BusterStronghart@Gmail.com
Dear Basil:
What verb did you and your father use when you mixed powders or liquids using a mortar and pestle? For instance, did you "mash" the ingredients together? I have recently read a book about old tyme pharmacy and I know the word that the author uses. I wonder if you and your father used the same word. It was an ordinary, common word, but I have never seen it used in this context. The word perfectly describes the action performed. Especially if done correctly. Though it would not be considered an elegant word, it is not off color in any way. Let me know your thoughts whether you have a word in mind or not
Dear Mike: Mike I can't remember any one particular word we used. We would mix powders for capsules. We would crush tablets. We also mixed powders for powders. Powders was the word we used for those little glassine packets we folded with powder inside. We would mash cocoa butter to soften and use to make suppositories. But I cannot remember if we a particular word that covered all of it. Maybe if you told me I would remember. In those days we used the mortar and pestle as an every day thing and never thought much about it. I remember using the spatula with it to scrape the stuff off the sides of the mortar to the bottom to thoroughly mix everything. Without the spatula the mortar and pestle would be useless.
Dear Basil: Yes, your description is right, and yes the spatula was very important. In fact, there were different sized spatulas (spatulae ?) for different purposes. Remember the pointed one used for taking the slightest amount of power from a jar? Say a doctor wanted a 1/4 gr. of opium mixed with 4 oz of sugar of milk, to make 20 powders: the pharmacist (or his qualified assistant) would take a tip of the powder on the almost pointed spatula to the special balance, the one that was enclosed in glass, to weigh the 1/4 gr. Don't tell me there was no such thing as a "qualified assistant." I know that, Sam. Then to thouroughly, completely mix the powders the diligent pharmacist would "rub" the powders together in the mortar for as much as a 1/4 hour. Pharmacists had good forearm, wrist, and finger strength. Danny, who was lamed, after falling off the rolling ladder in the store before he became a licensed pharmacist, earning forty dollars a week, for a sixty hour week, loved to tighten jar lids so that Moe or Izzy couldn't open them. On Sundays Dominic was alone, the only pharmacist on duty, and he would leave angry notes to Danny, often in Italian,--but who could say something to Danny? Would he laugh when the other guys couldn't get a jar opened. But the word used by the author was "rub" the mixture. I am not sure that I have heard that word before but it so fits the action, it is so "elegant" for the action, that I just had to talk to you about it. Mike
Dear Mike, we never used the word "rub" but I would consider it more sensuous than elegant, but not off color either and yes putting myself back in time the word works for me.. I knew you would understand the importance of the spatula. We had a draw full of all different kinds.
Bas
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Saturday, April 24, 2004
gratwicker@aol.com
u'menu`gog emmangogue a group of oils used to increase the menstrual flow--also used in the past as a method of birth control.
Such as angelica, basil, bay laurel, calamintha, caraway, carrot seed, cedarwood (virginian), celery seed, chamomile, cinammon leaf, citronella, clary sage, cumin, cypress, dill, fennel, frankincense, galbanum, hyssop, juniper, labdanum, lavender, lovage, marigold, marjoram, melissa, myrrh, nutmeg, peppermint, rose, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
u'menu`gog emmangogue a group of oils used to increase the menstrual flow--also used in the past as a method of birth control.
Such as angelica, basil, bay laurel, calamintha, caraway, carrot seed, cedarwood (virginian), celery seed, chamomile, cinammon leaf, citronella, clary sage, cumin, cypress, dill, fennel, frankincense, galbanum, hyssop, juniper, labdanum, lavender, lovage, marigold, marjoram, melissa, myrrh, nutmeg, peppermint, rose, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
Friday, April 23, 2004
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
BusterStronghart@Gmail.com
My leg pain woke me up at about 5:30 this morning so I went out on the terrace, so as to watch the coming sunrise, and brought with me Don Quixote, thinking that the quiet would help me to get further along.
But I decided to begin again, and this time read the prologue and the poems that follow it.
The very first poem is Urganda the Unrecognised which is described in a footnote as a "verso de cabo rato," which is described as a poem in which the final endings of each word at the end of a line are dropped.
If to reach goodly read--
oh book, you proceed with cau-,
you cannot, by the fool--,
be called a stumbling nin--.
A few months ago, while searching through my Oxford I came across the English for this same idea. Why anyone would write poems in which the last syllables of words are dropped is not apparent to me, but apparently it is done, at least in Spanish and English, and Cervantes gives us the example quoted above.
The English word, which unlike most words new to me at this age, has stuck:
It is Catalexis.
I know you needed to know this.
mek
My leg pain woke me up at about 5:30 this morning so I went out on the terrace, so as to watch the coming sunrise, and brought with me Don Quixote, thinking that the quiet would help me to get further along.
But I decided to begin again, and this time read the prologue and the poems that follow it.
The very first poem is Urganda the Unrecognised which is described in a footnote as a "verso de cabo rato," which is described as a poem in which the final endings of each word at the end of a line are dropped.
If to reach goodly read--
oh book, you proceed with cau-,
you cannot, by the fool--,
be called a stumbling nin--.
A few months ago, while searching through my Oxford I came across the English for this same idea. Why anyone would write poems in which the last syllables of words are dropped is not apparent to me, but apparently it is done, at least in Spanish and English, and Cervantes gives us the example quoted above.
The English word, which unlike most words new to me at this age, has stuck:
It is Catalexis.
I know you needed to know this.
mek
Monday, April 19, 2004
BusterStronghart@Gmail.com
High jumps are called grand jete , also known as rake , good air .
See when you are leaping and jumping usually your legs
are spread wide apart while you are in the air . So that exactly what they call it .
Good air --- rake -- grand jete is the basic term used . grand air .
Grand Jete .
High jumps are called grand jete , also known as rake , good air .
See when you are leaping and jumping usually your legs
are spread wide apart while you are in the air . So that exactly what they call it .
Good air --- rake -- grand jete is the basic term used . grand air .
Grand Jete .
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Friday, April 16, 2004
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
gratwicker@aol.com
I am not sleeping with S. and therefore I do not know he facts of her economic existence She received a settlement from the accident and purchased what she described as a house. At the time I assumed it was in Brooklyn but maybe she meant an apartment in Manhattan, though come to think of it perhaps it might be in the Bronx where there are neighborhoods with houses.
She did not want to meet. Otherwise I would have liked to do so.
I am not sleeping with S. and therefore I do not know he facts of her economic existence She received a settlement from the accident and purchased what she described as a house. At the time I assumed it was in Brooklyn but maybe she meant an apartment in Manhattan, though come to think of it perhaps it might be in the Bronx where there are neighborhoods with houses.
She did not want to meet. Otherwise I would have liked to do so.
gratwicker@aol.com
Charlemagne had 4500 Saxons beheaded in one day in the year 782 at Verdun. I can imagine the night before the scene of the axmen being order to sharpen their axes, and the tree stumps being arranged for the next morning. There must have been a general busy-ness as the prisoners' hands were tied behind their backs. Imagine the merchant who received the huge order for rope. When the order was made known there might have been a general panic among the prisoners--they were pagans, however, and might have had thoughts of honorable deaths and Valhalla.
Charlemagne justified his brutality by his desire to unite Germany as a Christian state. Germany was still a mass of fighting tribes of savages and soon he would join the Frenchies into his brutally Christianized kingdom.
Charlemagne had 4500 Saxons beheaded in one day in the year 782 at Verdun. I can imagine the night before the scene of the axmen being order to sharpen their axes, and the tree stumps being arranged for the next morning. There must have been a general busy-ness as the prisoners' hands were tied behind their backs. Imagine the merchant who received the huge order for rope. When the order was made known there might have been a general panic among the prisoners--they were pagans, however, and might have had thoughts of honorable deaths and Valhalla.
Charlemagne justified his brutality by his desire to unite Germany as a Christian state. Germany was still a mass of fighting tribes of savages and soon he would join the Frenchies into his brutally Christianized kingdom.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
What is a divorce to the children? Some people say "it's good for the children, it gets them out of a house where parents argue and the atmosphere is unhealthy. They survive."
Sure, they survive, but at what cost? It's an incredible wound. Each child somehow believes himself responsible. Children take sides without even knowing it. They become objects of manipulation. This was a marriage where there was a child who was il. Perhaps attention was diverted from the marriage to the child. Maybe. But in my opinion, it's something different. She isn't capable of really loving a man. She sees the material first, and is a user. She is not capable of deep love. The marriage wasn't a romance marriage. It was a money marriage.
Sure, they survive, but at what cost? It's an incredible wound. Each child somehow believes himself responsible. Children take sides without even knowing it. They become objects of manipulation. This was a marriage where there was a child who was il. Perhaps attention was diverted from the marriage to the child. Maybe. But in my opinion, it's something different. She isn't capable of really loving a man. She sees the material first, and is a user. She is not capable of deep love. The marriage wasn't a romance marriage. It was a money marriage.
Monday, April 12, 2004
About 15 years ago someone discovered that it was William Carlos Williams' birthday, so naturally Schultz, Gross and I rushed to the Great Falls of the Passaic River at Paterson, New Jersey to pay homage to the good doctor and graduate of our alma mater Horace Mann, and also to honor the Wobblies whose efforts for the workers of the world were concentrated, for a time, in Paterson's silk factories. We noted the irony of Alexander Hamilton’s statue overlooking the hallowed ground of a thirteen month bitter strike, to which IWW leaders Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Big Bill Haywood, and Carlo Tresca often came to harangue the bosses and to support the strikers.
Then, one of us clutching William Carlos Williams poem in his hand, we worked our way to the base of the Great Falls and began a reading of the 150 page poem. The roar of the falls mixed with our voices, and each of his took his turn until it was time for lunch. We trudged up the side of the river bank and found a grocer who made us a hero sandwich, a long, crusty loaf of bread slathered in olive oil, filled with salami, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, and certain never-identified lunch meats. As none of us were true, real heroes, we had the loaf sliced three ways and shared it, easing its way to our bellies with a quart of Rheingold, a beer once made in one of the brick-work, honest breweries of Brooklyn, but sadly, now only a name, made in a generic, effete beeratorium somewhere in the Midwest.
We returned to the falls to continue our reading. This time we remained at the top of the falls, on an overview, as from this point the sound of the falls did not quite overcome our voices. Our declamation did, however, attract a following of young children, and a few older men who had nothing better to do. We bravely forged on, but at around three o’clock decided that though our clothing was well-misted our throats were dry.
A suitable working man’s tavern was found and we re-charged ourselves, losing several dollars at darts, a local game played by the charming patrons of this particular tavern with particular meticulousness and disarming skill.
The dart players proved not to be poetry lovers and as we wanted to finish the poem we cut short our losses and made our way back to the falls.
Our following of children had abandoned us, but a few of the older men had loyally awaited our return. None, however, followed us down to the river-edge, as perhaps they were not in the mood for swimming. Like the adults at Basil’s Passover table those not reading hurried the reader along. New Jersey’s tired sun was falling below the gorge and a chill worked its way under our damp clothing—but we were determined to complete our homage. Someone’s foot found its way into the water, and our celebration completed, wet and muddied but undiscouraged we made our way back to New York, waving at Hamiliton, while remembering the honor of Big Bill. Only Emma Goldman was absent.
mek
Then, one of us clutching William Carlos Williams poem in his hand, we worked our way to the base of the Great Falls and began a reading of the 150 page poem. The roar of the falls mixed with our voices, and each of his took his turn until it was time for lunch. We trudged up the side of the river bank and found a grocer who made us a hero sandwich, a long, crusty loaf of bread slathered in olive oil, filled with salami, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, and certain never-identified lunch meats. As none of us were true, real heroes, we had the loaf sliced three ways and shared it, easing its way to our bellies with a quart of Rheingold, a beer once made in one of the brick-work, honest breweries of Brooklyn, but sadly, now only a name, made in a generic, effete beeratorium somewhere in the Midwest.
We returned to the falls to continue our reading. This time we remained at the top of the falls, on an overview, as from this point the sound of the falls did not quite overcome our voices. Our declamation did, however, attract a following of young children, and a few older men who had nothing better to do. We bravely forged on, but at around three o’clock decided that though our clothing was well-misted our throats were dry.
A suitable working man’s tavern was found and we re-charged ourselves, losing several dollars at darts, a local game played by the charming patrons of this particular tavern with particular meticulousness and disarming skill.
The dart players proved not to be poetry lovers and as we wanted to finish the poem we cut short our losses and made our way back to the falls.
Our following of children had abandoned us, but a few of the older men had loyally awaited our return. None, however, followed us down to the river-edge, as perhaps they were not in the mood for swimming. Like the adults at Basil’s Passover table those not reading hurried the reader along. New Jersey’s tired sun was falling below the gorge and a chill worked its way under our damp clothing—but we were determined to complete our homage. Someone’s foot found its way into the water, and our celebration completed, wet and muddied but undiscouraged we made our way back to New York, waving at Hamiliton, while remembering the honor of Big Bill. Only Emma Goldman was absent.
mek
A very close, lifelong friend of mine was an Episcopalian Theologian who lived a very compartmentalized life, keeping several groups of his friends separate from each other. One topic that we avoided was the exact nature of his sexuality.
Many of my friends who met him through me over the years believed him to be homosexual, but I remained agnostic on the subject, perhaps naive, or perhaps feeling that it was his business to express himself if he wished. Sometimes I thought that he was asexual and celibate.
Most of my friends, in my opinion, were cynics when it came to Bob, and I always took their opinion with a grain a salt. Maria and I were often invited to his famous New Year's dinners which were always formal, and many of his guests would be knock-out women who adored him. The point that you should understand is that part of him remained a mystery to me. This was bewildering to me because most of my close friends hide nothing from each other except the exact amount of the income--and sometimes even that is shared.
Seven years ago Bob died and was cremated. I spoke at his funeral, at St. John the Divine, in New York Where his ashes are interred in what you may know is called a columbarium.
A few weeks ago while in New York I went to St. John the Divine, and was amazed to see that someone else was sharing his niche. A name with which I was not familiar.
I wrote to a friend who is graphic artist and who works at St. John, and asked her whether it was possible for strangers to share a niche. Her answer follows. Her remark about Paterson and Alan Ginsberg involves a reading of a poem by William Carlos Williams at Paterson, and that story is another long one. I will save you more agony by not passing it on.
I thought it would interest you and Howard because of her reason for leaving the Catholic Church:
Mike,
I know that the Columbarium niches can hold up to four individuals, but usually they choose their crypt-mates at the time they purchase the space. While I do know unrelated individuals who have decided to share eternity together, I think it would be highly unusual for strangers to be added willy-nilly. I was in the Columbarium myself on Good Friday as part of the service I attended and I found it pleasantly meditative as always (not to mention they finally built a much better ramp up there).
As I am sure you know, the whole same-sex partner thing is a huge issue right now in the Episcopal church, even before the rash of "gay marriage" events around the country. It started last summer with the national convention's vote to accept Gene Robinson, the openly gay bishop of New Hampshire, and then a lot of fluff at the international level since of course the Third World members want nothing of it. Sisk, the New York bishop, is walking a very fine line with a lot of skill, but there are some very odd schisms in the making here.
I feel obligated to support the gay rights movement within the church, since gender equality is the main reason I could not remain a Roman Catholic. On the other hand, last summer I was starting to feel like it was the only issue anyone would talk about. Yes, it's important, but this is not exactly the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The oppression of the educated middle-class homosexuals leading the discussion is painful, but not on the same scale as a lot of other human rights issues, or even the war, which is personally of more interest to me.
The whole issue is sort of fascinating from the point of view that while its official expression is splitting congregations and city councils in two, everybody at these contentious meetings is setting their Tivos for Queer Eye or Will and Grace. It's clearly the last gasp of resistance before the cultural tide sweeps in, but I'm sorry so many people are hurting each other over it.
I'm now going to attempt a massive turnaround to link this to our initial subject, and I suppose it will have to be Alan Ginsburg, who was both a homosexual and a Pattersonian. And whose memorial service I attended at St. John the Divine.
Anyway, all of this sounds more angry and negative than I really feel these days. Spring is good. My mood has lifted after a long dark winter. I feel changes in the air but I have no inkling yet of what they will be. Maybe I just need more Ted Hughes.
S
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