HEAD(hed), (n.) 1. the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal where the eyes, nose, east and mouth are. "Your brain is in your head." DIBS(dibz), (n.) 2. a thick, sweet syrup made in countries of the East, especially the Middle East, from grape juice or dates. [Arabic "debs"]--World Book Dictionary, 1976.
Where were you on January 1, 1985? It's a far reach back, but that's the date this song was released:
"Kyrie" (or in the Greek, Κύριε, from Κύριος) means "Lord," so the phrase means "Lord have mercy." The phrase harkens back to prayers in the 1st Century, A.D.
The song came back to my memory while shopping, as I reflecting on the recent changes in our lives. And the song seemed fitting.
First, I started work last week at a True Value Hardware store. The short version is that I am being groomed to be assistant manager of the that location (in workload, but not in title). Things are moving quickly there. Of course, it's a far cry from what I was doing before, at least I'm working. I lost 6 pound the first week, so that's a thing too.
Second, just before I started my new job, I got a tick bite. I am presently resting and waiting for test results for Lyme disease, although symptoms are now leaning more toward Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Regardless, the treatment is the same and I've started those antibiotics. It's things like this that keep our fragile, mortal humanity before our eyes.
So one can see now how the song might bring a level of remembering and contemplation at this time.
One probably wonders what I’m working on. As an Independent Scholar, as I am not attached to a University, I am writing a commentary on the first book of a personal journal written by a 2nd Century Roman Emperor. In that book he lists 16 names and describes what each person contributed to his life. That’s the short version. I’ve covered the first 8 so far and hit a wall. Now I’ve gone back and am editing Chapters 1-3 to keep my mojo going. Not sure when I’ll be done but hopefully by years’ end. I already have another project lined up.
I'm nearly finished reading Joan Didion's collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem. The book was discovered through another book I was reading, Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams . If Jon felt this book was good enough to pack along on a mountain climbing expedition, then I'm interested. Took me three tries, but I finally found my copy on Amazon. One of the best book buys I've made. Joan selected the title of this book from William Butler Yeats' classic poem, Second Coming . The book title is shared with one of her larger essays, a record of encounters with people in the 1960's drug culture. Didion's book is divided into three distinct parts: "Life Styles In The Golden Land," a collection of articles capturing the California experience of the 1960's; "Personals," a few of essays of the first-hand nature; and "Seven Places Of The Mind", some thoughts about those parts of California that are now long gone. One essay...