Tuesday, May 17, 2011

A Passage for Thought

I'm reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and I was very struck by this passage that I just read. Jane has decided she must reject the man she loves, despite his attempts to dissuade her. Jane is thinking to herself about her decision.
"'I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad- as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth- so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now, it is because I am insane-quite insane: with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. Preconceived opinions, foregone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.'"
That was found on page 325 of my Barnes and Nobel edition. I hope to have such courage and clearness of thought should I come to such a crisis in my life.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Fictionist

So I know I recently said I wouldn't be blogging much anymore but I just realized that I believe I've failed to mention Fictionist to you. Rolling Stone is doing a competition to find an previously unknown band, the winner of this competition will get to be on the cover of Rolling Stone, and get a contract with Atlantic Records. I'm telling you this because I recently learned about Fictionist and I've really loved their music. The keyboardist is in my YSA Ward (which is how I came to know about them). So go to their website and check them out, if you like them you should vote for them and rate them etc. here. They're in a good position to win the competition, especially if more people vote for them. Plus if you do like them, you can go to their website or find them on facebook and download some of their songs for free.