Woes of the dandelion; so despised, so beautiful.
A post with which to keep BBL hospitable to the Zeitgeist.
And in which I teach you how to go off on multiple tangents at once – one of my few talents.
Springtime is the time of dandelions, the Taraxacum officinale; something that would never have been apparent to me back in the Golden City of the Orient. Many things in Canada are inconveniencing or inhospitable to me – the dandelion is not one of them.
My landlord is horrible at maintaining his yard, and thus the dandelions have decisively crept over it. I was walking home from school one day, as I do, when I saw a countless number of them in full bloom, and thought,
They’re
beautiful.
The dandelions don’t do so well on the neighbors’ yards – why? Because they’re weeds. Parasites. They contest with the plants we actually want to grow for nutrition, and they procreate like wildfire. Thus the Taraxacum officinale are killed before they get their chance.
It’s not that I’m lamenting them – just, why did parasites detrimental to our constructed gardens have to be so beautiful? All roses have thorns, all flowers must wilt – is it a matter of our vaunted philosophies? Or is it a matter of our vaunted biologies?
But the dandelion isn’t perfect. It too is hiding; hiding its inelegant thick taproot, hiding its jagged leaves, hiding an abominable central cluster that can only be described as a nest of worms – hiding them with radiant yellow flowers.
Fate is indeed ironic; not only for us, but for flowers, too. Did you write a book of love, and do you have faith in God above, Don Mclean asks us. All I’m saying is, one doesn’t have to look very far to see the universe’s sarcasms. Sometimes you’ll find examples in just our little microcosms. Sometimes you need only look down to your feet.
But really, they’re not that bad. Dandelions are actually beneficial in some cases, believe it or not.
Aaaanyhow, I was away because of a very lengthy history project. I swear, I’ve read enough about Socrates and his Iron Age Greeks to last a lifetime (the Iron Age Greeks could also arguably ‘belong’ to Homer, Pericles or Philip/Alexander, though).
1. Did you know Eratosthenes claimed that the Trojan War occurred in 1194-1184 BCE?
2. Or that he basically invented geography and measured the circumference of the earth, the clever bastard?
3. That not even the river god Scamander could stop Achilles from killing so many people that their bodies blocked up his river in the Iliad?
4. That the Spartans actually grew their hair very long, braided it and would luxuriously comb their hair right in the middle of battle to taunt their enemies (I would like to see them “THIS IS SPARTAAA” that)?
5. Or that the Spartans were possibly paired off in their homosexual couplings on the front lines so that they would fight more fiercely to protect their loved one?
6. That the word ‘barbarian’ came from the Greek word bárbaros, an onomatopoeic word, because to them foreign languages sounded like ‘bar bar bar bar’?
The Greek pantheon’s no match for our eastern Guncannon god.
Case in point. Well, I’d be sort of bending the truth by saying that was the only reason I didn’t touch the interwebs much all week. I got a spanking new graphics card a few days ago, and have been oogling my visual-intensive games turned to the highest since. There, that reason’s a lot more plausible, eh?
Because of this, I’m in the mood for more games posts – please look forward to those, if you may. Also, a pal asked me to do a movie, All About Lily Chou-Chou, so probably that first.
Oh and Yi, Rob? Are we still doing that Usain Bolt Planetarian-Railgun thing? Or have I already lost?
So listen to Don Mclean, everybody. That man works miracles. And sorry to those who thought this would be a bona fide Saya no Uta post; it’s difficult writing about a fond memory from long ago.
Or these guys, I guess. Hey, I think they’re pretty good – and the artist warms my heart by showing his bass strumming knowledge. Sadly though Sekine is a pick bassist.
Ningyo
And as always, you’ll have to give me my sweet time to get to your blogs.
No related posts.
May 14th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
The dandelions… they are… beautiful…
And I hate their roots.
Are humans beautiful?
May 14th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
When I think of Dandelions, I always think of Popotan. One of my favourite anime, probably the most touching one I’ve watched. Very memorable. Don’t have an opinion of dandelions in general, though back then I always get confused on what they were called since they have two forms.
I’d really like to get to Planetarian so that you can watch To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, but like you I’m actually quite busy these days ever since I’m being recruited for this new position at my workplace. Hopefully once everything settles and I have a new schedule I can get to it.
I think I would be away for a while testing out my new graphic card too, lol, but not in WoW since I don’t have the disk space.
So Spartans are the earliest yaoi in history?
May 14th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Error, error, images unrelated.
And no, I don’t like dandelions. Screw them. They’re the most benefical when they disappear \o.
May 14th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Whenever I see dandelions, I think of Saya.
Best visual novel ever!
May 14th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Wow. Did you take the first picture? Looks great.
You should have asked some random girl to help you recreate the Clannad OP for you XD (If the Canadian Law doesnt stop you :P)
May 15th, 2010 at 12:05 am
I love the art works you put in this post…where did you find them?
I think one of the things that made dandelion so beautiful is its uncontrolled, wild nature. It would be just boring if they were in a nicely arranged pot.
May 15th, 2010 at 4:04 am
I remember when I first came to Canada, I admired the roads lined endless beds of yellow flowers. It wasn’t until much, much later that that I understood the word “weed” as an undesirable plant. Nice little observation, takes me back~
It’s a shame that FUN history is never tested in an exam. When it comes down to the exam, nobody is gong to ask about the fabulous taunts of ancient Greece’s unstoppable homosexual army. This stupid system we live under.
Also, what’s this about a movie? All About Lily Chou-Chou?? Don’t leave us hanging.
May 15th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Saya is love <3.
On a related note to just how awesome this post was, take a look at the tag list. Would you ever have thought all of those would have EVER existed in the same set of tags for one post? Madness.
Oh, and All About Lily Chou-Chou was a fine, slightly upsetting film imho.
May 15th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Whoops, just googled “All About Lily Chou-Chou”. Thought you were going to make an autobiographic movie, or something.
May 15th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
All About Lily Chou-Chou has one of the most haunting themes I’ve ever heard. Truly a masterpiece. Looking forward to your review.
This is going to sound very, very strange, but I actually never knew that the yellow flowers became those fluffy white things. I mean, I knew they were both called “dandelions,” and I recognized each separately… But somehow they never connected in my mind as being the same creature at different times. Weird, that gap in my brain.
But thank you for that. :)
May 15th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
LOl, man your description of a dandelion reminds me of the “beauty and the beast”. The ugly and the bad can always become a beautiful and good thing, its just the perspective on how you look at it.
wb to writing ahah, unlike me-_-*
May 16th, 2010 at 1:20 am
Oh, by the way, forgot to mention, the Planetarian thing is still on.
May 16th, 2010 at 2:00 am
I am glad that you are still here since I still need to see you at AN and future ACG NA events xDD
May 16th, 2010 at 5:51 am
Such is the way of the revenant bloggers: We don’t die even if we are killed.
But that depends on the blogger himself/herself.
May 16th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Iwasawa is the best I’m still bitter.
I hate dandelions. In fact, most yellow flowers are ones that don’t get on my good side. But mainly, I like my lawn to be devoid of dandies, because one dandy in the middle of a nice green lawn just looks bad.
A whole field of danders might not be as bad, but I’m still not a fan of yellow.
May 16th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
I don’t mine dandelions either, they look nice. I wish I got a new grapphics card too, but you can’t have everything I guess.
May 17th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
@radiant
Seeing only the beautiful is a very human thing, eh? And that’s the question that has boggled thinkers and artists since the birth of their respective disciplines. And really, when you think about it, a multitude more questions can be linked back to it.
@rob
So basically, a promotion :D?
Hm, why do their two states confuse everybody? It was just so given for me that I never really thought about it… Anyhow, looks like I’ll just be going ahead and winning our little gamble then.
Planetarian will instantly triumph over anything you found touching. We of apathetic today don’t really have much of an opinion about anything…
Hey, you should write a post about that. Connect historic things to the things we love about ecchi. At this point, why the hell not, right.
New graphics card? Fire up that PS2 emulator; no better way to test it than a good eighty hours of Persona.
@Velore
And that, my friend, is why you need to getcherass over to where Saya no Uta is and read it. It’ll blow your mind out your ears, and then this post will make sense to you.
@Yi
Brofist, mmf!
Planetarian’s still in that slot for me though. None of us are all that good at Usain Bolting to the end of this, are we ^^;
@imouto
Yeah, that’s what I made it look like, eh? I didn’t, but coincidentally that’s still a photo from Canada. Winnipeg, to be exact, I think.
But those weren’t exactly dandelions… More like, if I really had to I’d get girls to recreate the Bokusatsu Tenshi OP. Now that’d be a run from the law.
@Canne
To tell you the truth, really, I just googled the photos :p
Otherwise, for the images of Saya it was old faithful, Danbooru. My repertoire of tricks usually stops there. Rather sad, but it’s been working till now.
You’re probably right. Who knows? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
@Chag
I’ve been around the dandelion before, but it’s really only this spring/summer than I paid any attention to them.
Oh, but anything they ask about in history is fun! I mean, it’s all regurgitating information anyways. Doesn’t exactly take a genius to connect the points together in the way the teacher wants them to be, high-school wise. Besides footnoting in essays, which I dread. A sophist hates having to prove his points.
Really now, an autobiographic movie? I would sooner go streaking >.>
@Catacyst
Love indeed. I would totally glomp all of her squishy meatiness.
My tags usually end up looking something like that, no small part due to how sidetracked I get typing them out (and writing the entire damn post, really).
I’m beginning to have second thoughts about this film. From how my friend made it off I was more expecting a mood akin to Tokikake…
@2DT
The more I hear about this movie the more fearful I get. This is nothing I’ll end up having to write another 2000 word post about…?
At first I was going to voice my surprise as to how you, being as awesomely well-informed as you normally are, never made that connection, but then I realized I never really thought much about that connection either. Many others haven’t as well. So I guess in the end it’s one of nature’s clever perplexities. No problem, I’m only amazed I ever managed to teach you something.
@mat
Yeah, that’s probably what I was going for. Man, I really should go over to your place and get all the awesomest visual novels onto your PC sometime. You need to get exposed to ‘em.
Might inspire you, too.
@Delon
Man, I’ll have to research on that too, or I’ll totally forget about AN…
@Shance
I reassure any nonbeliever that the Gate of Ningyo always has enough words.
@Glo
Yeah, the more I listen to that first single-kinda the more I’m enjoying her singing voice. Actor. But yeah. Amai mono, tabete yuukou…
I’ll have to agree with there being one smack in the middle of the lawn. Luckily I don’t have to maintain my landlord’s yard, and he’s bad enough at it that it becomes carpeted with the things. I’m not a fan of yellow either, but heck, I’m totally not a fan of green, yet all my favourite things are primarily green. Chromatic wonders of the world.
@Nopy
Lol, indeed we cannot. You’re not exactly asking for everything though, a new decent graphics card is pretty minimal, why not go for it? Just skip out on the next two or three anime goods and voila :D
May 20th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Believe it or not, Dandelions were the first flowers that I saw to be “beautiful”. Roses were never a thing for me neither were lilies.
Dandelions and Jasmines, imo, are beautiful. Also “narcissus”. But that probably has to do because of the VN. Nevertheless, they are beautiful.
May 25th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
@nish
Well yes, the VN did introduce us to the flower, but even the Greek myth alone is tragic enough to really accentuate the flower.
Really though, no roses? I’m all for all of them. Though yes, the dandelion does have that wild beauty, and is arguably the most romantic in nature of them all, given the irony of its existence.