Monday, May 03, 2010

Perfection

PERFECTION, n. An imaginary state of quality distinguished from the actual by an element known as excellence; an attribute of the critic.
The editor of an English magazine having received a letter pointing out the erroneous nature of his views and style, and signed "Perfection," promptly wrote at the foot of the letter: "I don't agree with you," and mailed it to Matthew Arnold.
2010 Update: Anonymity.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perfection is being first.

And...

perfection is me!

Perfect.

Mo'a said...

Perfection: Anonymity!!! very interesting Doug...hmmmmm!!!

Leaving that aside as I am reading too much into it...perfection can leave you paralyzed with indecision.

That is why I became an artist...there is no room for perfection there.

Ariel the Thief said...

Perfection is when we don't screw it up.

tsduff said...

Your update is Perfect.

Ariel the Thief said...

Mo'a, do you mean that we didn't know how ugly Doug is while he was hiding behind the photo of a perfect dog?

Anonymous said...

perfection :

see no evil
speak no evil
hear no evil

truly a state of mind
in definition
and in being

may the new week
bring blessings
to all

Tempest Nightingale LeTrope said...

Tempest comes altogether too close to the 2010 description of perfection. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

PERFECTION, n. - Don't I wish I was. But hey, I'm only human :)

k. riggs gardner said...

Tempest, Dahling !!

Is it tea-time or time for late afternoon Matthew Arnold quotations?

I say both.

This strange disease of modern life, with its sick hurry, its divided aims ...

With close-lipped Patience for our only friend, Sad Patience, too near neighbor to Despair.

Would you care for lemon or milk with your Earl Grey?

the amoeba said...

PERFECTION, n. Feline lover. Which is how come people are often so catty about it.

Cooper said...

Anonymity - so true this definition of yours.

quilly said...

PER, –preposition 1.) for each. for every; 2.) in accordance to ...

FEC, abbrev Federal Election Commission

TION, suffix denotes action or condition

PERFECTION, n. Actions that comply with the regulations of the Federal Election Commission.

aquable one who is eligible for drowning.

Omnipotent Poobah said...

perfection: Waking Ambrose

sauerkraut said...

What the heck was that Ahnohld Schvahrtzzenneger movie with the cult? Do you want to live forever?? What were they seeking, perfection?

Or prudence?

Anonymous said...

know of a free
B and B
orlando area
give a call
if interested

so my word verf.
is , verse...
it is a curse
to think you must
have a verse
to concourse
this nobel source...
hey its late,i tried
peace

Doug The Una said...

Good enough, Jenn.

Mo'a, I'm comfortable guessing that you were reading too much into it.

Oh, right, Ariel. Like that can happen.

Terry, I shouldn't have signed it.

Ariel, you don't want to know, but know anyway. You see the point.

Perfect, anonymous.

Not to worry, Tempest, one day the lights may yet speak your name.

That's good enough, too, Thom.

Karen, that was Matthew Arnold?

Woof, Amoeba.

Correction, Cooper- this definition of someone's.

Quilly, that never would have occurred to me.

Riiiiight, Poobah.

A governorship, Sauerkraut?

And still posted anonymously, Bear. I'll let you know if I'm going to be in Orlando.

quilly said...

It wouldn't have occurred to me, either, but the dictionary says it's so. Now I understand better why perfection is so hard to achieve. The ambiguity of government regulations make the standards impossible to define.

k. riggs gardner said...

Yes, you can believe it was Matthew Arnold -- although it doesn't seem that he's usually quite so dreary. Here's two which are somewhat related to today's word:

“Culture is properly described as the love of perfection; it is a study of perfection.”

"The pursuit of perfection, then, is the pursuit of sweetness and light".