Ok. This is a maximally inverse riff on Tragic OverLiving, a phrase attributed to (yes!) Milton. (See my Paradise Reimagined.)
I came across the phrase Tragic OverLiving because I was looking at other books written by Emily Wilson, whose Iliad and Odyssey I have been reading, for entertainment, as she is credited for having written versions that are contemporary, that is, easy to read by ordinary people (like me).
Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his feature directorial debut. The film, which grossed $90 million on a $6.2 million budget, garnered six nominations at the 53rd Academy Awards, winning four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.
Let me first say to the Greeks (Sophocles, Euripedes), and then to the Romans (Seneca, for example), and then to Milton:
Take a Chill Pill.
One thing that stands out to me is that these Ancients and Medievals (the writers and poets, and their characters, with the exception of Shakespeare) had surprisingly little imagination, and limited ability to be creative (beyond use of words where they were magnificent), and did not know how to keep themselves amused and intellectually occupied, that is, Time Pass with Artha (see Weston Brahmin), and fundamentally, could not, likely because of the times and circumstances in which they lived, and (so) did not, appreciate the Universe.
The essence of their angst is:
Those who feel that that they have lived too long see life as mere repetition of the same pattern, over and over and over again, with no possibility of any new action or new event. Time goes on but without the feature that ought to define time, namely change.
Additionally, they are trapped in the human experience, failing to understand Cosmic Time, unable to see the relationship between the human and divine worlds.
Indeed, one of my favorite lyrics is from Through Heaven’s Eyes from:
The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated musical drama film produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. It had a box office of over $218 million (on a budget of $60 million). The voice cast consists of Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin, and Martin Short.
Here are (some of) the lyrics:
A single thread in a tapestry
Though its color brightly shines
Can never see its purpose
In the pattern of the grand design
So how can you see what your life is worth
Or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man
You must look at your life
Look at your life through heaven’s eyes
That is why I do not stress about my (ample) life!
As you know, from When I was Young, my life is about MPC: Movies, Physics, Cars.
Let me start with (recent news about) cars.
Most expensive Ferrari ever auctioned fetches $51.7 million
As a Ferrari owner (and enthusiast), I have some understanding of their history, especially the 250 family. Of particular interest is this:
In the early days, two men helped shape the Ferrari’s market in America: main importer Luigi Chinetti and west coast distributor John von Neumann.
Wut?
Different John von Neumann! (Not the Bell Labs and Princeton superstar math dude that I wrote about in Top Fun.)
He is the one who dreamed of what became the California Spyder.
The Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder is a prestige sports car developed by the Italian car manufacturer Ferrari. It is presented by the brand as Ferrari 250 Gran Turismo Spyder California or simply Ferrari 250 California. It was designed by Pininfarina and bodied by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Starring in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, it became one of the most popular Ferraris.
This brings me to:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a 1986 American teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson. It tells the story of a high school slacker, Ferris, who skips school with his best friend, Cameron, and his girlfriend, Sloane, for a day in Chicago, and regularly breaks the fourth wall to explain his techniques and inner thoughts. It had a box office of over $70 million (on a budget of $5 million).
Of course, I am looking forward to (US Theatrical Release on December 25th, 2023):
Ferrari is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Michael Mann and written by Troy Kennedy Martin. Based on the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by motorsport journalist Brock Yates, the film follows the personal and professional struggles of Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari S.p.A., during the summer of 1957. Adam Driver portrays the titular subject, and co-stars Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell, and Patrick Dempsey.
Let me close the movie discussion with the disappointing (that I saw during Thanksgiving):
Napoleon is a 2023 epic historical drama film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on the story of Napoleon Bonaparte, primarily depicting the French leader’s rise to power as well as his relationship with Empress Joséphine, the film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon and Vanessa Kirby as Joséphine.
What about Physics? I am happy to say that two papers have been accepted for publication:
Quantum Annealing Research at CMU: Algorithms, Hardware, Applications
My current MPC is Mythology, Poetry and Cocktails. 😏 Stay Tuned!
Indeed:
MyAmpleLife is Comic UnderLiving!
