The field of ritual studies has seen a number of conflicting definitions of the term. One given by Kyriakidis is that a ritual is an outsider’s or “etic” category for a set activity (or set of actions) that, to the outsider, seems irrational, non-contiguous, or illogical. The term can be used also by the insider or “emic” performer as an acknowledgement that this activity can be seen as such by the uninitiated onlooker.
Emic and etic are derived from the linguistic terms phonemic and phonetic, respectively, where phonemics effectively regard elements of meaning and phonetics regard elements of sound. The possibility of a truly objective description was discounted by Pike himself in his original work; he proposed the emic-etic dichotomy in anthropology as a way around philosophic issues about the very nature of objectivity.
The New Year’s festivities having been surpassed by upwards of three weeks, we’re now undergoing a noticeable transition here on Key Largo as northerners begin to arrive in numbers to acquaint and re-acquaint themselves with the allaying climate and water. Today at the island pool for example a group of ladies congregated with their floating devices for aerobic exercise. At the center pool patio another clique of women foregathered at a round table beneath a large umbrella to play cards. On the laneways and pathways throughout Buttonwood Bay and along the intersecting marine canals there are conscientious senior athletes, walking and running, some with their dogs. My own appearance on one of only two tricycles here was clearly symmetric though hardly less doddering. Competing with my organic vehicular prowess were those motoring about on exotic electric bicycles (which to me look strangely vulgar with their bespoke leather seats and generous knobbly tires) or golf carts (which constitute the predominant local second family vehicle).
Still others broke the mid-morning tranquility with ebullient screams of delight or demonstrable annoyance from the tennis courts or pickle ball nets. Considering the extent of activity it surprised me, when I arrived at the center pool at around 10:30 am, that I was the first to secure a chaise longue by the pool. I faced directly into the early morning orb. It glowed above the verdant palm trees wavering in the southwesterly wind.
Unabashedly I assumed my throne in the sun. Already I had expiated the guilt of my ample breakfast (the execrable details of which I shall not repeat) by having cycled about 5 Kms around the entirety of the compound. I expect to cycle again later this afternoon after having exhausted my time sunbathing and swimming.
Apart from the regularity of the other sportsmen, this account represents my normal daily routine. It only remains to have my late afternoon iced tea with freshly squeezed lemon juice while sipping my two cups of which I traditionally revisit whatever has unfolded in the world of cyberspace upon my laptop MacBook Pro computer. It is also a time for reading and writing. This mundane preoccupation is precedent to the evening meal (the majority of which – whatever can be eaten raw – I prepare myself).
The term (cyberspace) entered popular culture from science fiction and the arts but is now used by technology strategists, security professionals, governments, military and industry leaders and entrepreneurs to describe the domain of the global technology environment, commonly defined as standing for the global network of interdependent information technology infrastructures, telecommunications networks and computer processing systems. Others consider cyberspace to be just a notional environment in which communication over computer networks occurs.
As the sun climbed in the sky above me and intensified its heated radiance, the time came for me to go into the pool for a dip and for what has normally proffered a welcome exercise of my creaking spine. Contrary to the performance of the predominantly routine activities hereinbefore charted, there evolved an unanticipated interruption today. A gaggle of folks from Chicago paddled about in the pool upon noodles. Earlier when lying upon the chaise longue by the pool I had overheard the sonorous voice of an obviously comic female personality. She proved to be Pat (pronounced Pāāt with one’s tongue pressed towards the back of the lower front teeth for elongation of the vowel and emphasis). The flavourful nature of her voice betrayed an innocent and friendly character. We immediately succeeded to a fertile ambience when, as I waded into the pool, she commented upon my tricycle, “You’re the man with that marvellous bike!” Nothing could have endeared her to me more fluidly. I countered by jokingly asking, “Did you say body or bike?” Roars of laughter ensued from her and the other three, 2 men and 1 woman. I assured Pat that, while I could not recall being of any attraction in the past, I most certainly know I haven’t been lately.
Initially I had confused Pat’s vocal tone with a Bostonian accent but I soon identified it as typical of Michigan (whence I had in the past heard similar accents from my cousins from Grosse Point Woods, Detroit). Pat’s husband (who had liberally weighed in upon the banter) disclosed that he regularly did business in Canada’s major cities (with the exception of Halifax) from east (Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa and Toronto) to west (Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver).. He knew the Château Laurier Hotel and winter skating on the canal. We quipped about high tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria (including the rigid necessity to maintain one’s right pinky-finger in the air when holding the tea cup). I was at least able to share with him and the others that we knew the Magnificent Mile and had stayed at the Drake Hotel. By utter coincidence I afterwards encountered a young chap whom I had met several days ago who was from Winnipeg and with whom I shared the intelligence of the gentleman I had only recently volleyed with in the pool. I cannot imagine that the Winnipeg connection is that frequent. This serendipity was sufficient to close the circle upon today’s combination of ritual indolence and activity.