literature

The twenty ninth of April 2019

goats

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt”

Wise words, I guess. The above quote is often attributed to Mark Twain or Abraham Lincoln, but the truth is that no one really knows. Such “wise” statements are often attributed to a many different people including they are just cliches that get constantly repeated Perhaps instead of invoking the words of people long gone (not discounting their achievements and importance in history of course) we should make our own quotes and define our own wisdom!

No need to quote past historic figures, don’t be afraid to share your own truth!

The eleventh of April 2019

goats

I have always been a fan of Thursdays. It is the day day before Friday, and the work week is officially almost done. Thursday was named for the Norse god Thor, and at some point in the distant past it was known as Thor’s Day. Thor was known for wielding a giant hammer and riding a chariot that was drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. These goats were pretty badass, and pulled Thor’s thunder chariot on his many adventures and epics. You may not have met many goats that you would associate with heroic behavior, but I think inside even the most adorable caprine lies the spirit of a badass goat pulling a thunder chariot triumphantly towards the weekend!

Never underestimate a goat – or yourself!

The twenty third of March 2019

goats

Say hello to Vlad, the goat of the day. Vlad has the largest horns of all of the goats at The Haven Zoo. He was named by some of the Haven’s most dedicated supporters Eric & Lori Dessecker. The name Vlad was inspired from the fifteenth century prince of Wallachia (now part of modern Romania), Vlad the III, or sometimes known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad’s dad was part of the “order of the dragon” which gave them the surname of Dracul.  Vlad III was not a very nice guy, and earned the nickname “Impaler” because he actually impaled his enemies and criminals in public. Centuries later, reading up on some history caught the attention of Bram Stoker who based the title character of his classic Dracula, which has arguably been the inspiration for countless other literary and cinematic adventures featuring spooky bloodthirsty vampires. Fortunately for his friends at the Haven, Vlad the goat is most certainly not a vampire, evidenced by his presence in broad daylight in the photo below.

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Vlad the goat enjoys the sunshine!

The twenty seventh of January 2019

goats

Benjamin Franklin certainly made a lot of inspirational quotes, I think he would have probably really enjoyed crafting some clever memes if he were alive today. He is credited with saying that “in this world nothing can be certain, except death and taxes;” however, he may have been paraphrasing Daniel Dafoe (relation to Willem Dafoe, unknown). Obviously, Franklin was speaking from a certain gendered, upper class, eighteenth-century cultural milieu. Perhaps this centuries old adage should be updated to include laundry. Nothing is certain in the world except for death, taxes and laundry.

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Clean clothes are a great way to start a new week. 

The twenty fourth of January 2019

goats

Say what you will about nurses, garbage collectors, or mechanics it’s obvious that were they to vanish in a puff of smoke, the results would be immediate and catastrophic. A world without teachers or dockworkers would soon be in trouble, and even one without science-fiction writers or ska musicians would clearly be a lesser place. – David Graeber

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The world is a better place because of you. 

The twenty first of January 2019

goats

“You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life.” – Mary Oliver, Wild Geese

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Mary Oliver, I am learning, was a wonderful poet who recently passed away.

The fifteenth of December 2018

goats

Don’t let inclement weather get you down, sometimes a blustery, cold, wet day is the perfect excuse to tackle your to-do list around your home, or to just relax and catch up reading or with the latest shows and films.

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Winter weather can be challenging sometimes. 

The eleventh of December 2018

goats

Gossip is a pervasive means of communication in human societies. You might think that all gossip is bad and entails people speaking negatively about an individual or group; however, gossip can actually function in a way to the benefit of human groups. For example, gossip can help maintain equilibrium amongst egalitarian societies. Although gossip is seen as a negative and deadly action by the Talmud, gossip can provide a way for people to connect and feel closer to one another, and social scientists claim that only 3 to 4 percent of gossip is actually malicious. Gossip may have even provided an important social tool in human evolution, as a means to assess members of growing communities and maintain cohesion of social groups. Perhaps Oscar Wilde was right, when he said that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. At any rate, if you suspect you are being gossiped about you can probably conclude that at a minimum, people find you interesting.

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Don’t worry, most gossip is not even bad!

The twenty ninth of November 2018

goats

Do you ever worry about fitting in and belonging with a group, squad or tribe? Sometimes there can be a lot of pressure to finding the right fit or going along with the flow. Many famous writers have remarked that the true path to belonging is to just be your most authentic self. It is difficult sometimes to find the balance between being your most authentic self and fitting in with others, but realizing that belonging is kind of an illusion, and happiness, belonging and less alienation happens when you just let that need for belonging go. Maya Angelou sums it up better:

You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all

Find your own path, your own place to stand, and the rest will follow.

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“Be courageous, but not foolhardy.” -the wise Maya Angelou.