Yesterday stepping from my car to the curb at the library, I managed to distribute my weight to my toes in my right foot in a such a manner that I heard a distinct pop and down I went. Oops. I skinned my knee and seem to have jammed a couple of fingers in my right hand. But it’s my Achilles tendon that is probably what gave way.
It doesn’t feel entirely ruptured. And is not that painful, only stiff. I elevated it with ice in a zip lock before going over to church to see what it will be like to try to play organ with a bum foot.
I did so because I have a funeral today after getting back from seeing my therapist. It turns out that I use my feet with a lighter agility than I thought. Even though my foot has restricted movement I was able to basically play organ. I only went through the prelude and postlude for this weekend (by Ned Rorem), the psalm and a couple hymns. Then it was back home to elevate.
This morning I had a lovely video chat with the Chinese branch of the fam. Granddaughter Alex seemed genuinely pleased to see her Grandpa Steve on the screen. I am so proud of her and my daughter, Elizabeth, and son-in-law, Jeremy. They are coming for a visit soon and i can’t wait. We will be interring the ashes of my parents while they and the English branch of the fam visit. Daughter Elizabeth has reached out to the California branch and invited my grandson Nicholas to be there are her expense. I can only hope he accepts. That would be very fun.
I am enjoying reading my new digital issue of Granta.
In his extended essay, “Slaughterhouse,” Arnon Grunberg ponders death and killing. Here is an online version of the essay if you’re curious.
He begins with the question: “In order to live, do you have to be prepared to kill?” He describes visiting various slaughterhouses and even participating in the killing. I was struck by this quote: “The sociologist Johan Goudsblom wrote: ‘Morality is wielding power without referring to it.’”
The entire essay is a critical consideration of the morality of killing, mostly to provide meat, but also suicide and war come into the discussion.
Another happy link from Jupe.
Zora Neale Hurston ‘Barracoon’ Excerpt
I’m reading, thinking, and learning about the history of American Slavery. I didn’t know Hurston was a trained cultural anthropologist in addition to being an author.This link is an excerpt of an extended interview with “Cudjo Lewis — or Kossula, his original name — the last survivor of the last slave ship to land on American shores.”
Bookmarked to read. I will probably get a copy of the entire work.
