Fredag den 17. november 2017

09:00 Lois og jeg går i bad og står op. Efter morgenmad går jeg i gang med at udarbejde en danske ordforrådliste, som jeg sender via email til vores danske gruppes medlemmer. Vores næste møde er bestemt til den 14. december, og jeg vil i de næste få uger udtænke et ordforrådtest baseret på denne liste, som jeg vil have dem til at tage på det møde.

11:00 Jeg lytter lidt til radio, et interessant program, der handler om stoicismen. Programmets vært er den berømte komiker, Andy Zaltzman.

Stoicisme er en antik filosofisk retning der blev grundlagt af Zenon fra Kition. En central tese for stoikerne er at man skal adskille følelser og fornuft, udøve selvkontrol og udelade følelsesmæssig involvering, da valg skal tages ud fra fornuften alene. Den ideelle stoiker er upåvirket af modgang og præget af fasthed og koldblodighed. Stoicisme skal karakteriseres som en uændret væremåde, uanset hvad der sker.

Vi hører også om filosofiens påvirkning i den moderne verden, for eksempel i udviklingen af cognitiv terapi og sportsterapi.

Mens jeg lytter til programmet, tænker jeg umiddelbart på stoicismen af Trumps tilhængere, der opretholder deres støtte for præsidenten, på trods af alt, han gør mod deres interesser. De er sandeligt et eksempel for os alle (se typiske overskrifter nedenfor) – ingen tvivl om det!

en typisk Trump-relateret overskrift i

New Yorker-tidsskriftets Borowitz-spalten.

Trump-tilhængere i et lystigt udbrud af stoicismen.

12:30 Vi spiser frokost og bagefter går jeg i seng for at tage mig en kort eftermiddagslur.

Mens jeg sover, går Lois hen rundt om hjørnet til det lokale bibliotek, for at hjælpe  bibliotekets personale med at organisere og lede eftermiddagens ugentlige ”Baby Bounce and Rhyme” session for unge mødre og deres små børn. Aktiviterne består af barnesange for babys og forældre (og bedsteforældre).

14:30 Jeg står op.

15:15 Min søster i Cambridge, Gill, ringer til mig. og vi veksler nyheder om vores familier. Gill og Peter, hendes mand, har 3 voksne døtre. Zoe, den ældste, arbejder i feltet af kræftforskning på Manchester University, og går gennem svære tider siden hendes holds laboratorium blev brændt ned for nogle måneder siden – deres projekter skal flytte til et nyt laboratorium (i Alderley Park) indenfor de næste 2 måneder, men desværre ligger det ganske langt væk fra hendes hjem  – Gill og Peter vil gerne købe hende en billig brugt bil. Lucy, den yngste datter, har nu arbejdet i 3 måneder som praktikant i en advokatfirma i Cambridge, sin første stilling.

Lois og jeg håber at kunne mødes med Gill, måske i februar i Oxford (midvejs mellem Cheltenham og Cambridge) for at spise frokost på en restaurant og veksle nyheder før Lois og jeg for anden gang rejser til Australien for at tilbringe 6 uger hos vores datter Sarah og hendes familie.

15:45 Lois kommer hjem og vi slapper af med en kop te i sofaen. Vi snakker om Sarah, vores datter i Australien. Vi beslutter at vi næste uge må smutte ind i den Thomas Cooks rejsebureau, der har til huse i den lokale Waitrose-supermarked, og tale med dem om mulige optioner til vores planlagte rejse til Australien næste marts. Vi længer efter at se Sarah og hendes lille familie, herunder Sarah og Francis’ to 4-årige tvillinger, Lily og Jessie, men vi glæder os ikke ret meget til at udholde den lange flyvetur – pokkers!!!!

Vi er også bekymrede for Francis’ helbred. Sarah er revisor og familieforsørgeren, mens Francis er en svensk-stil ”pappaledig” eller ”latte papa”. Han er 52 år gammel og lider allerede af iskias og har også skjoldbruskkirtelproblemer. Sarah bestilte for nylig en tid hos familiens lægeklinik for Francis’s 2. biopsi. Han er blevet diagnosticeret med knuder i skjoldbruskkirtel, men det er ikke klar, om knuderne er godartede, eller ej. Hans første biopsi var ikke 100% succesfuld, så derfor har hans læge anbefalet et andet forsøg.

Hvad ville der ske, hvis Francis ikke længere kunne passe på børnene (det forbyder Gud!!!!)? Ville familien blive tvunget til at opgive sin australske drøm, som de påbegyndt for 2 år siden? Ville de alle flytte ind hos os i igen i Cheltenham? Yikes!!!!! Og dobbelt yikes !!!!!! Ville Lois og jeg blive til Francis’ 71-årige plejere og tvillingernes 71-årige substitutforældre? Tredobbelt yikes!!!! Men vi må tænke stoicisme, stoicisme, stoicism!

18:00 Vi spiser aftensmad og ser lidt fjernsyn. De viser en interessant dokumentarfilm, der handler om Ovid, den berømte romerske digter. Programmets vært er den charmerende Michael Wood.

Ovids digte er meget personlige og stadig populære i dag, i sammenligning til de fleste latinske digtere, der man først og fremmest bare læser for at få historiske og kulturelle indsigter i en svundet verden. Selve Bob Dylan blev inspireret af Ovids digte, og har baseret nogle af sine nyligere sange på Ovids linjer.

Kejseren Augustus forviste Ovid i 8 e.Kr. til Sortehavsområdet, hvor han døde 9 år senere: dels på grund af hans frække digte, men først og fremmest fordi han gjorde, hvad Ovid selv kalder "en fejl". Han så tilfældigvis et syn, han ikke burde have set. Ingen ved, hvad det der syn var - det kunne have medført en hændelse, hvor han så et medlem af den kejserlige familie i en kompromisstilling, nogle tror. Han var på det tidspunkt i gang med en uægteskabelig affære med kejserens barnebarn.

I hans "Metamorphoses" læser vi, at en ung jæger der tilfældigvis ser den nøgne gudinde Diana i badet. Hun forvandler ham til et hjort, og han bliver revet i stykker af sine egne hunde - stakkels jæger !!!!!

en ung jæger ser tilfældigivis den nøgne gudinde Diana i badet.

Hun forvandler ham til et hjort, og han bliver revet i stykker af sine

egne hunde – du godeste, stakkels ung jæger!!!!

Guder og gudinder er barnlige og lunefulde, siger Ovid, ligesom Augustus, og mange af verdens ledere i dag ha ha ha!

guderne er barnlige og lunefulde, ligesom kejseren Augustus

og verdens ledere i dag ha ha ha!

Jeg mindes, at nogle of Alisons skolekammerater for 30 år siden tilfældigvis fik øje på Lois i badeværelset udenfra. Derfor besluttede vi at få installeret et nyt vindue med frostet glas – du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!!

Vi ved ikke, hvad Ovid så – hans læber var til evig tid forseglede. Det kunne have været noget frækt eller noget ubehageligt og modbydeligt. Jeg tænker på Ada Doom, Judiths mor i ”Cold Comfort Farm”, en gnieragtig eneboer, gårdens ejer, som konstant klagede over at have set "noget ubehageligt i haveskuret", da hun var pige. Du godeste, sikke et vanvid!!!!

22:00 Vi går i seng. Jeg læser 7 sider af min sengetid bog, der handler om slaget om Budapest, før jeg glider over i søvnen. Zzzzzzzzzzz!!!!

English translation

09:00 Lois and I go in the shower and get up. After breakfast, I get started with preparing a Danish vocabulary list, which I send out by email to our Danish group members. Our next meeting is scheduled for December 14, and in the next few weeks I will devise a vocabulary test based on this list, which I want them to take at that meeting.

11:00 I listen a little to the radio, an interesting program all about stoicism. The host of the program is the famous comedian, Andy Zaltzman.

Stoicism is an ancient philosophical school founded by Zenon of Kition. A central thesis for the stoics is to separate feelings and reason, exercise self-control and avoid emotional involvement since choices must be taken out of reason alone. The ideal stoic is unaffected by adversity and characterized by firmness and cold bloodedness. Stoicism can for that reason be characterised as an attitude that doesn't change, no matter what happens.

We also hear about the influence of philosophy in the modern world, for example in the development of cognitive therapy and sports therapy.

As I listen to the program, I immediately think of the stoicism of Trump's constituency, who maintain their support for the President, despite all he does that's against their interests. They are truly an example to all of us (see typical headlines below) - no doubt about that!

A typical Trump-related headline in

New Yorker's Borowitz column.

Trump supporters in a joyous outbreak of stoicism.

12:30 We have lunch and afterwards I go to bed and take a short afternoon afternoon.

While I'm sleeping, Lois walks around the corner to the local library to help library staff organize and lead this afternoon's weekly Baby Bounce and Rhyme session for young mothers and their little children. The activities consist of children's songs for babies and parents (and grandparents).

14:30 I get up.

15:15 My sister in Cambridge, Gill, calls me. and we exchange news about our families. Gill and Peter, her husband, have 3 grown up daughters. 

Zoe, the oldest, works in the field of cancer research at Manchester University, and has been through some hard times since her team's lab was burned down a few months ago - their projects are going to move out to a new laboratory (in Alderley Park) within the next 2 months, but unfortunately it is quite a distance away from her home - Gill and Peter would like to buy her a cheap used car. 

Lucy, the youngest daughter, has now been working for 3 months as a trainee in a law firm in Cambridge, her first position.

Lois and I hope to meet with Gill, maybe in February in Oxford (ie midway between Cheltenham and Cambridge) to have lunch at a restaurant and exchange news before Lois and I travel to Australia for the second time to spend 6 weeks with our daughter Sarah and her family.

15:45 Lois comes home and we relax with a cup of tea on the couch. We chat about Sarah, our daughter in Australia. We decide that next week we will have to swing by the Thomas Cook travel agency in the local Waitrose supermarket, and talk to them about possible options for our planned trip to Australia next March. We long to see Sarah and her little family, including Sarah and Francis's 4-year-old twins, Lily and Jessie, but we are not looking forward to putting up with the long flight - damn !!!!

We are also worried about Francis' health. Sarah is an accountant and the family breadwinner, while Francis is a Swedish-style "pappaledig" or "latte papa" (stay-at-home dad). He is 52 years old and is already suffering from sciatica and also has thyroid problems. Sarah recently booked an appointment at the family's medical clinic for Francis's 2nd biopsy. He has been diagnosed with nodules on the thyroid gland but it is not clear whether the nodes are benign or not. His first biopsy was not 100% successful, so his doctor recommended another attempt.

What would happen if Francis could no longer take care of the children (which God forbid !!!!)? Would the family be forced to give up their Australian dream, which they embarked upon 2 years ago? Would they all move in with us again in Cheltenham? Yikes !!!!! And double yikes !!!!!! Would Lois and I become Francis's 71-year-old carers and the twins' 71-year-old substitute parents? Triple yikes !!!!

But we must think stoicism, stoicism, stoicism!

18:00 We have dinner and watch television. An interesting documentary is on, all about Ovid, the famous Roman poet. The host of the program is the charming Michael Wood.

Ovids poetry is very personal and still popular today, in comparison to most Latin poets who are first and foremost read only for the historical and cultural insights into a long-dead world. Even Bob Dylan was inspired by Ovid's poems, and has based some of his more recent songs on Ovid's lines.

In 8 AD. the Emperor Augustus exiled Ovid to the Black Sea area, where he died nine years later: partly because of his saucy poetry, but first and foremost because Ovid made what he himself calls "a mistake". He happened to see a sight he should not have seen. 

Nobody knows what that 'sight' was - it could have involved an incident where he saw a member of the imperial family in a compromising position, some believe. He was at that time carrying on an extra-marital affair with the Emperor's granddaughter.

In his "Metamorphosis" we read that a young hunter happens by accident to see the naked goddess Diana in the bath. She turns him into a deer, and he gets torn apart by his own hounds - poor hunter !!!!!

A young hunter accidentally sees the naked goddess Diana in the bath.

She turns him into a deer, and he is torn apart

by his own hounds - good grief, poor young hunter !!!!

The gods and goddesses are childish and whimsical, says Ovid, like Augustus, and many of the world's leaders today have ha ha!

The gods are childish and capricious, just like Emperor Augustus

and world leaders today ha ha ha!

I remember that 30 years ago some of Alison's schoolmates accidentally saw Lois in the bath from outside the house. That was why we decided to install a new window with frosted glass - good grief, what madness !!!!

We do not know what Ovid saw - his lips were sealed forever. It could have been something saucy, or something unpleasant and disgusting. I think of Ada Doom, Judith's mother in the Cold Comfort Farm, a miserly widower, the owner of the farm, who constantly complained of seeing "something nasty in the woodshed" when she was a girl. My god, what madness !!!!

22:00 We go to bed. I read 7 pages of my bedtime bookabout the battle for Budapest before I slide off to sleep. Zzzzzzzzzzz !!!!