The illusion of Lucre

I had gotten one of those emails from the NatWest HSBC saying they were concerned about my money yeah I bet, anyway I couldn't log on to the site they suggested I click onto which is probably a good thing, as it was probably done by them wicked wicked Nigerians or modern Robin Hoods, or Robber Barons or anyway point I was trying was I had sent a letter to my branch in Ealing asking them not to freeze my assets but obviously in simpler English. I don't think that actually worked the ATMs here are erratic but today the second day of retrying I managed to get some money out of the ATM. It's far more than I should ever carry around in England which makes me think it's probably too much for me to carry around here. But I now have again a sense of freedom and when it works I draw out more than I need which is not very eco-Indian but as I shall be writing to His Grace the Lithuanian head of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, I have no objection to the Syro-Malabar rite's demands for separate dioceses and separate hierarchy for all of India, but I would like Our Holy Mother Church to consider the plight of me, could I have my own eparchy, I could research one that is almost dying but within the one hundred year rule but I was really hoping for an eparchy to acknowledge my special status as one lung padroado, one lung mar Toma Slihe, an Indian Heart in an African Body with an Occidental Mind. Don't actually want a Bishop unless they have one spare, and my request is far humbler than them Syro-Malabar empire builders with their demands don't give into them your Grace they will be more trouble than they are worth, if they really want to do mission work in India then get them to send one hundred priests on a suicide Christian witness mission to Manipur but I think when they say they want dioceses throughout India they mean Bombay Delhi New York London. I must ask a sister where to get the blue bindi powder from.

Orf to Kottayam on Sunday to arrive Monday. If Fr Jose returns I think he may be away, then he can book me a train ticket. I would try but they don't seem to encourage foreigners here on the Interweb they seem to prefer one to visit a local chappie and buy a real ticket. So I could do that too. But I am off either way. Then in Kottayam I shall purchase text books in Syriac, then an Iron Cross Mar Toma Sliba, they are Syro Malankara so they must have something like that in the religious hardware section and if not, I'll be in Velankanni soon. Oh have cracked the pronunciation so Patanjali is like Angelina Jolie but outwith the na Jolie. Stress on the second syllable then gobble the rest.

Oh the connection has failed it says so it might post it might not. Then I thought I must visit the Mall and try and get some things for the kids. They are now at 150 not going to be an easy call and I mustn't get things that el supremo the Mill Hill Reddy Priest would confiscate on sight. On Fr Jose, got some gossip from Fr Joose whom I really don't get on with. I have found if I don't initiate contact with him, and don't avoid him he sometimes chats to me. I was right about Jose though he is businesslike. When he was Director of the PG Hostel he was pretty much hated. If they had guests they had to pay 100 rupees per day for each guest for food and accommodation. This director lets the odd day and meal slip. It's not much money for normal people but if you live on a religious congregation allowance. I think it's 500 rupees a month but I may be imagining that recall. Oh and he didn't allow them water. Which I think means they now get osmotically filtered water though some modern hi tech system that looks very low tech.

So long as the man is paid on time though I find him very helpful and he has always done what he has said he would do. I don't think I like the Mill Hiller in comparison but if I remember I fell in love with the kids, teeth and smiles, and the albatross princess of clouds, and as Levinas put it, I am responsible for others more than others, as an asymetrical command. It makes sense to say I love you more than others but only a God could command love me more than all the others.

So a bulging wallet has given me confiance. I am disgusted with myself to the point of nausea. Sartre was influenced by Levinas. I think perhaps I shall spend the remainder of term (just a few days we are off to gypsy land on the 4th October 18 days to go) trying to familiarize myself with the continentals I had heard of and missed, and it's not really that funny to say before trying to offer the thought but it would only make sense if you had some understanding of Sassure Derrida and Merleau Ponty and the guy says but I do go on and you then parry oh wow at last could you explain them to me then. But first Chapter 18 of Intermediate NT Greek Reader if you are wondering why not Advanced Greek I think that would be the NT itself.

Ipseity is an odd word.

I think the secret is in laughter. And that evil must not have the last parole.

Oh that was it I almost forgot. Levinas gives a robust defence of Lex Talionis, they call him a Talmudic Scholar trained in the anti-Hassidic tradition but he is a Qabalist, a real one, spends his time contemplating ancient scrolls, eating them digesting them, praying because all the answers are in the Torah. The man knows what he is talking about. Yeah so he gives as an explication of the eye for an eye, the evil doer must compensate fully for the loss, economic loss should be taken into account. But it was limited to eye for an eye in the Torah because of the problem of wealth. I could blind many Dalits go to a cash point and then blind some more.

Interesting story of greed and envy. So Greed asks I want double what you give Envy, and Envy says I want the loss of one of my eyes. Oh well must go too much to read so little time.