In Vinum Veritas
Drinking is refused. Alcoholism is not for me. But an open bottle of red wine has saved my life this year. In a frosty winter it warmed me and dragged me out of the end's embrace, when I sacrificed it to shadows of death. In a tangled love relationship it hints at a mess I may accidentally create - the arms of a loving person aren't only caressing, but also thorny and will hurt you deliberately. I saw this the other night through a sobering glass of Concha y Toro.
This I Believe
At 6 o’clock my body woke up to let the mind perceive of what pure joy it is to wake up. The morning brings a whole universe to the fore. While the legs feel like running and hands like crafting – the mind feels like praying and meditating about god. And it is this – my prayer that I share with whoever is to accept it.
I am urged to write in such pompous self-important style that might freak anyone out, but look it is just funny the way I feel. I’ve had multiple episodes of insomnia last week – just couldn’t get myself fall asleep for no apparent reason. One time I thought I was just toooooooooo excited about that breakthrough I’ve done for my work as a newspaper designer – hey, let’s not go into details there, because it’s our corporate secret – but I am genius LOL, fuck! I am… No, seriously!
I remember 2 years ago, in the subway of New York, or rather the elevated part of it, Nietzsche woke me up with his work. Then I felt all of a sudden all too powerful, all too happy. Now, you might have heard those stories, in which people went crazy after reading Bible or Nietzsche! (Psychologists warn: don't OVERindulge yourself!) Let me tell you there’s danger of misinterpreting the Holy Scriptures (I might be the first one to call that volume of German literature a holy book, but it is a possible definition for it I should elaborate on sometime). And when I started with that phony pathetic style of writing it’s the work of the greats that inspires, it’s how I try to show reverence – one may suddenly feel a need to write like that, like what you say is meant to be preserved. :) I realize, however, that I just want to call it, talk about it and I am not strong enough to write about it convincingly like a writer, who can relate to something great without diminishing it through lousy wording. There's art and here I am just typing a diary entry, a blog post. Here’s my precaution: life can be insightful, and not all of it is insanity. Ignoring insights is insanity, keeping it to yourself is.
So it just happened that I woke up very early, not necessarily feeling ready for the day, but then I cheered up as ideas about God and atheism raced through my head. It was happening so vividly and too intensely.
A few days ago I subscribed to a podcast: American Freethought. It is some conspiracy!! What they call ‘free thought’ is actually atheism! I felt like 'Come on! I don't really believe atheism is freedom! It’s a belief which has plain abnegation of god as a strict confinement". But I must confess, I haven’t unsubscribed yet – it is just funny to listen to people who say ‘Yeah, we so smart – we don’t believe in god. Let’s hang out together!’
In simple terms, atheism is at its best ignoring god however smartly you can. But more subtly it is escaping the dogma of religion, overthrowing the imperatives of religious institutions. There you see that it is legitimate for them to break it down to you as a striving for freedom. Hence, religion is vital for atheism, and the institution of atheism has nothing to do with god but rather with priests and churchgoers.
Politically it advocates separation of state and church, so it is important. We can’t take our current political state for granted. There were dark times when you could be humiliated and hanged for thinking freely. I would certainly lose my balls if anyone saw me writing this heretical post back then.
In governing people and regulating life atheism is pretty much a legitimate and necessary antipode of religious institution but is it beautiful or indispensible spiritually or philosophically? Now that raced through my mind. I was lying in bed thinking that.
What would one believe if he didn’t in god? So, believers say, ‘I believe in god and Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or Prophet Mohamed’. What do atheists say? ‘I don’t believe in god and Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or Prophet Mohamed’ But what do you believe, bitch? (I have some research to do on what they actually believe).
From my experience though, some atheist guys say they believe in Nothing. That freaks me out. That, I believe, is wrong. I believe and say ‘God exists’. They negate, ‘Nothing exists’. They further add ‘It is silly to believe there sits a bearded guy, the creator, who judges you, while you have to believe he loves you. No he doesn’t! You fool! Look how much misery he wrecks on people!’... Well, that’s a lot of information, but certainly wrong intelligence. They contradict themselves by simply saying ‘Nothing exists’ (is that possible for nothing to exist, nothing does not exist!), and the rest doesn’t necessarily has anything to do with god. Like god is a bearded guy who overlooks your behavior from high above the ground! Come on! That is in fact silly! It’s silly to think that I would believe that.
I am ignorant of the Bible and what stories it had in it. But when a watchtower recruit comes up to me with leaflets and magazines I sit down and listen admiring the neatness of their intentions, the love with which they hold the Book of Books, the care with which they cite it. It reminds me of how by instinct a baby is drawn to mother’s tit, how naively we worship our cults, and how blindly we follow our blind leaders.
As they open the book, they point to neatly choreographed type, paragraphs in light print. The light that falls onto its bright pages illuminates my face, and reflects in my eyes. I know my eyes are dancing when I see those passages. I restrain myself from laughing at my naïve preacher for their interpretation of scriptures is - although not comical but - full of amusing innocence.
I feel sorry for myself for I’ve been denied that book for so long. I come from a country where there it was utmost important to be ignorant of Bible – an atheist must do what an atheist is told. And in the US, in certain corners, one must feel pressured to follow Christianity or whatever form of it, and one naturally feels moved to set oneself free of it, like those guys in American Freethought. Foolishly? No. Rather by naivety, by purest of intentions to rid themselves of lies.
I feel happy, for I’ve learnt some important things in life on my own. I don’t conform neither to atheism or religion. And I believe in god. And that god is not a bearded father that sees it all and hears it all as my supergreat :) grandmother told me. I know, it’s just a metaphor, a trope, a trick, to get you believe in something, not nothing, not what they tell you, but in god.
Surely, a wicked elderly person that watches you is something to impress a child. And it’s just one of the tricks of ethnopedagogics (yes, there is that science that uncovers those tricks) like saying ‘oh, don’t swing your legs, sit still – your mother will die’ – sounds cruel hah! – to an impressionable child – hell, yeah! Some things should just be believed.
I am urged to write in such pompous self-important style that might freak anyone out, but look it is just funny the way I feel. I’ve had multiple episodes of insomnia last week – just couldn’t get myself fall asleep for no apparent reason. One time I thought I was just toooooooooo excited about that breakthrough I’ve done for my work as a newspaper designer – hey, let’s not go into details there, because it’s our corporate secret – but I am genius LOL, fuck! I am… No, seriously!
I remember 2 years ago, in the subway of New York, or rather the elevated part of it, Nietzsche woke me up with his work. Then I felt all of a sudden all too powerful, all too happy. Now, you might have heard those stories, in which people went crazy after reading Bible or Nietzsche! (Psychologists warn: don't OVERindulge yourself!) Let me tell you there’s danger of misinterpreting the Holy Scriptures (I might be the first one to call that volume of German literature a holy book, but it is a possible definition for it I should elaborate on sometime). And when I started with that phony pathetic style of writing it’s the work of the greats that inspires, it’s how I try to show reverence – one may suddenly feel a need to write like that, like what you say is meant to be preserved. :) I realize, however, that I just want to call it, talk about it and I am not strong enough to write about it convincingly like a writer, who can relate to something great without diminishing it through lousy wording. There's art and here I am just typing a diary entry, a blog post. Here’s my precaution: life can be insightful, and not all of it is insanity. Ignoring insights is insanity, keeping it to yourself is.
So it just happened that I woke up very early, not necessarily feeling ready for the day, but then I cheered up as ideas about God and atheism raced through my head. It was happening so vividly and too intensely.
A few days ago I subscribed to a podcast: American Freethought. It is some conspiracy!! What they call ‘free thought’ is actually atheism! I felt like 'Come on! I don't really believe atheism is freedom! It’s a belief which has plain abnegation of god as a strict confinement". But I must confess, I haven’t unsubscribed yet – it is just funny to listen to people who say ‘Yeah, we so smart – we don’t believe in god. Let’s hang out together!’
In simple terms, atheism is at its best ignoring god however smartly you can. But more subtly it is escaping the dogma of religion, overthrowing the imperatives of religious institutions. There you see that it is legitimate for them to break it down to you as a striving for freedom. Hence, religion is vital for atheism, and the institution of atheism has nothing to do with god but rather with priests and churchgoers.
Politically it advocates separation of state and church, so it is important. We can’t take our current political state for granted. There were dark times when you could be humiliated and hanged for thinking freely. I would certainly lose my balls if anyone saw me writing this heretical post back then.
In governing people and regulating life atheism is pretty much a legitimate and necessary antipode of religious institution but is it beautiful or indispensible spiritually or philosophically? Now that raced through my mind. I was lying in bed thinking that.
What would one believe if he didn’t in god? So, believers say, ‘I believe in god and Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or Prophet Mohamed’. What do atheists say? ‘I don’t believe in god and Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or Prophet Mohamed’ But what do you believe, bitch? (I have some research to do on what they actually believe).
From my experience though, some atheist guys say they believe in Nothing. That freaks me out. That, I believe, is wrong. I believe and say ‘God exists’. They negate, ‘Nothing exists’. They further add ‘It is silly to believe there sits a bearded guy, the creator, who judges you, while you have to believe he loves you. No he doesn’t! You fool! Look how much misery he wrecks on people!’... Well, that’s a lot of information, but certainly wrong intelligence. They contradict themselves by simply saying ‘Nothing exists’ (is that possible for nothing to exist, nothing does not exist!), and the rest doesn’t necessarily has anything to do with god. Like god is a bearded guy who overlooks your behavior from high above the ground! Come on! That is in fact silly! It’s silly to think that I would believe that.
I am ignorant of the Bible and what stories it had in it. But when a watchtower recruit comes up to me with leaflets and magazines I sit down and listen admiring the neatness of their intentions, the love with which they hold the Book of Books, the care with which they cite it. It reminds me of how by instinct a baby is drawn to mother’s tit, how naively we worship our cults, and how blindly we follow our blind leaders.
As they open the book, they point to neatly choreographed type, paragraphs in light print. The light that falls onto its bright pages illuminates my face, and reflects in my eyes. I know my eyes are dancing when I see those passages. I restrain myself from laughing at my naïve preacher for their interpretation of scriptures is - although not comical but - full of amusing innocence.
I feel sorry for myself for I’ve been denied that book for so long. I come from a country where there it was utmost important to be ignorant of Bible – an atheist must do what an atheist is told. And in the US, in certain corners, one must feel pressured to follow Christianity or whatever form of it, and one naturally feels moved to set oneself free of it, like those guys in American Freethought. Foolishly? No. Rather by naivety, by purest of intentions to rid themselves of lies.
I feel happy, for I’ve learnt some important things in life on my own. I don’t conform neither to atheism or religion. And I believe in god. And that god is not a bearded father that sees it all and hears it all as my supergreat :) grandmother told me. I know, it’s just a metaphor, a trope, a trick, to get you believe in something, not nothing, not what they tell you, but in god.
Surely, a wicked elderly person that watches you is something to impress a child. And it’s just one of the tricks of ethnopedagogics (yes, there is that science that uncovers those tricks) like saying ‘oh, don’t swing your legs, sit still – your mother will die’ – sounds cruel hah! – to an impressionable child – hell, yeah! Some things should just be believed.
Be for me like rain
Be for me, like rain,
the getting out
of the tiredness, the fatuousness, the semi-
lust of intentional indifference.
the getting out
of the tiredness, the fatuousness, the semi-
lust of intentional indifference.
(The Rain by Robert Creeley)
Living Mythology
Как часто в этом мире ты доверяешь суевериям? Как сильно ты уповаешь на веру? Как ты относишься к тому, что ты живешь в мире придуманном не тобой?
¬Пока где-то в океане медузы, завернутые в пелену течений злобно жалят все что подставляет им свой бок, я, затянутый в водоворот бесконечных дел, в беспокойное путешествие в мир индоевропейских и чувашских корней, порабозенный лавинами, вулканами, расхождениями, приблеженями и упорным самосохранением языка; мое сознание опоздало, не успело подоспеть к 7:30; сны снова забылись, а маршрутка долго не давала о себе знать – в гонке со временем в 22:40, казалось, я уже проиграл; вялый и затянувшийся конец рабочего дня обернулся в молчаливую угадайку – „А будет ли 5 или 57?”, „OMG! Неужели придется раскошелиться на такси”, или „Как я ненавижу транспорт в Чебоксарах!”.В 11:30 уникальным образом (кто-то остановил) я очутился на 23 автобусе вместо 51-й маршрутки, которая подобрала меня в другом мире, или альтернативном переживании дня, а здесь и сейчас бессердечно опаздывала, - поездка длилась 43 минуты, за это время я успел выяснить, быстро сообразив в уме чему равняется 8+2+5 и 6+6+2, что сегодня меня ожидает неожиданная встреча, хотя резюмируя прожитый день, я понимаю, что она была в полне ожиданной – все 12 часов 30 минут я абстрагировался в мире встречи с человеком, которого я забы – догадаться было сложно, я в этом городе никого не хочу видеть, или всех перевидел с момента возвращения в забытые свои воспоминания.
Скептично я отнесся вобщем, но странно, и в лучах июньского солнца, и в тени, цепляя тополиный пух, и в деканате, вручая заявлении о выдаче экзаменационного листа, и сидя на работе над рекламой стальных дверей я думал: „Этому не стоит придавать никакого значения”.
На грустном километре от унылой квартиры, где не ожидал никого видеть сегодня вечером, заключил, что нет будущего, и все на свете происходит, потому что происходит, и билет этот очередная глупость, придуманная настырными людьми, чтобы придать жизни смысл и поставить себя на пути к некой цели. Еще вчера я объяснял Ларисе Сидоровне, что бессмысленен весьма не безсмысленный роман Умберто Эко об острове, предыдущего дня – и несмотря на то, что автор ставит перед вопросом о нашем назначении в этом мире, о смысле любви, воле к жизни и воображении, никаких ответов он не может дать. Я знал, по хитрому взгляду моего куратора, что она полагает иначе. И ведь напомнила про список 100 книг столетия, напечатанный в Аракине – значит непросто прожил свою жизнь пресловутый автор учебных пособий, если в одном из последних изданий его книг, кто-то поместил имя итальянского постмодерниста, чьи произведения натолкнули замученного студента на вопросы экзистенции, оправдания нашего существования.
В 22:00 я проверил комментарии оставленные к моим фотографиям ВКонтакте. Раскрыл альбом „Brooklyn” – I just said to myself: “Hello! Was it me who shot this!” С одной стороный красочность альбома пустила вибрации в моем воображении, с другой стороны я понимал, как я далеко от того уюта – где-то на склоне холма, где посреди битого бетона и асфальта, бесформенных ухабистых тротуарах и хаотичных зарослей травы, местами скошенной, красиво цветут кусты шиповника, а рядом склонилась уродливая кирпичная девятиэтажка, в полуподвальном помещении которого в расшатанном кресле я рассматриваю Бруклин в полноте его щедрого тщеславия, а еще видео танца, в котором Вика Тихонова слепит красотой за нашей любимой одногрупницей. Некоторые люди значят всегда много, в непростых их лицах и телодвижениях я узнаю ход своих мыслей, глубину своих переживаний в то самое время, когда свежий воздух, привнесенный ими уже улетучился, хотелось узнать их глубже (их мудрость, их правда стелилась передо мной), но делать шаг вперед я отказывался, фиксируя их )in front of some other signified. Наверняка Вика перешла бы в рязряд пренебрегаемых мною, если бы она не оставалась центром вселенной – розой с шипами. А я терновником. Жизнь и ранний опыт Вики был известен мне со слов Насти Ивановой, к комментрарию которой сегодня я вернулся. Под фотографией Лены (на ветру, в белом платьице, на фоне весеннего пробуждения) она написала „Тургеневская!” Дурацкий Тургенев –единственное, что я эмоционально запомнил из уроков литературы в школе.
Попробовал Skypeme mode, потревожил знакомых в gmail, специально зашел в facebook. И даже Крис не стал мучать вопросами по чувашскому и марийскому. Ни с кем я не должен был встретиться, и ничего неожиданного не могло произойти. Только микроповторение большого круга ожидания, в котором я себя обнаружил год назад в Бруклине (холодные виски, приклееные к окну автобуса в районе, куда моя нога еще не ступала) – чудес не бывает, случаются только рутины.
В книге перед Роберто лежала миля до вожделенного острова; в окна троллейбуса мерцали огоньки магазина Шупашкар – километр до моего неуютного дома. И никаких неожиданных встреч, все как по плану, правда с выводящими из себя опозданиями. Моя компания за целый день ничего ни для кого не значила – отличная дежурная тишина. Провидения билета – капкан или паутина для очередной скучной одиссеи, в конце которой сон и другая реальность разъедают все, о чем я переживал.
В 23:15 женщина сидевшая рядом у окна, оказалась по велению судьбы соучастницей в преступлении, в искушенном подглядывании за какой-то красивой или накрашенной девушкой на остановке. В 23:21 она покинула салон, забрав историю покушения с собой.
В 22:55 я должен был бы наблюдать и вдохновляться от симметрии времени на электронных часах, но как раз в это время мой взгляд оказался занят подсматриванием за парнем – некоторые люди имеют поразительно знакомые лица! „Нет, этого человека я не знаю. Надо что-нибудь приготовить и съесть перед сном...”
А некоторые люди умеют вовремя отвернуться и увертеться с целью остаться незамеченным. В 23:00 на Николаева этим человеком был я - разглядев среди группы пьяных парней соучастника своего детства, я повернулся к ним спиной и отошел немного. Неужели благие вести – счастливые билеты – раздаются для того, чтобы оповестить о встрече с тем, кого не хочешь видеть, в неприятных обстоятельствах. С уверенного растояния я видел, как Виктор пинул 33 маршрутку ногой за отказ водителя, и вся компания пересекла улицу и исчезла в темноте дороги, которая ведет к дому Насти Ивановой. Я немного поколебался, но на 33-ю не сел, тем после побоев алкоголиком-стажером. Что ж, одной встречи я избежал умышленно – кто сказал что судьбу (микросудьбу) не выбирают – проклятые фаталисты!
Дождался 1-го троллейбуса. После остановки Микрохирургия Глаза сиденья передо мной освободились – теперь ничто не мешало мне разглядывать кондуктора, однако в глаз вцепились колебания парня, который зашел на миле до острова вчерашнего дня. Сперва он снова загромоздил мне взор, а потом повернулся, улыбнулся и пожал руку. Его возможно я никогда не узнаю лучше, но оказалось он куда больше осведомлен обо мне, чем ожидалось. Друг „Розетки” и Насти Ивановой, которого я оказывается видел только раз. Приятно еще, когда говорят, что „такие лица не забываются” (и это в самое время, когда меня разражает видеть свою голову с коротко постриженными волосами, без ностальгической бостоно-бруклинской бородки). Мое больное воображение задето этой встречей – вот уж неожиданность. От Артема я услышал своб краткую биографию, в которую он вписал недостающие детали, расспросив о том, чем я занимался в НЙ – в этом от сидящей рядом девушки пошел пар любопытства, особенно интересно ей стало, когда он объявил себя стюардом Аэрофлота, мечтающим побывать в Америке. Хотя он и обслуживает международные рейсы – обычно это полеты в Европы, на самолетах с широким фюзиляжем ему не доводилось работать. Краснота на его лице говорила о том, что в Чебоксарах он на отпуске – отдыхает; на раздражение кожи я обратил внимание, когда он распросил меня о том, что я называю непрактичностью – «Бары?» Да, я ходил в бары с некоей регулярностью в Бруклине, но ответ нет. Смысла в прозрачной горячительной жидкости для меня немного. Тем более не рекоммендую.
Интересно, как этот человек запомнил факты обо мне, которые передавала Настя Иванова, если он не помнит имени. Наверное он запоминает суть. Интересно, какой он знает Вику Тихонову? Биография без имени.
И огромное удовлетворение, и камень с души свалился – думал я, представляя мастерплан Бога восстановил свою значимость. Предсказания сбываются, суеверия работают по часам, со значимыми задержками. Восстановить волю к жизни, ревитализировать распухшие извилины может небольшая серая бумажка, и минимальная арифметика. Бесконечная красота глупых суеверий, строгой математики – миф, который заставляет в себя верить.
Hapless Romantic
There’s a virtual space, among thousands of them, called the inner world. Where free spirits run fast to the extremes of their imagination. There new ideas don’t have to be installed – it’s clear as the air on a bright day. The glaring light of God hypnotizes tempting one to approach. It seems on a limp into it all the rot, burdens, ugliness and children’s awful grimaces will crust of your memory. In the levitation you’ll go off, hyper-accelerated, vanquishing your anger and fear into the void, from which inertia and apathy will restore it to the world we commonly know.
Well hyperrealist romanticism is good. The thought of it is intensified when one’s especially trapped in the dreadful monotony of routine of the still real world. Sometimes it feels like being hooked up to the Internet and ignoring the world that bothers you and reaches its soiled greasy hands to grip you. Inclined to mute the sounds of annoying talk or over-sweetness of birds singing - replace them by loud virtual sounds of alternative rock! This is how I escape. It feels good. But then you feel hungry and angry, wake up to reality, the overloaded working schedule, things undone. The aftereffects of the getaway are depressing if seemingly satisfying. It’s heeling with the void.
My brother is considering a more real plan of quenching this thirst for freedom from all and everybody. A romantic adventure is thought of – a journey down south – himself, his close friend, and the newly repaired car. Well, guilty of eavesdropping their late night drunk conversation I may be, his enthusiasm inspired me myself. Lying in bed, overhearing sounds from the kitchen, I imagined my own escape to the warmth of the sun, freshness of the foaming ocean, pleasures of beachcombing.
Holding each time the diary in which I recorded myself a perfect drifter walking, a smile on the face drawn by the sun, in no particular direction, I recall the times when that home that held me back held me prisoner for so long was away, unreal, just a fantasy. There I was painless, abstract – my weeks unplanned. Still I think of the words that woman that drew from me, a bottle of contentment: “Una mirada! Su mirada es hermosa! ” Her remark echoes the other pretty comment that I am committed to - “Tienes buen Espanol” – it came from that Spanish senora, that was buying from me a sombrero in the beach store I worked. My reclusion with that Spanish manual from my parents and relatives (even on the holidays) obviously yielded fruit. Still very dear to me are those days, when I was making my first steps towards finding and revealing the alter ego – the light-hearted romantic, and an artist of some sort.
I imagine my brother getting a similar vibe from his recent dreams and plans. For the first time in a long time – I feel warm thinking of my brother, revealing his humor and funny sides (well, not to me – I just spied to my satisfaction). At least I can see his conceit peel off in my view. Though it is exactly his self-satisfaction that inspires me to leave us back here, I secretly hope he enjoys himself, while ready to reproach his behavior with family.
Life is too sad if the igneous desires are hold back. We risk burning down without actually enjoying the process. In the end, we will just poof! – gone! Well, I am, I am burning – burning up.
Happy Birthday
365 days celebrations - each one is an individual story. Among thousands of stories this one should stand out and in fact be forgotten and discarded, and the date itdelf should wiped out of the calendar...
Through the dusty window of the cafe, outside, against the blinding white background of Russian winter, there аre two guy, who met after a long time of separation - each one trying to contain their happiness. They have bier and some bites. One of them has long hair, his gaze is at the frozen Volga; he has a black coat on his slim figure. The other seems more laid back, wearing a military jacket. He is manlier.
They laid back guy is walking in the direction of the window, while the other boy keeps looking far away. Third party appears. It's a cat, held firmly and delicately by the manly guy. It is treated to some of the food and tenderly petted. It is happy to the catlover's delight. The other cat still stares away...
Home - where there's food, attention and affection - the farther the better. Of all the persons in that home - siblings, friends, relatives, co-workers - mother is who is to be most eagerly avoided today.
Comfort
Perhaps it is the fate la lucha to break through the wall of intolerable rudeness and uncouth cowardice with a help of atrocious revolution. When the body is inflamed by almost a rage, when dysfunctional judgements make it worse, and emotions only seek to break the shell of stability, tear the calming and comforting straight jacket - where am I to look for cure from anger, from wrong choices and their consequences?
There is self-indulgent beauty, like a rose, or like rosy fiery flower whose petals burn, and whose sharp thorns will dig up wounds in your skin, deep and unheeling. Why would one pick it up, why would one desire to hold it?
There is a self-absorbed person, like a daffodil, or like a yellow flower with a golden touch to it. It doesn't pick it's head up, won't look at you and ignore your calling.
There is a coward, who is either one and neither one. Whose promisses are golden yellow, and whose lies ignite firce rage.
And there's a human vulnerable enough to confront this. And when running away, cowardly, proudly, beaitifully from his wrong hope all he gets a comfort of a frozen seat.
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