Burns 250

Thou greybeard, old Wisdom! may boast of thy treasures;

Give me with young Folly to live;

I grant thee thy calm-blooded, time-settled pleasures,

But Folly has raptures to give.


Ah, Mr. Burns, how right thou surely art. Raptures aplenty, and this year off we go for real to seek them out across the broad world. The 48 page passport under request and who knows what stamps will lie within five years hence. Here's to many.

Typing now in the Dairy Queen after another excellent jog on ye old treadmill, and a weekend in which further foundations are laid for the plans to come. (Girl in sandals just walked by, you have to love it).

Out myself to type the remainder of this at the foot of Rabbie himself. 10 years ago, it was the statue in Glasgow and George Square. Where next? (as Loch Lomond comes on the Ipod...)

Alas not a wreath in the Halifax cold beneath our man. A wonderful statue. Respects to be paid. Another item on the list of things to do in Halifax before leaving to ensure luck on the voyage crossed off. Soon to take the final wee dram(s) for a few weeks at "home" from the Highland Park 12. Long may you run, Rabbie, and long may the drunkards toast to your Immortal Memory.

I would out-night you, did no body come

LORENZO
The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees
And they did make no noise, in such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls
And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

JESSICA
In such a night
Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself
And ran dismay'd away.

LORENZO
In such a night
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea banks and waft her love
To come again to Carthage.

JESSICA
In such a night
Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson.

LORENZO
In such a night
Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew
And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.

JESSICA
In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith
And ne'er a true one.

LORENZO
In such a night
Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

JESSICA
I would out-night you, did no body come;
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter STEPHANO

Such a night as this, as we ready for Spanish lesson #4 and then a quiet walk homeward on the water with the music. After a day of bootless labour on wind RFP responses and Tier 2 training I retaineth not. Tomorrow should prove equally absurd, and yet perhaps offers time enough to strike up the deal sheet. You must do some work tomorrow on this, as the clock continues to tick. Plans for Italy, France, Spain, England, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia continue, ever so wonderfully. The gradual honing of the strategy until the successful conclusion. I think a highly warranted plan has been hatched, we wait only in hope that the prices hold until they can be purchased, that the refund magically comes through one fine February morning, and that all else runs on time. These be the days, passing quickly over facebook baby photos to dreams of land o'er yonder.

You can do whatever you like. Walk on.

Trip we, after the night's shade

OBERON
Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me,
And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.
Now thou and I are new in amity,
And will to-morrow midnight solemnly
Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly,
And bless it to all fair prosperity:
There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

PUCK
Fairy king, attend, and mark:
I do hear the morning lark.

OBERON
Then, my queen, in silence sad,
Trip we after the night's shade:
We the globe can compass soon,
Swifter than the wandering moon.

TITANIA
Come, my lord, and in our flight
Tell me how it came this night
That I sleeping here was found
With these mortals on the ground.

Exeunt

Not much new to report - day 2 into the new year. The sad postponement of the levees means that you may well mark the first 31 full days of this grand new 2009 without recourse to the drink. A fair enough ambition, as without doubt there will be ample in the time's ahead. If the Giants can win their way to Tampa, February 1 would be an appropriate date to get back.

A weekend of work ahead - left to do by the slacking of this lovely Friday. Unsure of where to take it, probably across for a movie and burger and walk home with the new Ipod toy. Yes, walking. How great it will be to get out there on the road, with only the destination ahead. Mexican and Italian holidays to organize in the mean time, as well as VISAs and passports and the heartache of such applications. It is going to be a busy January. One of feverish calm before the coming, magical storm that will be 2009.

Oh, and as a bookmark, note this, read for the first time today. In wonder indeed.

Touch will make you Cry

Winter is beautiful, but bed is better, says Toad. Make that home. Although hard to exchange for anything the pleasure of crashing a random new year party with the glass head and sandal-wearing Saudi. The beauty of a girl leading you out into a mystifying endgame in this most epic of storms. So many absurd stories, captured beautifully by the discovery of the sweet potato in Marlo's jacket's inside pocket. I can't wait for storytime, he says. I win. How can we not, with so much to offer, if capped tragically by the rest on Clive's bottom bunk. The vow to not make ridiculous thefts in the new year foiled hours in with the wearing of the leather jacket into the car bound for somewhere. Morning discussions over chest-jumping turtles, sauntering, and on. I call shenanigans. Silver dollar rubbed, oysters zapped, and so we welcome in with good cheer the grand old year of two thousand and nine. Make it count. And before you leave, write that letter.