afternoon notes
- Listened to Pauline Croze‘s “Quand Je Suis Ivre” a few minutes ago, and was freshly struck with how poetic the concept of drunkenness is in French, as opposed to English, something obviously tied to the loveliness of the word itself—contrast ivre with drunk. Pronounced correctly, the French word just slides off the tongue in a tumble of decadent grace… And the English word crashes through my teeth in a crumpled heap.
The word and concept reappear in Rufus Wainwright’s “Complainte de la Butte:”
et sous ta caresse
je sens une ivresse
qui m’anéantitClearly, it’s much more artistic to be drunk in France than in the English-speaking world.
- The Ares I-X launch occurred a couple of days ago. From all accounts I’ve read it was completely successful. It’s the first launch of the next phase of the US space program, the sequel to the ill-conceived Shuttle. I’m pleased and hopeful the next steps will go well and see us on our way back to the Moon, and beyond.