BarefootBlog

My name is Cody, and I am a jerk. (Recognition is the first step right?)

So I came across (more like was lead to) a really cool site. It is the site of the Icelandic band Sigur Ros. I love everything about this site. It's layout, content, the band it represents. It is just so well done. I really like it. If you go to the "media" section you can download a bunch of thier songs. I particularly recommend:

"streamside"

and

"untitled #4 (a.k.a. njósnavélin / the nothing song)"

Here is an "explanation" of the lyrics to "#4" quoted from the website:

"A recent study of mine concludes that the Hopelandic language Sigur Rós uses is derived from a little known ancient language, Essil (roughly translated as "light"). Though its speakers are long dead and their country long forgotten, I have learned about its culture through its surviving art and poetry. "Njósnavélin," a new song by Sigur Rós, uses a piece of Essilian poetry for its lyrics. Unfortunately, literal or even poetic translation fails to fully explain the concepts behind the words, so an explanation will follow the transliteration and translation. (Although Essil uses its own alphabet, there is as of now no font to type it. A catalogue of the alphabet's characters and the culture's artwork might be available in the future.)

Njósnavélin in Essil

(original title: "ete tas Essilev" = "Light's traveller")

Essil on
Essil on erifet al
Essil on
Essil on eriftel al
Essil on

(Pronunciation: ee-sile on [long "i," as in "hi" and long "o" as in "throw"], er-o-fet all)

Literal Translation:

I travelled through light
I travelled through light; I am not afraid
(repeat)

Explanation:

In Essilian mythology, light was the source of everything. People were born of light and remained immortal as long as they upheld nature and light. The preferred communication of scholars and monks was thought and telepathy, which they understood as the pathway of light that bound the minds of all. But for the sake of posterity, they recorded their thoughts in Essil, the language named for light itself.

Their belief was that water preserved light, and from this preservation of light they came into being. This song, "ete tas Essilev," is an account of their sort of birth... instead of reproduction and natural child-birth, the people of this culture claimed to come into existence from the water and light. The verb "essil" is a concept of both birth and thought. The speaker is talking about swimming in the water before birth, a collection of light and souls (or, arguably, a single soul shared by all). The form "E(e)ssil on" is a first person perfect form of the verb. Our understanding of the perfect form has changed over time. Instead of a single action in the past, the perfect tense here is understood to mean a continuous action... this soul was floating and travelling from the beginning of time, and is still a part of their "essil."

The alternate line's "erifet al" is a first person negative present of the verb "rifet," which means not simply to fear, but to be incredibly fearful, to be terrified. Why would one consider birth fearful in the first place? Surely with such a languid tone and the lazy repetition of phrases and lines, this is not a song of fear, nor is it a song of the abscence of fear... it speaks of a peaceful ignorance. The present here, too, is not to be taken in its true form. Rather, it means the person was not afraid at birth, nor are they now. The explanation of this is the Essilian culture considered coming into existence and existence as the same thing, a continuing and never-ending process. So where does fear come in? The Essilians are doing two things: first, they are praising light, Essil, for its comfort and power, but secondly, the speaker is asserting his belief in Essil... therefore he is speaking of his trust that he will continue existence and not be revoked his life (a thought expressed in the noun/infinitive "ocente").

Taking all this in mind, a poetic translation becomes more possible. But, for the sake of the original scheme, it is necessary that its simple repetition and ideology be preserved. Thus the poetic translation:

In this lake of souls
In this lake of souls, I lose all fear"

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who knows neither victory or defeat."

-- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President

If I were so forced...and had only two choices...I would rather listen Hootie And The Blowfish than Yellowcard.

"They say if you get far enough away
You'll be on your way back home."
--Tom Waits

"...becasue blogging isn't really writing after all, even though it is..."

don't you know that you are a shooting star
and all the world will love you just as long
as long as you are

Unexamined Assumptions
Assuming that we can't
We can't do
We can't believe
We can't be kind
We can't understand
We can't try
We can't change
We can't love
We can't feel
We can't cry
Assuming that others can't
Can't believe
Can't love
Can't be kind
Can't trust
Can't change
Can't feel
Can't work hard
Can't do their best, or do as good as you
Assuming that we are
We are too weak
We are too small
We are too quiet to make a difference
That we aren't strong enough to do it
Assuming that others are mean
Selfish
Smelly
Different than ourselves
Assuming that it is too hot
Too cold
Too hard
Too long
Impossible
Unexamined

As I was in the depths of rebuilding the engine of my pickup (which is now running, by the way), I was talking to my brother-in-law Mark Mauzy. Now keep in mind that I have never rebuilt an engine before. Everything I now know about doing so, I taught myself by doing so. I learned as I went.
I was discussing with Mark about how often times it is reassuring, and helpful, and empowering to have someone else with you as you dive into the unknown. Even of neither of you really knows what you are doing, you at least have each other to encourage, and observe, and learn, and encourage, and encourage. Just having another person there, by your side. One will notice things that the other doesn't, vice-versa, etc. I just said to Mark, "That is just so true, just having someone else there makes the task more do-able." He responded, "That's right, it was Lewis and Clark after all."
Mark and I were referring to the unknown of the inner workings of an engine, but I would submit that this concept holds true for many areas of our lives. Perhaps having its base, or contributing to, our longing to not be alone in this world, but to have a partner. Someone to walk beside us and encourage us, and someone to share with.

Friday night I went to my brother Sam's graduation from nursing school. This was shared in one of the speeches. I REALLY like it:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
--Mark Twain

Tonight I went with my friend Joette to a Impressionist art exhibit. They had on display various pieces. Their crowning piece was Chrysanthemums by Claude Monet. This painting of his was tactile. I really enjoyed the experience.

...with rebuilding my truck engine, working, school, and life. I guess that's why my posting has been declining lately, the living of life just kinda seems to take over sometimes. I hope all have a fantastic day!!!!!

French Girl
Originally uploaded by Cody McComas.

The beauty. The passion.