Il Pomo d’Oro is a prize-winning orchestra founded in 2012 and named after the opera Il pomo d’oro by Antonio Cesti. The ensemble specialises in Historically informed performance of music from the Baroque and Classical period which it performs and records led by its own lead violinists Federico Guglielmo and Zefira Valova, or by guest conductors including Maxim Emelyanychev (chief conductor since 2016).
Moderately early this morning after completion of ablutions and upon connecting to the internet at my desk I received an email from a younger friend who is a renowned chef in “Cabbagetown”, a popular area of downtown Toronto. He abbreviated my previous enquiry about “Any news?” by recounting that he is up each morning between one and two o’clock followed by long hours at the restaurant, then to bed between six and seven in the evening. While he rightfully acknowledged the duress of his enterprise, I could sense his personal commendation; and I was similarly moved to admire his dutiful and functional application (even if I confess a degree of envy of his purposeful occupation).
A recent fiery controversy of sociological and etymological proportions has broadened my knowledge of the two vernaculars. Such apparently is the unwitting but welcome nature of squabbling that with the proper application of rigidity, acuity and moral correctness, the outcome is not only instructive but also uncommonly relieving. I have at last succeeded to address what had become the behavioural equivalent of a cyst; that is,
. a membranous sac or cavity of abnormal character containing fluid; or,
. a tough protective capsule enclosing the larva of a parasitic worm or the resting stage of an organism.
It would at first blush be pardonable to take for granted that modern business marketing has changed with technology. Or has it? How far removed are we from the renowned elements which have traditionally steered a successful business? Surely quality, trust and communication remain the notable credentials. As for the rest “Word of Mouth” will forever abide as a salient feature.
The day began well – and I won’t say it hasn’t been a predominantly sustained rapture – but mid afternoon unanticipated complications arose which disarranged and soured the initial perfection. We’ve had to battle the internet and computers, never an auspicious confrontation because more often than not the assured winner is technology over humanity. In the result I am uncertain whether it was just one of those “reboot” situations required; or, whether the site we were attempting to access was undergoing maintenance; or, whether the latest Apple update contaminated everything; or, finally whether it were necessary merely to remove the historic bookmark and start from scratch. Whatever. We at last succeeded in our researches and endeavours; and, in fact and in fairness enlarged upon the functionality of the site. But what an unforgiving exercise! We were close to fisticuffs between ourselves as the mounting obstruction heightened our voices and sharpened like arrows our otherwise well-intentioned directions to one another. Nonetheless it was a relieving undertaking upon completion. Now at last I am at liberty to gaze upon the becalmed river in the distance, mellowed almost to the point of incongruity as the sun sinks and the shadows overtake the whole. By chance Pacelbel’s Canon restores my fractured conciliation.
The Greek words mean “culmination” (synteleia) and “era” (aion) thus suggesting “the end of a point in time” which would embrace both social change or the end of one’s life.
Christianity is often seen as an “apocalyptic” religion, looking forward to “the end of the world,” but Jesus actually never says anything about “the end of the world” as such. In many Gnostic systems (esoteric and mystical knowledge), the various emanations of God, who is also known by such names as the One, the Monad, Aion teleos (“The Broadest Aeon”), Bythos (“depth or profundity”), Proarkhe (“before the beginning”), Arkhe ( “the beginning”), Sophia (“wisdom”), and Christos (“the Anointed One”), are called Aeons.
The Christian church has found a benefit throughout history in preaching that the end of the world is imminent. Their motivation is the same as politicians and scientists today preaching the end of the world through global warming. By magnifying the immediacy of the threat, such organizations justify increasing their power.
However, there is a more certain, more pressing threat to us all individually, our own deaths, the end of our personal worlds. Jesus uses his ability to see the ending of his era, the Judean world as it was then, as an analogy for the end of each individual’s life, a crisis coming to us all, one at a time, in our own places, a crisis more important personally than some future “end of the world” is generally.
© 2023 Gary Gagliardi
Gary Gagliardi, “known primarily as a writer and educator on competitive strategy”, is from what I can gather but another American aligned with the “Art of Money Getting or the Golden Rules for Making Money” by P. T. Barnum paradoxically of circus fame.
Things have been upside down for a long time. We’re sitting back, blaming a small handful of patently self-interested politicians for what we arrogantly call either bad government or any number of other shortfalls. Somehow we’ve managed to convince ourselves that the likes of Matt Gaetz or Donald Trump or any numberof other proven idiots are the ones running the world. And it is only my reluctance to appear overly zealous that I choose to ignore others such as Putin or the most historically egregious maniac Hitler. Since when, I ask you, did any one of them tell you what to do? It’s just the other way around. And make no mistake, they haven’t any interest beyond preserving themselves to opt for this or that. It’s otherwise all trifling horseplay to see who wins.
Today is Sunday, October 1st. It has proven to be an unalloyed start to another month. The day could not possibly have been more enchanting. Clear skies and high seventies! It wasn’t long after 11:00 o’clock this morning following a breakfast bowl of steel cut oats that I accomplished a ritual 4Km ride on my lately lubricated, adjusted and pumped tricycle grâce à Bill Barrie Jr of Almonte Bicycle Works. He does a terrific job! The proper air pressure in the tyres and professional adjustment of the brakes and gears make all the difference. Our cycling community would be at a loss without him.
A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. While they were reported to have been literate, they are believed to have been prevented by doctrine from recording their knowledge in written form. Their beliefs and practices are attested in some detail by their contemporaries from other cultures, such as the Romans and the Greeks.
It is now 3:54 am and I have just returned from a watchful midnight drive in my new Cadillac to the city and back. I was unable to sleep. The forecast weather today is sunny and 74°F. It is Saturday, September 30th, the day fortuitously scheduled for our annual family luncheon at the golf club. The weather outlook for the upcoming week is equally favourable with a forecast high of 80°F on Wednesday, declining to 65°F next Saturday before transitioning to 55°F the following day. I mention these details because I blame the unseasonably warm temperatures for my sleeplessness. I got up after midnight to turn on the A/C. When that didn’t quell my insomnia I relented accordingly. Besides I hadn’t previously had much opportunity to test the new car for night-time driving. I am happy to report that the midnight endeavour was not without its profit including my unintentional and now improved acquaintance with OnStar (out of curiosity I had pressed the green status button) .