Caturday ~ Dear Diary

The diary of sad cats everywhere.  The cat mentions Sisyphus in the last sentence.  Do you know that story?

Sisyphus, in Greek mythology, was punished for his deceitfulness by being compelled to push an immense boulder up a hill forever, watching it roll back down every time he reached the top.  The Myth of Sisyphus is a philosophical essay by Albert Camus (French 1942, English 1955), in which he introduces his philosophy of the absurd about our futile search for meaning.  In the last chapter, Camus compares the absurdity of our lives with Sisyphus having to repeat — over and over and over — the same meaningless task.  The poor kitty above is Sisyphus, pushing that big watermelon up out of the water.  (And don't we wonder what it was doing there in the first place?)

The most memorable part of the philosophy class I took around 1970, when I first learned about Sisyphus, was this sentence:

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Our professor had us imagine him reaching the top of the mountain.  Sisyphus could stand tall and straight, watching the boulder bounce away from him down the steep slope.  He could look out over the nearby hills and valleys as he starts making his way back to the bottom.  How is the task of Sisyphus different from getting up every morning and going to work?  Or staying home and washing the same dishes for the umpteenth time?  Or wiping your child's runny nose — again?

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy."  But the cat doesn't look a bit happy, does he?  (If the video quits working, watch it on YouTube.)

Beginning ~ with a can opener

The Dalai Lama's Cat ~ by David Michie, 2012, fiction

The idea came about one sunny Himalayan morning.  There I was, lying in my usual spot on the first-floor windowsill — the perfect vantage point from which to maintain maximum surveillance with minimum effort — as His Holiness was bringing a private audience to a close.

The cover photo and the book's title give it away, why "someone" writing this "memoir" would be lying on a windowsill.  A cat can do that — I can't.  After reading the first couple of pages, I knew I'd found an irreverant writer I'd enjoy, one whose fur is slightly ruffled by a phrase like "having a cat."

"Oh!  How adorable! ... I didn’t know you had a cat!" she exclaimed.

I am always surprised how many people make this observation ... Why should His Holiness not have a cat — if, indeed, "having a cat" is a correct understanding of the relationship?

"If only she could speak ... I’m sure she’d have such wisdom to share."

And so the seed was planted.

I began to think that perhaps the time had come for me to write a book of my own — a book that would convey some of the wisdom I’ve learned sitting not at the feet of the Dalai Lama but even closer, on his lap. A book that would tell my own tale ... how I was rescued from a fate too grisly to contemplate to become the constant companion of a man who is not only one of the world’s greatest spiritual leaders and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate but also a dab hand with a can opener.

Ah, yes, I could already imagine "the sound of one can opening" getting the attention of a cat.

Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. Click here for today's Mister Linky.

BTT (#35) ~ a book I like to re-read

Deb @ Booking Through Thursday writes:

"What book(s) do you find yourself going back to?  Beloved children’s classics?  Favorites from college?  Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit?  (Because, doesn’t everybody have at least one book they would like to curl up with, even if they don’t make a habit of rereading books?  Even if they maybe don’t even have the time to visit and just think back longingly?)"

Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction ~ by David Macaulay, 1973, children's

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the imaginary French town of Chutreaux during the thirteenth century.

This is the title that came immediately to mind when I read this week's question.   I love the illustrations and the history lesson of a time I know relatively little about.  The book, which received a Caldecott Honor Medal, continues to fascinate me.   I took it off the shelf in my bedroom this week to re-read it.  After discovering this topic, I checked my library and put three more of Macaulay's books on hold.

Building the Book Cathedral ~ by David Macaulay, 1999, children's

This book includes the content of Cathedral in its entirety.  Here Macaulay traces the evolution of his creative process in "building" that first book, from the initial concept to the finished drawings.  He introduces the basic elements of structure and sequence and explains why one angle of a drawing may be better for conveying an idea than another.  He also describes how perspective, scale, and contrast can be used to connect a reader with concepts, and how placement of a picture on a page can make a difference in the way information is communicated.

Mosque ~ by David Macaulay, 2003, children's

This book reveals the methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque in late-sixteenth- century Turkey.  Through the fictional story and Macaulay's distinctive full-color illustrations, readers will learn not only how such monumental structures were built but also how they functioned in relation to the society they served.

Castle: How It Works ~ by David Macaulay, 2012, children's

The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur.  What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man?  With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.

Share

Monday Mindfulness ~ positive posting

I plan to be mindful today by.......

• listening to positive things, 
• looking at positively joyous things on Facebook (you, know, the cute stuff rather than the hateful political rants),
• saying nice things to my roommate (she's nice, so that's easy), and
• posting nothing mean-spirited.

Sunday Salon ~ palindromes

You do know what palindromes are, don't you?  It's when something reads the same forward and backward.  My previous telephone number had 313 after the area code and ended with another palindrome:  8998.  I could have had 8987, but I wanted the two-palindrome combination.  (If that's the latest phone number you have, email me for my newest number.)  Two famous examples of palindromes:

Madam, I'm Adam.
Never odd or even.

But setting my alarm clock?  Nah, I'm not that compulsive.  But I do play with words and and notice palindromic words and numbers.

READING

Just finished

The Last Runaway ~ by Tracy Chevalier, 2013, fiction (Ohio), 10/10

Now reading

The Ten-Year Nap ~ by Meg Wolitzer, 2008, fiction (New York)

Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back ~ by Brooks Palmer, 2009

Next up

Welcome to Your Brain : Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life ~ by Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang, 2008

The Sunday Salon's Facebook page has links to other blogs.

Caturday ~ Cleocatra

Do you know the answer?  Do these other illustrations help?

Cleocatra © Gwen Sylvester, author to this image

Added late in the day:

NOTE, from comment left 8-23-13

"Hi Bonnie's Books..  The image of the gold walking cat, Cleocatra is something that I created.  If you want to post it on your blog please add my name, Gwen Sylvester as author to the image.  Thanks, Gwen Sylvester"

Thank you, Gwen!  That's a beautiful cat you created, and I have added your name to the image.  Here's Gwen's blog, for those of you who want to see more of her beautiful artwork:  Artblog.