by Harvey Mudd | Aug 22, 2013 | Paris is the World
Paris giveth and Paris taketh away. It dazzles and disillusions, pleases and disgusts. Beauty and filth. Not, of course, a tension unique to Paris, one found in all great cities, but Paris is where the world and I rub shoulders. I’d arranged to meet my daughter...
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 20, 2013 | Proust et Moi
A la recherché du temps perdu rises up before me, the Himalayas of literature. I have started the climb and am keeping a journal of the adventure. Since Proust allows metaphors to cross and conflict, I will permit myself the same liberty. Thus: climbing into...
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
Once “melanoma” was diagnosed, I was directed by the dermatologist to the big public Hopital Saint Louis of the assistance publique system that is stigmatized as “socialized” medicine and dreaded by the Americans – an irrational fear, rather like fearing the devil,...
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 16, 2013 | Uncategorized
The decals of instruction on how to break the windows and escape from the TGV carriage in case of a wreck have upset a little boy sitting across the aisle. The graphic shows a figure striking the window. He tries to peel off the decals with his little fingers. His...
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 14, 2013 | Uncategorized
Vanity to the rescue. I decided to inquire about the price of removing a large “age spot” on my face. Feeling lightly embarrassed by my interest in such a project: men of my age are expected to have such things, badges, if you will, of life spent....
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 11, 2013 | Paris is the World
Paris, 10 August 2011 The day dawned fair, first good day in weeks. The white lines left by airplanes , like chalk marks, crisscrossed the perfect blue of Parisian sky. I would go, in the afternoon, after some writing done, to the great western forest, the Bois de...
by Harvey Mudd | Aug 9, 2013 | Uncategorized
I started the day thinking about what it means to be insane and ended up going the park. The question about insanity came up because the defense attorney for the Norwegian mass murderer called his client “insane,” as if that would not only explain his action but would...
