2013.03.03 19:00 - Desert Caravan

The Guardian for this meeting was Calvino Rabeni. The lack of comments is by Calvino Rabeni.

Calvino Rabeni: Hello druth, cat, and long time no see, Achmage :)
druth Vlodovic: hi guys
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Cal, Arch :)
druth Vlodovic: it's been an age arch, gtsy
druth Vlodovic: hi korel
Calvino Rabeni: good evening Korel
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Korel
Korel Laloix: Hyea
Korel Laloix: What did I interupt?
Calvino Rabeni stretches and yawns whilst looking half awake
Calvino Rabeni: Perhaps a groggy feeling, Korel :)
Korel Laloix: So I woke you up ?.. that can be a good thing.
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Korel Laloix: I could so use a nap.
Calvino Rabeni feels the same today
Calvino Rabeni: been busy, Korel?
Korel Laloix: Silly busy.
Korel Laloix: Moved.
Korel Laloix: Start a new job Monday.
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Aph
Calvino Rabeni: oi
druth Vlodovic: hey aph
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Cat. Hi everyone
Korel Laloix: Figuring out my new familiy situation.
Aphrodite Macbain: oi?
Aphrodite Macbain: is that an aussie word?
Calvino Rabeni: havent heard it here
Calvino Rabeni: do you have "oi" or "oy" where you live?
Archmage Atlantis: oy vey
druth Vlodovic: what are you going to be doing korel?
Archmage Atlantis: se us
Calvino Rabeni: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/oy
Aphrodite Macbain: I hear someone
Aphrodite Macbain: someone's mic is on
Archmage Atlantis: mine i think
Calvino Rabeni: if they were yawning it would be me :)
Archmage Atlantis: sorry
Aphrodite Macbain: what time is it there Cal?
druth Vlodovic: what was your seminar like this weekend aph?
Aphrodite Macbain: oh it was wonderful
Korel Laloix: I wil be doing epidemiology reports as my primary job.
Archmage Atlantis: I have not been well enough to be here in while
Korel Laloix: But doing actual testing when not doing the reporting.
Calvino Rabeni: 2:14 pm, and how bout that job and seminar ? :)
Aphrodite Macbain: we were on Bowen Island about 60 miles from Vancouver
Calvino Rabeni: sorry Arch to hear it

--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: 3 conversations :-)
Archmage Atlantis: sorry will work on it later
Calvino Rabeni: Did anyone catch anything at the seminar, Aph?
Aphrodite Macbain: catch?
Aphrodite Macbain: as in flu?
Calvino Rabeni: a viral idea perhaps .. an infectious laugh?
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: no
Aphrodite Macbain: but we threw around a lot of good ideas
Catrinamonblue Resident: sounds intersting
Aphrodite Macbain: we were talking about the book, The Swerve"
Aphrodite Macbain: just got a pulitzer prize
Aphrodite Macbain: it is about the rediscovery of a poem called The Nature of things"
Aphrodite Macbain: written in the 1st century bc
Calvino Rabeni: http://www.amazon.com/The-Swerve-World-Became-Modern/dp/0393343405/
Aphrodite Macbain: thank you :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: we discussed both the poem and the book
Calvino Rabeni: and that poem ... was it influential at the time?
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Ewan
Ewan Bonham: Hello friends..
druth Vlodovic: hi ew
Aphrodite Macbain: No but it was speaking about an earlier Greek philosopher who challenged the notion of a providential god, who said there was no afterlife, who said that we should enjoy life here on earth and said the world was made up of atoms and space
Aphrodite Macbain: in the 3rd c bc
Calvino Rabeni: Quote

Nearly six hundred years ago, a short, genial, cannily alert man in his late thirties took a very old manuscript off a library shelf, saw with excitement what he had discovered, and ordered that it be copied. That book was the last surviving manuscript of an ancient Roman philosophical epic, On the Nature of Things, by Lucretius—a beautiful poem of the most dangerous ideas: that the universe functioned without the aid of gods, that religious fear was damaging to human life, and that matter was made up of very small particles in eternal motion, colliding and swerving in new directions.
-- Publisher's Description

Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: we make a good pair of performers Cal
Calvino Rabeni: ... unquote :)
Aphrodite Macbain: laughs
Aphrodite Macbain: yup
Aphrodite Macbain: we had a great discussion
Santoshima Resident: hello
Aphrodite Macbain: the poem itself is really beautiful
Calvino Rabeni: I am interested in that .. a great discussion ... about an ancient manuscript
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi San
druth Vlodovic: a lot of what we think is new is really human isn't it?
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi San, Hi Ewan
druth Vlodovic: hey san
Calvino Rabeni: Hi San and Ewan
Aphrodite Macbain: what we think is new is really old and has been thought of before
Aphrodite Macbain: but the time wasn't right
Aphrodite Macbain: the church suppressed
Aphrodite Macbain: it
druth Vlodovic: the time is never right :)
druth Vlodovic: truth makes control harder
druth Vlodovic: sorry, what was the discussion like?
Santoshima Resident: who was the cannily alert, genial man?
Aphrodite Macbain: Poggio
Aphrodite Macbain: Bracciolini
Aphrodite Macbain: a collector of latin books in the 15th century
Ewan Bonham: Am I just missing some of the chat?
Santoshima Resident: see Calvino Rabeni ^, just before San arrived
Aphrodite Macbain: I sent him the text
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: we discussed it in the afternoon, during dinner , after dinner and all morning
Aphrodite Macbain: Met some interesting people
Aphrodite Macbain: It was organized by the Graduate Liberal studies program of Simon Fraser Un
Santoshima Resident: who is "we"?
Aphrodite Macbain: the students and alumni and friends of same
Santoshima Resident: a course?
Santoshima Resident: ah, ty
Aphrodite Macbain: a 3-year program
Aphrodite Macbain: people are pushing me to sign up
Catrinamonblue Resident: sounds interesting
Catrinamonblue Resident: why not?

--BELL--
Santoshima Resident: oh, well something to consider
Aphrodite Macbain: It would be a lot of reading- at least 3 hrs a day
Aphrodite Macbain: whispers- I still hear someone
Aphrodite Macbain: Cal - what time is it there?
druth Vlodovic: everyone start singing a different song, and we'll identify it
Calvino Rabeni: 2:30 pm
Aphrodite Macbain: oh. not so bad
Aphrodite Macbain: now i hear squeeks
Santoshima Resident: as for sounds, there are green indicators over you, Aph
Santoshima Resident: and Cal
Santoshima Resident: in case you actually want to know
Aphrodite Macbain: I just sang a song
druth Vlodovic: I missed it :(
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: for [19:32] druth Vlodovic: everyone start singing a different song, and we'll identify it
druth Vlodovic: are you going to join?
Aphrodite Macbain: OMG
Santoshima Resident: ditto, had the dsoudn turned down due to excruciating noices coming through
Aphrodite Macbain: someone is doing terrible things to their mic
Ewan Bonham: I must excuse myself...thank yo folks..:)
Aphrodite Macbain: bye Ewan
druth Vlodovic: have fun ewan
Catrinamonblue Resident: Bye Ewan
Aphrodite Macbain: are you sick Korel?
druth Vlodovic: aph can sing safely now
Aphrodite Macbain: did you say?
druth Vlodovic: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: lalalal
Aphrodite Macbain: waves at stevenaia
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Steve :)
Aphrodite Macbain: stevenaia you are missing your lower legs
stevenaia Michinaga: waves
Santoshima Resident: how about that 500 year old aforementioned manuscript?
stevenaia Michinaga: i have legs
druth Vlodovic: hi half of 'naia
stevenaia Michinaga: my better half?
Catrinamonblue Resident: you look completely here to me :)
druth Vlodovic: certainly :)
stevenaia Michinaga: ty Cat
Catrinamonblue Resident: We make a smiley face :)
Aphrodite Macbain: she is sitting down
Catrinamonblue Resident: in the mini map :)
stevenaia Michinaga: lol
druth Vlodovic: you completed our left eye
Santoshima Resident: am waiting for the day when it becomes fashionable here to use the pronoun combo "s/he"
druth Vlodovic: 'e
druth Vlodovic: and hissr
Santoshima Resident: in te meanqwhile can someone speak about the ancient manuscript discovered by the genial fellow?
stevenaia Michinaga: (s)he
Santoshima Resident: or sheshh
Calvino Rabeni: Yes Aph, "we" want to hear about the genial fellow :)
stevenaia Michinaga: manuscript?
Santoshima Resident: he paradise
Santoshima Resident: we do!
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Para
Santoshima Resident: hi
Calvino Rabeni: Or about the three year course based on it :)
druth Vlodovic: sheesh seems most appropriate in the current circumstance
Santoshima Resident: hi paradise
Calvino Rabeni: that you might sign up for
Paradise Tennant: smiles and waves all round
druth Vlodovic: DON'T LOOK AT HER!
Aphrodite Macbain: ??
druth Vlodovic: we're having a hard enough time as it is
Aphrodite Macbain: the 3 year course is a dgraduate degree in liberal studies designed for people who work
Catrinamonblue Resident: http://www.amazon.ca/The-Swerve-World-Became-Modern/dp/0393064476
Catrinamonblue Resident: the book we are talking about
Santoshima Resident: on to the manuscript, please?
Santoshima Resident: http://www.amazon.ca/Penguin-Classics-Nature-Things-Lucretius/dp/0140447962
Aphrodite Macbain: students get an overview of the writings from Greece and Rome
Aphrodite Macbain: up to the 20th century
Catrinamonblue Resident: that sounds really neat Aph

--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: and occasionally seminars are organized like the one this weekend that non students can attend.
Calvino Rabeni: There must be some excitement in it, yes?
Aphrodite Macbain: Oh yes
Aphrodite Macbain: I supose it depends if you are interested in the subject matter
Aphrodite Macbain: we were a very lively group
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: they are going to print up a summary of the event . I'll send you the link
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: with photo!
Catrinamonblue Resident: awesome!!
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Paradise
Catrinamonblue Resident: gtg night all
Aphrodite Macbain: nite Cat
stevenaia Michinaga: night cat
Calvino Rabeni: nitey night
stevenaia Michinaga: so is this class remote or in a classroom?
Aphrodite Macbain: in a classroom
Calvino Rabeni: "radical" :)
Aphrodite Macbain: every wednedsday night
Aphrodite Macbain: nods yes
Aphrodite Macbain: there are about 30 people per "cohort"
Aphrodite Macbain: time to un pack
Aphrodite Macbain: and feed the cats
Aphrodite Macbain: bye
stevenaia Michinaga: night
Aphrodite Macbain: and goodnight
Calvino Rabeni: Bye Aph good night
druth Vlodovic: ok
druth Vlodovic: "hi para"
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: nite nite aph
Calvino Rabeni: How are the Arabian NIghts, Paradise?
Paradise Tennant: smiles finished it a while ago and then read caliph's house :)) both are excellent
druth Vlodovic: g2g, have fun all
stevenaia Michinaga: night druth
Santoshima Resident: salut
Calvino Rabeni: the author's father is regarded as a Sufi teacher, is there some of that in the book too?
Paradise Tennant: nite nite druth
Paradise Tennant: yes
Paradise Tennant: alot of his dad's wisdom is now his have added his dad's books to my reading list
Calvino Rabeni: that's good to hear about it carrying forward
Paradise Tennant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahir_Shah
Paradise Tennant: this is the author ..

--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: i must be off, looks interesting Para
stevenaia Michinaga: night
Santoshima Resident: so long stevie
Calvino Rabeni: I ordered it .. used for$ 0.01
Calvino Rabeni: Good night Steveniai
Paradise Tennant: nite nite stev sweet dreams scritch to fubu
Santoshima Resident: excellent bargain hunting, cal
Calvino Rabeni: ex-library :)
Calvino Rabeni: I think they get more intelligent with use, rather than getting depleted
Calvino Rabeni: I won't get it until I get back to the US though
Calvino Rabeni: It called to mind and older book, by Murat Yagan, do you know him?
Calvino Rabeni: a memoir
Santoshima Resident: that name is very familiar ... will look up
Calvino Rabeni: http://www.amazon.com/I-Come-Behind-Kaf-Mountain/dp/0939660083/
Paradise Tennant: smiles thanks cal :)) ahh the instant gratifications of a kindle
Calvino Rabeni: Emigrated from Afghanistan to Canadaabout 30 years ago
Calvino Rabeni: kindle magic
Santoshima Resident: ohh, this is a book someone recommended to me, many years ago ... and this is a reminder that I have still not read it
Calvino Rabeni: its a good read
Calvino Rabeni: instructive look into a vanished culture, plus some adventure and mystery
Calvino Rabeni: one of those true stories that reads like a novel
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: life as fiction :)
Paradise Tennant: has a ring to it

--BELL--
Paradise Tennant: smiles well I should scoot .. another day in the mines tomorrow :))) night all :) sweet dreams .. safe travels cal :)))
Santoshima Resident: good night
Calvino Rabeni: thanks Paradise ..
Paradise Tennant: namaste my friends :))
Calvino Rabeni: be careful in those mines
Calvino Rabeni: and dream well
Paradise Tennant: smiles sleepily :)) maybe of a moonlit desert and caravans :)))
Calvino Rabeni: good breeze
Calvino Rabeni: I will say goodnight too
Calvino Rabeni: and to Korel