I'm considering getting some absinthe. It's been a while, but I had a fondness for it in the lifetime as van Gogh. Sure, it might have had a hand in the famous attacks, but who knows, it might have lend an edge to the art too. Worth a try. :)
(Just for the record, my alcohol intake is something like one drink per month.)
From wikipedia:
At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug; the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. The Lanfray murders of 1906 caused a petition to the Swiss government leading to its outlawing in Switzerland, and, as a chain reaction, other countries. By 1915, it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States.
Though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous or psychoactive than ordinary alcohol.
I am just remembering that my first ever solo art exhibition took place in a "bar" in Copenhagen called Tannhäuser (after the Wagner opera) in... 1985? I put "bar" in quotes because it was an unusually high class place (or snobby, depending on viewpoint). They did not serve beer, and only played classical music. They were possibly the first place in the world for decades to serve absinthe.
Thanks for the idea. Now I'll be reading the rest of the posts and comments while sipping on a glass of red vodka. Excellent stuff. I had a brand new bottle from last year I had completely forgotten about!
ReplyDeleteI should drink a bit more often than twice a year. A cardiologist friend of mine just told me that regularly drinking small amounts of alcohol improves HDL blood levels. (That's the "good" cholesterol.) Seriously, it's the latest official data from specialists. Just avoid beer, and prefer stuff like red wine or whisky.
And don't overdo it! :-)
As for absinthe, I knew for a long time that pathological alcoholism on it was notoriously catastrophic, but I also knew it was the same with all other alcohol. In reality, religions frowning upon alcohol meant to target alcoholism, meaning drunkenness, but it's very hard to decree "moderation", and very easy to just prohibit the stuff.
Initially, Muhammad, following the Bible, said "do not arrive drunk for prayer". Later on, he rephrased that as "alcohol [...] is of the Devil". Quite probably because his original phrasing wasn't explicit enough. (Even prophets aren't infallible.) People never acknowledge that they have a problem.
Of course, me, I don't have a problem. ;-) Not with booze. Now, chocolate, naked babes images, and generally enjoying life... hey, hold on, how can THAT be called a problem? I can stop, really. It's just that I definitely don't wanna, heck no! Might as well advise me to ease up on children's laughter. Feasible, but I don't feel like it. (Gulp, gulp, gulp. Hick!)
Honey? Can I have another, please? Oh, never mind, just bring the bottle. And sit on my lap, ya sweet soft thing of luv! You an' your twin sister...
8o)~
There's "new absinthe," a less poisonous form, which has been developed by an investor and test-distributed in select locations in the USA. We have it here in New Orleans right now, and I've tried it. It was kind of like Jaegermeister.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I remember posting something about this earlier on this blog ... am I losing my mind? Deja vu!
"... but I had a fondness for it in the lifetime as van Gogh."
ReplyDeleteSo you were Vincent? How did you discover this?
Never tasted absinthe myself. But after reading the Wikipedia article on it, I'm intrigued.
I better not claim to have been Vincent, who can know?
ReplyDeleteAnd it's something anybody can do to boost their image in their own and other's eyes. I have an acquaintance who claims to have been both Caesar and Shakespeare. And I really doubt the same person was both of those.
True, but as linear time is a feature of physical reality (i.e. inherently connected with matter) it follows that reincarnation is logically impossible. This in no way precludes multiple incarnations, of course, but from the soul's perspective they would all appear as parallel experiences.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, even if your acquaintance was Caesar, nothing from that lifetime would have carried over to this lifetime. So, any "image boosting" is questionable, I think. Or, only in name. To actually tap the characteristics of that other incarnation, she would have to access that part of her soul through her intuitive channel here and now.
Never having drunk absynthe, I must ask, does it improve your artistic abilities?
ReplyDeleteNah, it's just booze.
ReplyDeletepascal, you really are a pompous windbag.
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you. It's been a while since we had a good, solid Pascal-bashing.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting, I never did get what about Pascal gets some people so riled up. It's quite funny.
I was actually just joking. He does write long posts, though.
ReplyDeleteUndeniably. :)
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you, mon cher Balzac. At last, somebody recognizes my true value!
ReplyDeleteAnd my contributions to the scientific development of lighter-than-air balloons. Without me, the Montgolfier brothers would have been left without a power source. In all modesty.
Though I must admit, that red vodka glass did leave me a bit absinthe-minded. Felt a bit empty-headed. Or was that from a repressed belch? I'll have to ask Homer...
No no no, not our philosopher colleague Homer. I meant Mister Simpson. A liquor expert, and former professional homebrewer.
P.S.: I hold several records on this blog, for both longest and shortest post, and for longest non-solo discussion. My shortest non-empty post was just one character, which is even smaller than a simplified smiley.
Guess I'll remain thrice undefeated. ;-)