" I hear your mind inquire. Well... anything and everything that fires up the old neurons, that reaches those parts other bloggers do not reach and that touches the heart like a poor orphaned wide-eyed fluffy little bunnyrabbit in need of love.

Take care,

Michel