JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, MYSTICISM, BUDDHISM

Tonight I'm going to think about the connections Joyce was making between belief systems and the backgrounds of each. For instance, Stephen was a Jesuit, considered extremely devout. He wouldn't kneel down at his dying mother's bedside because of the belief Exodus 20:3 "Do not have any other gods before me." His beliefs would seem incongruent to most. Stephen is a Shakespearian and travels off into eastern religions and relates to Grecian myths. And, I am aware coming right up, he and Mr. Bloom find themselves in a brothel, sooooo. I'll put my thoughts together. It would be nice to have a chit chat with a Ulysses Expert, but I'm sure they're a rare breed!


Speaking of Grecian myths, I remember from childhood liking the hideous beasts i.e. midesa (a gargon/Clash of the Titans) with her snake hair and the ability to turn men into stone (I think she was hotty at one time and something happened. I can't quite remember the details). The cyclops (Nice Eye!) , the sirens (beauty has led a lot of men to do stupid things), cerberus (not a good city dog, twice the food, twice the clean up), Hydra (with nine heads, a creature to avoid taking out to dinner, go for an all you can eat buffet) and a bunch of giants and half horse, goat, things.

But nothing compares to the beast I found in my bathroom this morning. A Hawaiian centipede!! CENTIPEDUS with two sharp and poisonous heads. Yes, if you cut it in half, you have two for the price of one (imagine if people were like that). It was only about 8-9 inches long. I went and got an iron skillet. You have to have something flat, big surface, where there is NO wiggle room. Pan + ceramic tile, push down, snappy, crunchy NO' MO' CENTIPEDUS! This is no smacking it with a flip flop deal!