All Hallows

Tomorrow is All Hallows (All Saints Day). That makes today All Hallows Eve -- Hallowe'en.

As has been typical in this country, the Holy Day has been commuted because it falls on Saturday (too close to Sunday). The problem with this is that commuted makes it sound like a prison or death sentence. "Whew! Glad that one got commuted!"

That is what makes for spiritual laziness. Yes, I'll admit that it is convenient. But has anyone noticed that the religious orders that are actually flourishing are the ones that make the most demands on its followers?

It's the same with lay people. People want to be challenged despite their laziness.

Grr.

First, I spent the entire Spring cleaning up the yard, killing all unwanted weeds and ugliness.

Then I threw my back out and couldn't do anything at all.

Next, I hired the neighbor's kid and paid a pretty penny to return my pride and joy to its pristine state while I was laid up.

Following, work went crazy and they thought we were in a non-volunteer Army, preventing any kind of yard work, including mowing the lawn.

Now -- the weeds -- they're back.

Grr.

Why did God become Food?

Ever think about that? Think about just any party, any celebration, family event -- what is the one thing that ties them all together. They almost universally involve eating.

An omnipotent God, who could "turn" himself into literally anything chose ... bread.

Why? So we would eat it.

If you don't eat, you die. If you do eat the best food imaginable you ... live forever.

My girl, Blynken, will make her First Holy Communion in the Spring.

That's. Just. Awesome.

Do the Wegs

The bright spot in my otherwise crappy work month is, strangely enough, Wegmans. This is an awesome store: good prices, fresh produce, sumptuous dishes, easy prep stuff. I ziggied up there for lunch today and had a delectable meatloaf, sauteed green beans, and grilled zucchini and carrots.

When the going gets tough, reach for the comfort food.



And as if it couldn't get better, they just bagged a bunch of floor space in their huge wine department to devote to 700 types of beer. Not that low-brow stuff either, we're talking microbrews and internationals. I couldn't resist picking up some Allagash Grand Cru. I do have a fondness for that Belgian beer.

Sigh.

Ancient Palindromes III

Ok, you could have read the whole page yourself, but you gotta admit, a Sanskrit palindrome is pretty cool.

Palindromes of considerable complexity were experimented with in Sanskrit poetry. An example which has been called "the most complex and exquisite type of palindrome ever invented"[1], appears in the 19th canto of the 8th century epic poem śiśupāla-vadha by Magha. It yields the same text if read forwards, backwards, down, or up:

sa-kA-ra-nA-nA-ra-kA-sa
-kA-ya-sA-da-da-sA-ya-kA
ra-sA-ha-vA vA-ha-sA-ra
-nA-da-vA-da-da-vA-da-nA.
(nA da vA da da vA da nA
ra sA ha vA vA ha sA ra
kA ya sA da da sA ya kA
sa kA ra nA nA ra kA sa)

(note: hyphen indicates same word). The up and down reading depends on re-reading the text back up again; the last four lines have been reversed above to clarify this property.

The stanza translates as:

[That army], which relished battle (rasAhavA) contained allies who brought low the bodes and gaits of their various striving enemies (sakAranAnArakAsakAyasAdadasAyakA), and in it the cries of the best of mounts contended with musical instruments (vAhasAranAdavAdadavAdanA).