Midsummer Musings & Link Updates

I've been reading Joseph Conrad this summer. I came across the following passage, serendipitously enough, around the time of the London bombings of several weeks ago. I was reminded of it again today after the fresh reports from that city and amid the constant low-level anxiety that surrounds one here in Our Nation's Capital. It speaks eloquently of common humanity:

"No man will speak to his master; but to a wanderer and a friend, to him who does not come to teach or to rule, to him who asks for nothing and accepts all things, words are spoken by the campfires, in the shared solitude of the sea, in riverside villages, in resting places surrounded by forests—words are spoken that take no account of race or color. One heart speaks—another one listens; and the earth, the sea, the sky, the passing wind and the stirring leaf, hear also the futile tale of the burden of life." (Karain: A Memory)

Mangos & Mandolins has not been updated since late April, so in its place, I've added a link to a blog I visit almost daily. You Ain't No Picasso offers a eclectic mix of music and links. Check it out!