journal features

true talent can't be drunk away

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Toronto, 2003.06.10

I got some photos back from the party I attended on the weekend. Though my scanner wasn't up for the job of scanning these night-time slide shots, I found the slides themselves to be rather good. This despite the fact that while I was taking the photos I was extremely drunk.

I was explaining this phenomenon to my wise Ukrainian colleague Yuri. He told me that in Russian there's a saying; "true talent can't be drunk away". It's a delightful thought, but I think I just got lucky. Though I suppose the Russians would know!

rand()m quote

The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.

—Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov