danajohnhill.org | Hard Times Come Again No More

Bravo, Samuel Johnson, for being Wikipedia’s featured article today.

As I have written repeatedly, I think Samuel Johnson is the smartest man who ever lived.  He rose from modest beginnings to become the most esteemed man in England.  Boswell’s great Biography has a wonderful anecdote about Johnson’s encounter with George III.  The king asked to be informed when Johnson was in the library, and introduced himself to Johnson there.  He asked if Johnson was writing anything new, to which Johnson “answered, he was not, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and must now read to acquire more knowledge”, and that he thought he had “done his part as a writer”.  “I’d have thought so, too…if you had not written so well”, was the King’s reply.  Johnson considered it such a high compliment that he could make no reply.  “When the king had said it, it was to be so. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my Soverign”.

I consider my summer in Professor McCrea’s Age of Johnson course a life changing experience.  If I could recommend any writing to anybody, I’d say that everyone should read the great Rambler essays.

Huzzah, Johnson.

Filed under: Literature and Books, Musings, School on January 31st, 2009 | No Comments »

It’s true, I guess, that all good things must come to an end.

Until this afternoon, Gainesville had a wonderful old soda fountain at Wise’s Drug Store on University Avenue, downtown.  It had been open for over seventy years, and was the kind of place where sassy ladies with names like Gladys would give you a hard time if you asked for a “hamburger with cheese” or didn’t know the difference between an ice cream float and a vanilla soda.  I had been going to Wise’s for as long as I’ve lived in Gainesville.  They made the best vanilla milkshakes anywhere, and served them with a spoon, and always gave you the excess in the stainless steel cup they mixed it in.  You could get malt added if you wanted, but I like things for their thingness, so I kept it simple.

Earlier this month it was announced that Wise’s would be closing.  They’ll still keep a drive-through pharmacy on SW 4th Avenue, but the soda fountain is no more.

As a dyed in the wool nostalgist, this is a sad occasion for me.  Clearly, soda fountains aren’t as common as they once were, especially ones still located inside drug stores where you could buy a hot water bottle and a shaving brush one aisle over.  Moreover, Wise’s closing means a significant site of Dana Heritage is now lost. I ate at that counter with many close friends over the years, some of whom have moved far away or with whom I have lost touch.  I shared many memorable moments there with my one true love.  On special occasions when Mrs. Hill would have an afternoon off, we’d have lunch together there at the counter.  And I know many others will miss Wise’s.  I even have two close friends who went to Wise’s directly after getting married last year in the courthouse downtown.  Since the closing was announced there have been long lines to eat, and while we were there this afternoon I could see some people weeping.

The economy being what it is, the building will probably sit empty for a while.  Eventually it’ll become a bar or club, or, more accurately, a series of bars and clubs that last a year or less each.

What a sad day.

Filed under: Dana Heritage Project, Food, Gainesville, Musings on January 30th, 2009 | No Comments »

Filed under: Family, Health on January 29th, 2009 | Enter your password to view comments.

Before I became a British Literature major at the University of Florida, I had seen few episodes of PBS’ Masterpiece Theater.  I cannot recall what, in particular, induced me to watch a 2005 broadcast of Bleak House, but it was marvelous in every way.  Recalling how well the filmmakers had adapted Dickens, I resolved to watch as many productions as I could.  Unfortunately, Masterpiece Theater isn’t always classic fiction.  For quite some time last year they broadcast episodes in their “Contemporary” series.

I was thrilled, then, to see that the new year brought with it new adaptations of nineteenth century British novels, beginning with Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles.  It was fantastic.  The acting, sets, costumes and cinematography were all splendid.  It was truly affecting.  I had high hopes for Wuthering Heights, but alas, it was terrible.  Aside from the odd aspects of the filmmaking itself, the story was twisted and modified in really pointless ways.  It’s not hard to see why a filmmaker might choose to eliminate the dual narrator technique Bronte adopts.  What works in a book doesn’t always translate well to the screen.  So, Nelly Dean was just a minor character in this production, and Mr. Lockwood didn’t appear at all.  Much of the plot was compressed, and some of my favorite scenes from the book were jettisoned.  Most of Healthcliff’s evil machinations from the book were glossed over, and others not in the book were invented.  The conclusion was not right at all.

I’m crossing my fingers for Sense and Sensibility next week, and four Dickens adaptations.

Filed under: Film, Literature and Books, Television on January 28th, 2009 | No Comments »

I am disappointed tonight.  A week or so ago I ordered a small engine for my bicycle that, when installed, will enable me to travel up to 30 miles per hour, and up to a hundred miles on a gallon of gasoline.

The kit arrived this afternoon, and I took all the parts out and inspected them.  Everything looked good.  Until, that is, I did a dry fit of the motor, and, alack, it was slightly too large for the bike frame, and the bike frame itself was too large for the bolts.  So, it seems I’ll need a new bike.  The hunt is on for a super-cheap ten-speed.

I was really looking forward to getting my motor running.

Filed under: Transportation on January 23rd, 2009 | 2 Comments »