Going through your old posts. It looks like "http://www.beyond-the-pale.co.uk/schopenhauer.htm" does not exist anymore. I dearly hope to still be able to read through your entries and musings in the decades to come. Don't worry, I'm not treating your writings as gospel, but as a Kuriositätenkabinett with a lit candle on top of it.
I've been at 'home' for a month now. The people and their attitude here stress me out - oh, my delicate feelings! So, I'd like to visit Sardegna and its many Nuraghe, but January might be too early to venture forth.
My website used to be "...co.uk" but now it is just "...uk". I fixed the link. Thanks.
I went to Malta one February a long time ago and froze half the time. I did not like it at all, the food was terrible - but I went to see the megaliths which were wonderful. So I wouldn't recommend Sardinia until April, especially the higher spots. It's quite cold in the S of France at the moment: -4° here at night, and nearly down to zero in Provence.
Be careful of candles and kabinetten. I once set our house on fire (when I was about 8), and there has been a tragedy in Switzerland with candles and 'sparklers' in a dangerous fire-hazard calling itself a bar...
Maybe I will drop by on my way back, but then again, I'm notoriously hard to motivate to actually follow through on my plans. In a way I am already partially fossilised. I was asked to get treatment for depression or to get a job - the latter feeling like a form of horror to me, whereas the former option has not really led anywhere in the past. Best I could do is to go hiking again and to marvel at remnants from the ancient times and to sleep in cuile.
Well, it would be nice to see you. Yes, the idea of a job is pretty horrific. As you know, I was never lured - except once, when my mother (getting desperate) pushed me into the RAF, which she had been in (as a meteorologist), during The War. U did not last long before I got a Medical (Psychological) Discharge. I don't think you have depression any more than did Baudelaire. But you have to 'cut free' somehow. If you visit, I might be able to help you to do that. Or maybe not. You have a fantastic command of English: that may be your route. I remember someone saying to me: "You are too intelligent for your own good." So was Socrates, to name but one. Nietzsche...? Apart from reading my blog (which last week got 1500 'hits' on one day, though maybe they were Bots) what are your other interests/pre-occupations ?
Well... the past two weeks have been rather bleak, or rather, I've had the typical morning lows and my ups at night. As for my other preoccupations: when I'm not brooding over the past and the same nebulous non-topics, I either more or less aimlessly browse the web, chat, and recently I've tried to do more programming. Shamelessly with the help of AI! I have a vague plan to create a video game, and that might be achievable. But I doubt I'll make any serious money, or even not‑so‑serious money, with it. But let's not turn this into a dreaded corporate human‑resources‑department conversation of "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
As for my English, my pronunciation is quirky and rather German and I sometimes stumble over my own words. I dropped English as a subject after the 11th grade of Gymnasium, though one of my teachers would have been eager to have me in her preparation classes for the A‑levels. She was somewhat unstable though, and that put me off, so I picked Latin instead, which translated to two years of absolute boredom.
I've been tasked with creating a brochure, and that will make me maybe 250 euros. Then I should just get a Flixbus or a train out of here in early February.
I too have the morning lows (aaaargh!) and evening highs (whoopee!). I made the same mistake as you by choosing stultifyingly-boring Latin over German. I had already given up Greek because of really bad teaching by a guy who was over 80. 250 euros isn't much. I was paid 200 for a simple one-page translation. I was given some money recently by my friend Malcolm and am now relatively rich. Would you like some ? I could give you 500 euros if you visit.
PS Actually, IU could do with 'help' (helpful companionship) setting up my new windows 11 laptop (this one is 15 years old and is getting tired) that I got for half-price : an unwanted Christmas present.
PPS I am now reading a much-praised sort-of-novel about the career of H.Heydrich (HHhH by Laurent Binet) - and the comparisons between the Nazi rise and rule and Trump rule are very obvious. It is very scary. Time to hoard coffee ? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/20/donald-trump-greenland-world-plan-leadership
Accepting these 500€ would make me feel as if I were taking part in one of those schemes that defraud elderly people. But of course, I could help you install Windows 11 on your computer, so it wouldn't just be a generous amount of alms. I should be ready to leave in three weeks, and then I'll be out in the sticks for as long as possible again. A bus from here to Toulouse or Montauban is about 70€ and can take up to 30 hours. There also seem to be ferries from Marseille to Sardinia. It's certainly much better than staying within my maddening confines here at 'home'.
Well, in a way it is. I have been suffering for the past few days from something like a 'crise de nerfs' as used to be said in France about women. I have hit a low... I have also had problems with the new computer which got slower and slower...so I have gone back to the old one.
But I should say at this stage that it is ludicrous to correspond like this. If you can't write me an e-mail, I can no longer reply to these messages. Over and out.
THIS IS IRONIC. My server thinks I'm a spammer and I cannot send any e-mails. I think I may have to set up a new account... But I wrote you this:
Dear Martin,
By couincidence my-friend-of-30-years, Malcolm (who has stopped coming to France) had a stroke yesterday, too. He is now in hospital, but seems to have recovered...just has a weak right leg.
So...has your mother had a serious stroke ? Will you have to look after her ? Please keep me informed. Is her mind OK or partly missing ?
My mind is slowly eroding, especially with names and rarely-used words. For example, I couldn't remember the names of film directors Bergman and Resnais when conversing with my weekend visitor...
...the first for several years. She lives in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a big cultural centre (small town with 10 restaurants and vast tourist trade) where van Gogh was looked after by Dr Gachet in the 'asylum' which was a Romanesque church. She reads my blog !!! She contacted me because of my book and research on Exhibitionists (www.beyond-the-pale.org.uk). We got on well and I made her a very good dinner last night. The previous night we ate at a restaurant only 300 metres from my house, which ob viously had changed its chef-de-cuisine since the first and last time I was there: the meal was surprisingly good and with good ambiance.
She has now gone to Rodez (100 km NE of Caylus) to look at the fabulous collection of statue-menhirs in the Fenouillet museum (formerly a private house). I too am a big fan of statue-menhirs, almost all of which are in the départements of Aveyron and Tarn.
She wisely decided to stay in an AirBnB rather than in my house. Her English is excellent, at your standard, with excellent pronunciation. So we spoke hardly any French...
But you probably don't want to hear all this.
I hope you can cope. "Keep me posted."
ANTHONY
I can still correspond on whatsapp (+33 673 319563) and am doing so with Malcolm.
14 comments:
Check out the 1916 Declaration of Independence:
http://www.gizoogle.net/xfer.php?link=http://www.failteromhat.com/declare.htm&sa=U&ei=DJi5Ur65H-Pd7QbdgYGIDw&ved=0CCYQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNGVedpzsKwLoLfGLteLoo1nlk_ikg
Going through your old posts. It looks like "http://www.beyond-the-pale.co.uk/schopenhauer.htm" does not exist anymore. I dearly hope to still be able to read through your entries and musings in the decades to come. Don't worry, I'm not treating your writings as gospel, but as a Kuriositätenkabinett with a lit candle on top of it.
I've been at 'home' for a month now. The people and their attitude here stress me out - oh, my delicate feelings! So, I'd like to visit Sardegna and its many Nuraghe, but January might be too early to venture forth.
- Martin
My website used to be "...co.uk" but now it is just "...uk". I fixed the link. Thanks.
I went to Malta one February a long time ago and froze half the time. I did not like it at all, the food was terrible - but I went to see the megaliths which were wonderful. So I wouldn't recommend Sardinia until April, especially the higher spots. It's quite cold in the S of France at the moment: -4° here at night, and nearly down to zero in Provence.
Be careful of candles and kabinetten. I once set our house on fire (when I was about 8), and there has been a tragedy in Switzerland with candles and 'sparklers' in a dangerous fire-hazard calling itself a bar...
You could visit here, of course. Lots of art, vegetarian food, warm bed in your own sunny room...
Maybe I will drop by on my way back, but then again, I'm notoriously hard to motivate to actually follow through on my plans. In a way I am already partially fossilised.
I was asked to get treatment for depression or to get a job - the latter feeling like a form of horror to me, whereas the former option has not really led anywhere in the past.
Best I could do is to go hiking again and to marvel at remnants from the ancient times and to sleep in cuile.
Well, it would be nice to see you. Yes, the idea of a job is pretty horrific. As you know, I was never lured - except once, when my mother (getting desperate) pushed me into the RAF, which she had been in (as a meteorologist), during The War. U did not last long before I got a Medical (Psychological) Discharge.
I don't think you have depression any more than did Baudelaire. But you have to 'cut free' somehow. If you visit, I might be able to help you to do that. Or maybe not.
You have a fantastic command of English: that may be your route.
I remember someone saying to me: "You are too intelligent for your own good." So was Socrates, to name but one. Nietzsche...?
Apart from reading my blog (which last week got 1500 'hits' on one day, though maybe they were Bots) what are your other interests/pre-occupations ?
Well... the past two weeks have been rather bleak, or rather, I've had the typical morning lows and my ups at night.
As for my other preoccupations: when I'm not brooding over the past and the same nebulous non-topics, I either more or less aimlessly browse the web, chat, and recently I've tried to do more programming. Shamelessly with the help of AI!
I have a vague plan to create a video game, and that might be achievable. But I doubt I'll make any serious money, or even not‑so‑serious money, with it.
But let's not turn this into a dreaded corporate human‑resources‑department conversation of "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
As for my English, my pronunciation is quirky and rather German and I sometimes stumble over my own words. I dropped English as a subject after the 11th grade of Gymnasium, though one of my teachers would have been eager to have me in her preparation classes for the A‑levels. She was somewhat unstable though, and that put me off, so I picked Latin instead, which translated to two years of absolute boredom.
I've been tasked with creating a brochure, and that will make me maybe 250 euros. Then I should just get a Flixbus or a train out of here in early February.
I too have the morning lows (aaaargh!) and evening highs (whoopee!). I made the same mistake as you by choosing stultifyingly-boring Latin over German. I had already given up Greek because of really bad teaching by a guy who was over 80.
250 euros isn't much. I was paid 200 for a simple one-page translation.
I was given some money recently by my friend Malcolm and am now relatively rich.
Would you like some ? I could give you 500 euros if you visit.
PS Actually, IU could do with 'help' (helpful companionship) setting up my new windows 11 laptop (this one is 15 years old and is getting tired) that I got for half-price : an unwanted Christmas present.
PPS I am now reading a much-praised sort-of-novel about the career of H.Heydrich (HHhH by Laurent Binet) - and the comparisons between the Nazi rise and rule and Trump rule are very obvious. It is very scary. Time to hoard coffee ?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/20/donald-trump-greenland-world-plan-leadership
Accepting these 500€ would make me feel as if I were taking part in one of those schemes that defraud elderly people. But of course, I could help you install Windows 11 on your computer, so it wouldn't just be a generous amount of alms.
I should be ready to leave in three weeks, and then I'll be out in the sticks for as long as possible again. A bus from here to Toulouse or Montauban is about 70€ and can take up to 30 hours. There also seem to be ferries from Marseille to Sardinia. It's certainly much better than staying within my maddening confines here at 'home'.
I hope my post from a few days ago didn't sound like a tasteless joke. - Martin
Well, in a way it is. I have been suffering for the past few days from something like a 'crise de nerfs' as used to be said in France about women. I have hit a low...
I have also had problems with the new computer which got slower and slower...so I have gone back to the old one.
But I should say at this stage that it is ludicrous to correspond like this. If you can't write me an e-mail, I can no longer reply to these messages. Over and out.
THIS IS IRONIC. My server thinks I'm a spammer and I cannot send any e-mails. I think I may have to set up a new account... But I wrote you this:
Dear Martin,
By couincidence my-friend-of-30-years, Malcolm (who has stopped coming to France) had a stroke yesterday, too. He is now in hospital, but seems to have recovered...just has a weak right leg.
So...has your mother had a serious stroke ? Will you have to look after her ? Please keep me informed. Is her mind OK or partly missing ?
My mind is slowly eroding, especially with names and rarely-used words. For example, I couldn't remember the names of film directors Bergman and Resnais when conversing with my weekend visitor...
...the first for several years. She lives in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a big cultural centre (small town with 10 restaurants and vast tourist trade) where van Gogh was looked after by Dr Gachet in the 'asylum' which was a Romanesque church. She reads my blog !!! She contacted me because of my book and research on Exhibitionists (www.beyond-the-pale.org.uk). We got on well and I made her a very good dinner last night. The previous night we ate at a restaurant only 300 metres from my house, which ob viously had changed its chef-de-cuisine since the first and last time I was there: the meal was surprisingly good and with good ambiance.
She has now gone to Rodez (100 km NE of Caylus) to look at the fabulous collection of statue-menhirs in the Fenouillet museum (formerly a private house). I too am a big fan of statue-menhirs, almost all of which are in the départements of Aveyron and Tarn.
She wisely decided to stay in an AirBnB rather than in my house. Her English is excellent, at your standard, with excellent pronunciation. So we spoke hardly any French...
But you probably don't want to hear all this.
I hope you can cope. "Keep me posted."
ANTHONY
I can still correspond on whatsapp (+33 673 319563) and am doing so with Malcolm.
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