On smiling, happiness and dignity

I have recently reaffirmed my commitment to smiling less. Maybe I am always reaffirming that commitment when it occurs to me, but I was thinking about it in relation to a few things recently.

Last Saturday K and I went to see LHO's Candide, and not only was it a fantastic production (singing, acting, set, orchestra, supertitles, were all right on), the opera itself (or "operetta," perhaps) is quite a moving and fantastic piece of art. Credit is perhaps foremost due to old Voltaire, who wrote the original story of Candide. But its power would have been significantly less without the brilliantly clever and articulate rhymes of Richard Wilbur (and a number of other collaborators, as well, apparently) and the stunning composition of Leonard Bernstein. I was particularly fascinated with the music

Important things

Last night I was reminded and provoked to really get down to doing what's important. I only have so long, you know.

I met Lai-yan and Meghan for dinner last night. We had been meeting weekly for a few weeks there, until spring break and some other things made us take a 3-week hiatus. Our custom was to eat (after they said a brief prayer of thanks), chat about life and random things, and then read aloud some Bible verses selected by Lai-yan and discuss their possible meaning, with me offering an uncertain conjecture, and then them providing a more certain conjecture.

Peacewaves

I was just about to post on another topic, but first I realized I should explain the inspiration behind this blog's title.

This might be sufficient explanation:
http://www.professor-world-band.blogspot.com/.

I hate to describe him in words, cuz they mess up my meaning a bit, but Professor World is a joyful and inspiring presence around Harvard Square (and, apparently, around the world!), and he's the first person I ever heard talk about sending peace waves out into the world with his Peace Wave Generator. I'd like to make my own Peace Wave Generator - I imagine everybody probly would, if they think about it. Of course I don't mean it has to be the kind like Prof. World has - it could take many physical and non-physical forms, and you (and I) might want to make a whole bunch of different kinds, too.