Monday, 30 January 2017
Can you seize the day in 20 seconds?
It’s short. It’s snappy. It’s the new trailer for my book Carpe Diem Regained, which you will shortly have in your hands.
Do take a mere 20 seconds of your day to check it out. And I would be hugely grateful if, as esteemed Ambassadors of Carpe Diem, you had a moment to share the video link on social media: https://www.facebook.com/romankrznaricauthor/videos/1643197975984199/
If you have another 20 seconds up your sleeve and would like a more contemplative route to seizing the day, treat yourself to this pithy poem I recently came across by Emily Dickinson (whose naughty brother Austin makes a guest appearance in my book):
A Death blow is a Life blow to Some
Who till they died, did not alive become —
Who had they lived, had died but when
They died, Vitality begun.
This poem is usually interpreted as a spiritual statement about the richness of life after death. But I wonder if it isn’t just as much a carpe diem poem, saying that we cannot truly live until we face the reality of our mortality and have the taste of death upon our lips.
What do you think? What meanings does it evoke for you?
Best wishes and many thanks for all your support,
Roman
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Comments
I watched your video excerpt and read the above post. Here is what stuck, in the video you mention breathing as if it is part of the problem. I am a big fan of breathing Roman, so I am interested to see where you take this argument.
As for the poem, I'm not sure. Some people run out of hope before way before they expire. In that case, death can be a liberator.
It has been my observation that we remember people that have passed in a somewhat distorted manner. Remembering and relishing the very best and casting their deeds through rose-colored light. For the most part, we don't recall the mundane but through death, our memory gets distilled.
posted 31st January 2017
Breathing really took my breath away Roman. To breath is to to seize the day to some degree. I always talk about Deep breathing. Most of us use only part of our lungs 24 hours/day. When you breath deeply you finally use all of your lungs and feed all of your body. Aaahh now I am ready to seize the day
posted 1st February 2017
Hi LaWaune and Gareth
Thanks so much for your comments. Have no fear - I'm not against breathing (especially as a mindful route to the present tense)! All will be revealed in Chapter 6...
Best wishes
Roman
posted 1st February 2017
I love your work, and can't wait to read it! And I really like the trailer, I think it sums up the essential ideas.
But I must say I do not like the book cover: Because I would like it to be more for something instead of against something. The Charging bull representing the predominance of capital and consume etc. overpowers the positive figure, and this figure in itself looks not really liberated and happy, but as ballerina following other strict "joy denying" of classical ballet rules.
I think, I just feel so passionate about/against the book cover because I think your project is great and I would like it to be presented in the best way possible.
Best wishes,
Angelika
posted 3rd February 2017