lokakuuta 09, 2005

daydreaming and decisions

One can’t be busy and dutiful all the time, can one? I was yesterday; I read a book about history of human rights and part of an anthology – can you call a selection of scientific writings an anthology? – about enlightenment (Horkheimer, Foucault, Habermas, those dudes). More than 350 pages altogether – I was rather pleased with myself. I had the best plans to continue today with another 300-pager about the intellectual foundations of modern culture, but somehow I haven’t managed a page yet.

I got up at ten, fed the cat and spent nearly two hours having breakfast, reading the paper and generally day-dreaming. Then I was slowly heading towards the couch and the modernity-book, when my sister sent me a SMS and asked whether I’d be interested in going to my other sister’s this evening to make pizza. I contemplated for an entire second and replied promptly that sure, I’ll come. I looked at the watch, realised that there was no way I was going to be able to read that entire book today and decided that I might as well do something more relaxing first and possibly skim the book later.

This entire messaging and decision-making had interrupted a terribly important and lively discussion going on in my head. I can’t remember anymore what exactly it had to do with, but as a result I was forced to open the computer and go through most of my Rammstein-picture collection. I think it probably had something to do with men and how they can look at their best. Since now there was no way I was going to be able to get knowledgeable enough about Mr. Dupré’s ideas about enlightenment’s effects on modernity, I decided to watch a couple of concert shots too, and both of the long MTV Rammstein-specials. And the VIVA-one so it wouldn’t have felt neglected.

And now it is nearly four o'clock. I have managed to feed myself, enforce my Rammsteinian-addiction, finish a number of Japanese puzzles (another obsession in making) and... well, I suppose that’s it, but does one really need to do more on a Sunday? Even if there is a seminar one is supposed to be teaching Monday at 8 o’clock? But it’s not like I actually HAVE to give the students this book to read. They have plenty already and this is definitely another one of those “old, dead, smart guys” books. The course is supposed to be history, not philosophy or theory after all. Yeah, they are not getting this book! I’m keeping it; I’ll just read it for myself later. You can thank Rammstein for not having to go through 300 pages of Kant, Lessing, Heidegger and Herder, children.

- Oh dear, just because you are drooling after...
- SHUT UP!
- Ouch, woman! Save my ears! What’s the big deal, everyone knows that...
- Everyone knows nothing. And let’s keep it that way. Did you have a point?
- I was just commenting on the fickleness of your decision making. How on the basis of your...on the basis of something so completely irrelevant you make decisions like these.
- So?
- So nothing. I just thought it was interesting.
- Well, life is.
- Fine.
- Fine.

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