My Calypso
February 19, 2007
Odysseus and Calypso
I love classical literature; it was my worst educational moment when the instructor was dapper and about to retire. It felt like he was massacring them. After working long hours in a group home, I would come to his class in the evenings for 2.5 hours and want to tear my hair out. Or, sleep.
I loved the plot, I loved the messy gods, and I loved the hubris, the tragedy.
They were written in a time when the male figure spoke through form, and that form is part of my love for this literature. Nonetheless, I was missing something. I guess I wanted it all.
I once read a novel based on a classical plot where the tragic hero was a lesbian who had lost her way. I was astounded. I hardly put it down.
Suzanne gives us another perspective on Calypso: What she suffered and how she loved and what she ultimately chose to do out of love.
I will be forever grateful to Suzanne Vega for this song and giving me a piece of what I was missing. It’s all in perspective, and there are so many perspectives and so little time!
Kim
Suzanne Vega’s Page On Calypso
On any other day... 
hey Kim, I sometimes think your blog name ought to be “finding beauty”.
Dearest qazse,
I have to say, your comment took my breath away.
We all have dreams, illusions.
One of my secret dreams is to bring beauty to the world.
Thank you for receiving it and recognizing it.
I am truly grateful.
Kim
During my revelation drive (my 40 mile one way commute), I realized I wanted not to give beauty but to reveal beauty.
Yea….
Kim
is there a difference?
hey Kim, do you work in soc services – i seem to recall that…if so, how do you afford the gas?
qazse,
Revealing beauty is the experience of exposing something to another that has been right in front of them all along.
Giving beauty is having something that envelops beauty in all that it is and you offer it to another.
The perception for me is different and the statement reveals something about me not the actual difference to the receiver.
I am a professional academic advisor and when I am lucky I get to teach arranged classes in Intro to Literature. I have also worked with a hearing impaired young man in the area of writing skills. I developed a class called Women of the Midwest that used history as a backdrop to the literature I chose for the class. I tutor, edit. Whatever comes my way that has to do with language!
Social Services–Education? No difference economically. In answer to your question: I have NO idea how I afford the gas. I am an extravaganza in Creative Economics 101. I have no savings, for example. The overdraft policy at my bank is a viable economic solution in my world!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa……………
Finally Fucking Friday, says I. Things to live for and smile about.
What was the name of that lesbian heroine book?
Good question. Apparently I lost it or loaned it out and never got it back. Since you asked I have been seriously searching lesbian literature to no avail.
It kills me that I have lost this book. I will keep searching!
Damn good question.
Thanks,
Kim