Who would you become?

Papa is a very hard-edged entity. He disapproves of public goofiness, and even in private will berate me for laughing too loudly or smiling too broadly. He assumes the worst about someone with a given amount of information: in other words, he may come to like someone through description, but only when that description involves what he considers good advice. Anything else learned third hand is filler, and the person could be manipulating you.

He explains sometimes why he has to push Mama to certain actions at work or in other public forums. "She's too trusting, and she's too nice. The world is full of people who are not as nice as Mama is, and they will not believe that she is as good as she seems to be. So they will think that she has some ulterior motive, and they'll try to get her before she can get them. She never would, but they don't know that! So Mama has to learn to protect herself, and she never will on her own. She'll just let them walk all over her, and she won't deserve a bit of it! So I have to watch over her."

But Mama is the happier person.

(no subject)

...it's not easy, is it?

A. Live life as if ideals are wasted, because it's impossible to live up to them. There is no perfect goal - all goals must be realistic and are therefore attainable.

B. Live life as if ideals are worth something in themselves. Goals are perfect, therefore unreachable. The attempt alone can be enough, however, to boost morale and make the effort sustainable.

Also, what goals are most important and deserve more effort? For Group A, that will probably be what is most attainable or effective in the moment. For Group B, it will either be what is most valuable in its end product or what, in its attempt, will bring the best result. They can be exactly the same in effect, but which one will be easier or more pleasant in practice?

nifty

We love Rachel, because she took one look at the sprinklers and demanded we run through them. We love Tamara because she couldn't do something so undignified, so she offered to watch our stuff. Rachel and I ran, giggled, and got quite wet, and came back to dry papers and books and shoes.

In other news, the Physics Class Project showed some positive results this morning. Paige is going to join the ranks of the Doctor-obsessed. Muah ha ha.

Otherwise, I am thoroughly irresponsible.

(no subject)

The beginning of Castrovalva is a bit disorienting... especially with 5 doing impressions of 1-4. Like he's trying on all his old selves for size.

But it was awfully cute when he said "Did she leave a note?"

And I need a wallpaper or something of him hugging that book.