QUESTION:
I just received a letter from my university’s president thanking me for ten years of service. As my reward, I get to pick out one of the following gifts: power drill, coffee maker, silver necklace, wall clock, leatherette bag, waffle maker, binoculars, headphones, a set of knives, etc., etc.
So, which one should I pick? (By the way, it will be presented to me at a public ceremony.)
MAGIC SHAKE-BALL'S ANSWER:
Poor and content is rich, and rich enough,
But riches fineless is as poor as winter
To him that ever fears he shall be poor.
--Iago to Othello (Othello 3.3.176-77)
Iago is working Othello into a jealous lather, telling him that it sucks to be a guy with everything who keeps worrying about losing it all (read: getting cuckolded by his wife). Perhaps the more “fineless” (boundless) the riches, the harder the fall. I’m understanding this as a message that it doesn’t matter what gift I pick because all of them will make me feel really old and lame. That said, it would be really funny to get presented with the Cuisinart Quick-Prep Hand Blender.
Geez, I don't know, Michelle. I can't get past the munificence of WPI. At BC, as far as I know, after 25 years, you get a hideous plastic BC clock. Live it up!
ReplyDeleteYou're so wise. And I'm an ungrateful wretch. I'm gonna make you guys some yummy soup with the hand blender.
ReplyDeleteI got a rock.
ReplyDeleteIf by "hand blender," you mean "witchy churn," I'm down!
ReplyDeleteWaffle maker. Gotta be the waffle maker.
ReplyDeleteTotally. If we hadn't gotten one as a wedding gift, the waffle maker would be the obvious choice.
ReplyDelete