Quel vecchio maledivami ...

Part I: Il fait plus froid maintenant ...

Just yesterday morning, it was chilly and overcast. I was taken aback at walking outside - I almost needed a sweatshirt. When the sun came out, it became lovely ... but that moment seemed to have been a shot across the bow. Autumn is coming, and I can't do a thing about it!

But I wouldn't want to, since it's more often than not my favorite season.

Part II: Pretty pictures

For class last Wednesday, we students all looked at the Rouen Book of Hours, on reserve in the rare book library. I still can't believe I'm doing that for *class* ! V. enjoyable. Although I was wincing at a classmates enthusiastically planting a thumb in the middle of a delicate illumination as he turned the page. Eh. The book's lasted six hundred years - a bit more handling isn't going to hurt it. And nobody enjoys a shrilly "Be careful!" classmate.

Seeing all the miniatures reminded me of the artwork I adored in middle and high school. Often religious work (or, at least, heavy on the symbolism,) vivid colors, and lots of miniscule detail. I also had a habit of making marginalia myself. See below:

I think that I remember the pencil one from 8th grade, when I had a book on Michaelangelo *right there* on the desk. Sure, Ms. Ellis was talking about Athens - but why listen when doodling was possible?

And I think the other is from some English class. Don't remember when.

I'm going through a lot of papers right now - I crammed some folders full of old notes in order to get them all to Philly post-haste. So I want to keep a digital record of the doodles, before they go the way of the dodo.

Part III: Quel vecchio maledivami ...

Verdi himself says that the above line is the "foundation" for Rigoletto. It (the phrase) is the obsessive thought, sung aloud at different times during the opera, of the vengeful jester. ("That old man cursed me ...") And it wouldn't be a tragedy without said vengeance coming back to bite him in the ass, of course. I can't wait to go see the opera live! We are doing that for class. How awesome is school, really?

Of course, now I have to go read Verdi's crabbed handwriting for the rest of the afternoon. Ah, quel vecchio maledivami ... ;)

edited to add: "denument" - I love it!