Category: Uncategorized

Most of the posts in this category are simply leftovers from a previous era before the site had categories. Over time I plan to reduce that number to zero and remove this category. Until then, here they are. I had to put something in the box.

Our Revels Now Are Ended

~ duane ~ Leave a comment

So, how was your day?

Looks like we wrap it up with 32 posts today, which I’m pretty sure is a new record.  It’s a little weird, especially on a weekend, because depending on the time of day there’s simply not enough exposure per post before they go flying by.  I can see my statistics and I see a couple of dozen hits on any individual post.  When you look at that in aggregate that’s not bad, I’ve got thousands of hits on the day. But I’m quite sure that some stories get lost in the shuffle. I’m going to try to “re-blog” some of them over the coming days when people have more time to browse and enjoy them.

With that I’m going to wrap it up for the day and we’ll see everybody again next time. I’m in the mood to wrap up the same way the Olympics did a few years back, with some Caliban…

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.

Words Shakespeare Used Differently Than We Do

~ duane ~ 1 Comment

Yeah yeah yeah, Shakespeare invented a bunch of words.

No, wait, he’s just the first documented use of those words.

No, wait, he was the first to use certain words in certain parts of speech.

Here’s another variation to add to the discussion : words that meant something entirely different to Shakespeare when he used them.

My favorite example is “bedroom.”  Hey, did you know Shakespeare invented the word bedroom?

“No, actually.  What Shakespeare meant by bedroom wasn’t the room where you keep the bed.  What he meant was actual room *in* the bed, like elbow room.  Lysander says it to Hermia.”

“Oh, and by the way, did you know Shakespeare invented the word elbow?”

🙂

Small Insults for Small People

~ duane ~ Leave a comment

My birthday is next week, so it often falls that I get to see my family and celebrate my birthday on Shakespeare’s.  My mother doesn’t always understand everything that goes on in my life, but she knows two things for certain.  One is that I “do computers” – or at least, that’s what she’s told all of her friends since I was about ten years old.  The second is that I’m “into Shakespeare.”  

So, since it’s hard to just stumble across random but interesting computer things, she always tries to make it a point to find me something Shakespearey to add to my collection. Check out this year’s treasure!

Shakespeare insults have always been easy pickings, since there’s so many of them. That’s always the first thing to look for – are we talking about actual quotes from the plays, or something out of an “insult generator” that only sounds Shakespearean?

Here we’ve got a tiny (maybe 3″ high?) little edition of the former, with a single quote per page.  Perfect for keeping on one’s desk at work for random flipping through and hurling at one’s coworkers. I have insult mug and once made an insult generator app, but I did not yet have this little guy.

Thanks Mom!

My Shakespeare

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I don’t know who Kate Tempest is, but I hope with a name like that this is not the only Shakespearean thing she’s done or will do. I’m  glad I found this, because on this of all days in particular, I take tremendous joy and comfort in the phrase “my Shakespeare”.  Enjoy:

Boston Public Library Opens Its Shakespeare Collection

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My kids are on school vacation this week and yesterday (April 22) we took the day off and went in town to do Boston things like go on a Duck Tour and have lunch in the North End (complete with cannoli from Mike’s Pastry).  

During the duck tour we passed by the Boston Public Library and I was reminded that they have quite a Shakespeare collection (which I have visited).  I had a fleeting moment to think that we should walk over when the tour is over and see if we can’t see it again, but the timing didn’t work, we were parked too far away, blah blah blah. I also had no idea if it’s normally open to the public.

Then I discover today that they’re opening their collection to the public for Shakespeare’s 400th. My first thought is, “Aw come on, and I was that close and missed it?!” Turns out they’re opening the collection starting in October.

So now we’ve all got plenty of time to plan a trip!   It’s a 10 minute drive from where I work. I wonder if I could make it on my lunch hour?