A Tip of My Hat To You Mr. Robinson

Tonight's post will be short because I'll be off adventuring tomorrow and I need to get ready. But I wanted to highlight one of my favorite poems. It was written by the Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry, Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Arlington_Robinson). Like so many other brilliant writers, Mr. Robinson lived through some pretty difficult experiences. But I guess, often, the best writing seeps from the pen of a person who's experienced some amount of deep personal angst.

Anyway, here is probably his best known poem, and of course one of my favorites. I'd often thought about writing a story around this Richard Cory character, in some form or fashion. The irony of this poem is brilliant and it reminds me of all the ridiculously successful celebrities who seem to have everything and yet can't enjoy life enough to take good care of themselves.

Richard Cory
(Published: 1897)

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

~Edwin Arlington Robinson

Rene's Recommendation: Drink More Water

I prefer filtered water myself. I'm very picky about the taste. I know some people say they can't taste it but it all tastes pretty different to me. I like my water out of my Brita pitcher, ice cold, straight from the fridge. It's like my coffee in the morning. Some people find it hard to wake up to a bracing cup of cold water but it works for me. Doctor's say you should drink at least eight cups a water a day. I probably get closer to five but I should drink more. The only reason I'm posting such an obvious recommendation is because sometimes even I forget how important just drinking plain old water is. Not guava juice or chocolate milk or an espresso, just good old life giving water. Drink up! It's good for you my dear blog readers!