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Friday, April 1, 2011

A Favor, Please?



Happy April Fool's Day.  Actually, I hate this day so I promise not to fool anyone.  That's just mean.

I actually have a favor to ask of someone.  I am sometimes... technology deficient.  I made the above "set" on Polyvore and I love it.  But, I want to use it as the banner for my blog.  Polyvore won't let me save the file to my computer.  So, if anyone can figure out how I can do this I would be very happy and love them (in a friend way) forever.

I must say I'm surprised that nobody has inquired about the name of my blog.  "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"... I'm sure if you Google it, you might understand right away.  But, then again, the line has multiple meanings to each person.  For me- when I hear it, say it or see it, I think of my love for literature and the idea that beauty is not completely definable.  Earthly beings will attempt to dictate what this thing called "beauty" is, because we only know what he we see and nothing beyond.  Here's the poem the line comes from:


THOU still unravish'd bride of quietness, 
  Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time, 
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express 
  A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: 
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape         5
  Of deities or mortals, or of both, 
    In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? 
  What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? 
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? 
    What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?  10
 
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard 
  Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; 
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd, 
  Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: 
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave  15
  Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; 
    Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, 
Though winning near the goal—yet, do not grieve; 
    She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, 
  For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!  20
 
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed 
  Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; 
And, happy melodist, unwearièd, 
  For ever piping songs for ever new; 
More happy love! more happy, happy love!  25
  For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd, 
    For ever panting, and for ever young; 
All breathing human passion far above, 
  That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd, 
    A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.  30
 
Who are these coming to the sacrifice? 
  To what green altar, O mysterious priest, 
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, 
  And all her silken flanks with garlands drest? 
What little town by river or sea-shore,  35
  Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, 
    Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn? 
And, little town, thy streets for evermore 
  Will silent be; and not a soul, to tell 
    Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.  40
 
O Attic shape! fair attitude! with brede 
  Of marble men and maidens overwrought, 
With forest branches and the trodden weed; 
  Thou, silent form! dost tease us out of thought 
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!  45
  When old age shall this generation waste, 
    Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe 
  Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all 
    Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'  50
                                                        -Ode on a Grecian Urn, John Keats 


I hope you have a lovely weekend!  

4 comments:

  1. Are you taking the general GRE or the English literature specific GRE? That makes a huge difference. I have taken both.
    The general GRE is pretty grueling. It takes a very long time to complete -- I was there for four hours. The vocab (qualitative) is intense, and I really suggest buying some kind of study guide. The math (quantitative) section is ... well ... way over my head. I have the math skills of a seventh grader, so it was a struggle. There is also an essay portion where you form some kind of logical argument. I had to write 2 essays. That wasn't so bad. Since we are English students, that is our strong points.
    The English lit. GRE is the same GRE they use for Ph.D. students, so it is FUCKING DIFFICULT. I was there for about 4 hours that time, as well, and didn't finish the exam. Again, I strongly suggest a study guide and reading as much as humanly possible beforehand.

    http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
    Twitter: @GlamKitten88

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  2. I'm actually having a hard time deciding which one to take. I would LOVE to get my Ph.D. but I'm not sure how realistic it would be (esp. w/ tuition cost). I have purchased plenty of study guides, but I am worried because the GRE format is changing in August so I HAVE to take it sometime in July, which seems so soon. My math skills are also awful. I've already come to terms w/the fact that my score will be terrible in that section. For the lit. is it all logical and unpacking literature? Or is it specific authors..?

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  3. For the English specific GRE, it's a mixture of both. Passages are provided for you that you need to analyze and decipher. There are also quotes, works, titles, etc. by specific authors with which you need to be familiar.
    Before entering grad school, I was hardcore on getting my Ph.D. After doing some research on my own and talking to professors, I realized that a Ph.D. is not realistic right now. In 2009, over 800 English Ph.D.'s graduated. There were only 150 or so available professor positions. Most Ph.D.'s end up getting stuck in call staff positions, which I am strongly against.
    Besides, once you are a Ph.D., you have a difficult time finding a job outside of the university because few people want to hire a Ph.D. That means they have to pay you more, and, generally, you are only familiar with that one section of English literature, lacking skills and knowledge in other areas.

    Those are just my thoughts and findings that I have formulated and discovered in the past year.

    http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
    Twitter: @GlamKitten88

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  4. cute blog! i love the background! for the banner, since you already have it in this post, you can just right click/save it :D let me know if that helps!

    http://samalamode.blogspot.com/

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