I was supposed to be translating Latin, today, yesterday, and several days before that. I did, however, hit a snag: id est a technical hitch. We ran out of printer ink. There is no point in relying on Stalin (who keeps a fork in the sugar bowl) to replace the colour ink (which he uses very much more than I do), so I had to order some, on top of the two black cartridges I have already bought. This assignment is proving a lot more hassle than it's worth, but as I mentioned before: no pain, no gain. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, and I will learn much from this particular assignment, and therefore - money or no money - it will be worthwhile, if only in terms of acquiring more knowledge and wisdom. With this, I am most content.
The company wants this translation quick. I don't do 'quick'. I take my time. From ever since I had it beaten into me as a little boy (as did all my brothers growing up), I firmly adhere to the principle that, "If you're going to do a job, do it properly." There are no half measures. I will either do the work to the very best of my ability, or I will not do it at all. The company has, however, had to accept my time-horizon (who the hell else are they going to find to translate this? No one is who. For anyone capable of undertaking such an arduous task already has a good job - most often beyond the borders of Dark Age Britain).
It's my one day off from that... place (Hades, the Infernal Regions, the Acheron, the Styx, Cocytus and the flaming Phlegathon), therefore I spent most of it in the pub. I am fortunate in that my local happens to sell my very favourite Belgian beer - the most expensive one in the pub: yet reasonably priced - and indeed it is well worth it. I was not idle, but reading law. I happened to cross paths with my dear philosopher friend, which was itself a blessing (him being a fellow man of God, if only a mere Catholic and Peripatetic philosopher: not a true Anglican and Platonist, like myself) and once he had departed, I was able to read the set book for my new module, at university. I must say, that although the authors of this book seem to revere Aristotle as some kind of Saint, being a firm Platonist, I have ordered a copy of Plato's Statesman (only in translation) if only to reacquaint myself with the other, better side of the coin. (Though I have ordered Aristotle's Politics as well - one must know one's enemy). I do not hark unto the student (Aristotle), but only the master (Plato). Much like I do not listen much to Beethoven, but often listen to his master: Haydn. (Mozart sits somewhere in between, for me at least).
I am actually learning to love the law, believe it or not. It's not classics, it's not my passion, it's not even very challenging compared to learning ancient Greek, but it is a necessary stepping-stone on my way out of the most servile, base, least rewarding 'living' (subsistence) and a move towards something more rewarding (if only in terms of skilled work, and not actual pay, for junior criminal barristers in this country earn less than minimum wage: this being Dark Age Britain). You must excuse me dear diary, for I have much reading to do. uale.
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