Wednesday morning, I traveled to Paris for work. Paris Kentucky has a miniature eiffel tower; plenty of horse farms surrounding the historic city; that Caffe Marco once mentioned; and a recently refurbished public library. A beautiful design of a small town library, making use of salvaged barn structurings for its own structure.
The librarians here are pleasant, intelligent and aware (in the various modes intelligence and awareness appear to us). I had an extra moment to search for anything related to language and philosophy of language, etc. One younger librarian asked if I needed any assistance. I explained I had found a couple books here in the 100s; but I wondered if I could find more of the philosophy + language + “grammar” in the 400s. He insisted I remain in the philosophy section a bit longer. And I learn that he knows my name. He has been tracking me for months, even years but I prove to be elusive.
Elusive because I am there in the margins of books and on emailed receipts but rarely in person. I once traveled to Paris for work weekly, often spending a few hours of my time at their library. Since working from home, I have not been visiting but on my own time, perhaps once every two months. They began offering “no late fees” before the pandemic date last March which I greatly appreciate now, for some books rest easy on my shelf, months overdue.
I have been the only patron to check out his books (or any of the philosophy books for that matter he says) so I was easy to find in the small town database (he is the individual who decides upon the precious 100s and orders as he sees fit). As we began exchanging notes on the various books we have read/browsed/liked/disliked, I observe he is quite proud of his shelves, taking me from the high shelving where the weighty 190’s reside, then down to the elusively ethical 170’s tucked away on the bottom shelving. He thinks of Wittgenstein and Kant and a few other language offerings. But we sway away from language and into some of his favorites. I end up with seven books of philosophy and all seemingly unrelated to the intended theme.
It was this same Wednesday that I listened to your offering above. I laughed when, John, you comment on Wittgenstein never reading Aristotle and Derrida never reading Wittgenstein and that you have read them all and it’s not fair . . . yet the reading influences the language influences the body influences the minds influences the others. Your call is not the ravings of a madman but the howl of the beautiful beast that keeps anyone listening upon their feet and hooves with wide eyes in the night, staring out as if listening intently to the lyrics of a mesmerizing song. I have more that I wish to say on queering the imaginal (ufo’s interest me; so too something I might call identified flying objects that reside in the Imaginal and are all the queerer. . .something along the lines of our bird and fly language reception). I do appreciate that which we are willing to explore.
Jett the librarian said I could request any book at any time . . . perhaps it is time to plant seeds within my own community and see what philosophizing happens!